Lifestyle influencer Laura Tsang and her husband, Juvan Wong, chose their high-rise apartment in Hong Kong for the views. “It’s not easy to find green space in an urban jungle,” says Laura, “and this property offered us the calming sight of the greenery of Kowloon Park and the beautiful Hong Kong skyline.”

It was a calm retreat from hectic city life, but with a toddler in tow and a second child on the way, Laura and Juvan needed the home to be family-friendly and flexible, adapting to their changing needs. The couple reached out to local practice Bean Buro, led by husband-and-wife duo Kenny Kinugasa-Tsui and Lorène Faure, to reimagine the 900-square-foot space.

Borrowing from traditional Japanese architecture, Bean Buro used vertical wood slats to create a genkan, or an entryway that encourages visitors to pause and decompress before entering the serene apartment. Terrazzo stone flooring further differentiates the space and provides a hint of color. In another thoughtful transition between city and home, the material references the old tenement buildings that populate the neighborhood.

“The wood slats and terrazzo add an extra feature and texture to our house,” says Laura. “And it is beautiful when light shines through those wooden slats!”

Signaling a departure from this liminal space, the designers chose wood floors for the living and dining areas, using a herringbone pattern to create a subtle contrast with the straight plank flooring throughout the rest of the apartment. In the communal areas, the angled pattern creates a more energetic and dynamic mood, while the tone of the bedrooms is more subdued.

To streamline narrow spaces and discourage clutter, Bean Buro created several simple built-ins. In addition to shelving, storage, and window seats, they included bench seating in the dining room, which, Faure points out, is not only purposeful, but also gives a sense of permanence and emphasizes the apartment as a family space.

The tall, rounded columns that form a portal between the main corridor connecting the private and common areas not only anchor the space, but also provide extra storage.

Bean Buro, which has roots in both Japan and France, drew from both countries’ design heritages to create a minimalist backdrop accented by luxurious details: sculptural ceramic basins in the bathrooms, semicircular cabinet pulls in the main bedroom, terrazzo display shelves and countertops that echo the entryway.

The muted gray tiles forming the kitchen backsplash, like the floors, are laid in a herringbone pattern.

Since the building overlooks a park, the space gets ample natural daylight. Making the most of this resource, Kinugasa-Tsui and Faure replaced a wall that had formed the main corridor with foldable partitions that, when swept back, allow sunshine to penetrate the entire apartment; mirror panels beside the windows also reflect the light. When the partition is folded away each morning, the kids’ bedroom becomes a more open play area.

While Laura notes the folding wall as the most impactful feature of the home, Faure’s favorite design elements are the curved ceiling junctions and curved door to the primary bedroom, which soften the home and catch shadows in "a beautiful and poetic manner."

Faure credits her relationship with Laura and Juvon for the success of the renovation. "Great design only happens with great clients who are willing to embrace creative ideas," she says. "We were lucky to have a very tasteful client for this project."

More by Bean Buro:

A Flowing Hong Kong Apartment Mimics the City’s Cascading Hills

This “Urban Cocoon” Is a Soothing Apartment in the Middle of Hong Kong

These Chic Apartments in Hong Kong Will Actually Make You Want to Live Where You Work

Project Credits:

Architect: Bean Buro / @bean_buro: Lorène Faure, Kenny Kinugasa-Tsui, Kirk Kwok, Kyla-Val Azar, Linda Sze-To, Stephanie Ma

Contractor: Kanishi Koncept Company Limited

Lighting: E27 Pendant Lamp & Menu TR Bulb Suspension Frame Pendant Light by Muuto; Mounted Adjustable Down Light & Recessed Adjustable Down Light by Future Lighting

Flooring: Oak Nature White Prestige Herringbone by BOEN

Upholstery: Tonica 2 by Kvadrat

Photography: Courtesy of Bean Buro

Client’s Instagram: Laura Tsang | Motherhood / @lauratsangg

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