Small Space Living in Hong Kong
ABT Design Studio founders Alice Cheung and her husband Brian chose to live in the centre of Hong Kong in order to remain close to their parents and connected to all that the city has to offer. Their 24sqm/258sqft micro apartment is on the seventh floor of a boutique residential building in North Point of Hong Kong and is located next to famous Chun Yeung Street Market, known for the trams passing through its centre. The couple chose the apartment that they have called home for nearly three years not just for its location, but for its tall, 3-metre ceiling that makes the compact area feel more spacious. As for the floor plan, Alice explained to us how it was not without its limitations, but since it was newly constructed, they ultimately decided to innovate from within those limitations in order to reduce waste. WALNUT is the result.
Tranquil Elegance
Alice and Brian appear to subscribe to the belief that minimising material variation can really help to make a small space feel larger. Their design, which they’ve dubbed WALNUT, got its name from the two shades of walnut veneer lining the custom joinery and furniture; it was selected for its calming dark tones and natural, tranquil elegance. This ambiance is only furthered by the couple’s other furniture and textile selections and creations, such as the custom designed shoe cabinet by the entry. The slender sideboard-like unit features a rattan frontage for ventilation as well as a neutral bar-table surface that pivots out for casual dining or a coffee. In the living room, a simple off-white fabric MUJI sofa continues that sense of calm while packing maximum comfort into a minimal, slim profile.
Spatial Innovations
WALNUT’s sense of calm, however, comes from more than the material used and is in fact most likely owed to its clever spatial innovations. The primary among which being the “attic” storage. Alice and Brian made the most of the high ceiling by installing overhead cabinets above the living and sleeping areas. These deep cupboards not only provide ample storage space for holding things like linens but also play an important role in disguising the structural beams – a feature that Alice explains is commonly known as “beam coping” in Chinese belief. In both the bedroom and living area, these “attic” storage units flow seamlessly with adjacent floor-to-ceiling storage though each received different finishes that best suited their respective room.
Alice described the bedroom as “a private resting space that carries on the homey ambiance”. Amid that cosiness, however, is an abundance of discreet storage. The double bed rests on a tailor-made platform, which opens by an electric, hydraulic system to reveal their seasonal clothing and suitcases hidden below. The steps up to the bed also open to reveal a couple extra small storage nooks for smaller items like socks. A cabinet doubling as a partition wall has a small mirror on top and serves as Alice’s make-up station, while a full length closet helps to visually divide the sleeping area from the bathroom. Alice stressed, however, that all of these innovations were not driven by a project of maximising at all costs, but rather one that was clearly centred on realistic daily use: “Practicality is always at the forefront of our design. We’ve created functional furniture, suitable for our daily lives, like for dressing or cooking, rather than just maximising storage space”.
Improving Existing Urban Dwellings
Alice and Brian represent a growing number of individuals who are prioritising location and lifestyle over the size of their floor plan. In urban areas, this is increasingly becoming less of a choice and more of a necessity as increasing pressures on space continue to rise. For herself, however, Alice sees this as an opportunity to innovate: “In densely populated, urban areas like Hong Kong, small living spaces have become increasingly prevalent due to the continuous growth of the population and changes in the financial environment. With the increasing pressure of living in such spaces, the focus has shifted towards improving the existing space to be a more livable place that allows people to unwind and relax away from the bustling city”.
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