How This Hong Kong Flat Was Transformed for a New Lease on Life
Although 1980s interior styles are currently popular among trendsetters, the initial design of Scott Austin and Craig Stevenson's Happy Valley residence didn’t embrace this kind of vintage aesthetic. The 581 square foot area had not seen updates in over three decades, featuring a dual-colored bathroom, numerous frosted glass partition windows, and three small bedrooms. Consequently, the entire space underwent demolition, making room for an extensive renovation.
Austin, an Aussie residing in Hong Kong for a decade, remarks, "We have previously revamped flats and excel at seeing through surface-level aesthetics." He continues, "During our visit, this space seemed extremely confined, yet we saw its promise—sunlight flooding from either side, excellent ventilation, and tall ceilings characteristic of vintage Hong Kong structures."
The six-month refurbishment, which wrapped up in March, was headed by designers Emma Maclean and Arthur Ying. Emma Maclean & Co (AE&M). Austin and Stevenson, both hailing from Australia, sought after an uncluttered aesthetic featuring neutral colors yet wished to steer clear of a bland “beige box” look. Additionally, they aimed to incorporate design motifs from their residence in Sydney, ensuring continuity between the two houses without duplicating them exactly.
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Maclean and Ying started by redesigning the space to include two sizable bedrooms—one equipped with a sleeper sofa that serves both as a study and a guest room—as well as a bathroom and an open-concept kitchen-living area featuring a substantial island for meals. To enhance natural lighting, they combined smaller windows into bigger ones, swapped out single-pane glass for double-glazed versions to boost insulation against noise and temperature changes, and framed these new openings in sleek matte-black casements. For added coziness, they installed flooring in a herringbone pattern and incorporated numerous storage cabinets finished in soft gray tones alongside striking walnut accents.
Since Scott and Craig own two dogs, we opted for high-quality, pet-compatible vinyl flooring. This choice resembles wood yet offers greater durability, practicality, and affordability compared to engineered timber or natural flooring, both of which require more upkeep," says Maclean. "In addition, the cabinets feature a laminated surface instead of a painted one to prevent scratches and peeling.
Sticking to their clients' budget constraints, EM&C decided to invest in high-quality materials and chose richly veined, green-toned marble adorned with subtle golden speckles. This luxurious material was used for the kitchen countertops, window sills, shelves, and even in the bathroom. It serves as a unifying element throughout the apartment, providing a refreshing juxtaposition against the walnut wood accents and evoking images of Sydney’s natural rock pools. Additionally, they employed a color scheme reminiscent of another project by Austin and Stevenson Down Under. They also included an eye-catching canvas artwork from artist Jono Toh, who has pieces featured in some of their other projects as well.
One standout element is the U-shaped false ceiling in the kitchen, which clearly separates the cooking and dining zones from the living area. The straight part of this ceiling lines up perfectly with the sink countertop underneath, while the curved section echoes the round edges of both the island and the workspace. This demonstrates the exceptional level of detail evident throughout this project.
The biggest challenge during this refurbishment, according to Ying, was achieving the necessary level of accuracy. Every measurement needed to be precise right up to the final millimeter to make sure all components aligned correctly. Any discrepancy would have stood out immediately.
A key takeaway from this apartment is the contrast between its listed size and how spacious it actually feels. Despite being described as compact based on measurements alone, it appears larger due to several design choices. The tall ceilings combined with minimal furnishings contribute significantly; however, what truly makes a difference is their unconventional approach to decorating limited spaces. By manipulating scale expectations, they opted for fewer but more substantial furniture pieces—a generous three-person couch, a massive hanging lamp, a seating-capable kitchen island designed for six individuals, along with a sizable TV—instead of numerous smaller objects typically found in such settings.
Austin mentions that one might assume big pieces of furniture would diminish the appearance of the apartment, yet they actually achieve the contrary effect, lending the area a rather opulent atmosphere. 'Despite our enjoyment of hosting gatherings, we equally desired an urban retreat,' he explains. Consequently, it was crucial for them to possess a completely fitted kitchen along with sufficient room for lounging and unwinding.'
Kitchen
Living area
Bedroom
Bathroom
Union Design HK provided and set up bathroom cabinets, mirrors, and tiles.
Study
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The article initially appeared on the South ChinaMorning Post (www.scmp.com), which is the premier source for news coverage of China andAsia.
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