ALL,STORIES
The vintage furniture queen on her home, her style and much more
Casa Capriz is fueled by one woman’s passion for vintage furniture. Irene Capriz, who was born in Italy to a family with Malaysian-Chinese heritage, was buying vintage Italian pieces for herself when she started getting requests from friends. Casa Capriz soon came to life: now a beautiful space in Wong Chuk Hang, it offers hard-to-find Italian and European design from the 1930s to 70s.
This is the place to find that standout item that will become a talking piece in your home – whether that’s a glam, gilded bar trolley, a set of velvety 1950s armchairs or a pendant light that will transform your dining room.
Along with her incredible knowledge of 20thcentury Italian design, Irene possesses a unique and fabulous sense of style. She’s artistically glamorous at all times – and she’s mother to two little girls, as well as being stepmother to two more! She divides her time between Hong Kong and Bali, where she has a second home, somehow also finding time for constant travel to Italy, China, Australia… and more.
Here, Find Love Buy talks to Irene about how she balances work and family, while finding time to learn and to take care of herself.
you will be wearing many different hats, but ultimately, you will not be able to do everything effectively on your own. Putting together a tight, efficient and motivated team is one of the keys to success.
my Sin Sin Atelier bag; it's perfect. It's stylish yet practical and not boring. You can see the thought process behind the design of this bag: you can pack it to the brim and yet you can find even the smallest of items within seconds. I also travel with a plain black Moleskine notebook for notes and sketches and with Aesop's Immediate Moisture Facial Hydrosol and its Parsley Seed Masque in my bag.
Le Sirenuse, Positano. It's quintessentially Amalfi Coast. Gio Ponti's Parco dei Principi in Sorrento is a must-visit. The completely original interiors are simply fabulous, but the hotel lags behind because management is sadly not as brilliant as it should be.
fancy pajamas from FRS (For Restless Sleepers). At the moment entertaining at home is much more enjoyable than going out.
Joyce Wang. I really liked what she did with the Rare Table Collection. On the fashion side, I enjoy the irreverent bags that Cecilia Ma creates.
I felt Hong Kong interiors could do so much better if only there was more accessibility to great and diverse furniture, lighting and accessory pieces. What makes Casa Capriz special is that you can really discover some gorgeous, hard-to-find pieces at fair prices. I had several lighting and furniture specialists come in who were impressed with the collection, which was very flattering. My favourite items in store right now are a pair of Federico Munari armchairs from the 1950s and a Fontana Arte wall mirror - it's a rare edition
try my utmost to always fit activities like yoga, Pilates, Xtend Barre or walking into my daily routine - it helps improving everything else. And when I work, I don't think about personal matters, and when I am with my children or family, I don't think of work. I also use what would I consider 'waste of time' moments - queuing, driving, sitting on public transportation - to read books and to listen to music or podcasts such as Hardcore History, This American Life or Pop Culture Happy Hour. I love listening to music and use Oppo PM-3 headphones.
there are many books I would read over and over again. Among my favourite reads are Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig, The Darker Nations by Vijay Prashad, Just Kids by Patti Smith… and also Swallows and Amazons.
Muji waterproof travel organisers. I give each member of my family only a specific number of travel organisers, especially when we're travelling to cold countries, so that I can keep the amount of luggage we have in check. It also keeps unpacking easy and organised.
BrainPickings.org, a very well-curated blog with highly stimulating articles covering everything from history to art and philosophy.
Rough Trade, where I regularly stock up on good music.
