A Hong Kong home gets a modern European makeover inspired by Dutch villages
- Tommy Hui of TBC Studio helped transform a Tsuen Wan flat into a forever home
- Hui drew inspiration from a Dutch concept of an out-of-the-way place unaffected by the outside world
Dorp: the Dutch word for a village. Figuratively, an out-of-the-way place that remains unaffected by the outside world. As a concept it seems the perfect approach to designing a new home during these turbulent times. Looking forward to enjoying a peaceful retirement and excited to create their forever home, Jim Ho, his wife Noreen and their daughter Jasmine turned to Tommy Hui Shui-cheung, founder of local design firm TBC Studio, to dorp the 803 sq ft flat they purchased in a new-build high-rise in Tsuen Wan in late 2019. Hence the name he gave the project: The Dorp.
Overlooking a bay, Ting Kau Bridge and the greenery of Tsuen Wan Park, the view reminded Hui immediately of those from the canal houses of Amsterdam and Rotterdam. “But the main reason we went with a light luxury European style was to match the family’s existing furniture, including the sofa and dining table,” he says.
Similar to Scandinavian design, the Dutch aesthetic maximises natural light, sticks close to nature and allows the space to flow from room to room. The plan for the flat’s interiors started with the colour palette: typically Dutch bright-white walls dressed with deep blues, cerulean, greys and fern green. Decorative mouldings were added, along with swathes of wood panelling, cleverly concealing a wealth of storage as well as a secret cat flap for the feline family members, Tim and Deng.
A small foyer, demarcated in rich smoky blue, evokes the feeling of entering a European home from the street. In the crisp white living room, display cabinets feature pops of navy blue Formica laminate where the owners can showcase their collectibles. From this area, leaded-glass doors open into the original fitted kitchen off the entrance, and into a corridor that leads to two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Panels of wallpaper, with flashes of sunlight-catching metallic gold, were used as a highlight in each room, and strips of colourful terrazzo were employed to brighten the bathrooms.
“We were all united in wanting a more modern European style,” says Jim. Daughter Jasmine adds: “But we also wanted somewhere functional so that each member of the family – including the cats – could enjoy their own space.”
