Before embarking on major renovations, design wisdom recommends living in a new home long enough to figure out what you really want. The Leung family had the benefit of the next best thing. Having rented for years in a Stubbs Road mid-rise before buying a carbon copy flat one floor below, they knew where the light fell, how the layout worked, and what could be improved to suit their lifestyle. Husband-and-wife architectural team Vincent Lim Chin-hwa and Elaine Manzi Lu, of Lim + Lu, were engaged to create a home for the owners, their two young children and two live-in helpers. “For us, it was the first time doing anything like that, where the client was so familiar with the spaces,” says Lim. “When they purchased the apartment they saw an opportunity to create their dream home, as they’d always wanted to in the unit above.” With stunning views of Hong Kong, minimalist apartment shuns art Rooms needed to be realigned, so most of the walls were removed and the interior gutted. The 2,000 sq ft (186 square metre) flat was sold as a four-bedroom unit but in the new configuration, two bedrooms were combined to form an out-sized main suite totalling 384 sq ft. This allowed for a bigger en suite bathroom – the original was considered too small for a home of this size – and for enough wardrobe space to accommodate the clients’ extensive storage requirements. The award-winning Hong Kong recycling centre that looks like a hotel It also left room to ground the space with an elegant island at the far end, a work desk on one side and counter on the other. Although a home office wasn’t a prerequisite when the renovation began in the latter part of 2020, its inclusion made immediate sense after the family moved in on the project’s completion, in September 2021. Whereas many in Hong Kong stick to a neutral palette throughout, this home is a celebration of colour, reflecting, Lim says, that it is a home for children as well as parents; not just “a home for adults who happen to have children”. Playful elements include the en suite, which has a scheme of emerald and maroon trimmed with brass accents that may ring a bell; it’s a nod to Hong Kong’s iconic “ding ding” trams. Japanese minimalism transforms a Hong Kong village house into a dream home This is also a home of contrasts. Painted Parisian blue, with sleek mouldings and trims, eclectic chairs and a porthole to the kitchen, the dining room seeks to recreate the casual, comfortable experience of a French bistro. Step into the adjacent living room, however, and you’re transported across the Atlantic. Channelling an American log cabin vibe, wood panelling on the walls and ceiling draws the space down to cosy intimacy, while a piano flanked by rattan-panelled wall units adds another layer of texture. Although there are enough bedrooms for them to have one each, the girls like to share. Their treehouse-inspired bunk beds are the stuff of childhood fantasy, while the spare room next door is used as a playroom. Green, sustainable apartment makeover quietly celebrates Hong Kong The floor plan’s clever demarcation – the children’s rooms in one part of the home; entertaining space in another – works a treat when friends visit. There are other examples of thoughtful inclusions only possible when a flat’s walls come down and the architects can start from scratch: a walk-in storeroom where everything from bicycles to suitcases can be kept within easy reach; a raised platform in the playroom to house bulky items such as skis. The kitchen was reconfigured to make it more workable, and the former laundry became a butler’s pantry of sorts, while still housing the washer and dryer. How a Hong Kong mansion was restored to glory as an art space Living in the rented flat above while the renovation took place meant that client engagement in the project was unusually high. They would come down after dinner most nights to see what had been done that day, and were “very detail oriented”, Lim recalls. This resulted in changes along the way. “Certain things they previously had not thought about did come to light – mostly to do with personal preferences,” he says. However, the architect adds that when it comes to one’s home, if something irks you, speak up then and there, rather than expressing regret (“I wish we’d done that instead”) after a project is finished. “As designers, we’d rather change something you’re not entirely happy about,” he says. “Because once you move in, you can’t go back.” Dining room Grouped around a green marble and walnut table from Today Furniture (today-furnishing.com) are various designer chairs: two Capo dining armchairs (upholstered) from De La Espada (delaespada.com), two Huma dining chairs (at table ends) from Expormim (expormim.com) and four C-Chairs from Gubi (gubi.com). The pendant light is a Drop Chandelier from 101 CPH (101cph.com) and the track lighting came from e-Lighting (elighting.asia). The large artwork behind the table is Temporary Home No.2, by Chen Yujun, from New York’s James Cohan gallery (jamescohan.com). The sideboard was also from Today Furnishing. Both the antique Persian rug and the mid-century modern green chair have been with the family for years. Living room Textures converge in the living room wall and ceiling finishes: walnut panelling from Today Furnishing is flanked by wood-trimmed rattan panels custom designed by Lim + Lu. The artwork above the piano was a gift. The collage on the white wall is by Japanese contemporary artist Shinro Ohtake (gallery unknown). A pair of sofas from Tree (tree.com.hk) is dressed with cushions from May On Decorative Products. The track lighting was from e-Lighting. Main bedroom Sage-green paint sets a restful tone in the main bedroom. The Suite Bed, by Autoban for De La Espada, and bedside table came from the owners’ previous home, and the antique coat stand is a family treasure. The Soffio wall lamp came from Giopato & Coombes (giopatocoombes.com). Main bedroom (detail) A terrazzo-top island designed by Lim + Lu acts as both a desk and a counter in the spacious main bedroom. The Capo armchair was from De La Espada and the Signal SI333 desk lamp from Jieldé (jielde.com). Behind the wrought-iron-trimmed glass partition is the en suite. An antique rug (source unknown) tops the herringbone engineered flooring from Boen (boen.com). Main en suite bathroom A playful palette of green subway tiles, maroon wall paint and trimmings in black wrought iron and brass recall Hong Kong’s iconic “ding ding” trams. On the wall is a work by Casablanca-born photographer Jacques Olivar (jacquesolivar.com). The terrazzo floor and wall tiles came from International Marble Works (19/F, Yue On Commercial Building, 238 Lockhart Road, tel: 2511 6138), and the basin from Kohler. Girls’ room With its angled roof and wooden climbing steps, the bunk bed in the girls’ room was inspired by a treehouse. It was custom designed by Lim + Lu (limandlu.com) and built by Hang Wai Decoration (Room 1004, Sheung Lai House, Sheung Tak Estate, Tseung Kwan O, tel: 9490 5544), which also built the banquette. The banquette cushions came from May On Decorative Products (37 Fleming Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2598 0031) and the child’s table and chair set was from Ikea (ikea.com.hk). Children’s bathroom Contrasting with the bold main en suite, the children’s bathroom features a much lighter peach tone. The ceramic tiles with marble print came from Fei Concept (165 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2153 3288) and the mirror was custom designed by Lim+Lu. The basin came from Cielo (ceramicacielo.it) and the toilet from Kohler (kohler.com.hk). Tried + tested To create a sense of arrival in the shared lift lobby, the Leung family’s door is painted in a rich forest green and embellished with brass accents. “A lot of times entry doors are an afterthought – people don’t pay too much attention to them,” says Vince Lim Chin-hwa, of Lim + Lu. “But it’s the first impression you get, and [our clients felt they] needed to have that kind of distinction.”