SECRETS OF A STYLISH HOME

"I probably stepped inside three or four gorgeous homes each month as part of my job," says Tamsin. "And I was looking at furniture and homewares every single day, so I developed a very clear idea of what my ideal home would look like, and I was desperate to turn it into a reality." The opportunity to redecorate came when she and her husband bought the flat next door to the apartment they already owned. They decided to knock the two spaces together to create one larger home that would give them the ability to host plenty of dinners, barbecues and parties.

The couple sought the help of architect Richy Ng of Box Design in reconfiguring the spaces and laying the foundations with quality materials and beautifully detailed finishes: he helped them split the home into public and private areas. Meanwhile designer Candace Campos of ID design studio helped finesse the spaces by consulting on lighting and other elements. "After years of working in the industry in Hong Kong, I had seen a lot of the same materials, lighting and furniture repeated across countless local homes. That's the nature of living in a small market – you've only got a limited pool of products to choose from," says Tamsin, who for this reason commissioned Candace to create some one-off pieces that couldn't be found in other Hong Kong spaces.

Tamsin also picked up vintage pieces from Hong Kong's General Store, generalstoreltd.com and Casa Capriz, casacapriz.com, as well as on travels to Scandinavia. "What I like about vintage is that it's not ubiquitous," she says. She also scoured the internet for pretty, painted bathroom tiles and design masterpieces that couldn't be found in Hong Kong. "Sites like Nest.co.uk and Design Within Reach, dwr.com, were a great starting point," she says, adding the caveat that "It's important to triple-check the details of your order before handing over your credit card, and to check your items are the right ones as soon as they arrive." In the end, though, the final result was worth the stress of incorrect orders, blown budgets and missed deadlines. "Whether we're relaxing on our own or entertaining friends, we love our home," says Tamsin. "It feels multi-faceted, unique and very 'us'."