A stretch of the imagination

Clifton recently has designed an interior layout for a petite Sai Ying Pun flat. Although it is often challenging for interior designers to work with smaller interior space, Clifton enjoys it as he finds ways to transform the small area to a functional and stylish space.

For this project, Clifton wants the owner to experience different living spaces instead of one big room. Clifton uses a few open-design ideas that balance well between privacy and openness in space. By opening the flat and using a long sliding wall as partition between the living room and bedroom, Clifton gives flexibility to the apartment layout as the bedroom can be closed off from time to time. Moreover, the kitchen is transformed to be a semi-open space which is separated from the entrance by a floor-to-ceiling cabinet. The owners can have individual privacy at different locations and also enjoy a huge spacious living area when the partitions open up.

Clifton also attempts to create more storage space for the small flat by building a raised platform in the bedroom. The oak wood platform can be used for multiple purposes such as a bench or a desk. Besides the platform, Clifton uses similar smooth surfaces such as white-stained oak wood and laminated plywood for the sliding doors and cabinets to create a “simple gallery feel” to the interior space. The owner is pleased with the result as the redesigned space is a comfortable place where he can enjoy spending time in.



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

Minimalism - Less is More

As many Hong Kong apartments are small in size, interior designers nowadays often strive to maximize usable space when designing clients’ homes. Recently, Clifton has designed the interior of a flat in a Sheung Wan project for a foreign couple. In hope to create a spacious home environment for the couple, Clifton uses a few tricks in keeping the design minimal and simple.

By using smaller size furniture and light colors like beige and white from sofa to walls and floors, the interior space looks tidy and neat. Moreover, he transforms the kitchen to a semi-open cooking space which makes the living areas more integrated and spacious. Besides keeping the décor simple, Clifton also succeeds in creating more storage space by installing wall cabinets and raised platform under the bed. The couple is pleased with the final result as the interior space is redesigned to promote simplicity as well as functionality.

Project reference: http://www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com/project-residential/cherry-crest-mid-levels/

Breathing Space

For interior designers, redesigning layouts that help owners make the best use of their house is their main goal. In a recent project for a Mid-Levels home, Clifton has applied the open- design concept to a boxy home to create a warm and open living area for the owners. The original boxy layout minimizes the penetration of natural light into most of the rooms which makes the space look dark and gloomy. To solve this problem, Clifton knocks out many of the non-structural walls and uses glass dividers to let in the light and create an open living area. He also removes the corridor and makes more storage space for wardrobes in the bedrooms. Besides adding walk-in wardrobes, creating bespoke storage boxes on wheels underneath the cabinets also provide more storage areas without wasting space.

The owners of the house also prefer simple home design that reflects their own identity. By juxtaposing the white-and-wood décor with the owners’ existing furniture and lighting, Clifton creates a laid back and relaxed ambience to the interior and personalizes it to fit the owners’ styles. While attempting to make the most of natural light, Clifton also adds in some spotlights and indirect lighting to give an airy feeling to the clean and calm atmosphere of the rooms.

With various high-end home appliances and furniture, such as the fridge from Siemens, wine fridge from Vintec, the pendent lamp over the dining table from Zodiac, sanitary ware from Villeroy & Boch and tub from Gessi, this is a home-sweet-home where everyone can find their private space to invigorate and indulge in.

Related project: http://www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com/project-residential/tregunter-tower/

Clever Storage Solutions for small spaces

Using drawers under bed for storage is no longer a new idea. In a recent interview with THE PEAK Magazine, Clifton has suggested a few innovative ideas for creating storage space that has multiple functions for small interior spaces. To make use of all the space available, a Japanese style tatami platform floor offers a hidden storage space that is sturdy and convenient. Moreover, the platform can also serve as casual seating in a small space. Another popular trend nowadays is to use stairs as storage. It not only saves space but also provides storage that is easy to reach and can access without the need to climb up high.

It is important to balance openness and privacy when designing small homes. Clifton recommends the use of opaque partitions such as shelving to separate interior spaces by different functions and secure individual privacy. The partitions are opaque which can increase openness within the space and make the room look more spacious.



Related project:

http://www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com/project-residential/whampoa-garden-kowlloon/

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

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

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

New trend in design: Dust-free redesign

As residential properties in Hong Kong remain small yet high in prices, trends in interior design also turn towards remaking homes without knocking down any walls. Clifton Leung, creative director and founder of Clifton Leung Design Workshop has discussed this recent trend of dust-free redesign and how people prefer to redesign their homes without wasting new materials and moving walls.

However, sometimes it is not easy to redesign old buildings without knocking down walls. One reason is the space layouts of the older buildings are not as functional as the newer buildings. In order to redesign them in the purpose of matching with our ways of living, interior designers nowadays try to redecorate those spaces with the least costs for their clients.

Construction-free design also encourages more creativity and individuality in the design itself. Clifton noted that those designs are not about re-designing a space anymore. It is about how to decorate the interior in ways that could increase spaces and make a living space suitable to the clients. Create designs that could fit the clients’ styles of living is essential. For example, clever use of different colors on walls as well as lighting could enhance characterization in design as well as living space. Clifton noted that instead of wallpapering the entire room, the use of feature walls could be a nice choice. Also, the use of Philips’ color-changing, mood altering Hue in replace of a single light source for a room could create a different mood and style to the interior space.

In recent years, Clifton has given construction-less design treatment to various projects. In one project for a small flat, he exploited the simple yet detailed Zen style concept as he used a raised floor to increase more bedroom space. From concept to completion of construction, one project only takes few months. It is time saving as well as cost saving to the clients.


Related project:
http://www.cliftonleungdesignworkshop.com/project-residential/aria-kowloon/