From ‘Wong Kar-wai film set’ to ‘pied à terre in Bali’: newlyweds make their mark on unloved Hong Kong flat
A Quarry Bay ‘den’ that had been empty for 15 years has been transformed into a laid-back bolt-hole
Having decided it was time to buy their own home, newlyweds Leigh Tong Kai-yee and Alex Bent were shocked by the first property they viewed: a dilapidated flat with a ceiling blackened by a kitchen fire and a thick layer of dust covering belongings that had lain untouched for 15 years. Naturally, they bought it without looking any further.
Why you should not judge a Hong Kong apartment by its complex
Six months later, gangster-den appeal and a clutch of warren-like rooms have given way to an airy, bright space that makes the most of its 1,200 square feet. A two-bedroom, two-bathroom layout, with simple cabinetry in neutral colours and an abundance of greenery, creates a calming backdrop to bold metallic accents and treasured family heirlooms.
“It’s funny that, when it comes to property, I’m fine about buying and selling and then moving on,” says Bent, co-founder of boutique property development company District 15. “But when it comes to things, I want to hold on to them forever [...] I’m definitely a hoarder. Leigh is more of a Marie Kondo.”
Bent, who was born and raised in Hong Kong, has inherited a number of antique pieces from his well-travelled parents, including a Korean chest and an altar table from a monastery in the Philippines. A wall hung with landscapes includes a watercolour panorama of Tolo Harbour, the view from Bent’s family home in Sha Tin.
“We love to travel and we try to buy [a piece of art] from each country we visit,” says Tong. “We go to a lot of weddings all over the world. The last one was in Edinburgh [in Scotland] so our latest purchase is an oil painting of a mountain view there.”
The couple were fortunate to have natural light – the top-floor corner flat benefits from a light well – but the office building view was a challenging prospect.
“We were living on Kennedy Road and had this amazing green mountain view so coming here, we knew we were going to miss that,” says Tong.
The solution was to create a balcony effect along the living area windows. A narrow strip of green tiles marks off the area from the wooden flooring and provides a splash-proof surface for a row of tall house plants.
Part of the brief was to feel removed from the city and make a vacation-like haven. I heard that one of their friends described the place as ‘a pied à terre in Bali’, which I think means we succeeded.
“Part of the brief was to feel removed from the city and make a vacation-like haven,” says Lim. “I heard that one of their friends described the place as ‘a pied à terre in Bali’, which I think means we succeeded.”
The epithet may refer to the flat’s many touches of glamour – what Lim describes as the “pop and splash” created by brushed-brass hardware and luxurious detailing that extends to light switches and coat hooks. Nowhere is this more evident than in the unabashedly glamorous guest bathroom, where brass trim vies with glossily textured black tiles and striking terrazzo.
“In hindsight, when you look at the photos of what it used to look like, I can’t believe we bought it,” Bent says. “And Quarry Bay was the last place in the world I would have looked to buy. But actually we love it here.”
The wide plank flooring, used throughout the flat, cost HK$43 a square foot from Kai Ying Timber (315 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2069 0329). The vintage armchair was inherited from Bent’s parents. The kitchen island was made with marble costing HK$125 a square foot from Shun Tak Marble (240 Lockhart Road, tel: 2802 3331).
Guest bathroom Lustrous black tiles from Anta (HK$14 each) complement speckled terrazzo surfaces (HK$98 a square foot from Chun Yan, 28 Hoi Chak Street, Quarry Bay, tel: 3590 5811). The mirror and counter trim (HK$4,000 in total) were designed by Lim + Lu. The brushed-brass tapware is from ABI Interiors and cost A$337.
Tried + tested
Beam me up Homeowners Leigh Tong and Alex Bent remain split when it comes to the treatment of the original beams that criss-cross the ceiling of their open kitchen. While Tong wanted them painted white with the rest of the ceiling, design team Lim + Lu supported Bent’s idea of retaining some of the flat’s vintage vibe by leaving them untouched, save for a light sanding and an application of non-reflective sealant.
“It was our only major compromise and it still might change,” says Tong. “Every time we have people over for dinner, we survey them and surprisingly, it’s very 50-50. They either hate it or think it’s awesome. There’s no middle ground.”
