Empire State of Mind

YOLANDA CHOY-TANG BRINGS UPPER EAST SIDE CHIC TO HER SPACIOUS HONG KONG APARTMENT

Yolanda Choy-tang’s apartment may be in Hong Kong but the spacious four-bedroom home evokes a style more in tune with New York City, with its mix of vintage side tables, classic cream sofas and antique Chinese furniture, matched with contemporary artworks that add an avant-garde edge to the chic decor. “I wanted it to feel like it was an Upper East Side apartment. I was inspired by my mother-in-law’s and other apartments I’ve seen in New York,” says the owner of upscale bridal boutiques Central Weddings and Vera Wang Hong Kong, describing the home she shares with her two kids and husband Hamilton Tang, CEO of Simon Murray & Company. “Every other apartment I’ve been to in Hong Kong featured a minimalist, modern look. We wanted to avoid that so we added in details such as the panelling featured on the doors and along the ceiling.” The ambience is further enhanced by the choice of f looring – long, thick strips of wood in a deep brown tone that adds warmth to the space, along with the fireplace in the middle of the living room. “I’ve always wanted a fireplace, like you would see in the apartments in North America, and with the advances of technology you can do so in Hong Kong. The fireplace creates a smokeless, ethanol f lame. During the winter, we light it up for dinner parties and and it looks very elegant and cosy.” The home is also a ref lection of Yolanda and Hamilton’s Asian-american upbringing. The varied collection of

furniture, such as a set of vintage side tables from Louisiana with elaborate carvings, are mixed with diverse pieces that were given to the couple by family members. In the dining room is an antique Chinese painting on six wooden panels that tells part of a story, the rest of which is found on another set of panels that sits in an aunt’s home. In their son’s room is an antique art deco lamp that came from Hamilton’s grandfather, while a pretty, intricate chandelier in their daughter’s room belonged to Hamilton’s sister and was used in her room in their childhood country home in the US. “We have an eclectic collection of pieces from around the world that are really special and meaningful to us,” says Yolanda. Other vintage pieces seen throughout the house are sourced from auction houses in the US, such as the pair of ornate sconces in gold that sits on either side of the fireplace. The living room and adjacent dining area get an abundance of natural light, courtesy of the large glass windows between the living room and long balcony. Leading away from the main area is a corridor to the bedrooms, the first of which was converted into a study for Yolanda as well as an informal living room – with the television and entertainment system hidden behind a unit with sliding doors. The wall between the study and corridor was replaced with glass walls to open up the room and allow in more natural light, while a serene painting of a

From top The chandelier in their daughter’s room is a vintage model and a gift from the older generation; ample storage is a must for the family of four; their son’s room features a playful decor that includes wallpaper from Osborne & Little, while the bed and side table is from local retailer Kids by Red Cabinet opposite, Clockwise From top Yolanda chose a palette of soft, comforting colours for the master bedroom; a colourful wallpaper pattern adorns the walls of the guest bathroom; the stylish master bathroom

forest sits above the sofa and reminds Yolanda of California, where she grew up. “We have rooms that we work and study in and, as a result, we hardly spent any time in the main living room. It is the largest and brightest space but because we didn’t put a television or computer in there it ends up being underutilised. I’ve been encouraging everyone to spend more time there,” says Yolanda. Behind the apartment’s chic decor lies abundant storage space, which is a must for the family of four, and the huge cabinets built into the walls conceal ample evidence of the family’s active lifestyle. “Any home with young children is always going to be filled with lots of toys, books and clutter,” laughs Yolanda. “And we are all active, I love to go wake surfing during the summer and we all ski during the winter, so we need a lot of storage space for the equipment. “We calculated how much storage space we would need and factored this into the design. A home needs to be comfortable, with all the equipment you would need to be efficient for school and work, and with a design chosen according to your lifestyle and personality.”

“We have an eclectic collection of pieces from around the world that are really special and meaningful to us”