With much of our time spent at home here in Hong Kong, decorating our living space has never been so important. A short visit to my friend’s small to medium sized apartment on Mid Levels has given me inspiration on how we can all put in a small effort to decorate our home and give us the maximum comfort and ease.
Yick Wong, a young professional working in the finance industry, has moved into his new apartment in September 2020 with his partner and cannot be happier with their new living space that is airy and bright. Here, he shares tips on how everyone can decorate a small to medium sized Hong Kong flat with ease and create comfort to day-to-day living under the new normal.
Big windows and open view
Whenever possible, choose an apartment that has big windows and an open view.
For Yick’s place, it’s overlooking the rooftops of the other buildings and he can see a lot of house parties and private night lives going on, so you can still feel the vibrancy of the city despite spending most time at home.
Use plants to feel like holiday at home
Upon walking into the flat, you can see a lot of plants on the floor and hanging from the ceiling. The different shades of green spread through the entire apartment and create a sense of delight, freshness and calm.
“We have a lemon tree and are expecting 3 lemons this year,” says Yick.
Open kitchen makes space for conversations
The kitchen is a simple American style open kitchen so whoever cooks there can enjoy the direct sunlight while playing holiday music in the background.
My favorite piece of furniture at the apartment is the dining table. The table is made of high quality black walnut wood bought from an online store and it compliments the greenery around that exudes Balinese style dining space.
Since the pandemic hit the world, Yick has been cooking even more at home and has mastered anything from Vietnamese to French cuisine. “The shrimp rice wrapped with lotus leaf, and the spicy fish with sour vegetables soup are my best dishes, I’m really good at making them right now,” Yick proudly says.
Dedicate space for your passion
Yick loves painting and has already created quite some oil paints in the past few years. He uses the second room as a multi-function room that is now a painting studio and a study room for working from home. It’s a room that’s for both work and play.
Bedroom is for sleeping only
There’s no TV or excessive decoratives in the bedroom as it’s strictly for sleeping. I can’t agree with him more.
Though Yick is working in the finance industry, he’s active in pursuing a lot of personal interests outside of work, from oil painting, setting up small businesses (selling bedsheets, for example) to writing song lyrics for professional singers. “It’s important to have a passion, and to continue learning and developing your interest. Otherwise I would feel old,” says Yick.
This is the kind of spirit that we all need. Keep learning and keep exploring. Knowledge and experience are something that once you’ve learned, no one can take it away from you.
Hope you’ve now learned some tips on decorating a small to medium sized apartment in Hong Kong!
