APARTMENT THERAPY
A couple creates their ideal family home in Sheung Wan informed by a fresh and engaging vision of a modern city flat
上環伴侶運用清新視線，打造理想的現代家庭屋
THEIR PINTEREST BOARD BRIMMED WITH INDUSTRIAL-STYLE INFLUENCES AS WELL AS A STRONG AFFINITY FOR A MID-CENTURY MODERN AESTHETIC
"Don’t judge a book by its cover" is a saying that’s definitely applicable to Hong Kong’s real estate market. To find some of the best apartments in the city, one must be willing to look beyond the surface, as surprises await beneath nondescript, time-worn facades. Case in point: the stylish urban abode of the Ho family, nestled in the vibrant neighbourhood of Sheung Wan.
From the outside, their building looks like any other ordinary Chinese-style structure in the Western district. Squeezed between traditional shops selling dried fish and herbal medicine, the location is a charming tapestry of old and new, and of local and global. "I really like our area. It has an authentic feel and also very convenient," says Sabrina, who moved into the 4,000sqft flat just over a year ago with her husband Andrew and their two sons, Keane and Julian.
When Sabrina and Andrew first encountered the space in 2011, they immediately realised its potential, especially after they thought of combining several units together. However, it was only after moving back to Hong
「勿以貌取人」這句至理名言特別適用於香港的地產市場。要在城中物色最佳單位，你定要懂得刮去面層、直達底部，看似無個性可言和老舊的外牆下往往隱藏驚喜。Ho一家的時尚城市家園位處繁華活潑的上環，絕屬佳例。
從外看來，大廈不過是西區普通典型中式結構。夾雜在出售咸魚和中藥等傳統店鋪之間，家居的所在地著實是處新舊共融、揉合本地與環球元素的宜人社區。一年多前跟丈夫Andrew和兩名兒子Keane、Julian遷入這4,000平方呎單位的Sabrina表示：「我非常喜愛我們的社區，她有著真實正宗的情感，地段也當然非常方便。」
“I’D DESCRIBE OUR STYLE AS CONTEMPORARY, MINIMALISTIC, AND INDUSTRIAL”
Kong from New York in January 2015 that they really got to work. Getting the space into fighting shape took a lot of careful planning and detailed execution, especially as the couple got to it without the help of an interior designer.
"My husband and I knew what we liked, so we started collecting images of interiors we were drawn to," explains Sabrina. Their Pinterest board brimmed with industrial-style influences as well as a strong affinity for a mid-century modern aesthetic. "I'd describe our style as contemporary, minimalistic, and industrial – this is the foundation of our home," she says. The home’s shell is an interplay of varying forms of white, metal and wood; they chose a dark-tinged oak as flooring, while the walls were painted white and surfaces clad in an ivory marble-print tile. "I wanted to use real marble, but it’s not as practical as I hoped," adds Sabrina on their choice to go with the Spanish large format tiles in the kitchen and bathroom.
Sabrina和Andrew初次在2011年找到此單位時，已看出它的潛力，他們更考慮到打通數個單位的可能。然而，還是待一家在2015年1月從紐約搬到香港才真正成事動工。要讓單位成形需要大量仔細規劃和細節執行，夫婦們更決定不聘用任何室內設計師，親自動手做。
Sabrina解釋道：「我和丈夫都清楚自己喜歡甚麼，故開始搜集吸引我們的室內裝潢圖片。」他們的Pinterest版面擠滿了工業風靈感和對中世紀現代美學的熱愛。她說：「我們鍾愛白色、鍛鐵，以及溫暖木材——也成了我們家的基礎。」家居的外層交織著不同形式的白、金屬和木材；他們選用了深色橡木作地板，而牆身則髹上白漆，並鋪上象牙白色的大理石圖紋磚片。「原本想選用真大
The consistent use of these elements ensured a coherent feel in a spacious flat, but it didn’t limit their creativity. Rather, it allowed the couple to explore applications of their favoured materials; one example is the bed frame and dresser, both custom-made with black steel based on Sabrina’s designs. They also used it as a guide for selecting the furnishings – the wood and white credenza from Organic Modernism in the foyer is an example. The couple complemented it with accessories in their metal of choice: copper.
While the home’s look is streamlined and the overall colour is largely neutral, it isn’t short of standout pieces – most notably Lindsey Adelman's lighting sculptures, one of which hangs above the wooden dining table from Bali. The latter is fashioned from a single piece of wood and required a great deal of logistic effort in finding its pride of place. It’s a reoccurring theme in this home, as bringing in the aforementioned tiles also required a Herculean effort.理石，但卻不如我想像中般實用。」Sabrina談到為廚房和浴室選用西班牙大磚的原因時這樣說。
統一運用這些元素有助在偌大單位中營造連繫，但同時不會限制創意流動。這更為夫婦提供探索心愛物料應用方式機會，例子包括床框和梳妝檯，同樣以特製黑鋼、根據Sabrina的設計而成。他們也以此為標準，挑選接下來的傢具——玄關的Organic Modernism白色木邊櫃便是一例。二人更配上銅金屬裝飾裝飾。
家居外型流線俐落，整體色彩以中色為主，但同時不乏突出作品——著名之選有Lindsey Adelman燈飾雕塑，其中一盞便掛在峇里木飯桌上方。後者以單一木材製作，並動用大量物流搬運工程才能找到適合位置。這是個連綿不斷的過程主題，上述的磚片也同樣需要大費周章才可成事。
Perhaps the only place where they deviated from the broader plan is in the kids’ room, which is a whimsical escape for their two boys, Keane and Julian. The custom-made bunk bed is outfitted with a rotating propeller and slide, while an entire wall was clad in metal sheets thus creating a magnetic surface that serves as a canvas for their artwork. It may look distinctly different from the rest of the flat, but it required the same amount of thought evident in every ingenious detail.
All in all, while the immediate surrounds of the Ho family home is undoubtedly Hong Kong, the space itself speaks of a global style that would fit in any cosmopolitan capital. Perhaps it’s unintentional, though it points to their international backgrounds and penchant for travel. Most importantly, however, it proves that the secret to a successful renovation is staying true to what you love – in the end, it's your opinion that matters most. //
跟大方向稍有不同的或許就是孩子房，那
裡作為愛兒Keane和Julian的趣味小天地。特製雙層床配上可轉動的螺旋槳和滑梯，牆壁覆上磁力金屬片，作為擺放孩子創作的完美背景。空間看來跟全屋各處有所不同，但卻需要投入同等思量才得以製成。
Ho家的四圍環境無疑是香港的寫照，但空間本身卻揉合環球風格，能融入任何一個國際都會。或許這並非刻意而成，但卻跟他們的國際化背景和對旅遊的熱愛不謀而合。一個真正成功的翻新項目其實只視乎你有否忠於自己的愛好。畢竟，你的意見才最重要。//