Play it Straight

It's late afternoon, and sunlight is streaming into the home of interior designer YC Chen. Uninterrupted views of the South China Sea beckon from the balcony and most rooms, but the stunning panorama isn't the main reason Chen moved here. Rather, it's so his two young children can easily walk to school. Likewise, family considerations were paramount when renovating the 125-square-metre apartment in a waterfront development in Hong Kong's Pok Fu Lam district. The result is a nuanced space that combines his love of clean lines and mid-century modern style with practical and playful touches.

‘Because I have kids, I wrapped the whole foyer in terrazzo tiles,' Chen says of the entryway. ‘There are no white walls to scratch or dirty.' The cool grey of the terrazzo is offset by a honeyhued replica Pierre Jeanneret bench, where guests can sit to take off their shoes.

Touring the apartment, Chen declares that he's ‘obsessed with straight lines', pointing to the Japanese strip tiles in the kitchen and the dark timber veneer panelling on the back of the main door, which wraps around to become a feature wall in the combined living and dining area. Grey panels run the length of another wall, a full-height shoe cabinet has ribbed sides, and air conditioning units hide behind slats. The chevron-patterned wood flooring continues through to the bedrooms.

By contrast, Chen has eliminated sharp surfaces where possible, like on the marble-topped entertainment unit, to reduce the risk of injury.

He also balances his love of the linear with curved and rounded furniture and objects: vintage Eames dining chairs, Art Deco-inspired lights, circular mirrors and side tables, and his favourite piece, a svelte Serge Mouille floor lamp.

Minimal structural changes were made, except to enlarge the children's bedrooms. Clever use of space means that Chen's son sleeps on a raised bed, which houses a play and storage nook below. Colour and pattern come in the form of yellow and green geometric print wallpaper and a gunmetal blue bed and wardrobe. In his daughter's room, Chen has gone for a dusky pink wardrobe and bed, and a burgundy velvet headboard. The children's bathroom is covered in blue, black and white geometric print tiles, with a free-standing circular bath for them to splash around in.

In the master bedroom — a sanctuary of neutrals — Chen's favourite palette of black, white and gold reigns, in partnership with a rattan covered built-in wardrobe and mesmerising views. The designer says there were some compromises involved in ensuring enough fun elements while maintaining a consistent look and feel throughout. For example, he prefers individual pieces of furniture, but resorted to built-in versions to maximise space and storage.

The renovation was, however, an opportunity to play with lines and proportion, down to the mouldings and skirting boards, and these experiments will no doubt provide valuable learnings when designing for his clients, with or without children.

The ocean and sunset views dominate the living room, where Chen’s love for lines manifests in the straight-lined furniture pieces and custom joinery that draw the eye towards the horizon. The balcony is home to what Chen playfully calls his ‘own private garden’