https://www.scmp.com/rss/11869/feed Catherine Shaw is an independent architecture, design and art critic and the author of the Wallpaper* Tokyo City Guide. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com What is it? The first new five-star hotel in WeHo in years, The Edition recently opened at the nexus of Beverly Hills and West Hollywood, on the corner of West Sunset Boulevard and North Doheny Drive. It’s well positioned for shopping, antique hunt­ing and viewing art. Sunset Strip, Rodeo Drive, the Getty Center and Melrose Avenue are nearby and there are acclaimed beaches a 30-minute drive away. But if you want to rub shoulders with Hollywood’s finest, head for the hotel lobby or rooftop... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3064981/west-hollywood-edition-grit-and-glamour-ian?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3064981/west-hollywood-edition-grit-and-glamour-ian?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2020 13:00:19 +0000 A boutique hotel without a restaurant, where guests share a communal living room and where most of the furniture is made of cardboard, is shaking long-held notions of luxury hospitality in Japan. The owners – partners in a financial consultancy based in Singapore – originally planned to build a private summer retreat for their own young families to relax in and enjoy nature in the popular Japanese mountain resort of Karuizawa, about an hour by bullet train from Tokyo. The core of the concept was... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3010432/shigeru-ban-designed-boutique-hotel-challenges-notions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3010432/shigeru-ban-designed-boutique-hotel-challenges-notions?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 May 2019 10:30:05 +0000 It’s the details that matter. That expression probably applies to nowhere more than Japan, where crafts are art forms, and their creators given the time to make their magic. Take, for example, the cherry blossom headboards that are part of the recent refurbishment of the Mandarin Oriental Tokyo’s guest rooms. A single bee stitched among the floral cascades completes each piece. The petals and a second pattern featuring wisteria, meticulously sewn by Mitsuyoshi Kurihara, embellish some of the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/interiors-living/article/3007417/how-japanese-textile-designer-reiko-sudo-took-mandarin?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/interiors-living/article/3007417/how-japanese-textile-designer-reiko-sudo-took-mandarin?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Apr 2019 10:00:06 +0000 At Shè, the client, Gaia Group, wanted the space to reflect its context – a modern Cantonese restaurant within a fashion store. Mesa Nopakun, of Bangkok-based studio Dot Line Plane came up with the idea of an elegant oasis that connects food, fashion and people, a place where people come to relax. The design is a convergence of Asian and Western cultures. The challenges It is a compact, narrow interior, so it was a challenge to balance the light and mood between the indoors and outdoors,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/3005839/sheshe-restaurant-food-fashion-and-people?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/3005839/sheshe-restaurant-food-fashion-and-people?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Apr 2019 05:30:11 +0000 Why did you become a designer? “My dad had a small antiques shop near Manchester and, when I left boarding school, I went to work with him. I loved antiques but there was no creative process there. That’s when I decided to focus on furniture and interiors, inspired by the past but made relevant for today.” You often talk of your brand as humble luxury – what does that mean? “I don’t like the idea of luxury for luxury’s sake. I want luxury to be apparent in the mate­rial and craftsmanship of the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2179387/i-dont-idea-luxury-luxurys-sake-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2179387/i-dont-idea-luxury-luxurys-sake-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Dec 2018 08:33:06 +0000 What is it? An art museum hidden beneath a sand dune. Programmed and managed by the Beijing contemporary art foundation UCCA, the museum is housed in a surreal succession of white concrete caves carved within a stretch of ocean dunes. The designers hope their project will raise questions about art, architecture and nature. Where is it? At the Aranya Gold Coast Community, a seaside resort near Changli, in Hebei province’s Beidaihe district, north­east China. The 300km-or-so trip from Beijing to... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/2175833/ucca-dune-chinas-new-art-gallery-inside-sand-dune?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/2175833/ucca-dune-chinas-new-art-gallery-inside-sand-dune?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Dec 2018 04:30:00 +0000 When it comes to hotel design, veteran hotelier and real estate developer Ian Schrager believes in sticking with what he knows best: a well-tested formula of glittering glamour – lots of it – with a touch of what he calls “alchemy”. Schrager, a Brooklyn-born law graduate, has had plenty of time to hone his famous blend. His entered the world of hospitality in the 1970s via one of the most iconic nightclubs in the world, New York’s Studio 54, which he co-founded with college friend Steve... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2175650/studio-54-shanghai-bund-hotelier-sticks-tried-and-tested-winning-formula?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2175650/studio-54-shanghai-bund-hotelier-sticks-tried-and-tested-winning-formula?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Nov 2018 11:15:30 +0000 Describe your aesthetic. “My work is understated but memorable because I add something – art or a material – that gives it a special character. A lot of designers think about style, trends or what is beautiful but we design experiences.” How does this work? “For Hotel Fusion, in San Francisco, we infused the art-deco setting with a quirky Oriental touch by wrapping a dramatic hand-carved wooden dragon around a column in the lobby. The twist is that it is a Western dragon’s head. For a Japanese... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2175417/how-hong-kong-interior-designer-eschews?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2175417/how-hong-kong-interior-designer-eschews?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Nov 2018 00:30:00 +0000 In Belinda Corder-Kruger’s Auckland home, art takes centre stage. Four years ago, the New Zealander found the 1,300 sq ft, three-bedroom flat in Parnell, one of Auckland’s oldest suburbs. A big attraction of the apartment, which is a short walk from the city, was its unfussy, light-filled interiors, ideal for the art and property adviser’s eclectic collec­tion of paintings, sculptures and furnishings. Corder-Kruger helmed Art Lease, a Hong Kong corporate-art consultancy, for more than a decade.... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2163725/inside-former-hong-kong-residents-art?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2163725/inside-former-hong-kong-residents-art?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Sep 2018 09:45:00 +0000 What drives your design? “I love reusing stuff but try to resist the label ‘upcycling’. It’s a trendy description but, for me, it is that I just don’t like stuff going in the bin when it still has a beauty to it. “For example, I am working with some simple pine pallets and the wood is such a cracking material. Oak wine barrels or other timber crates are interesting, too, especially those with stamps from famous chateaux. They continue their story in something totally new.” Tell us how you... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2159847/how-hong-kong-designer-turns-trash-treasure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2159847/how-hong-kong-designer-turns-trash-treasure?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Aug 2018 04:31:03 +0000 How does your training as an architect inform your approach to interior design? “Too often archi­tecture and interiors are kept separate or even pitched against one another, which is a shame as one cannot be without the other. We place great importance on connecting the inside and the outside of projects to ensure that there is a strong link between all components. A multidisciplinary approach allows engagement at all levels, understanding all sides of the story.” Why did Conran and Partners... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2155019/retail-space-looks-your-living-room-how?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2155019/retail-space-looks-your-living-room-how?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Jul 2018 04:15:45 +0000 You trained as a lawyer. How did you end up in design? “After I graduated I gave my diploma to my parents and got on with my life, working with my hands, making simple crafts and objects, and my brother [Fernando] joined me. We grew up in the countryside and didn’t have much, but had fertile minds, so we made our own universe comfortable using our imaginations.” What spurs you on? “The challenge is to maintain a fresh mind, to be young in terms of creativity. I find travel inspirational. I like... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2152837/why-brazilian-designer-finds-hong-kong-so?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2152837/why-brazilian-designer-finds-hong-kong-so?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Jun 2018 04:31:48 +0000 Is Morpheus, the late Dame Zaha Hadid’s only building in Macau, an example of the “weird” architecture that Chinese President Xi Jinping railed against in 2016? The monolithic 40-storey structure, wrapped in a gleaming aluminium exoskeleton, shares the appearance of the grandiose architecture that so irked the Chinese leader. Botanist and vertical garden pioneer Patrick Blanc on his past and future Yet closer examination reveals the hotel’s futuristic-looking design – which boasts a world-first,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/interiors-living/article/2151019/how-zaha-hadid-designed-morpheus-hotel-macau-found?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/interiors-living/article/2151019/how-zaha-hadid-designed-morpheus-hotel-macau-found?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Jun 2018 23:30:30 +0000 Blame it on an occupational hazard, but Australian interior designer Aviva Duncan has repainted her 2,700 sq ft Mid-Levels flat six times in as many years. “I can’t help it,” she says. “In my line of work I see so many wonderful things, and my own home is the perfect canvas to road test them.” Duncan, who was born in Melbourne, lived in Hong Kong from 2001 to 2004 before moving to Tokyo, where she designed the interior of a house that was rebuilt for her young family. She returned to Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2150381/inside-hong-kong-interior-designers-bold?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2150381/inside-hong-kong-interior-designers-bold?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Jun 2018 09:49:28 +0000 How would you describe your style? “Playful, clean, reduced to an essence.” What influences do you seek out? “Influences from the environment – materials, quality, sustainability and influence from people and culture – behaviour, practice, craft. I am influenced daily by music and musicians – listening to the message, its freedom, its ability to be meditative and thoughtful at the same moment.”   What is your favourite material to work with? “Metals. Their  workability, the character of their... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2149648/humour-design-furniture-maker-explains-how?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2149648/humour-design-furniture-maker-explains-how?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Jun 2018 07:16:21 +0000 The focus was on sustainability at the world’s most influential design event this year, with organisers of Milan’s Salone del Mobile launching their first ever manifesto, devoted to the issue, and several exhibitors showing designs that minimised or eliminated plastic. The week-long fair, held since 1961, is the place where leading brands and up-and-coming designers show their newest and most innovative products, and the attention paid to environmental issues at the event was evident. Prada... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/interiors-living/article/2144203/furniture-designers-embrace-sustainability-milan-design?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/interiors-living/article/2144203/furniture-designers-embrace-sustainability-milan-design?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 May 2018 04:47:30 +0000 “We thought downsizing was going to be straightforward – simply shedding a few large items, like our grand piano, and relocating to a chic, smaller apartment in the city, but nothing went quite as planned,” says globetrotting Australian entrepreneur Gail Chapman, who recently moved from a seven-bedroom house in the Kent countryside, to south­west London. She and husband Richard, a banker, have led a peripatetic life since 2002, when they left Australia for Tokyo. After six years in Japan, the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2142104/how-spacious-london-house-stole-former-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2142104/how-spacious-london-house-stole-former-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Apr 2018 09:45:00 +0000 The fifth edition of Design Shanghai, China’s first and largest contemporary design fair, drew more than 67,000 visitors to the Shanghai Exhibition Centre from March 14 to 17 and starred renowned international brands such as Ligne Roset, Lasvit and Carl Hansen & Son. An important part of the event, however, were the emerging young Chinese designers and creators who have been making significant inroads in a market that has until now been dominated by large international companies. “Seventy of the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/interiors-living/article/2139911/design-shanghai-2018-young-chinese-designers-show-their?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/interiors-living/article/2139911/design-shanghai-2018-young-chinese-designers-show-their?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Apr 2018 23:32:19 +0000 How do you give each Hermès store its own character when the brand has such a distinctive aesthetic? “We always start by designing the space, then the fittings. This attitude is also in the Hermès DNA; there is no repetition. We carry forward signature Hermès aesthetics, adding a touch of the vernacular, like bamboo, to reflect the context.” Hong Kong the inspiration behind Bo Innovation’s interior, says designer How did you create a sense of coherence in the three-storey, 9,167 sq ft Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2139386/how-hermes-new-hong-kong-flagship-store-got?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2139386/how-hermes-new-hong-kong-flagship-store-got?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Mar 2018 06:00:00 +0000 What should a modern hotel in China look like today? This is the question Italian architect Piero Lissoni posed for the design of The Middle House hotel in Shanghai. “There is already a relatively clearly defined model of what works well in terms of circulation and room size,” the Milan-based designer points out. Italian architect on the rise of China and why details annoy him With luxury and comfort both givens, the project called for something special to stand out, especially with a spate of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2138573/how-build-perfect-hotel-china-italian-architect-reveals-his-secrets-making?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2138573/how-build-perfect-hotel-china-italian-architect-reveals-his-secrets-making?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Mar 2018 10:17:37 +0000 Since founding your firm 30 years ago, you’ve designed houses, universities and museums along with art galleries – which is your favourite? “There really isn’t a favourite. One of the things I love about architecture is the variety of the people – both the clients as well as all the consultants – and that always keeps it interesting and dynamic. With a private home, there can be a direct relation­ship with the client whereas in a museum, which has a board of trustees and a director and other... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2135870/new-york-based-architect-being-female-male?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2135870/new-york-based-architect-being-female-male?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Mar 2018 23:47:47 +0000 Do you like contemporary design? “What I don’t like is design that is bland or ‘grey’. It is soul destroying; like a plague of mediocrity. I studied architecture when I was very young but for many years after that I continued to study art history and landscape. I admire the Renaissance man as someone with a wide, global idea of life. When you put it all together you find you have a deeper perspective.” Your 16th-century home in Paris is a tribute to your expertise in art and design. Is it... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2125713/minimalism-has-no-soul-says-designer-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2125713/minimalism-has-no-soul-says-designer-and?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Dec 2017 04:15:45 +0000 Few modern-day museums are considered groundbreaking because of their design rather than their artworks, but the Louvre Abu Dhabi is a striking example. Despite long delays and the exorbitant cost, reputedly in the region of €600 million (US$712 million), when the museum opened on November 11 it was widely seen as an architectural masterpiece, thanks in no small part to the instantly recognisable, futuristic dome that provides a protective cover for the complex of 55 galleries. Louvre Abu Dhabi... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/interiors-living/article/2122725/louvre-abu-dhabis-architect-what-inspired-its?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/interiors-living/article/2122725/louvre-abu-dhabis-architect-what-inspired-its?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Dec 2017 11:32:34 +0000 The first time she visited Bali, Sin Sin Man says she felt a strong spiritual and creative connection with the Indonesian island. “Bali opened my eyes,” says the Hong Kong-based artist and contemporary gallery owner. “The people are so open and warm, and the culture and nature are so rich that from the start I was addicted to being there.” That was 30 years ago and the love affair has continued unabated. It led in 1998 to Sin buying several village rice paddies, which she has trans­formed into... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2120902/hong-kong-gallery-owners-bali-villas-how?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2120902/hong-kong-gallery-owners-bali-villas-how?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Nov 2017 09:45:15 +0000 How would you describe your style? “Contemporary, clean, elegant, tactile and a little quirky. Examples include our Infinite restaurant project at the Legend Palace Hotel, Macau, and La Saison by Jacques Barnachon, in Tsim Sha Tsui. Our work is very detailed and while we like to create an impact, the users’ delight and comfort are equally important.” What made you set up a studio in Hong Kong? “I came to Hong Kong in 1990 from London, where [I worked in] retail design. Having grown up in Bangkok... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2120061/petticoat-lane-pure-yoga-designers-27-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2120061/petticoat-lane-pure-yoga-designers-27-year?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Nov 2017 04:47:41 +0000 William Morris once said: “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” The observation, by the late British pioneer of the arts and crafts movement, is as important for the elderly as any other generation. This was the thinking of the managers of the privately owned Kadoorie Estate, an enclave of 86 Bauhaus-style, 1930s luxury houses on a small hill in Kowloon, when they discovered that several of their long-term, senior tenants were relocating to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2118235/how-hong-kong-heritage-homes-were-adapted-elderly-tenants-comfort-while?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2118235/how-hong-kong-heritage-homes-were-adapted-elderly-tenants-comfort-while?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Nov 2017 10:17:39 +0000 The H Queens tower is an ambitious 24-storey vertical art space opening in Hong Kong’s Central district this winter that’s set to boost the city’s standing as an international art centre. “Hong Kong may be famed for its hyperactive skyline but its sheer density and exorbitant rental [prices] means that many of the city’s art galleries find themselves squeezed into buildings originally designed to accommodate shops or offices,” says William Lim, the building’s architect and founder of Hong... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2113985/now-art-galleries-hong-kong-have-purpose-built-alternative-cramped-office?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2113985/now-art-galleries-hong-kong-have-purpose-built-alternative-cramped-office?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Oct 2017 10:15:15 +0000 Sometimes inspiration comes from the most unexpected of places. For Grant Horsfield, a South Africa-born entrepreneur who moved to China in 2005, it was the serendipitous discovery of a remote, abandoned mountain village in the bamboo forests of Moganshan, about an hour’s drive west of Hangzhou. The discovery was the spark for his development of innovative, eco-friendly tourist resorts in the area, including a hilltop castle. A keen sportsman, Horsfield says he was looking for somewhere to hike... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/interiors-living/article/2109607/couple-who-rebuilt-scotsmans-castle-chinese-mountain-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/interiors-living/article/2109607/couple-who-rebuilt-scotsmans-castle-chinese-mountain-and?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Sep 2017 04:47:40 +0000 Walking into the glamorous 18th-century Parisian home of Charles Garnett and Sylvain Lévy-Alban, it is difficult to believe it once was a chaotic warren of rooms. “It was very old-fashioned, run-down – nothing had been done to it for 30 years,” says Garnett. “There was a fridge in the dining room, the bathroom walls looked like slabs of meat and the kitchen was very small and impractical.” The couple, however, have a history of transforming other family-owned apartments, in London, Rome and Hong... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2108599/hong-kong-couples-enviable-paris-home-away?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2108599/hong-kong-couples-enviable-paris-home-away?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Aug 2017 09:18:29 +0000 Is the ‘C’ word fashionable again? Judging by the success of this year’s London Craft Week, which saw Hong Kong and Chinese designers, among others, show off their handiwork, crafts are one of the hottest trends in the design industry. And it’s not just big luxury brands getting a look-in on this revival of interest in things made by hand. Loraine Rutt, cartographic artist and founder of the Little Globe Company, welcomed a steady flow of visitors to the workshop she installed in the basement... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/interiors-living/article/2100212/hong-kong-and-china-designers-tap-buzz-about-crafts-fast?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/interiors-living/article/2100212/hong-kong-and-china-designers-tap-buzz-about-crafts-fast?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jun 2017 23:03:48 +0000 When it comes to explaining the success of his 30-year career creating luxurious modern residences, retail stores, and hotels, the American architect Peter Marino epitomises the line: “Everybody’s got to have a gimmick.” Marino’s own gimmick is the ability to integrate his rigorous architectural training at Cornell with an encyclopaedic knowledge of fine arts that places him in a unique position to curate and commission distinctive artworks for his projects. Then, add a dash of the provocateur:... https://www.scmp.com/property/hong-kong-china/article/2098976/architectural-luxury-gimmick-says-renowned-architect?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/property/hong-kong-china/article/2098976/architectural-luxury-gimmick-says-renowned-architect?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jun 2017 08:06:24 +0000 Tell us about the Pawnbroker series that is part of the Confluence 20+ exhibition at City Hall. “It started with the concept of implementing the pawnbroker sign onto a folding chair, a common piece of household furniture. Pawnbroker signboards on street corners were a signature feature of the Hong Kong street scene. Few pawnshops remain nowadays. In collaboration with Profilia of West Germany (Far East), we aim to start a new ‘Chair Fun’ series, and also pay tribute to our collective cultural... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2098324/hong-kong-product-designer-what-makes-local?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2098324/hong-kong-product-designer-what-makes-local?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jun 2017 09:02:24 +0000 We all know what can happen when people with different tastes and needs attempt to find aesthetic harmony. Yet, the family home of interior designer Laura Cheung – whose siblings include art consultant Anne Cheung and restaur­ateur Chris Cheung – proves that accom­modating points of view doesn’t necessarily mean compromising on style and personality. “Of course, it is challenging to always please everyone but my parents are massively supportive and very hands-off, allowing us to each do what we... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2097105/nod-past-inside-1930s-home-luxury-enclave?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2097105/nod-past-inside-1930s-home-luxury-enclave?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jun 2017 09:35:26 +0000 The lure of e-commerce’s instant gratification and convenience has made it more important than ever that physical stores make shopping a memorable experience. While many have turned to creating a consistent formula of exclusive materials and artworks, until now surprisingly few have followed the example of the Australian botanical hair and skincare brand Aesop, which has created unique looks for each of its 177 stores and 84 department store counters in 20 countries. There are nine stores and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2096085/why-hong-kongs-newest-aesop-store-different-all-others-because-one-look?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2096085/why-hong-kongs-newest-aesop-store-different-all-others-because-one-look?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 May 2017 04:46:55 +0000 Big is not necessarily better, as Hong Kong architect Nelson Chow Chi-wai’s design for a 370 sq ft home for a young client proves. “Thoughtful design is transformative even for the smallest of spaces,” says Chow, of NC Design & Architecture. “But it is more than simply a question of efficiency and functionality because a real home also needs to be cosy and should reflect the personality of the person who lives there.” Consisting of a living area, kitchen, bathroom and an elevated double “bunk... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2093550/trees-outside-inspire-tree-house-design?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2093550/trees-outside-inspire-tree-house-design?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 May 2017 09:00:44 +0000 Could design be the next new hot collectible? As prices in the contemporary art market continue to soar, it appears that some collectors have already started to snap up chairs, tables and ceramics by mid-century master craftsmen and designers. The trend is being led in part by the auction houses where art and design are being presented side by side. It seems to be achieving some success. In late 2016 in Hong Kong, auction house Phillips introduced a rare example Chieftain armchair designed by... https://www.scmp.com/property/hong-kong-china/article/2093454/designs-become-must-have-collectibles-art-prices-soar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/property/hong-kong-china/article/2093454/designs-become-must-have-collectibles-art-prices-soar?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 May 2017 11:15:15 +0000 What do you strive for? Robbie Spina: “Beautiful objets of desire that are contemporary, almost fashion-like statement pieces. All handmade with impeccable craftsmanship.” What do you look for in a material? Joe Zito: “We always use the finest quality materials, whether it is Swarovski crystal or silk threads, so that it is strong and durable. We like to use materials that are not traditionally associated with interiors, like coral, palm seeds and semi-precious stones like tiger’s eye and... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2090114/tasselmania-interior-designers-beckhams-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2090114/tasselmania-interior-designers-beckhams-and?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Apr 2017 07:03:25 +0000 Hong Kong’s diverse cultural landscape produces designers whose works reflect a melding of influences beyond the East-meets-West aesthetic and some of the best grabbed a global spotlight in Milan this month. An exhibition titled “Confluence 20+, Creative Ecologies of Hong Kong” – staged to coincide with the annual Salone del Mobile design fair – brought together an eclectic collection by 20 of the city’s leading creatives. Master furniture designer and maker Samuel Chan, presented works at the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2089578/hong-kongs-star-designers-spotlight-milan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2089578/hong-kongs-star-designers-spotlight-milan?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Apr 2017 23:00:18 +0000 “It is all about emotions, even if it is just about things in your everyday life. Design that really captures people’s interest usually just makes you think about things in a different way,” says Japanese designer Oki Sato. It was a prescient observation during the Salone del Mobile, which celebrated its 56th anniversary in April with more exhibitions, installations and events at the Rho fairgrounds and across Milan’s many palaces, boutiques and museums than any one person could possibly... https://www.scmp.com/property/international/article/2088220/designers-blend-emotions-creativity-create-design-magic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/property/international/article/2088220/designers-blend-emotions-creativity-create-design-magic?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Apr 2017 09:52:10 +0000 In 2014, when the fashion designer Nicolas Ghesquière seated guests on a series of 30 sinuous Pierre Paulin-designed Osaka sofas at one of his first runway fashion shows for Louis Vuitton, he inadvertently shone a spotlight on what was already a growing interest in the late French designer’s distinctive modern furniture created during a career that spanned almost 60 years from the early 1950s. In the past decade or so, Paulin’s designs have regained covetability, with vintage models snapped up... https://www.scmp.com/property/article/2082481/paulins-retro-designs-flourish-splendid-isolation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/property/article/2082481/paulins-retro-designs-flourish-splendid-isolation?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Mar 2017 07:00:45 +0000 For Japanese textile designer Reiko Sudo, recycling is not just about environmental and social consciousness. It is essential to keeping her – and the 50 small workshops across Japan that weave and stitch her innovative creations – in business. “In our business, we amass mountains of scraps, which is a serious problem for us. The bottom line is that we can’t afford to be wasteful,” she said at a recent forum on women’s commitment to technology in textiles, hosted by the MILL6 Foundation in Hong... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-luxury/article/2076440/why-reiko-sudo-wants-reuse-what-other-textile-makers-refuse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-luxury/article/2076440/why-reiko-sudo-wants-reuse-what-other-textile-makers-refuse?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Mar 2017 04:31:32 +0000 What have you been working on since you set up your own studio in 2015? “My first project was [candle-maker] Cire Trudon’s first boutique in New York and I recently finished Cassio, a lounge bar and restaurant in Hong Kong. In Paris, I’ve designed a restaurant [Cafe de l’Esplanade] and a few boutiques. And I am now completing a residential project in Venice.” How would you describe your style? “My work is about mixing different eras and foreign influences to create a unique atmosphere and... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2075062/architect-fabrizio-casiraghi-working-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2075062/architect-fabrizio-casiraghi-working-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Mar 2017 05:15:15 +0000 How did wood come to be your medium? “Wood is a living material, so you don’t know what it will be like until you start making something. I always ask myself ‘What can this piece of wood do?’ “I became interested in woodwork while at secondary school [in Britain]. My woodwork teacher [Harry Knock] played a very important role in guiding me to where I am today. After I graduated he was always the first person in the door at all my exhibitions. My latest furniture collection is named after him. I... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2066522/why-furniture-designer-samuel-chans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2066522/why-furniture-designer-samuel-chans?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Feb 2017 03:45:00 +0000 Paola Navone may be an architect, product and interior designer, but it somehow feels more appropriate to view her as a modern-day female flâneur, absorbing every detail of the world around her. “It is like a sickness, it is not even work!” she says, at the opening of her newest project, intriguingly theatrical interiors for luxury lifestyle boutique Joyce’s Hong Kong flagship. “I travel all the time but I really travel every day. For me, travelling is looking around. I can travel in Joyce and a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2061238/architect-paola-navone-finds-inspiration-absorbing-worlds-details?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2061238/architect-paola-navone-finds-inspiration-absorbing-worlds-details?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Jan 2017 08:44:34 +0000 One of the benefits of a love of travel is that you pick up interesting things along the way. For Nicole Andrianjaka de Surville and her husband, who between them have lived in France, Germany, China, Luxembourg, Thailand and Singapore, this has resulted in an eclectic home that reflects their global adventures, creative inspiration and life in Hong Kong with their three children Zoe (16), Lilou (14) and Maya (13). The couple met and married in Hong Kong 20 years ago. For the past 14 years, home... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2056035/familys-fun-hong-kong-home-fruit-their?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2056035/familys-fun-hong-kong-home-fruit-their?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Dec 2016 09:15:30 +0000 Just look at this view!” Sasha Young exclaims, looking out of her apartment, perched high on a hill in leafy Pok Fu Lam, overlooking the country park and reservoir. “It looks like a jungle; there are even wild pigs roaming around – it’s a paradise for my boys.” Born in Bahrain and raised in Hong Kong, Britain and Singapore, Young manages three energetic boys, aged seven, six and four, while taking care of Wright & Smith, the design-led company she launched this year, soon after she and her... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2052151/hong-kong-interior-designers-home-thats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2052151/hong-kong-interior-designers-home-thats?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Dec 2016 09:00:30 +0000 From a low-cost, Braille-friendly smartphone cover for the blind, to a raincoat that transforms into a sleeping bag or tent for refugees, Dubai Design Week’s exhibition of young graduates’ projects offers hope that a new generation of designers is more concerned with improving quality of life than simply churning out yet another iteration of the modern chair. “It is good to feel that you are working towards some kind of progress as a young designer, as opposed to maintenance of an existing... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2045775/hong-kong-design-graduates-show-life-improving-tech-global-student-fair?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2045775/hong-kong-design-graduates-show-life-improving-tech-global-student-fair?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Nov 2016 21:33:50 +0000 It may not have the allure or heritage of London or Milan, but Dubai nevertheless appears determined to assert itself as a significant new hub of innovative design. This is not as strange as it may seem at first glance: the city is no stranger to reinventing itself, having emerged from the desert sands as a busy commercial centre and holiday destination in just a few decades, and having recently been appointed host city for the 2020 World Expo. The combination of cash and commitment is a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2045790/how-deep-pocketed-dubai-turning-itself-global-centre-design?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2045790/how-deep-pocketed-dubai-turning-itself-global-centre-design?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Nov 2016 21:29:22 +0000 The chess set you’ve designed for Swarovski’s new home acces­sories line looks like a mini city. Is this what you wanted to achieve? “They are all my buildings so it creates an architectural family, but it is also about ideas and forms so the chess set is also a kind of imaginary game of the city. Chess is a game of power, so here you can have some fun with buildings. You don’t even have to know the building but, hopefully, it would encourage players to be curious about the form.” Architect... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2040275/why-ground-zero-daniel-libeskinds-favourite?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/2040275/why-ground-zero-daniel-libeskinds-favourite?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Oct 2016 10:00:30 +0000 When American interior designer Amy Spiegel checked into the newly opened Arlo hotel in New York City, she did something she hadn’t done for years: she raided the mini-bar. “Hotels usually have grim offerings of M&Ms, bland potato chips and overpriced wines,” she says. “But I’d stocked mine up with my favourite local Brooklyn treats, like Butter & Scotch’s Dark and Stormy Caramel Popcorn, from the hotel’s general store.” Offering locally sourced artisanal products is just one way that some... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/interiors-living/article/2039567/hotels-shun-generic-luxury-bid-woo-airbnb-travellers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/interiors-living/article/2039567/hotels-shun-generic-luxury-bid-woo-airbnb-travellers?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Oct 2016 06:05:01 +0000