Light-filled Central lair is stage for artist couple's life and loves
An American couple's Hong Kong pied-à-terre provides a space in which to display their own and others' creations, writes Catherine Shaw
It was a wonderful find in a notoriously difficult real-estate market. So, naturally, several other potential tenants were also keen to snap up the ground floor, 800 sq ft, light-filled apartment, with a 530 sq ft terrace, on Chancery Lane, in Central.
"Last year I was looking for somewhere compact to rent as our second home but as Janis was still in New York, I was checking out options on my own," says Brad Davis, who co-founded the luxury-carpet atelier Fort Street Studio in 1997 with his wife, Janis Provisor.
With new premises about to open in Wong Chuk Hang, the American couple - both artists - were hoping to find a pied-à-terre in Hong Kong.
"The only problem was that Janis said the apartment had to have a bath," Davis says, laughing.
The unit ticked all the other boxes: open-plan layout, one-bedroom, contemporary kitchen, stacks of storage … but no bath.
Davis had just a few hours to decide.
His solution was to invest in a handcrafted Japanese cedar tub with wheels that enable it to be swung out from under the bathroom basin into the shower area when needed.
Other creative solutions have been applied to their home.
"We bought an enormous loft apartment in New York and most of our artwork and collections remain there," Provisor says. "For Hong Kong, we wanted to keep things a lot more simple and pared back. It is a small space so you can't have too much clutter. Besides we are now much more careful about what we bring home; we have fantastic storage here but you can't have everything you love on display."
For Davis, a collector of 1950s and 60s German pottery, that meant selecting his favourite pieces to display: two delicate flower-like ceramic dishes they found on a recent trip to Tokyo made the cut along with a glossy 70s-style moss green vase.
"Our pieces range from expensive auction house or gallery finds to cheap everyday pieces that we love. Good design is not about cost but about something beautiful," Davis says, pointing to a vintage Plycraft lounger and footstool that they had reupholstered in a Jim Thompson grey and black striped fabric.
Artworks by the couple have been exhibited in major American and European museums. The move to creating carpets came after visiting Hangzhou in the early 90s; there they started working with artisan weavers who translated their abstract art into luxurious wild-silk carpets.
Their home features one of their most complicated creations, a soft galaxy-inspired carpet. "Each knot is a different colour," says Davis. "It took forever to make by hand but is exquisite to walk and sit on."
The atelier's clients have included Hermès Maison, Brad Pitt and Elton John.
Textiles are clearly a passion. A low shelf-console that wraps around the living room perimeter stores a vast collection of fabrics bought on their travels. Also on show is the eclectic art the couple has collected over the years, from bold Chinese calligraphy to modern graffiti.
The kitchen - with an island that doubles as a dining table - is the central feature of the rectangle-shaped apartment and separates a bedroom-study and living room on either side. Glass sliding doors installed by the landlord make the terrace feel like a natural extension to the informal interior.
A black marble shelf was installed outside the kitchen window to extend the food preparation area onto the terrace.
"The terrace makes all the difference," says Provisor. "It is a quiet haven we escape to in this busy city. It's tiny but so tranquil. As artists what you surround yourself with is very important."
Dining room and kitchen The landlord fitted the kitchen. The two pottery bowls, small plate and tall striped cup were bought years ago from Tokyo’s kitchen supply district, Kappabashi.
Bathroom The Japanese bathtub (from HK$8,000 to HK$12,000) was from Ito Futon (137 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2845 1138). The stool (HK$750) came from Muji.
Brad Davis and Janis Provisor designed a narrow black marble shelf (installed by the landlord at their request), running the length of the kitchen window ledge, to create serving space on the terrace. It doubles as a bar counter or display surface.
The table was a gift while the chairs (US$830 each) were sourced from Kartell, in Los Angeles. The two monkey statues were found at Friendship Trading (105 Hollywood Road, Central, tel: 2548 3830). The mercury-blown glass jar (HK$2,500) was from Amelie & Tulips. On the table is a set of coloured glasses that cost HK$5 each from Japan Home Centre; charger plates bought on a recent trip to Arezzo, Italy; black and white plates by British artist Rob Ryan (about £20/HK$235 each and available from Homeless); and small green bowls picked up in Tokyo. The glass vase and tall white pot planter were gifts. The recliners cost HK$16,000 each from Everything Under the Sun (9/F, Horizon Plaza, 2 Lee Wing Street, Ap Lei Chau, tel: 2554 9088).
