Natural Appeal
We are in the depths of summer and this month is all about soaking up the sun and relishing the azure sky. The longer, golden days are a time when laziness seems justified and even the occasional shower can’t dampen spirits. It is timely, therefore, that we dedicate this issue to celebrating all things bright and beautiful, the great outdoors and the shrinking barrier between indoors and out.
In Hong Kong, where space is such a luxury, an exterior area is indeed the ultimate indulgence. Our dense, hectic environment creates the need for living outdoors and encourages us to be creative in lavishing our attention on gardens, rooftops and balconies. The conventional approach to external living spaces has been pushed to the extreme – nowadays, it has become the norm to enjoy outdoor dining spots, kitchens, chill-out zones, bathtubs and showers – really, the sky’s the limit.
Our lineup of homes has been curated to inspire. From a serene three-storey house in Sheung Shui (Page 142) with an expansive garden where the homeowners love to retreat and spend time entertaining and gardening to a chic and sleek family home in Mid-levels (Page 118) that incorporates a stunning green balcony, and a minimalist designer abode in Discovery Bay (Page 80), where an eco-conscious couple grows their own herbs and vegetables on their rooftop, each proves that the urge to connect with nature is universal. Further afield, we uncover a beautiful contemporary house in Mexico (Page 130), a 7,000sqft tropical home in Singapore (Page 92), and an awe-inspiring family residence in Cape Town (Page 104), illustrating that wherever you are in the world, there’s reason to enjoy comfort, style and elegance, whether indoors or out.
踏入炎夏，本月不外乎燦爛陽光與蔚藍天際。悠長白天是慵懶放鬆的好時辰，即使偶爾撒下過雲雨也滅不了我們的愉悅之情。今期正好是向鮮豔精彩與美麗之作致敬的好時機，當然還有美不勝收的戶外天地，以及室內跟室外空間的無縫連繫。
香港寸金尺土，戶外空間是終極奢華指標。我們的密集生活環境更顯室外生活的重要性，啟發對打造花園、天台和陽台的無盡靈感。傳統方式已被推進極限，今天，戶外用餐區、廚房、閒座天地、室外浴缸和淋浴設備各見出色、不設限制。
今期收錄的亮眼家園包括上水三層平靜大宅(第142頁)，當中附設偌大花園方便屋主款客與享受園藝之樂；中半山時尚俐落家庭屋(第118頁)配合綠色陽台，愉景灣簡約設計師之家(第80頁)則住有注重環保的夫婦，並在天台種植自家香草和植物，宣揚跟大自然連繫為一的重要性。走過地球另一邊，我們來到墨西哥的美麗當代房子(第130頁)、新加坡的7,000熱帶風大宅(第92頁)和開普敦的繽紛家庭屋(第104頁)，證明不論你身在何方、室外或戶內空間，也定有打造兼享舒適、風格與優雅體驗的理由。