In a nine-and-a-half-month process, Gonzales carried out a partial overhaul of the apartment, which previously had four bedrooms and two bathrooms and a powder room. Taking advantage of the apartment’s bright, open spaces, Gonzales reconfigured parts of the layout, shifting the direction of the living room—which faced a cemetery—to face inward. A home office area accessed through steel-framed sliding doors was added to the living room, making the space flexible and multifunctional.

In the kitchen, Gonzales paired a marble island with pendant lights from Archetypal and bar stools from Nature Evolution. “Using marble for elements such as the dining table and the kitchen island, and pairing them with pendant lights with a touch of brass, really elevates the space,” she says.

Upstairs, where the bedrooms are located, she opened up the master bedroom by removing a full-height partition wall between the bed and the wardrobe and replaced it with a mid-height wall, resulting in an airier layout. In the master’s en suite bathroom, an onsen shower, as well as grey stone floors and walls, were added.

The kids’ bedrooms were personalised to cater to each child, with custom-made beds, sit stand desks, display areas for toys and plenty of hidden storage space. A toddler’s bedroom was designed with a gender-neutral wallpaper as the owners were planning to have another child.

And over on the rooftop, a mini golf course has been added, along with a jacuzzi—a coveted feature in any Hong Kong home—which is positioned under a wooden canopy covered in passion fruit vine.

Throughout the home, clean lines, cool tones and marble accents are meticulously balanced with soft furnishings and leafy plants, resulting in an inviting look and feel. “We kept all the furniture legs long and thin and added texture with accent pillows, throws and plants to bring a cosy and homey feeling,” adds Gonzales.

Natural materials are used throughout the design where possible, including walnut, stained oak and marble. Working with the space’s existing features, rather than replacing them, was a priority for Gonzales for her team, in adherence to her firm’s philosophies in sustainability. The home’s original wooden flooring was in what the designer described as a “reddish brown”, which she says made the low ceilings feel even lower. Rather than replace it, the Liquid Interiors team sanded and stained the floors; this results in them now appearing to be a lighter brown, with a grey undertone—an efficient way to create a fresh, modern look while conserving resources, says Gonzales.

Meanwhile, features that support the wellbeing of the occupants of the home include blackout window coverings, organic beddings and built-in air-purifiers. Environmentally friendly optimisations include a LED lighting and a smart lighting system controlled via Alexa, a touchless faucet in the kitchen, as well as turf on the roof, which helps to lessen heat transfer to the floor below.

The most memorable part of the project was seeing the clients’ kids grow up during the renovation process, says Gonzales—but that’s not all. “Coming back months after the project was completed, I found out that the mother was pregnant,” she recalls. “Our planning for the kids’ rooms worked out perfectly.”

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