A Hong Kong flat where ‘everything is for sale’: designer’s home doubles as gallery
The spacious Mid-Levels home of Alfred Lam, who founded interior design firm Studio 1618 and furniture store L’s Where, doubles as a gallery for his vintage finds and art
Eclectic style might seem the most free-spirited of interior-design trends but it is not just about combining mismatched items and hoping for the best. Knowing which pieces will come together to create magic, rather than a mess, is a gift Studio 1618 interior designer Alfred Lam has, as seen in his 2,100 sq ft Mid-Levels flat.
“People either love it or hate it but I like to have fun with design,” says Lam, who was born in Hong Kong and trained in interior and spatial design at the Chelsea College of Arts, in London, Britain. “My home is an extension of who I am and what I do, and reflects my passions,” which include collecting vintage furniture and art from all over the world.
At home, Lam, who also owns furniture and home accessories store L’s Where, in Central, has mixed and matched his possessions cohesively. Think mid-century modern meets contemporary abstraction with a dose of art deco thrown in for good measure.
“My home makes a great showcase for art and furniture. It’s easy to execute my style here and show a client how something might look,” he says. “Everything is for sale. I don’t get emotionally attached to objects, so if something sells, I don’t have trouble replacing it.”
The renovation took six months, during which the flat was gutted and reconfigured. Lam moved in at the end of last year. While the fairly conventional living/dining room was kept as was, a breakfast nook was added at one end because Lam enjoys taking in the urban views each morning. What had previously been three bedrooms and two bathrooms was reapportioned into a master bedroom and large bathroom, a dressing area and an entertainment den, with an anteroom dividing the living and sleeping quarters.