Storage Design Ideas

There is never going to be enough storage in the average Hong Kong home. In a recent interview, Clifton has suggested a few useful tricks in conjuring storage when interior space is tight. By utilizing the floor and adding lift-up plywood lids above the platform or steps, we can make extra storage space for clothes and bags. This under-bed storage idea not only offers extra storage, it also gives easier access to things that was hard-to-reach before. As people won’t use storage if it is hard to access, this idea provides a solution that works well. Moreover, Clifton recommends adding a foot-operated light switch and an LED strip on the platform steps to light up the under-bed closet. Besides bedrooms, the platform treatment can be given to living rooms as well as the kitchen areas.

Check out related projects at The Harbourside, Vantage Park and Lechler Court:

http://www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com/project-residential/the-harbour-side-kowloon/

http://www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com/project-residential/vantage-park-mid-levels/

http://www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com/project-residential/lechler-court/

Metropolitan Pad- with Panoramic Harbour View

For this apartment at The Habourside, Hong Kong, the owner is a frequent traveler who often visits hotels across the globe. Clifton decides to apply the modern metropolitan pad concept to his design to create an ambience of a seven-star hotel.

As the apartment has an outstanding habour view, a metropolitan pad that is entirely partitioned by a huge transparent glass with minimal borders can capture the panoramic view from all angles. Moreover, the feature stone wall is kept as the only structured wall that divide the bathroom with the bedroom within the entire apartment. This open- design concept connects various living areas and creates a huge spacious home environment that owner enjoy living in. The huge open space can also host a wide range of home entertaining activities as various appliances including Bang & Olufsen audio products and wine cellar from Liebherr are well equipped.

The owner also prefers a modern yet simple style which Clifton exploited by the use of colors of black, white and grey in the interior. The soft leather sofa with the grey marble flooring and light oak wood cabinet create a cozy and pleasant feeling to the modern style. In contrast with the wood finishing and marble flooring, the use of diverse lighting sources such as recessed RGB lighting underneath the cabinets also give off a charismatic and modern feeling to the décor.

The interior also showcases top notch appliances and premium materials, such as kitchen appliances from Miele, Subzero and Fisher & Paykel, sound system from B&O, tailo-made carpets from Tai Ping, feature lighting from Flos, sanitary appliances from TITI, Gessi and Dornbracht.

Related project: http://www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com/project-residential/the-harbour-side-kowloon/

‘Less is More’- Natural Simplicity Oct 8 2015 Issue

When interior designers create designs for their clients, they strive to think beyond and create innovative designs that could be timeless. In a recent interview, Clifton has discussed his ways of creating designs that could strike a balance between the principal of innovation and timelessness.  

One of his methods to achieve this is to use neutral colors palette such as white, black or earth tones as base, and infuse accents with simple yet practical decorations and furniture. Besides simplicity, Clifton also emphasized environmental friendliness in his designs. He often includes the use of LED lights in his projects to reduce energy consumption and natural wood and green plants to give a cozy and warm ambience to the space.

Clifton’s favorite residential project that he designed is the Yu Fung Building Project which features an open door plan design. Compared to other designs, Open design such as replacing walls with curtains and incorporating an open kitchen has a few advantages. It promotes family bonding as the space becomes more integrated and spacious visually. On the other hand, designing homes without re-layout is also the recent trend. To make a big difference with the smallest changes in layout, Clifton recommended the use of bi-function door or built-in- furniture to maximize the space without re-layout and moving walls.

Related project:

http://www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com/project-residential/yu-fung-building-wanchai/

Making Small Spaces Look Bigger

As many flats in Hong Kong are relatively small in size, it is not surprising that many people in Hong Kong hope that their small home could look bigger in size without moving any walls. Clifton has discussed in a recent interview that indeed many clients nowadays want designers to make more space within an existing layout.  Clifton has suggested a few techniques in doing so. 

“floating” furniture & storage platforms

By elevating or “floating” furniture such as wardrobe or seating bench of the room or using storage platforms or steps as drawers to create a tatami-style bed, the room could look bigger with more floor space. “Floating” furniture could minimize interruption to one's natural line of sight when viewing a room. Moreover, storage platforms increase storage and occasionally work as built-in designer furniture as well, provide seating for a lower desk. 

Clifton also noted that by using glass walls or adding window to the internal wall, the room could look more spacious as the visual flow is continued from other rooms. On the other hand, hanging curtains or blinds well above window tops could give one an illusion of a higher wall height. Besides furniture and storage arrangement, color also affects the ambience of the room. A lighter color of floor materials with raw finish or a light wax cover is highly recommended.



Related project:
http://www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com/project-residential/whampoa-garden-kowlloon http://www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com/project-residential/vantage-park-mid-levels