To design a house for a filmmaker, New Office Works brings the country to Hong Kong

Creative Nest

By Kelly Pau
house for a filmmaker

The quintessential country home is the inspiration for a renovation in Hong Kong. New Office Works (NOW), an architecture and design office based in the city, led the design for an award-winning filmmaker based in Los Angeles and Hong Kong who wanted something natural, flexible, and continually inspiring. Looking to the warmth and softness of country homes, NOW updated the residence with refined sense of rustic materiality.

new office works
The kitchen’s soft pink tiles extend and evolve the light tones of the color palette (Courtesy New Office Works)

Previously, the home was segmented into distinct spaces. Entry began at the dining room before a hallway connected the three bedrooms. NOW reoriented the floorplan to enhance flexibility. The architects replaced one bedroom for a dedicated editing room, and the guest room closest to the dining room with a reading room. In place of the solid wall that divided the two, sliding glass doors and a motorized curtain enable free flow while offering the opportunity to close off the area or open it up for an even greater dining room.

reading room and dining room
The architects use a motorized curtain and sliding glass doors to create flexible spaces (Courtesy New Office Works)

According to the architects, the client wanted an open, flexible space with natural material, in other words, a space to fuel her creativity. NOW approached the design to give the space added depth. The reading room serves the main point of inspiration, where walls of records are illuminated with lighting within the shelves.

apartment in hong kong
Krause Bricks greet the entry with a cutout for displaying decor (Courtesy New Office Works)

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Lighting along built-in cabinets emphasize the client’s point of inspiration (Courtesy New Office Works)

The social areas, like the reading room, dining room, kitchen, and living room, are tied together by light tones. Brick, chosen for its country-like quality, clads the walls. NOW specified carbon-neutral, handcrafted, and recyclable Krause Bricks from Australia. They’re infused with a subtle pink undertone to imbue a softness and femininity to the space. It also puts them in tandem with the kitchen where light pink tiles create a backsplash.

living room
Roman blinds diffuse lighting to a soft glow (Courtesy New Office Works)

Pale brick, white wood cabinetry, and stone skirting continue the gentle tone but in varying textures. Meanwhile, the private areas are clad in deeper hues, featuring walnut joinery and gray carpeting.

brick and wood home
Brick and wood floors offer refined yet rustic materiality (Courtesy New Office Works)

bedroom
Darker tones and carpeting take over in the bedroom (Courtesy New Office Works)

Lighting strategically bounces off the light tones and wood flooring. The living room’s wall of windows are finished with Roman blinds; the folded fabric lends an inviting texture to the space while diffusing light into a soft glow.

walk in closet
Darker walnut millwork is used in the walk-in closet and private spaces (Courtesy New Office Works)

Throughout the residence, lighting feels like a graceful envelope over the interior versus direct glares. Ambient lighting comes through in the added cove lights and lighting along the built-in joinery. Bespoke wall and pendant lights brighten the illumination. Included in this is Verner Panton’s Globe pendant in the dining room and a spherical paper lantern above the sofa.

Restrained furnishings and the natural material palette allow light to decorate the home. The effect is meditative and inviting, accentuating the house as a creative nest for a filmmaker.

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