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Issue 60 - The Kitchen and Bathroom Issue

Issue 60

The Kitchen and Bathroom Issue

HABITUS has always stood ahead of the rest with a dedicated Kitchen and Bathroom issue of exemplar standards. For issue 60 we have taken it up a notch with our Guest Editor the extraordinary, queen of kitchen design, Sarah-Jane Pyke of Arent&Pyke, speaking directly to Kitchen and Bathroom design with some increadable insights.

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A House In Hong Kong Or A Loft In Manhattan?
OtherKenny Loh

A House In Hong Kong Or A Loft In Manhattan?

Hong Kong

A nomadic, creative couple picks a raw, defunct warehouse amidst the manic industrial vibes of southern Hong Kong as their home and enlist Lim+Lu for the interior design.


Conceptualised and realised by Vincent Lim and Elaine Lu of award-winning design studio Lim+Lu, the 2,600 square-foot warehouse looks nothing like its former self. Having been transformed into a spacious and flexible family home that doubles as a workshop space for not only the painting and cooking classes which the highly social couple teaches, but also the dinner parties that they frequently host.

The modern décor of the apartment, which is concealed behind the original door of the warehouse – intentionally left untouched – is largely inspired by New York, the city that left the deepest impression on the couple who spent time in the Big Apple before moving to Hong Kong. And if there are any designers who know New York, it’s Lim+Lu, who co-founded their eponymous studio while living in Manhattan.

“When inside the space, without looking out the windows, one is transported to a loft in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. When you look out, you are immediately connected to Hong Kong,” say the couple.

Habitus Living Lim+Lu Warehouse House dining room

“We design with the context in mind; being mindful of the surroundings as well as the inhabitants,” Vincent Lim points out. “In this instance, we were working with a space neighbouring many industrial complexes for a client who had a deep connection with New York. We saw this at the perfect opportunity to harmonise western and eastern cultures.

“We borrowed elements from those industrial surroundings and intertwined them with the idea of a loft in New York. When inside the space, without looking out the windows, one is transported to a loft in Manhattan’s Lower East Side. When you look out, you are immediately connected to Hong Kong,” Elaine Lu adds.

Lim+Lu’s first and biggest challenge was to plan – strategically – the layout of the apartment, which, at the beginning, had no divisions, bathrooms or even a kitchen. Then came the question of how to distribute natural light, as the former warehouse had windows only on one side.

The solution came in the form of handsome, black steel doors that slide together or apart to easily divide or connect the living and workshop spaces. And because the top halves are made from glass, natural light passes through to the bedroom and master bathroom more effectively – just like a loft in New York.

Lim+Lu
limandlu.com

Habitus Living Lim+Lu Warehouse House interior
Habitus Living Lim+Lu Warehouse House living room
Habitus Living Lim+Lu Warehouse House living room
Habitus Living Lim+Lu Warehouse House dining room
Habitus Living Lim+Lu Warehouse House corridor
Habitus Living Lim+Lu Warehouse House master bathroom
Habitus Living Lim+Lu Warehouse House master bathroom
Habitus Living Lim+Lu Warehouse House bathroom

About the Author

Kenny Loh

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Home Architecturehong kongHouse ArchitectureLim + LuManhattanResidential Architecture


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Issue 60 - The Kitchen and Bathroom Issue

Issue 60

The Kitchen and Bathroom Issue

HABITUS has always stood ahead of the rest with a dedicated Kitchen and Bathroom issue of exemplar standards. For issue 60 we have taken it up a notch with our Guest Editor the extraordinary, queen of kitchen design, Sarah-Jane Pyke of Arent&Pyke, speaking directly to Kitchen and Bathroom design with some increadable insights.

Order Issue