Hong Kong Arts Month: home makeover ideas for art buffs

With the Hong Kong Arts Month coming up, events like Art Basel and Art Central are set to land in the city. Art lovers, are you inspired to add an aesthetic touch to your living space? Displays of art and favourite photos can help make a house feel more like a home. When living space is tight though, and walls are few you’ll want to be judicious about how it’s hanging.

If you’re a fan of contemporary art works, we suggest a minimalist décor so you can let your art piece take centre stage and be the conversation starter.

Choosing which part of the house to put your art work is important too. This clean and simple design allows Andy Warhol's Campbell's Soup Cans, one of the most famous pop art pieces in history, to shine. Choosing which part of the house to put your art work is important too. Here, Clifton cheekily placed the ‘soup cans’ in the kitchen, so that not only are your olfactory and gustatory senses tantalised, you can also have a feast for the eyes. For a more cohesive design, pick a colour from the art piece and add it to a piece of furniture. Here, the bar table features a whimsical pinkish red shade inspired by the bright and lively reds and pinks in the art work.

Check out more about this project: http://www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com/project-residential/repulse-bay-garden-south-hk-island/


If your kitchen has dark tones and a minimalist design, liven it up with a colourful painting like this one. Despite having a traditional theme, the painting is modern and bright, with lots of colour, strokes and movement.

Check out more about this project: http://www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com/project-residential/healthy-garden-east-hk-island/


If you have a complex art piece like this one—the Aboriginal painting by Gloria Petyarre, we recommend keeping the layout open and furniture simple. Here, the sophisticated lines and movements of the art work can come through and not become too overbearing.

Check out more about this project: http://www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com/project-residential/babington-house-mid-levels/


The entrance area of your home is perfect for an art piece, which gives you and your guests a perk-me-up every time you walk into your living space. Complemented by only a small shelf designed by Clifton and a statement lamp from Flos, this atmospheric painting by Paul Kenton is allowed to shine and get you thinking. Inspired by the wing of a stealth fighter jet, the shelf is contemporary, matches the travel theme of the art work, and provides a convenient pick-up/drop-off place for small items.

Check out more about this project: http://www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com/project-residential/repulse-bay-garden-south-hk-island/

If you’re a fan of the classics and traditional art pieces, it’s important to make sure your décor goes with them, even their frames.


Here, the delicate flowers in the Chinese painting are brought out by displays with a Chinese theme, such as floral and bamboo displays, vases and an intricately designed tea set. Meanwhile, the wooden frame of the painting is complemented by the brown colour scheme of the furniture and flooring.

Check out more about this project: http://www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com/project-residential/hanking-court-a-east-hk-island/

Similarly, the traditional paintings here—including the framed painting and scroll—are incorporated into the living space with a Chinese-themed design, featuring shades of brown and Oriental ornaments, including tea pots, vases and a wooden screen.



If you don’t want your art pieces to be too conspicuous and in-your-face, make sure they are complemented by your room’s décor.



Check out more about this project: http://www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com/project-residential/constellation-cove-new-territories/


One way to do so is to consider wallpaper art. The hand-painted wallpaper fits seamlessly with the Victorian theme of this bedroom, with shades of gold and intricate designs.



Check out more about this project: http://www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com/project-residential/bel-air-residence-c/


The spirit of Ansel Adams’ photograph is brought out with this room’s black and grey colour scheme, featuring a wall with an industrial feel and a chic black lamp.


Check out more about this project: http://www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com/project-residential/formwell-garden/


For a touch of the tropics, consider matching textured and colourful floral paintings with wooden furnishings, plants and textured walls.



Check out more about this project: http://www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com/project-residential/leon-court-mid-levels/

Here, calming colours of the blue, purple, brown and white are extracted from the painting to into the furnishings and furniture of the bedroom, giving the bedroom tranquility and serenity.



Check out more about this project: http://www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com/project-residential/robinson-place-mid-levels/


If your art pieces are three-dimensional like figurines and ornaments, consider having a display shelf to showcase them. Here, a display shelf is designed to conceal a storage unit—perfect for space-starved Hong Kong apartments! With a light at the back of the display shelf, your experience of viewing your art pieces is enhanced. Here’s a tip, if you have a diverse range of art works, arrange them according to different themes. For example, here, the architectural pieces are put together here on the second compartment from the top and works by famous Taiwanese sculptor Ju Ming are grouped together in the middle compartment.



Check out more about this project: http://www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com/project-residential/vantage-park-mid-levels/

Work hard, play hard: Tips for designing your home office

With more and more people opting to work from home, study rooms and home offices are becoming an increasingly important part of a home’s décor. However, in Hong Kong, where space is at a premium, we often couldn’t afford to have a room freed up as a home office or study. Even if you somehow manage to squeeze some space out, you often end up with a claustrophobic, small home office, which might affect your thinking process, creativity or productivity.

Here are some innovative ways to come up with space and create a comfortable and inspiring study area.

Apartments in Hong Kong often come with layouts that are not the most conducive for furniture placement. Here’s an example of how we can turn a flaw into something useful. If your apartment has a diamond layout or corners with slanted corners, considering using these difficult to utilize areas to create a unique home office.




Here, an otherwise redundant part of the apartment is carved out to function as a study. Not only is it functional, the unique layout is aesthetically stimulating. The desk, overhead cupboards, and display case are designed by Clifton, while the chair and artwork from Ikea.

Check out more about this project: http://www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com/project-residential/robinson-place/




In this example, a white wall with the top made of glass is used to separate the study from the living room. The semi-permeability provides a certain degree of privacy for the user to concentrate, while staying connected with what is happening in the living room. The use of glass for the top of the wall also makes the study appear more open and less confined. A shelf that curves around the wall also adds to the continuity of space from the living room to the home office. The desk and hanging shelves are designed by Clifton, the ergonomic desk chair from Posh, and the plastic CD racks from Montparnasse.

Check out more about this project: http://www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com/project-residential/robinson-place-mid-levels/

As a study room is somewhere that is not too noisy, full privacy is not always required. Why not consider a glass door, which opens up the apartment and allows the room to be more connected to other rooms.




Here is an example of a two-in-one bedroom and study. The original wall is knocked down and replaced with a frosted glass door, opening up the space visually and functionally. The user in the home office can have a certain degree of privacy with the frosted glass, while staying connected to those in the bedroom.

Check out more about this project: http://www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com/project-residential/sorrento/



Having the study next to the dining room is useful for parents as they can keep an eye on their children in the living and dining room. The chairs in this design are from Herman Miller.

Check out more about this project: http://www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com/project-residential/tregunter-tower/



If you or your spouse loves to cook or have to spend a lot of time preparing meals, consider situating the study room next to the kitchen. With a glass door, you and your lovebird can check in on each other every now and then, while having separate spaces to concentrate on your work. The use of a glass door also ensures the smoke and oil from cooking don’t enter the study, while opening up the space.

Check out more about this project: http://www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com/project-residential/cherry-crest-mid-levels/

Staring at your computer for long hours can be straining on the eyes. Consider having a window in your home office, such as these designs, so you can look out and feel revitalised.

No man is an island: ways to make your island kitchen the heart of your home

It all begins in the kitchen, where families create wonderful memories. Whether your family is one that enjoys hearty warm meals or you’re more of the chillax sort that relax and chat over drinks, we’ve got an island kitchen idea for you.

For large families or those that enjoying inviting friends over, consider attaching a large dining table to your island kitchen, so you guys can enjoy a cosy, comfy meal together.

Check out more about this project
http://www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com/project-residential/holly-court-wanchai/

The island kitchen-cum-dining table here makes dining a fun and convenient affair for everyone.

Art attack: home makeover ideas for art buffs

With the Hong Kong Arts Month coming up, events like Art Basel and Art Central are set to land in the city. Art lovers, are you inspired to add an aesthetic touch to your living space? Here are some quick tips on how to bring art into your home, whether you’re planning a major revamp with an art piece as a centrepiece or incorporating a few art works into your interior’s original design.

If you’re a fan of contemporary art works, we suggest a minimalist décor so you can let your art piece take centre stage and be the conversation starter.


This clean and simple design allows Andy Warhol's Campbell's Soup Cans, one of the most famous pop art pieces in history, to shine. Choosing which part of the house to put your art work is important too. Here, Clifton cheekily placed the ‘soup cans’ in the kitchen, so that not only are your olfactory and gustatory senses tantalised, you can also have a feast for the eyes. For a more cohesive design, pick a colour from the art piece and add it to a piece of furniture. Here, the bar table features a whimsical pinkish red shade inspired by the bright and lively reds and pinks in the art work.

Check out more about this project: http://www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com/project-residential/repulse-bay-garden-south-hk-island/