Japanese design meets Scandinavian chic in a minimalist Hong Kong home, where simple is superior

It is easy to get caught up in the moment and not give much thought to the future but with retirement on the horizon, Susanna Lo decided to plan ahead. She wanted somewhere that would suit her lifestyle – Lo is a keen traveller and enjoys yoga – and her work (in finance). This 1,500 sq ft flat in Pok Fu Lam ticked all the boxes, not least because of its proximity to her son’s home. She enlisted Yu-Chang Chen, interior designer and founder of hoo, and his colleague Yannes Cheng Hoi-Yan to help turn it around.

Lo wanted something cosy but elegant and initially thought European style would be the way to go. However, she also hankered after a deep Japanese tub, so after a few brainstorming sessions with Chen, she decided to compromise.

“Combining Japanese and Scandinavian styles is not as strange as you might think,” Chen says. “They are similar in essence and show many common traits, such as clean lines, the use of natural materials and simplicity.”

The pair gutted the original three-bedroom flat, but kept the communal areas at the front of the flat and the private rooms at the back. The second bedroom was turned into a multi­purpose space, and what had been the third bedroom was divided between a spacious walk-in wardrobe and a guest bathroom.

Lo acknowledges having been concerned her home would end up too minimalist – cold rather than cosy. Chen got around this by using Japanese elements in the back­ground – white walls and oak detailing – balanced with Scandinavian furniture and accessories.

“The current trend is to use a different wood in each room but I went for oak throughout to keep everything light and uniform. It has a wonderful warmth and its beautiful natural grain adds texture and interest, although it was tricky trying to control its colour variation,” Chen says.