Shades of grey and tropical greenery transform a Hong Kong home where the outdoors is as big as indoors

Living somewhere that reflects your personality is essential if you want to feel “at home” but it isn’t always easy to find ways to do this when you rent. Step forward American architect and interior designer Britta Butler, of B Squared Design. She transformed a 1,800 sq ft rental flat in Mid-Levels, where Katie Miller lives with her husband, Jon, and five-year-old daughter, Olivia, into a place that is an extension of the whole family’s disposition.

“Katie always looks incredibly chic but she is also a warm and friendly person,” says Butler. “She wanted a space that would look sophisticated but at the same time be comfortable and welcoming because she and her family love entertaining.”

When Jon and Katie Miller, who work in finance and advertising, respectively, first viewed the four-bedroom, three-bathroom flat, it was dominated by bold colours and filled with furniturethe polar opposite of what the couple had in mind. However, its bones were exceptional and Miller had a clear vision of what she wanted. Although structural changes weren’t needed (or permitted), Miller’s landlord was happy for the flat to be repainted.

“We all have our own design tastes and preferences: I like a pared-down look and Katie is even more minimal than that,” says Butler. “There was nothing wrong with the previous decor – it just didn’t suit Katie and she wanted to stamp her own mark on the apartment. She came up with a colour palette that is based on shades of grey.”

Because the flat is naturally bright and airy, Butler felt it would be able to take darker hues without looking gloomy. She visited the apartment at various times to gauge the amount of daylight in each room and to ascertain which walls reflected the most light. Based on her findings, she either created feature walls in dark charcoal (the main bedroom, Olivia’s room and the living room), repainted cabinetry in the same colour or, as in the dining room, went all out.