The living room has a high-rise ceiling and is decorated with works by emerging multimedia artists, hung on walls painted in a mesmerising indigo blue. The dining room on the first floor houses abstract, geometric art by masters of minimalism Donald Judd and Kusama Yayoi, whose works are displayed diagonally across each other — for a special reason. Donald Judd was one of the first critics to appreciate Yayoi Kusama’s paintings. The two artists became roommates, and in placing their works across each other, Chow re-creates a narrative of the past. “I especially like this space on the first floor. You can walk several steps from the dining room and you’ll be able to overlook the living room.” The abstract art displays on the second floor slowly transition into figurative pieces as we reach the top floor. “On the second floor, you can see artists pushing the boundaries between abstract and figurative art — this divide between the two movements is sacred to older artists, but young emerging talents of our generation are questioning and crossing these lines with confidence through creating subversive art.”

Chow’s favourite lounge lies past his bedroom at the end of the corridor on the top floor. “I placed Hong Kong painter Chris Huen’s 2019 work “Juan” in this room. The way he portrays the chaos of daily life provides an interesting contrast to the serene natural landscape outside the window. I spend a lot of time reading here and this is where I host intimate gatherings with my family and friends.” Whenever he comes to his weekend home, Chow spends half his time in the garden by the pool. “For furniture, one of my favourite pieces has to be Milo Baughman’s sofa, I really enjoy looking out at the garden and Pak Sha Wan from here.”

Chow specifically mentioned three pieces of art in his house: “’FS Interval II’ created in 2014 by American artist Nick Mauss comprises three-sided inverted painted glass mirrors, which have been processed to look vintage. It was displayed at the Walker Art Center in the United States. I am a loyal Mauss fan as his work recalls stylistic elements from 19th century European decor and Parisian salons. He creates movement and rhythm through the mirror’s reflections, and incorporates expressive imagery and calligraphy on the back of the mirror. The silhouette of a naked woman’s back can be seen in this particular work, recalling the sensual female figure in “The Death of Sardanapalus” by French romantic painter Eugene Delacroix. Mauss’ pieces also take cues from modern ballet, which I find really intriguing. On a memorable trip to Beijing many years ago, I visited the studio of Chinese artist Huang Rui, who has become one of the most influential artists of his era. His “Space Structure” series is displayed next to Donald Judd’s Menziken box. These are the recent highlights of my art collection.”

Aside from his spectacular art collection, a multitude of Berluti furniture pieces can also be seen in his Sai Kung villa. “Berluti’s furniture first caught my attention because of the brand’s previous collector series, which included pieces by famous Swiss architect and designer Pierre Jeanneret, refurbished using bronze coloured leather. Also, Berluti’s antique Venezia leather comes in stunning hues! Their club chairs were originally designed for their shoe store to enhance customer experience — the history and craftsmanship that come with their furniture is what I appreciate most. Berluti’s marriage of modernism and legacy is of particular interest to me, especially in the Le Corbusier Chandigarh city project and Radiant City project.” Recently, Chow has also curated a selection of pieces by artists such as Tomma Abts and Donald Judd from his personal art collection for Berluti’s new home collection pop-up in Hong Kong, taking the relationship between art and furniture onto the next level.