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This Italian brand’s showroom at the Prince’s Building has long been a favourite destination for those seeking the last word in design.

Founded in 1921, Alessi is renowned for its skill at working with both traditional and advanced materials, and its openness to collaboration and new ideas. The result has been a constantly renewed range of iconic houseware products designed by legends such as Philippe Starck, David Chipperfield and Sakura Adachi.

Every Alessi object brings art and poetry to their otherwise mundane functions. Examples from the brand’s 2019 collection include the charming, clutch bag-like ‘Food a porter’ lunchbox by Sakura Adachi, Jasper Morrison’s intriguingly textured, minimalist ‘Round Basket’ tray, and the sturdily elegant ‘Itsumo’ tableware set by Naoto Fukasawa. As well as the new, the showroom’s shelves also offer up popular designs from past collections, such as Starck’s modern classic ‘Juicy Salif’.

Timeless modernity, real practical purpose, and a sense of playfulness that makes experiences out of everyday actions; Alessi products achieve the rare distinction of embodying what we all need, as well as what we want.

When Altfield Gallery first opened its doors in 1982, it also opened a new era of possibilities for Hong Kong interior design. One of the first establishments in the territory to bring together the very highest quality East-meets-West, new-meets-old antique furniture, art and home accessories, it gave discerning customers and designers an inspiring new palette from which to create interiors of distinct character and taste – something Altfield Gallery continues to do to this day.

A few years later, Alfield ushered in yet another new era with the launch of Altfield Interiors. The new showroom retained much of what had made Altfield Gallery such a success – knowledgeable staff, eclectic but consistently beautiful collections of consistently superb quality – but applied them to new high-end furnishings by some of the world’s most acclaimed brands and designers.

Today in Hong Kong and elsewhere, Altfield is widely known as ‘the interior designer’s showroom’ – not just because of the unparalleled collections it offers, but because of the trained designers on hand to lend advice to professional and retail customers alike. Altfield’s clients include interior designers and architects, and the company is the preferred supplier for many luxury residential and hospitality projects around the region.

Their attention to detail and flair for choosing the right pieces for the right setting for the right client is apparent as soon as one steps into the Altfield Interiors showroom in Hong Kong’s Central district. While the space is simple in form, even gallery-like in its flowing openness, it is also quietly sumptuous, with even the wallcoverings adding an unmistakable touch of luxury.

Against this refined backdrop are immaculately composed displays of furnishings and accessories from more than 30 international brands including Jim Thompson, Rubelli, Armani/Casa, Pierre Frey, de Gournay, Jane Churchill, Cole & Son, Ralph Lauren Home and Weitzner. All the ingredients for the perfect personalised interior are here, from soft funishings to fabrics and wallcoverings, to leather, lighting, hardware and furniture. The collection also includes Altfield’s own exclusive fabrics and wallcoverings, while silverware and jewellery designs by Founder and Creative Director Amanda Clark are on display and available at Altfield Gallery.

And if the customer cannot find precisely what suits them in the collection, Altfield Interiors’ design, tailoring and upholstery services can create something that does. For this pioneering name in Hong Kong high-end interiors, only excellence comes standard.

If there is one thing that Andante is short of, it is ambiguity. The focus here is on the latest and finest in contemporary furniture, lighting and decorative items – and only on that. It is very much a showroom for homeowners, designers and clients who are sure of their tastes, and are discerning about how they express it.

Created by the same Tony Luk who founded the neighbouring Louvre Gallery, Andante offers customers something a little more edgy and innovative. The showroom itself, however, is fully as architecturally balanced and well-considered as its sister store. The material palette is simple but refined, the colours muted, the lighting scheme carefully tuned – all to create a modern textural backdrop that encourages contemplation and discovery.

With 450 sq-m of floorspace, there certainly is plenty to be discovered here. Andante’s contemporary focus is manifested by brands like Minotti, Venini, Tato, Nahoor and Lolli e Memmoli – each representing Italian design at its most forward-looking but not faddish, and Italian craftsmanship at its most accomplished. It is an elusive mix of characteristics that makes each piece here a potential modern classic.

Notably, Andante works closely with major property developers and architects, serving the project market for clients including HSBC, Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley, AIG Investment Group and Murray Hotel, among others. It is a testament to the superlative quality and design of the products on offer at this unique showroom, as well as the professionalism and experience of its staff.

Andante gives some of Hong Kong’s most demanding and focused customers real choice in high-end contemporary furniture. It is a showroom that does only one thing, but it does it indisputably well.

Marked out by a monolithic façade on one of Wanchai’s most characterful streets is a design collection unlike any other on the planet: the Archetype Concept Store.

Archetype is a Hong Kong-based brand with an unusually designer-oriented philosophy. As well as curating the very best lighting, furniture and accessories from a gamut of overseas brands, their collection also includes the finest work from up-and-coming local talents. The common element shared by all the products – the quality that makes them a coherent collection – is design integrity.

It’s an approach that makes the collection especially interesting to fellow designers and industrial design aficionados. Sourced from brands like Anglepoise, Decode London, Terence Woodgate, Jottergoods and others, each item embodies not just functional and aesthetic innovation, but deep innovation in material usage, manufacturing and quality workmanship as well.

To Archetype, ‘integrity’ means the designer’s vision remains intact from the concept stage right through to the final product – and ultimately, into the daily lives of customers who understand the true meaning of quality.

Opening their doors in late 2018 are two new showrooms for two new brands on the Hong Kong kitchen design scene: Arclinea and Officine Gullo. Though both originate from Italy, they exemplify two very different approaches.

Arclinea is a celebration of avant garde technology, artfully integrated into forms that take minimalist principles to the maximum. Needless to say, visitors to their flagship showroom at Ruttonjee Centre will be fascinated by the beautifully crafted details than make this brand’s creations unique in the way they look, feel and work.

Also located in Ruttonjee Centre is the vault-like showroom of Officine Gullo. Here, kitchens are true works of art – each one designed for an individual customer and crafted in stainless steel, hand-hammered in the tradition of the Florentine masters.

Uncompromisingly high tech, or uncompromisingly hand-crafted: Arclinea and Officine Gullo represent two extremes that share one ultimate passion. Both deliver excellence with true Italian flair.

Is ‘Affordable Luxury’ a real thing? According to Italy’s Arredo3 brand, it certainly is – at least as far as kitchens are concerned. And thanks to their recently opened showroom in Happy Valley, designers and homeowners in Hong Kong can find out why.

Indeed, the immediate impression there is of contemporary luxury. Arredo3 kitchens all offer the same uncluttered forms and engaging materials as cost-no-object designs. The luxury is more than skin-deep too. Series such as ‘Kali’, ‘Time’ and ‘Frida’ are all configurable to both different spaces and different tastes, with an enormous range of materials, finishes and colours to choose from. This customisability also allows customers to ‘fine-tune’ their kitchen to a desired cost level.

Another key Arredo3 difference is their state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities. These enable the brand to build kitchens with astonishing precision at great speed (more than 350 units per day), even to widely differing specification.

Needless to say, Arredo3 kitchens’ tailorability and in-depth luxury has made them a preferred supplier for large residential developments around the world, as well as a favourite of discerning designers and homeowners.

It is almost impossible to pass the AXOR Boutique without at least pausing for a long glance. Greeting you are the pure, simple forms of contemporary architecture and a gallery-like interior, glowing in icy white.

The purity of the design reflects the purity of its purpose. Since its establishment, AXOR Boutique’s focus has been entirely on elevating the bathroom into one of the most relaxing and beautiful spaces in the home. And with the very latest AXOR and hansgrohe products arrayed on two floors and approximately 3,532 sq-ft of space, there is no shortage of options or sources of inspiration here.

The collection is provided by the Hansgrohe Group, a premier German maker of mixers and shower heads for almost 120 years. Always a technological leader, it has also become known for award-winning design through its partnerships with such stellar names as Philippe Starck, Antonio Citterio, Jean-Marie Massaud and Nendo.

Bathrooms themselves are all about purity of purpose; comfort and cleanliness. At the AXOR Boutique, the world’s most renowned architects and designers and one of the world’s most innovative brands show us how to fulfil that purpose in timeless style.

Once again setting the pace in Hong Kong for world-class design, COLOURLIVING has introduced the Azucena and Maxalto brands into its specialist B&B Italia monobrand store.

“COLOURLIVING has partnered B&B Italia Hong Kong for many years,” says Paolo Bottegal, general manager, B&B Italia Asia-Pacific. “We are thrilled to finally launch our two exclusive brands here and we wish that our legacy can further inspire and engage the local design community.”

Spanning 350 sq-m on a single floor, the B&B Italia Hong Kong is dedicated to the latest collections from the B&B Italia Group brands, including works by internationally renowned designers such as Antonio Citterio, Piero Lissoni, Patricia Urquiola and Gaetano Pesce.

It is here that the Azucena brand makes its debut in Hong Kong, with one-of-a-kind, timeless creations by Milanese architect Luigi Caccia Dominioni. Together with Maxalto, it will add a modern-classic touch to the B&B Italia showroom.

Antonio Citterio’s Ribes modular seating system, for example, was partly inspired by traditional fabrics from South America, which were reinterpreted and redesigned using very clear colour schemes that still allow maximum customisation. ‘Ribes’ means transformation, and is especially suited to those areas that are neither inside nor outside, such as verandas and shady patios.

Denise Lau, chief executive officer of COLOURLIVING, says: “Our partnership with B&B Italia has gone from strength to strength.We are extremely honoured to be further entrusted with the exclusivity of Maxalto and Azucena from the B&B Italia Group.”

Founded in 1966 by Piero Ambrogio Busnelli, B&B Italia has long shaped the development of Italian design, making the phrase ‘made in Italy’ synonymous with the highest quality, luxury 
and craftsmanship.

For more than three decades, Bed & Bath has been a byword in Hong Kong for the very finest in relaxation. Specialising in bedroom and bathroom products, their showroom reflects the company’s belief that every item one chooses for the home should not only look good, but stand the test of time.

It’s a prescription for quality that has led Bed & Bath to establish partnerships with some of Europe’s leading brands. But what’s not immediately apparent in the showroom is another commitment: Bed & Bath’s emphasis on personal service. Customers can order bespoke bedding made to meet their precise needs, to conform to their exact tastes. Bed & Bath staff are also proficient ‘personal shoppers’, able to match each customer with the most suitable products.

The consistent result of this showroom’s insistence on top quality and personalised service is bedrooms and bathrooms that are true sanctuaries of relaxation and well-being. And how much more can one ask of the two most important rooms in the home?

It is difficult if not impossible to give BoConcept’s new showroom a mere passing glance. Located in Lee Garden Three, its open façade invites the eye to linger on its gallery-like interior and the timeless appeal of its furniture collection. It is only natural to step inside and start imagining the possibilities.

But in BoConcept’s new space, fuelling imaginations is just the beginning. Integrated into the Lee Garden Three location is a new concept called ‘Design Hub’ which serves as a genuinely useful resource for design and property professionals who wish to create the best possible solutions for their clients.

Design Hub offers tools that allow users to create 3D design solutions on the spot, drawing from the whole range of BoConcept’s furniture while the inspiration is still fresh. Interior designers, architects and planners can even use Design Hub to work together, share ideas and co-create visualisations for their clients or portfolios.

As innovative as it is, Design Hub is a logical development for a company long regarded as a ‘designer’s brand’. Established in Denmark in 1952, BoConcept specialises in high quality, high value furniture for residential, hospitality and commercial applications. Their Style Guide presents them all in clearly themed lines such as ‘Essentials’, ‘Metropolitan’ and ‘Scandinavian’. Colour themes and their variations are plentiful and always in step with current trends, among the very latest being ‘Mood Blue’, ‘Solid Earth’ and ‘Icon Brown’.

More than a showroom, more than a studio, BoConcept’s new location is something rare in the industry – it is a new kind of resource for industry professionals, and potentially, a path to better solutions for the end-user.

In the last few decades, the Hong Kong kitchen has been elevated from afterthought status to the functional, social and aesthetic epicentre of the home. Astonishingly, one company has always been at the forefront of this design and lifestyle revolution: Kitchen Infinity.

For more than 30 years, Kitchen Infinity has brought Europe’s latest achievements in kitchen architecture and appliances to Hong Kong. To this day, the firm sets the standard not just with its collection of leading brands and products, but with in-depth knowledge that gives their customers a real edge in selecting, configuring and enjoying their own kitchens.

Their newest achievements are the Boffi De Padova Studio in Lee Garden Three and Boffi Bath Studio at Hoi Ping Road, Causeway Bay. Both are products of real collaboration between Kitchen Infinity and Boffi, and both are optimised to enable visitors to fully experience the latter’s award-winning kitchen and bathroom designs from Italy.

Boffi’s heritage stretches back to the mid-1930s. Its founding principle of integrating creativity, production and entrepreneurship into product decisions and operating processes encouraged innovation; and indeed, Boffi has built a reputation for pioneering collaborations and technical excellence.

In 1954, for example, Boffi launched ‘Serie C’, the first coloured kitchen. In 1980, the brand branched out into bathroom design. Current lines such as the ‘Cove Kitchen’ co-developed with Zaha Hadid have ensured that the brand remains synonymous with exacting quality and striking design.

More recently, Boffi’s purchase of leading furniture brand De Padova has opened up another new dimension; with a product range encompassing kitchens, bathrooms, storage systems, upholstered furniture and accessories, customers can live in virtually wall-to-wall Boffi.

If it sounds revolutionary, that’s because it is. And it’s what Kitchen Infinity and Boffi have been doing for decades.

In the heart of Central is the heart of Bosch in Hong Kong – a showroom that brings the famed German brand’s entire breathtaking line of home appliances into one 3,000 sq-ft space.

The name ‘Galleria’ is certainly an accurate description of the minimalist, bright interior. Each product is displayed almost as a work of art against a stark backdrop, or integrated within functional, realistic home settings offering visitors an accurate impression of how they work in the ‘real world’.

As for the product range, the odds are that if it’s an appliance, Bosch not only makes it, but makes the class leader in terms of design, technology and quality. In addition to large appliances such as refrigerators, ovens, hobs and dishwashers, the Bosch name can also be found on small appliances and even powered kitchen tools such as hand blenders and mixers.

So dazzling is the Bosch Galleria’s array of technology that visitors can even book private guided tours that give a clear picture of the latest innovations and insights to the engineering and craftsmanship that set Bosch apart.

We all prize originality when it comes to our living environment. Each home should be a functional and aesthetic reflection of personal taste, needs and expectations – a world of individuality in every detail. Simply finding all the elements needed to create it can be strenuous and time consuming to the extreme.

However, shortcuts do exist for ‘in-the-know’ designers and discerning homeowners. In Hong Kong, one of the most exceptional is Brand Equity, a ‘one-stop-shop’ that offers both a product range of vast breadth and diversity and a rare in-depth quality.

It’s all housed in a 7,000 sq-ft space designed to make holistic interior design visions into reality; finding one perfect item starts a train of thought that leads to another and another, until the picture is complete. Visitors can begin with contemporary kitchens by Cesar and lighting by Foscarini, proceed to stylish but keenly priced furniture by Saba, textiles and beds by Ivano Redaelli, and find their finishing touches among doors and wardrobes by Albed. Another current showroom highlight is furniture from Moroso, whose collection includes a number of new project-focused designs first seen at Milan Design Week 2018.

Importantly, the entire breadth of the Brand Equity’s product range is available here and now to see, feel and experience, rather than to merely regard from a catalogue. Fabric, pattern and colour choices can be evaluated on the spot, and integrated on the spot to complement other items.

For a truly individual touch, Brand Equity also offers one-of-a-kind vintage items from Casa Capriz – ideal for completing traditional home settings, or for injecting some idiosyncratic style into a contemporary space.

As well as being spoiled for choice, patrons of this unique showroom enjoy real ease of accessibility thanks to its Wong Chuk Hang location on Hong Kong Island’s south side. It’s even reachable by MTR, just two stops from Admiralty station.

Convenience, a quality product range that encompasses every room in the home, and the product diversity to ensure that every combination is unique; at Brand Equity the sourcing is already done. If you are in the know, sometimes you really can have it all.

Kitchens are often where the true quality of a home shines through. Quite simply, while we may expect little more than comfort and a modicum of style from every other element of the home, our requirements for where we prepare food are considerably more stringent.

CAAL has been meeting these unique demands from their spacious showroom at Harbour Centre in Wanchai, featuring the product lines of LEICHT, Valcucine and Caccaro – European brands acclaimed for lifestyle-defining designs.

Originating from Germany, LEICHT is a consistent innovator in the form and function of the kitchen. The contemporary look of each collection transcends fashion, evolving directly from functional considerations such as ergonomics and modularity. Similarly, materials are selected with durability, hygiene and purpose foremost in mind, adorned with the minimum of necessary details.

The results are outstanding – and for customers and designers, usefully flexible. LEICHT kitchens’ fundamental modularity allows for a ‘building block’ approach that enables units to be built around individual needs while maximising spatial characteristics. Whatever the shape and size of the kitchen, LEICHT can fulfill its potential.

Italy’s Valcucine brand, by contrast, designs kitchen from an ‘innovate for life’ perspective. Outstandingly ergonomic and versatile, their collections combine bold minimalist shapes with intriguing material transitions, bringing a sense of wellbeing to the heart of the home as well as a high degree of function. The result is timeless designs that transcend trends and fashions.

Also from Italy is Caccaro, a specialist in wardrobe solutions that are tailored precisely to individual needs. Highly architectural in style to maximise volume and to contrast with or complement any home decor scheme, each solution is a scalable system, designed to ‘reinvent’ individual spaces or even entire home interiors with flair and functionality.

For CAAL, service is integral to the product experience. Its designers are experienced and always ready to help customers take that extra step toward achieving their dream: a home design 
of excellence.

Long renowned as Hong Kong’s leading lifestyle curator offering high-end designs for the home, COLOURLIVING has built its reputation on a solid foundation provided by its parent company, the B.S.C. Group, which represents global brands in kitchen and bath, furniture and lighting, and interior lifestyle furnishing.

COLOURLIVING has adopted the company motto ‘Enriching Human Space’, to create captivating, welcoming spaces for 
their clients.

In Alan Chan’s Home at COLOURLIVING, for example, the designer’s innate flair is displayed across an expansive gallery-style space, where he personally selected the various objet d’art and décor to reflect a luxury lifestyle and the ‘Home Away from Home’ concept.

Elsewhere, a section is dedicated to Italian designer Paola Lenti, where her flexible Move seating series – available in two heights and four seat depths – sits alongside the stylish Reel table and the Spezie pouf, upholstered in the brand’s signature Rope yarn.

Over in the Fritz Hansen section, world-famous classics mingle with contemporary furniture, lighting and accessories, created in collaboration with leading designers including Arne Jacobsen, Poul Kjærholm, Pierro Lissoni, Kasper Salto and Jaime Hayon.

Other spaces to browse include the bathroom area, with the elegant Lunar mirror, designed by Lim+Lu, and customers can look forward to further designer collaborations and the introduction of new corners dedicated to wellness and wellbeing.

A key offering from COLOURLIVING is its Personal Shopping Service: clients have the opportunity to be advised by its home-styling experts to curate living spaces that reflect their distinctive taste, personality, and lifestyle. With its parent company B.S.C. Group set to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2020, it is precisely this personal touch that sets COLOURLIVING apart from the rest.

For 25 years, Equal Limited has earned its reputation sourcing hardwood flooring and European kitchen solutions across Asia. Its high-profile clients include luxury hotels such as Banyan Tree, Macau, and the Shangri-La in Beijing, Manila and Cebu, upmarket retailers like Burberry, Cartier, Vacheron Constantin and Lane Crawford, and residential properties and clubhouses like Highcliff, The Cullinan, OPUS and Alassio.

Now all that unparalleled expertise is coming to the family home. CORE by Equal is a new showroom and consultation space created not only for designers or architects, but for anyone who wants to bring new life to their living environment. So what will this new breed of customers find there?

For starters, CORE by Equal is the exclusive Hong Kong representative for Binova, a highly acclaimed kitchen brand from Italy. Crafted by artisans, the kitchens offer a wide range of material and finish options and fully customisable construction. There’s simply no kitchen space, big or small, that can’t be improved with these thoughtful, elegant designs.

CORE by Equal also highlights Equal Limited’s specialist knowledge of engineered hardwood flooring. This technique layers different varieties of wood and tops them off with hardwood. The result counteracts the warping and bending that often occur in Hong Kong climate conditions – while offering the stunning look and feel of solid wood planking. The exceptionally stable structure of engineered wood means that with proper care, it can retain its beauty for many years to come.

Equal is the city’s sole supplier of leading European brand BOEN, which offers engineered hardwood flooring in multiple kinds of wood. CORE by Equal also offers flooring from brands including Château by Adler, which specialises in planks with widths of up to 350mm and lengths of up to five metres; and Mafi, which offers flooring which makes the natural cracks and knots in the wood a standout feature by filling them with vibrant and customisable colours.

A brand new addition to the range is Spanish engineered hardwood flooring brand STP. The company specialises in unique patterns that are ‘a cut above’ standard planking: Avant-garde designs are hand-crafted to fit your space, with options ranging from linear geometry to organic, flowing lines, to shapes which evoke an elegant Old World glamour.

With 25 years of experience in flooring and kitchens, CORE by Equal has the expertise –and the style – to turn your house into a home.

‘Intriguing’ is the word that comes to mind at the Devialet Private Lounge. Not only is it the first showroom of its kind from the French high-end audiophile brand – it is, in many ways, not really a ‘showroom’ at all.

Indeed, as comfortable and stylish as this by-appointment-only space is, it was designed purely to provide visitors with an audio experience, courtesy of Devialet’s critically acclaimed ‘Phantom’ Class A amplification sound system. This showroom is really a ‘soundroom’.

And once the full 7.7 immersive effect begins, one’s surroundings truly do fade away. All senses focus on the soundscape – amazingly pure, full-ranged, powerful and yet delicate and precise. It is sound that not only surrounds, but fills the listener with emotion and charges the imagination.

Fortunately, the ‘Phantom’ effect isn’t restricted only to the Devialet Private Lounge. Designers, audiophiles and other demanding customers can take advantage of the Lounge’s in-house professional staff for personal consultation and to arrange custom installation in their own home.

It’s not every day that superb sound leads to a superior design vision, but the Devialet Private Lounge is no ordinary showroom.

Established in 2015, the Establo Lifestyle Store showroom is more than a premier source of European furniture, lighting and home accessories. It is also a place of inspiration, providing visitors with real ideas on how their timelessly beautiful, functional pieces can enrich daily life.

In all, visitors will find 15 European brands under Establo’s roof, with every item carefully selected to bring an engaging personal touch to living spaces. Contributing to their outstandingly diverse palette are famous names such as Vitra, Louis Poulsen, HAY, Muuto and Normann Copenhagen. Also present are Punt from Spain and Montana from Denmark, both exclusively carried by Establo in Hong Kong.

Customers seeking something truly out of the ordinary can also browse Establo’s selections from Artek, Menu, Gubi, &tradition and Gan – all brands that hold a special appeal to connoisseurs ‘in the know’ who appreciate distinctive design and high quality along with excellent function.

It adds up to a showroom seemingly composed with design enthusiasts and interior professionals especially in mind – but which responds to the very real needs of the user. Indeed, Establo’s ‘personal touch’ extends to every room and every member of the family. Both Italy’s Magis and Denmark’s Ferm Living brands, for example, offer complete collections designed for children, and furniture by Spanish brand Gandia Blasco extends interior lifestyles to the outdoors.

Each item in the Establo Lifestyle Store is an enduring design with a fascinating story, ready to enrich the customers’ own story while adding beauty to their everyday lives. It is this unique approach to sourcing brands and products from around the globe that makes this showroom a true Hong Kong gem.

There’s no mistaking the accent on high-end living in every one of the 10,000 sq-ft of Farrington Interiors’ showroom in Causeway Bay – and indeed the company’s Poltrona Frau flagship stores in Central and Happy Valley. From its very beginning in 2008, Farrington has been dedicated to bringing the finest of the fine furniture and accessories to Hong Kong, selected from the collections of more than 40 renowned brands.

Among those awaiting discovery in the Causeway Bay showroom are Dimensione by Chi Wing Lo and Christopher Guy, for both of which Farrington is the exclusive Hong Kong distributor. Recent additions to the stellar Farrington Interiors line include Hugues Chevalier – masters of leatherwork from France – and Italian brands Ulivi and Bellavista.

In all, there are more than 1,000 pieces of furniture, lighting, carpeting and accessories to browse under one luxurious roof. More than enough variety to suit any home of distinction, and to please discriminating tastes in the finest things for living.

Where most brands refine, GROHE rethinks. It’s a path to innovation that has made this German brand a world leader in water products – and a favourite among designers and homeowners alike.

In Hong Kong, where the bathroom is often the most peaceful and personal room in the home, the luxury and convenience of GROHE fixtures truly come into their own. Visitors to the brand’s showroom in Lockhart Road can choose from the entire range – from toilets, bathtubs and basins to advanced shower control units, shower fixtures and faucets. The range also encompasses products for that other intensely ‘personal’ space – the kitchen – in the form of award-winning creations such as the advanced ‘Minta’ touch faucet.

Each GROHE product is available in several variants, allowing for their striking designs to be applied to almost any bathroom or kitchen, and mixed and matched to meet any personal requirement and taste. A current bathroom tech standout is ‘SmartControl’, an intuitive system that allows users to precisely adjust shower water flow, spray patterns and temperature with the touch of a fingertip.

More user-centric GROHE innovation is seen in shower head features like ‘DreamSpray’, which ensures balanced water distribution to every nozzle, and ‘SpeedClean’, which enables nozzles to be kept clean and unobstructed with a simple wipe of a cloth. Even fundamentals such as the bathroom fixtures’ ceramic composition have been rethought to bring finish, quality and durability to a new level of standard-setting performance.

Importantly, products in the GROHE showroom are arranged so that customers can easily find the range that meets their needs – and displayed ready for interaction, so that they can gain an instant feel for how the items are made, how they feel, and how they are installed.

The showroom staff provide the finishing touch to this immersive experience. Using their in-depth knowledge of the latest products and the unique characteristics of Hong Kong homes, each is ready to offer useful suggestions and guidance to homeowners and professional designers.

As with the GROHE brand itself, this showroom’s sole objective is to move bathrooms and kitchens forward – to explore the very edge of what is possible, and to make a new dimension of comfort and beauty an everyday reality.

First impressions of the iot in Style by HKT Premier showroom mean more than one probably thinks. At first glance, HKT’s first-ever IoT showroom is simply an alluring space – an artful composition of furnishings, home electronics and fixtures from some of the world’s most creative and highly regarded brands.

But the clue to this showroom’s uniqueness is in its name: ‘IoT’ stands for ‘Internet of Things’ – and for the array of cutting-edge technologies that lie beneath its designer-honed surface.

In essence, what the Internet of Things does is adjust your space to your preferences and needs, with little or no intervention on your part. It achieves this by using a fiber network to ‘pull together’ everything from window shades, lighting, heating, air conditioning and ventilation, to kitchen appliances, security and entertainment systems into an integrated, automated system. Rather than functioning individually, the devices can now work together, both sensing and reacting to your needs, and controlled from a single tablet – or even by voice command.

An intelligent home can even seamlessly connect your home office to your workplace and provide charging for your zero-emissions car. In other words, the intelligent home allows you to effortlessly enjoy your home as a home – a place to relax, work and live on your own terms.

The iot in Style by HKT Premier showroom was designed not just to display the latest Internet of Things devices, but to give a first-hand impression of how they connect together in a pair of inspiring designer-created settings. The showcases will change frequently, with new designer collaborations demonstrating different blends of creativity, aesthetics, function and technology.

The previous showcase by Antony Chan – ‘Rethink Home’ centered the potential of fusing the latest home entertainment tech with fresh contemporary design. The second installation by Roche Bobois design team and Sacha Lakic, delivered a dynamic and distinctive living room.

As well as providing designers and end-users alike with intelligent home inspiration, the showroom also demonstrates the abilities of HKT Premier. This specialist team acts as the essential link between designer and client, providing the technical expertise to fulfill the needs of the latter without compromising the vision of the former. The result can be a home that is even more ‘human-centric’ and comfortable than a traditional interior.

In coming months the store will showcase more collaborations with highly regarded designers and architects such as Florence Kong of FAB-A-MATTER. The new installation will offer creative new thematic ideas as well as the latest intelligent home technologies – including how the Internet of Things can integrate ‘mindful fitness’ and home office functions.

For designers and clients alike, iot in Style by HKT Premier’s unique, seamless blend of aesthetic excellence and technology-enabled functionality is a rich trove of ideas and inspiration. Above all, it demonstrates that the Internet of Things is ready to come home.

While walls may first meet the eye, it is the floor that truly underpins the aesthetic of a space, pulling all its elements together into a coherent and personally expressive whole.

Wood is ideal for fulfilling this crucial function. Aesthetically, a well-selected, well-installed wood floor is virtually timeless, able to complement almost any conceivable personal preference in furniture, lighting and art. And unlike virtually any other surface material, quality wood floors will actually grow more characterful over time, looking and feeling richer, more distinctive and refined as decades pass.

Since its founding in 2000, Joyful Sky has been dedicated to providing Hong Kong homes with the best of all worlds in flooring: beauty, durability, quality and convenience are all built into each product.

A by-appointment visit to their Hennessy Road location shows how it’s possible. The product range is dominated by European sources such as Scheucher, HARO, Moller, Admonter, Coswick and Bolefloor, as well as Joyful Sky’s own JaS Designer Floor brand. Each regarded as a leader in using innovative technologies and techniques to give wood flooring – whether indoor or outdoor, solid, engineered or laminate – performance that matches its aesthetic appeal.

Among the latest and most impressive arrivals are Scheucher diverse and versatile ‘MULTIflor Novoloc 5G’ range, with its exclusive low-profile, high-durability technology; and the breathtaking custom-made ‘parkettmanufaktur’ collection by HARO – available in a variety of colours and finishes, and in lengths of up to four metres.

But Joyful Sky’s unmatched product offerings are only part of the reason why this showroom has proved a magnetic attraction for Hong Kong’s architects, designers, developers and high-end homeowners. Each staff member at Joyful Sky is ready to listen to the customer’s needs and ideas, work closely with them toward the ideal solution. Expert installation services are also available, as are extensive after-sales services.

Joyful Sky’s combination of innovative products and expert service makes it more than a flooring showroom; it’s a one-stop-shop for the lifetime of a floor. In this case, an extraordinarily beautiful floor that meets the most demanding requirements.

Visitors to this showroom tend to linger for a while – and it’s easy to see and feel why.

Though located at the very heart of buzzing Central district, the atmosphere inside is hushed, tranquil. Meeting the eye is a contemporary space composed of rough and refined textures, raw concrete surfaces juxtaposed with expanses of clubby wood panelling, geometric shapes juxtaposed with invitingly voluptuous furnishings. Around you there are artworks by such renowned names as Hong Kong ink painter Nancy Chu Woo, Japan’s Yayoi Kusama, and British visual artist Julian Opie.

This is a space that wants you to relax, get comfortable, and discover its charms at your own pace. But then it reveals its biggest surprise; the most impressive feature isn’t one you can see or touch. The whole point of this masterful Conran and Partners interior is what you hear; the award-winning acoustics of KEF audio products.

KEF is very much a brand from the topmost rungs of the audio equipment market ladder. Founded in the UK in 1961, it has continuously emphasised quality engineering and an openness to new ideas in the pursuit of ever-better performance. Among the brand’s first innovations was the use of synthetic materials for speaker diaphragms and driver surrounds. They were also the first in the industry to use computers to test and design loudspeakers.

Visitors to the showroom can get an immersive taste of why KEF continues to be regarded as a world leader today. Each discrete area of the space is optimised to complement a different part of the product range. In the Collector’s Lounge, for example, visitors relax in comfortable seating while KEF components present ‘Dark Waves’, a 3D digital sensory experience created by teamLab.

Elsewhere, the entire KEF line of loudspeakers, headphones and accessories is on display, ready to be tested and experienced in the most ideal possible conditions. The brand even offers a range of ‘architectural’ equipment designed to be integrated into the home.

What the KEF Music Gallery offers is a different world than the one outside its walls; and the irresistible allure of recreating that acoustically pure and powerful world inside your own.

The design and technology of the kitchen have changed radically over the centuries – change that has even transformed our perceptions of what a kitchen can be. Today, the finest kitchens are a seamless convergence of art, craftsmanship and engineering, offering capabilities and pleasures undreamt of just a generation ago.

Impressively, many of the technological, design and material advances that define the contemporary luxury kitchen were pioneered by just two specialist brands from Germany – Gaggenau and Poggenpohl. Founded in 1683 and 1892 respectively, both continue to push the state of the art with their latest designs, rooted in a tradition of innovation and an uncompromising approach to quality.

It’s fitting that KI Cubus, the Hong Kong home of both brands, should be just as forward-looking. Opened in 2017 by Kitchen Infinity – a company that has specialised in European kitchens and appliances since 1988 – this 3,000 sq-ft showroom in Causeway Bay boasts a façade largely composed of full-height frameless glass, providing a clear view of an interior whose carefully balanced composition of forms strikes one as a work of art in itself.

As one explores further, more remarkable facets of KI Cubus make their impressions. The light scheme subtly interacts with surfaces and the simple light and dark colour palette, creating a mood of complete calm while drawing the eye from one installation to the next. Nowhere are there signs of imperfect workmanship or unresolved questions of design. Displayed products are functional, and arranged in the space to encourage interaction.

The rewards of doing so are considerable. Complementing the Poggenpohl kitchen ranges are the very latest examples of Gaggenau appliance technology – notably the new Gaggenau ‘Vario cooling 400 series’ wine cabinet and fridge, ‘400 series’ oven, and the brand’s acclaimed line of full surface induction hobs. Each is made to Gaggenau’s exacting standards and incorporates new thinking that makes preserving and preparing food easier than ever before – and with more delicious results.

Not surprisingly, KI Cubus staff are accustomed to working closely with interior designers and architects on upmarket interior projects, as well as helping customers find the products that match their lifestyles and spaces. KI Cubus simply aims for perfection, every time.

The KitchenAid legend began in 1919 with a revolutionary product: a stand mixer that gave home chefs professional-grade power, capability and quality. A century later, the same winning formula defines a whole range of kitchen appliances bearing the KitchenAid name.

As visitors to the brand’s flagship shop in Causeway Bay will discover, the classic tilt-head stand mixer still has a place in its contemporary product line. It was even available in 2019 as a limited edition in ‘Misty Blue’ – one of the original colours harking back to the 1950s – to honour the brand’s centenary.

But KitchenAid is a great deal more than mixers in the 21st century, with the product line embracing a whole range of small countertop appliances and accessories, as well as acclaimed major appliances like refrigerators, ovens, hobs and dishwashers. The Causeway Bay showroom puts them all on functional display, giving visitors the opportunity to not only see and touch but actually experience their capabilities.

For home cooks with professional-grade abilities, it’s natural to gravitate to the KitchenAid Experience Store: a space designed with your ambitions in mind.

Many showrooms are created with a personal vision, but exceedingly few are the result of the personal vision of an architect. In Louvre Gallery’s case, the ‘architect’s touch’ is supplied by founder Tony Luk – and it makes all the difference in terms of product selection, presentation and service.

Located in the Design Showcase at Ruttonjee Centre in the heart of Central, Louvre Gallery reveals itself like a jewel as one approaches, its exterior faceted with floor-to-ceiling transparent glass, its interior dramatically illuminated, full of contrasting tones and compelling juxtapositions of space and architecture. It is an outwardly simple, restrained space that nevertheless generates the feeling that a special experience is awaiting.

Luk’s architectural background is apparent in more than the showroom design; the collections of furniture, lighting and accessories at Louvre Gallery also tend toward the architectural and contemporary in their aesthetic. Featured brands include Visionnaire, Penta, and Fendi Casa – the latter being exclusive to Louvre Gallery in Hong Kong.

A typical browse through the showroom is more than inspiring; it is akin to an education of the latest achievements and trends in European design. Current highlights include the ‘Ford’ marble-topped table and ‘Berenice’ chairs, the superb ‘Xavier’ sofa, the ‘Danny’ low-profile console, and the sculptural ‘Rylan’ low table.

As one would expect, staff at Louvre Gallery are on hand with the deep product knowledge needed to make creative suggestions of their own, or to advise customers on the pieces best suited to their homes. The overall professionalism at Louvre Gallery is attested to by their frequent involvement in show flat projects.

Furniture, lighting and accessories from the cutting edge of design, collected and presented by an architect, in a setting created by an architect; showrooms really do not come more designer-oriented than Louvre Gallery.

Some brands succeed by staying the same; Miele, the famed home appliance maker from Germany, has thrived for more than a century by always moving forward – into new technologies, new ideas, new lifestyles.

In Hong Kong, nowhere is that spirit more apparent than in the Miele Experience Centre. Opening its doors in Causeway Bay in 2017 – Miele’s 20th anniversary in Hong Kong – the brand’s newly renovated and expanded flagship store is much more than the typical product-centric showroom. Taking a fresh, customer-centric approach, designers evolved the two-level, 350 square-metre space as a venue that would relate Miele directly to visitors’ lives and needs.

What emerged from their efforts is an exceptionally well-considered work contemporary design, with a flowing, open succession of flawlessly crafted home-like settings. Each is fully functional, and each presents a selection of Miele appliances in a realistic, instantly relatable context.

The journey begins at ground level, where visitors circulate through a succession of distinct zones for freestanding homecare products (including laundry and floor care) as well as an attractively aromatic ‘coffee culture’ area. On the floor above, Miele presents its latest in food preparation technologies via four Design Kitchens, a Cooking Parade, and Steaming and Cooling areas. All feature examples of Miele’s famed integrated appliances as a demonstration of its ‘Active Kitchen’ concept.

As befitting the ‘experience’ part of its name, Miele Experience Centre puts its functional settings and outstanding appliances to good use by hosting weekly cooking demonstrations. Headed by in-house chef Chan Wing Kuen – former head chef at the highly regarded FINDS restaurant – the sessions give visitors an up-close-and-personal chance to learn a variety of cooking techniques and taste the delicious outcomes. The Miele Experience Centre is also the venue for regular baking and sous vide classes and workshops. Private cooking demonstrations are also available by appointment.

Miele has long been famed for the state-of-the-art technology and flawless quality of its appliances. Now, with the new Miele Experience Centre, it has created their ideal showcase: a space where customers’ lives and brand values meet – very harmoniously.

True quality and style are never add-ons or afterthoughts to a design; they are a starting point and a guide throughout the process of creation. For Modulnova, they have also been the passion that has driven the brand to develop some of the most astonishing kitchens, bathrooms and furniture available today.

Based in Italy, Modulnova was founded in 1988 by the Presotto family, who had been specialists in furniture-making and kitchen design since 1949. The family’s well-honed design instincts were matched with a curiosity about materials and finishes, and an in-depth knowledge of the manufacturing process. It was a combination that gave Modulnova a ‘soul’ that remains unique today: each piece represents the ultimate in every respect, pushing the boundaries of aesthetics, engineering, high craftsmanship and function.

Those qualities are all pleasingly apparent in Modulnova Hong Kong Limited’s first showroom, which opened its doors on Queen’s Road East in 2017. Mirroring the hard-edged minimalistic lines of the brand’s furniture and furnishings, the façade and interior architecture are pared down to the essentials, with a limited palette of finishes and materials to match. Its sophistication shows in more subtle ways – in the rare quality of the materials, the unusualness of some finishes and textures, in the tastefulness of their juxtaposition.

It makes for an ideal 1,000 sq-ft in which to display the latest Modulnova’s collections. Underlining the brand’s philosophy of bringing a quality, form and comfort to each part of the home, virtually all its collections extend from kitchen to bathroom to living room. The ‘Blade’ bathroom, for example, can be complemented with a ‘Blade’ kitchen, and still further with ‘Blade’ living room furnishings and accessories. Each piece is elegantly designed for maximum adaptability and configurability, with a wide choice of materials and finishes and meticulously crafted details.

Each collection from Modulnova is truly complete – they embody a complete philosophy for the home, designed with a passion that makes them timeless.

Furniture and kitchens are the first things visitors will see inside the new Molteni&C Dada showroom in Wanchai. But perhaps more important is what the visitor will feel: a certain quality of warmth and richness that most contemporary brands lack.

Molteni&C is renowned for furnishings with an exceedingly high standard of materials, fit, finish. Highlights of the current range are the superb ‘505’ bookshelves and ‘Mayfair’ table. Both demonstrate the brand’s mastery of simple, hard-edged architectural forms tempered by natural materials, tones 
and textures.

Appeal to both the heart and the mind is also a defining characteristic of Dada, whose kitchens form the core of the showroom. Visitors will be instantly drawn to their striking and versatile ‘VVD’ series as well as ‘Tivali’, which features a patented folding door and 360-degree revolving column. Other series such as ‘Vela’ and ‘Hi-Line 6’ have attained the status of contemporary classics.

For designers and discerning homeowners alike there is much to admire in this new showroom – not just in terms of form, function, but in the joy it brings to the art of living.

Fashion is disposable – but true style always stands the test of time. Few places in Hong Kong demonstrate this more clearly than the Nature Evolution showroom in Hollywood Road.

The collection here is drawn from a range of European brands with strong traditions of creativity, craftsmanship and material integrity. One of them is Riva 1920, a wood furniture specialist which is still family-operated a century after its founding. Their characteristic style stems from their approach, using artisanal wood and leather hand-crafting techniques. Each piece they produce is simply timeless, and their sheer passion has led to collaborations with award-winning designers such as Karim Rashid and brands like Lamborghini.

Another brand, Artisan, is similarly guided by a devotion to top quality wood, crafted with care and flair. Each component of each furniture piece created in the Artisan workshop was made by hand by an experienced craftsman.

The furniture and accessories from Nature Evolution may be new, but each item is also the product of centuries of tradition and renowned designers. Hong Kong’s finest interiors deserve nothing less.

The old Wanchai Market – an enduring ‘East meets West’ icon – is an appropriate location for the flagship showroom of OVO, Hong Kong’s leading source of contemporary ‘East meets West’ home decor.

For visitors, the market’s two-storey 1,000 sq-m interior unfolds as an evocative journey. As well as a showroom for the diverse ‘OVOHOME’ collection of wooden furniture and other large and small pieces, there are spaces for the ‘OVOSTUDIO’ collection of internationally sourced furniture and accessories, ‘OVOGARDEN’s modern floral designs, and even a relaxing ‘OVOCAFE’ serving up high quality green coffee and vegetarian cuisine.

Furniture, however, is the core of OVO. Their collections run from classic to cutting-edge, with pieces for every room in the home, all created using honest materials and high craftsmanship. Each fuses the best ideas of the Orient and the West. OVO also offers full design consultancy and furniture customisation services.

From the flagship store’s architecture to the furniture, the design expertise and even the dining within, the OVO experience is as important and inspiring as the products

This showroom is just one branch of a network under the Pacific Lifestyle Group providing high-end European ceramic tiles, bath and spa products and wood flooring to both property developers and end-user customers in Hong Kong.

Pacific Lifestyle’s broad range of brands and products means even the most discerning customer is spoilt for choice. The Pacific Lifestyle showroom offers collections from Jacuzzi, Catalano, Tylo, Steinberg, and a host of other high-quality manufacturers. Other Group showrooms carry the wood flooring lines of Parador and Laatelier, and tile and stone surfaces by Milano, Atlas Concorde, Casamood, Rex and many more.

But Pacific Lifestyle is about more than a vast choice of products; it’s also about professionalism. Their staff has the experience and know-how to expertly guide customers to the best possible selection for their needs and tastes. It’s the same know-how that has seen the Group’s project development team provide invaluable service to developers such as Sun Hung Kai Properties, Henderson Land Development, Kerry Properties and others.

No matter where you live, Italian design conveys a clear message of progressive tastes and uninhibited cutting-edge style. More and more discerning people in Hong Kong are heading to ViA’s Poliform showroom in Wanchai to bring some of that Italian flavour into their own homes.

What they find is a range of furnishings and kitchen architectures that not only look spectacular, but offer the comfort and polished function that elevates everyday living into a pleasure to be savoured. Case in point is Poliform’s ‘Twelve’ kitchen, which gets its unique look by minimising the thickness and maximising the width of its horizontal surfaces. ‘Twelve’ is available in a wide variety of finishes and materials for easy matching with personal décor schemes.

A new Poliform offering for the living room is ‘Bellport’. Designed by Jean-Marie Massaud, the range offers sofas, day beds, armchairs and other components that can be seamlessly mixed and matched with each other, or with other items from the Poliform range.

‘Twelve’ and ‘Bellport’ are just the beginning. Experience the whole Poliform range at the showroom – and put something extraordinary into everyday living.

The French call it ‘art de vivre’ – the art of living. It expresses the notion of making every facet of our lives a monument to our tastes and ideals. It’s about enjoying every single moment.

In Hong Kong, ‘art de vivre’ also means Roche Bobois. Founded in Paris in 1950, the brand’s line of furniture and furnishings provides endless inspiration to those whose standards of quality, style and comfort demand something more individual than the ordinary.

What this means in practical terms is immediately apparent at their showroom at Horizon Plaza. In this warmly inviting space are collections designed with such luminaries as Kenzo Takada, Ora Ito, Cedric Ragot and Sacha Lakic, and fashion houses including Jean Paul Gaultier and Christian Lacroix. Each chair, table, bed, wardrobe, light fixture and rug is a work of passion tempered with skill, made of the highest quality materials by some of the most talented craftspeople in Europe.

A current highlight is the ‘Mah Jong’ modular sofa, designed by Hans Hopfer in 1971. Adaptable as a corner or straight sofa, armchair, bench or bed, it offers superb comfort in all its forms. Elsewhere in the showroom is the recently launched ‘Globe Trotter’ collection by Marcel Wanders. Encompassing everything from tables and cupboards to chairs, rugs, storage systems, soft furnishings and lighting, ‘Globe Trotter’ draws on eclectic cultural and historical references for a lavishly travelled feel.

Hans Hopfer designed the Mah Jong in 1971, with an innovative and uncomplicated approach to comfort which had a profound impact on interior design. Whether as a corner sofa, straight sofa, armchair, bench seat or extra bed, the Mah Jong was conceived to be able to freely adapt in function and form. Each cushion is made by hand in a dedicated workshop, using the same methods as an Haute Couture workshop.Modular sofa using MAH JONG elements, upholstered in fabric.

The brand’s commitment to using traditional craftsmanship and materials means that there is no such thing as a mass produced Roche Bobois piece. Customers can even order one-off variations of virtually anything in the catalogue, customised to their personal taste.

Fascinating in every detail, each Roche Bobois piece is most of all an expression of you. Step into the showroom and find yourself – your ‘art de vivre’.

Creating unique living spaces is the priority that defines the newly reopened Sonder Living @ Indigo showroom. This bright, airy space at Horizon Plaza in Ap Lei Chau reveals just how effectively they can fulfill that aim.

Sonder Living @ Indigo is really two shops in one. Separately, Sonder and Indigo enjoyed reputations for extensive, eclectic collections of furniture and accessories, designed in-house as well as sourced from leading brands worldwide. Their in-house design talent also made both companies well-placed to work closely with designers, architects and developers.

At this new showroom, both acclaimed firms unite under one roof and one philosophy: “Unique Lives in Designed Spaces’. For customers, it means exclusive access to a wide selection of furnishings by such designers as Kelly Hoppen, MBE, Tracey Boyd and Martin Waller (both of Andrew Martin) and Thomas Bina, as well as in-house brand Maison 55.

Given its depth, breadth and originality, the selection at Sonder Living @ Indigo is ideal for those who want to mix-and-match their way to a home that reflects their tastes and meets their needs, with no compromises.

This new flagship space in Lee Garden 3 is quite simply like no other on earth. Designed by architect Uli Blum – known for his previous work with such luminaries as Zaha Hadid Architects, Gehry Technologies and OMA Asia – in collaboration with Adam Pajonk, the showroom’s façade seems at once alive and technological, transitioning from stainless steel to glass, with the glass transitioning from icy crystalline forms to undulating tongues of flame.

Not coincidentally, fire, ice and technology also comprise the essence of the American brands showcased behind the façade: Sub-Zero and Wolf. The first is widely acknowledged as one of the world’s leading specialists in food preservation. Clad in durable professional-grade stainless steel, Sub-Zero’s product range spans refrigerators, freezers and fridge-freezers, all incorporating the latest engineering and technological advances to keep food fresher, longer.

A standout of the current Sub-Zero line is ‘Pro 48’. Available in freestanding and built-in configurations with an optional glass door, its state-of-the-art mechanicals give it power to spare, allowing it to operate quietly without strain even while maintaining three independently set temperature zones.

The ‘fire’ part of the equation is provided by Wolf, a brand that has built a global reputation for ‘precision cooking’. Their product range encompasses not just high tech gas, electric and induction hobs, combination cookers and ovens, but also an innovative line of ‘Specialty Modules’ with various functions that maximise available kitchen space.

As with the façade, the qualities of the products themselves directly shaped the showroom’s 2,000 sq-ft interior. For the designers at Terre Studio Singapore, the intention was to create an environment which not only displayed products, but invited interaction. One eye-catching outcome is a ‘ribbon wall’ which both compels flow and creates intimate semi-enclosed pockets where visitors can engage with the products. Dedicated zones for the two brands are created with contrasting materials – sandblasted wild teak wood panels for Sub-Zero, and polished cherry panels for Wolf – rather than physical divisions.

Meticulously thoughtful, precisely fit for purpose, finely executed – the qualities that make this new showroom such a fascinating place are the same as those that give its products such a powerful appeal.

Founded in 1996 by an Englishman, Paul Maitland Smith, Theodore Alexander is a furniture phenomenon of truly global proportions. The company’s more than 4,000 skilled employees work from 180,000 square metres of manufacturing facilities in North Carolina and Vietnam, plus approximately 100 international showrooms, a US headquarters and several international branch offices.

But while the business may be thoroughly modern, Theodore Alexander products embody qualities that could be described as timeless. Each furniture piece is exquisitely designed, then crafted from authentic materials with an attention to detail that is unrivalled in this day and age.

In fact, every process and every detail, from a carved chair leg to a table finish or inlay, is executed by hand. Every surface is patiently prepared, sanded and finished. This is done even in areas that are not always visible, such as the undersides, backs and insides of drawer boxes.

The company works with some of the world’s most celebrated designers to ensure that its creations boast a look and feel commensurate with their peerless craftsmanship. Collaborations with talents such as Steve Leung, Jamie Drake, Keno Brothers and others have produced collections with a rare appeal, combining the singular characteristics and styles of the designers with the in-depth quality that comes standard with the brand name.

No amount of description can do real justice to furniture by Theodore Alexander. The fine textures and outstanding refinement need to be experienced, up close and personal. And the quality experience doesn’t stop there; once you have entered the showroom, the brand can even provide on-site presentation and furniture selection advice – naturally, all tailored to your precise needs.

It is appropriate that the façade of Tat Ming Wallpaper Concept Gallery is one of the most visually arresting along Hollywood Road. The power of graphics, after all, is what this showroom is all about.

Horizontally divided by a minimalist slab of white, the upper and lower floors are a study in contrast, the upper floor screened by a thicket of geometric slats, the lower floor façade consisting of nothing but transparency, compelling the eye inward to the space itself.

And that is where the Tat Ming experience really begins. The showroom is exceptionally deep, high-ceilinged and uncluttered as befitting its emphasis on transforming walls into art. Visitors browse and wander easily through a selection of high-quality wallpaper samples by brands from the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Japan and the USA – with a vast array of colours and patterns on hand to add atmosphere or accent to any room in the home.

Equally inspiring to the wallpapers are the flooring and fabric ranges on offer. All imported and selected for their quality, creative potential and eco-friendliness, they offer designers and home decorators the possibility of creating whole interior compositions from a single showroom, from floors to carpets to cushions and curtains.

Moving to the upper floor reveals yet another facet of Tat Ming – a showcase of contemporary kitchen cabinetry from Germany’s Schuller brand, accompanied by wine racks and other ‘finishing touch’ accessories. Here, with the centre of the space occupied by various elegant seating and table arrangements, the atmosphere is warm and conversational – an ideal setting for reflecting on design options and consulting with the showroom’s experienced staff.

Whatever the desired effect, whatever the customer’s individual tastes, the Tat Ming Wallpaper Concept Gallery is a unique source of colours, graphics and textures to both suit the senses and provide the foundations of a great design.

Striking a good balance of form and function is always the goal for a home interior. But in Hong Kong, where irregularly shaped floorplans often compromise usable space, achieving that fundamental aim can seem especially challenging.

The solution often lies in the details of a design – and there are many such solutions to be found at The House of Madison showroom in Wanchai. Since 2014, its selection of kitchen systems, high-quality kitchen appliances, doors and closet systems has made it an indispensable destination for some of Hong Kong’s most renowned designers and discerning customers.

Certainly, the look and feel of the showroom itself is one reason to drop by. Covering 9,500 sq-ft over three levels, its spaces allow plenty of room for visitors to browse and circulate at their leisure. Products are presented as they would actually be used in the home – in well-designed, attractive and extremely well-made settings that are completely functional. Each one is a potential source of ideas as well as an aesthetic inspiration.

Some of those ideas may provide the key to achieving real balance in a home interior. One of the brands featured, Rimadesio, is a leader in sliding and swing doors and home storage systems; in other words, the kind of design details that can often transform a ‘difficult’ space a beautiful and useful one. Their elegantly contemporary ‘Alambra’ sideboard system, for example, is available in a variety of sizes and configurations to suit different spaces, all featuring a basic aluminium structure, glass shelves and doors, and integrated LED lighting.

For the kitchen, systems from bulthaup continue the theme of balanced solutions. Known for state-of-the-art kitchen architectures made with the finest materials, bulthaup collections feature a mix of both standalone and built-in units that make them extremely versatile for designers. Other brands available from The House of Madison are Sub-Zero and Wolf – renowned for cooking and refrigeration solutions of professional-grade capability.

As a final touch to the experience, the showroom offers customers professional advice on their selections, as well as customisation and installation services that ensure seamless integration into their own home. It may just be another ‘detail’, but The House of Madison is built on accomplishing each one exceedingly well.

At one time or another we have all been fascinated by a trip to the museum; but imagine a museum where you can do more that look at exhibits, where you can purchase and take them home. That dream scenario is reality at the aptly named Time Machine at Museum Concept.

Located in Chai Wan, the showroom offers a dizzying and ever-changing multitude of authentic vintage objet, ranging from furniture, lighting, radios and décor items, to fossils and minerals. Many items are truly one-of-a-kind, such as a 19th century three-metre wagon table, boxing gloves signed by Muhammad Ali, and photography by Federico Veronesi and Bertrand Kulik.

It isn’t just the sheer diversity of the items in this showroom that make it an invaluable resource for designers, architects, collectors and retail/hospitality business owners. In the unlikely chance that what you’re looking for isn’t in stock, Museum Concept can source specific items to meet your needs.

Every item here has character, every item has a story – and they’re all displayed in a vast 2,000 sq-ft showroom plus a 1,400 sq-ft terrace. Ironically, it is easy to lose track of time among the treasures of the Time Machine.

Above all, the best of British design is intensely personal – even to the point of eccentricity. It’s a characteristic that radiates from every piece of furniture and home accessory collected in the Timothy Oulton showroom in Gough Street.

Diverse and eclectic, Timothy Oulton designs range from the traditional to the ultra-modern, giving the showroom more than a hint of ‘you’ll never know what I found’ antique shop charm. That’s entirely appropriate, given Oulton’s roots in an antiques business in England.

But though rooted in traditions of high craftsmanship and timeless materials such as leather, wood, ceramics, glass and iron, there is a very progressive spirit behind each of the brand’s creations. Careful design ensures that each piece of furniture, light fixture and accessory offers maximum comfort and function.

The sheer expanse of the Timothy Oulton collection also offers a full complement of furnishings and appointments for literally every room of the house, giving designers and end-users the perfect palette for a coherent style – or indeed for a one-of-a kind mix of past and present, bespoke and off-the-shelf.

More than a brand, more than a symbol of lifestyle, Timothy Oulton is an expression of individual tastes and standards – a British tradition that translates to any culture.

In terms of innovation, premium quality and thoughtful design, there is no other sanitary ware brand quite like TOTO. And since the brand was founded in Japan in 1917, the world has come round to TOTO’s way of thinking.

The TOTO A&D Centre quietly embodies all their unique ways of thinking. Covering a spacious 10,000 sq-ft, the Wanchai showroom welcomes homeowners, designers and architects into a serene, naturally lighted environment that is as clean and simple in form as the products on display.

The latter comprise toilets, sanitary and kitchen ware and wardrobes. Every product is sleekly contemporary on the outside, yet discreetly integrates cutting-edge technologies and unique features that enhance their function to a level no other brand can match.

At the TOTO A&D Centre, an experienced staff is ready to bring visitors around to TOTO’s ideas for a cleaner, more comfortable and convenient lifestyle. The next step is to help bring it into their homes.

In terms of innovation, premium quality and thoughtful design, there is no other sanitary ware brand quite like TOTO. And since the brand was founded in Japan in 1917, the world has come round to TOTO’s way of thinking.

The TOTO A&D Centre quietly embodies all their unique ways of thinking. Covering a spacious 10,000 sq-ft, the Wanchai showroom welcomes homeowners, designers and architects into a serene, naturally lighted environment that is as clean and simple in form as the products on display.

The latter comprise toilets, sanitary and kitchen ware and wardrobes. Every product is sleekly contemporary on the outside, yet discreetly integrates cutting-edge technologies and unique features that enhance their function to a level no other brand can match.

At the TOTO A&D Centre, an experienced staff is ready to bring visitors around to TOTO’s ideas for a cleaner, more comfortable and convenient lifestyle. The next step is to help bring it into their homes.

For more than 50 years Town House has built a reputation as a purveyor of leading tableware and home accessory brands in Hong Kong. Their tradition continues today, with the company bringing acclaimed names such as Reidel Crystal, Nachtmann Crystal, Alessi, Maxwell & Williams, Zanetto Argenti and Carrs Silver under one roof.

Visiting a Town House showroom is an experience akin to strolling into a treasure chest. Looking past all the gleam of silver and shimmer of fine crystal reveals an extremely well-balanced collection, with items that acquit themselves equally well whether given as gifts or selected as home décor accessories.

Case in point is the new Reidel ‘Fatto a Mano’ collection. Now in its 11th generation of family ownership, Reidel is a Tryol-based glassmaker known for consistent high quality and imaginative design. For ‘Fatto a Mano’, they used both time-honoured Venetian techniques and a new glass-blowing machine to create an exquisite range of wineglasses and decanters. Each glass features a delicate coloured stem in white, black, yellow, red, green or blue.

The art of living, the art of giving; both are to be enjoyed in their highest form at Town House.

Traditional craftsmanship is rarely applied to contemporary design, and sustainability and style are usually seen to occupy opposing ends of the home furnishing spectrum. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can have them all from a single unique source: TREE.

TREE is Hong Kong’s one-stop destination for all things sustainable, stylish, contemporary and crafted with traditional care. Visitors to their 25,000 sq-ft Horizon Plaza flagship will discover a wide selection of solid eco-wood furniture pieces that are as inspiring for their timeless beauty as for their outstanding sustainability. TREE’s satellite shops at HomeSquare Sha Tin and YOHO Mall II provide a smaller but no less alluring taste of the potential of ‘eco-chic’ style.

Browsing through the Horizon Plaza showroom is a truly rewarding experience, revealing pieces made from teak reclaimed from old Indonesian houses, boats and railway sleepers, or certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. European oak and American walnut used in TREE designs are similarly sourced from well-managed forests. These globally sourced materials – as well as traditional handcrafted finishing touches – give the furniture a depth of character and personality that is missing from most mainstream brands.

As well as timeless designs, TREE’s solid wood furniture range also encompasses a continually refreshed selection of contemporary new pieces. In short, theirs is an eclectic collection that suits every style, need, room and imagination. From raw-but-rustic dining tables with weathered surfaces that seem to evoke an interesting and adventurous past, to mid-century modern desks with tapered legs and pared-back silhouettes, to clean-lined contemporary storage racks, there is a sustainably stylish piece for everyone at TREE.

True to their ‘one-stop’ mission, TREE also offers all the little details that help make interiors truly complete, including cosy sofas, statement lighting, antiques and one-off pieces. No matter how and where you use them or combine them with other TREE pieces, the effect is to create interiors that are naturally and uniquely yours.

At TREE, you’ll find all the tools you need to help turn your design concept into a reality, be it a commercial project, a new residence or a loving refresh. Complimentary styling consultations, bespoke furniture and a myriad of other project services are all available in-store, courtesy of the brand’s team of seasoned stylists, interior designers and customer service professionals.

TREE truly is a brand that will be there every step of the way, ensuring that even customers with the most demanding specifications will find what exactly what they’re looking for.

Whether they are design professionals or end-users, visitors to this Wanchai showroom immediately sense what separates Zodiac Lighting from the rest of the crowd. From the elegantly restrained, timeless interior to its diverse but carefully selected product range and the way staff respond to enquiries, Zodiac exudes a sureness of purpose that gives every customer total confidence in their choices.

It’s been there from the moment Zodiac was founded in 1988, thanks to a group of partners with long and extensive experience in Hong Kong’s lighting sector. Their know-how instantly made Zodiac a market leader – and a byword for a standard of service, quality and style that few others approach even today.

To experience why, just step into the two-storey Zodiac Showroom flagship or the Zodiac PROLUX showroom nearby. In both, the environment is bright, comfortable and contemporary, with a wide selection of products from European premium brands including Delta Light, Flos, Vibia, Brand van Egmond, Fabbian and Studio Italian Design.

But the beauty is more than skin-deep; Zodiac draws on its long experience in the lighting sector to offer exceptionally convenient one-stop shopping. If a customer’s unique needs cannot be met with an off-the-shelf solution, Zodiac professionals can create custom lighting and control solutions that will. Their expertise also extends to integrating advanced lighting schemes into intelligent home networks.

As well as being renowned for their contribution to residential projects in Hong Kong and China, Zodiac offers bespoke solutions for commercial projects including hotels, shopping arcades, department stores, restaurants, hospitals and banks.

It’s no wonder that leading architects, interior designers, developers and the most demanding homeowners still look for illuminating answers at Zodiac Lighting; the company has been opening eyes to the possibilities of light since their very beginning.