Coastal Living in Hong Kong
Linehouse redesigned of this four-storey home on Hong Kong Island to reflect its coastal context, creating an open, airy residence that privileges washed tones, tactile surfaces and ocean views. Studio co-founder Briar Hickling talks through the studio’s approach
Design Anthology: How did you first meet the client?
Briar Hickling: They reached out to us after dining at John Anthony in Hong Kong, which we designed. They fell in love with the interiors and asked us to design their home.
Can you tell us about them and their lifestyle?
The couple has two young children and two dogs. They both have a relaxed and positive energy, with an open perspective to new ways of living — basically the dream client! They were very open to our ideas about creating connections between the interior and exterior spaces and reflecting the home’s its coastal context.
What was their brief to you for the project?
Cape Drive is a renovation of an existing four-storey residence. Although it’s located in a coastal setting with panoramic ocean views, the home lacked a connection to the outside and the views beyond, the interior was dark and, programmatically, the exterior and interior spaces didn’t allow for a seamless living environment.
We converted a plunge pool between the living and dining areas into a stepped internal garden with seating around a central tree, activating and connecting the living areas. The sunken level on the east-facing terrace was landscaped to integrate a stepped seating area that’s sheltered from the westerly winds.
The design of the home reflects the relaxed and laidback lifestyle of a beach setting, with washed tones, tactile surfaces and textures, and a clean, simple materials palette.
Please tell us about the material choices for the space.
The materials harness a coastal essence via tactility, form and reflection of natural light. The Ceppo Nova coastal stone is carried through from the interior to the exterior paving; a whitewashed timber core runs vertically through the build ing; St. Leo raked plaster walls offer a textural contrast in the bedroom; and metal screen doors offer transparency and light in the various spaces.
Do you have a favourite element or design detail in the project?
The ground floor is my favourite space, with its open connection between the kitchen, dining and living areas and the exterior terrace. The indoor and outdoor spaces connect seamlessly, with whitewashed timber louvres providing a continuous ceiling plane. Large sliding doors frame the panoramic views beyond and open up to the undulating landscape of stone, allowing for pockets of greenery and exterior living.
Images by Jonathan Leijonhufvud
