How to fit two boys and parents' pricey toys in a Hong Kong flat
Needing to house a growing family and a growing pop-art collection, a Harbourside couple turned once again to a trusted designer, writes Charmaine Chan.
While Chan had to win the couple’s trust the first time around, for their second project – a 1,075 sq ft flat, again at The Harbourside, in Kowloon – both sides could be more relaxed.
“I knew what they liked, and they knew how I worked, so the design period was much shorter than last time,” says Chan, founder of interior design firm Hintegro.
There were changes to their modus operandi, however. Parents to two young boys – one now four, the other almost two – the couple had familial responsibilities this time around and were sometimes too exhausted to think about their new home or answer their designer’s questions.
Both avid collectors and brand-conscious consumers, the couple share a love of works by Japanese pop artist Yoshitomo Nara and America’s Kaws (whose signature in his art and toys consists of two crosses for eyes). Their treasures, which filled two small display cabinets in their first flat, are now housed in one large unit in the living room.
“Our family grew and our display cabinet grew,” says Tong, who, as well as being a full-time mother, took charge of the four-month project.