A loving and dutiful son recently purchased two apartments in One Central; one for his own family’s use and one for his parents so that they could be close-by when they visit from Hong Kong. Though known in Macau for quality building finishes, it was still considered not sufficiently up to standard for the parents. So a young and exciting new Hong Kong and Macau-based architectural and interior design firm, JWCC Architecture was engaged to give the 1,300 square foot space a major make-over.
Infinite care and attention to detail went into preparing a home-from-home that fits the parents’ life style; a reading area for mother, and a coffee table designed to double as a traditional tea drinking table for father. And no expense was spared; the two bedrooms and living-dining space were completely gutted, floors replaced with walnut timber veneer brought in from overseas, VRV central air-conditioning installed, and door frames removed to give a sense of openness and space.
As one enters the apartment, the first striking feature at the end of the entrance hallway is a sensational floor to ceiling panel covered in de Gournay hand painted wallpaper from England; a picture of a Japanese pine tree with a background of tarnished gold gilded paper.
The pine tree, an oriental symbol for longevity, was selected to convey the blessing for the family.
To the left, is the kitchen and a bathroom with shower. The original floors have been replaced with polished grey stone and the face panels on the cabinets were also replaced. Doors to both the kitchen and bathroom were changed to dark brown with part sections in black reflective mirror, and the wall mirror down one side of the kitchen was changed so as to make the space look bigger.
Back out to the hallway and into the living area, and here a neutral colour palate is maintained, with white ceilings, creams, pale bamboo yellow, pale beige and grey with a grounding base of walnut from the flooring.
“It’s the use of texture that gives the sense of excitement”, explains architect and JWCC Principal Christine Choi.
Case in point, the pale grey honed stone used for one wall in the living space; a larger smooth section at the dining room end, finishing with a section by the window that has a grooved design feature with shelves. The curtains, in crinkle fabric with grey blackouts, add further texture.
The opposite wall to the grey stone has been painted in a pale creamy-grey, using an intriguing decorative plaster specially formulated by the architect themselves along with the Italian artisan Danilo. Whilst smooth to the touch it has a marble textured look. Depending on the different times of the day and levels of light, the colour tones change to give differing moods to the room. In the early evening, with the lights turned low, this wall texture looks exactly like marble. Wall lighting helps to further reflect this look. The shadow line along the ceiling gives a clean cut for the space, evening out any crooked walls, and further highlighting this very understated yet striking wall.
Low emissivity glass laminate has been applied to the windows as the apartment is west facing and gets very hot in the summer with the sun going down over the lake. The curtain sheers are operated electrically.
Furnishings in the living and dining areas have been kept sleek and modern. The light beige sofa and black armchair and footstool are from AREA Living, a Hong Kong and Macau-based home furnishings and fabrics store. Accessories are from OVO in Hong Kong. The floor lamp and ceiling light above the dining table were custom-made especially for this project. Caramel-coloured Hamptons leather dining chairs, beautifully sturdy, with wide generous seats, accompany the Marc James walnut wood dining table.
An awkward triangular guest room was squared off with cleverly shaped ceiling to floor white wardrobes, without door handles to maintain the clean line. A raised bed section incorporates the window seat into useful storage. The marble-finish plaster is pulled through into this space as is the walnut wood flooring, and the pale colours of wall and cabinetry are balanced with a black horizontal strip on the top of the wardrobe to bring things together with the floor.
“We brought this one element in for contrast,” notes Christine.
The master bedroom door is a pocket door, again to conserve space.
“We try to stay away from handles if we can, especially if the occupants don’t need to lock the doors”.
The location of the bed was switched so that the views of the lake and outer harbor can be better appreciated.
“Our client insisted we make space to fit in a king-size”, adds Christine. The bed is a leather base and headboard, also from AREA Living. A light box was built in behind the bed head, and as there was no space for free standing side tables, little shelves have been built in for a drink, or a book. The bay windows have been cushioned in warm caramel-colours, and a smart design feature of a sculpture niche covers a view looking directly into the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Texture in the room comes through in the textured curtains and throw pillows.
The master bathroom was entirely ripped out, enlarged, and the door repositioned. Pale grey polished stone has been used for the double basins, thereby pulling through the theme from the kitchen and living room to give the sense of harmony to the overall apartment. A ceiling heater and exhaust was installed, together with lots of hidden storage, heated towel racks, and again a sliding door to save space. High quality Hansgrohe faucets, shower fixtures, toilet roll holders and towel hooks have also been used.
And what of the talent behind this impressive renovation? Christine Choi, and her business partner and husband Jimmy Wardhana, both grew up in Australia and met when they were students studying architecture. They set up JWCC in 2010 (jwccarchitecture.com). An energetic and dynamic practice they are already starting to make waves, winning notable work such as a five-floor make over at the Hotel Rio, Macau and the luxurious One Guia Hill Apartments, where they are both the design architect and interior architect.
For One Guia Hill their aim has been to bring high quality contemporary living to this low density residence by introducing nature within the building; a green wall in the foyer, outdoor timber deck balconies, large windows increasing the connection between inside and outside, and landscaping on the roof and on the ground floor. They seem to have lived and breathed this project for the past three years and are hugely excited about the opening due in Q4 this year.
“We can’t wait to see the finished product!” laughs Christine.
When asked what they look for in a client, Christine explains: “The best kind of clients are those that give us control so that we can properly execute our designs. At times we need to do a little bit of education to explain the reasons behind choice of design and why one element is integral to the other, like pieces of a puzzle relying on each other for the overall look.
“Every project we take on we treat very personally, focusing on and engaging the user, to understand their life style and how they intend to use the space. Whether a residential or commercial project, our aim is to provide a comfortable environment for people.”
