Hongkongers often take special pride in decorating their homes, no matter the size, which makes the city an especially fertile playground for interior designers to exercise their creative muscle. Presented with projects big and small, and spread across a spectrum of budgets and tastes, it’s no wonder that local design talent has garnered a reputation for imagination and adaptability thanks to the city’s unique constraints. Below, we highlight four of Hong Kong’s most promising young interior designers to keep an eye on.
Lorène Faure & Kenny Kinugasa-Tsui, Bean Buro
Having first met in Paris before working together for some years in London, Lorène Faure and Kenny Kinugasa-Tsui founded Bean Buro in Hong Kong in 2013 and haven’t looked back since. Faure, a French native, and Kinugasa-Tsui – who is half-Chinese, half-Japanese – identify cultural exchange as their guiding principle, often combining sculptural centrepieces with minimalist interiors to striking effect. Soft, flowing curves and focused colour palettes form the award-winning duo’s signature aesthetic, winning over both residential and commercial clients with the calming effect their spaces have on inhabitants.
Nelson Chow, NCDA
With a stint in New York office of prestigious design firm AvroKO and, more surprisingly, a background in men’s tailoring, Nelson Chow brings a fresh perspective to interior design via NCDA, which he founded in 2011. Chow’s aesthetic tends towards the masculine while incorporating elements of playfulness and gravitas. Most notably, his practise is responsible for the dramatic interiors of several speakeasies across town, including Foxglove, Mrs. Pound, and PDT. His ingenuity carries over to residences, like in his Treehouse project in Kowloon which struck a chord with Hongkongers for its bespoke split-level design.
Calvin Cheng & Chau Wing Chung, JAAK
Its name a homophone for the Cantonese word for home, JAAK’s focus on residential design is clear. Founders Calvin Cheng and Chau Wing Chung are partial to designing minimalist apartments that incorporate geometry and artisanal furniture pieces for DINK (Double Income, No Kids) clients, although they have also exercised their vision for cafes and design stores. Recently shortlisted for the Dezeen Awards, check out JAAK’s aesthetic at their public projects, which include Zixag, JOMO, and Heima Heima.
Riczio Hung, PMDC Group
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A graduate of the London College of Arts, 30-year-old Riczio Hung has a penchant for punchy, neon-lit commercial interiors geared towards millennials that make for perfect Instagram fodder. His studio, PMDC Group, is best known for the whimsical design of the mini-golf restaurant and bar Strokes, while the more nightlife-inclined will be familiar with Hung’s neon-washed interiors for the Space X shisha bar, beer pong bar PONG, and Japanese-inspired restaurant Musoka.
Editor
Gavin YeungCredit
Header image courtesy of NCDA
