Every start and end of the day begins in the comfort of your home, and there is no greater feeling than coming home to a place of your own, culminated with the objects that, not only stylistically elevate a room, but creates a living space that best speaks to the personal taste and style.
To set the tone of how you want to spend your downtime, what better way to sink into the peace and comfort of being at home than to customise your personal space with custom-made décor and furniture that best reflect your personality offer your abode a graceful lift of personality. From hand-made hardwood furniture to bespoke flower arrangements, these are the most noteworthy places to find precious custom-made decorative pieces to add to your home.
Spruce up your home with Sprue (custom-made hardwood furniture)
With more than 50 years of combined experience in carpentry and custom-made furniture design, Sprue Bespoke Furniture owner Josh Manning and his team have made it their passion to realise homeowners’ decorative dreams, paying a close focus on the use of high-quality solid-wood joinery.
Initially starting up as a small design and craft workshop in 2013, they have since expanded their repertoire of materials, techniques and team of experts in timber joinery, metalwork, blacksmithing and upholstery (to name a few), and will soon open their first showroom in Yau Tong. Finished with natural hard wax, their furniture is easy to maintain and built to last.
The solid hardwood joinery experts build each piece by hand in Hong Kong. From measurements and interior fitout to design and finish, Sprue creates hardwood furnishings that are tailored to fit each client’s unique space and taste – whether it is a design made from scratch or a re-creation of an aspirational piece. As an average cost, projects range from HK$20,000 to HK$110,000, depending on the fitout.
For more info: (852) 5702 104 / sprue.hk
Picture perfect frames at Lee Wah Art & Frames (Custom-made frames for collectable art)
With all the talk of art collecting, it’s a surprise that there has been so little mention of custom-made framing. One shop in particular, situated in the heart of Central, has spent over four decades providing art aficionados and galleries with framing solutions for their precious investments. Lee Wah Art & Frames, founded by Ernest Chan in 1973, enables each picture to stand out with frames made of the finest materials imported from Europe and the United States. Its work is of the highest standard, adhering to quality specifications of museums and conservation institutions.
A large, loyal clientele of artists and renowned galleries appreciate Lee Wah’s depth of knowledge in design concepts that allows the creation of custom-made frames that both protect and maximise the impact of each unique work of art. The shop offers a comprehensive selection of more than 1,000 frame moulding styles that are designed with precise detailing and stylish touches to complement not only the artwork, but also the client’s interior décor and taste.
For more info: (852) 2525 9416 / lwframing.com
Roll out in exquisite style with Al-Shahzadi (hand-woven Persian carpets)
In the ’90s, the stretch of Queen’s Road in Wan Chai was lined with shop windows gaily decorated with Persian carpets. Today, only a handful of hand-woven carpet shops are left to keep the trade alive. A standout among them is Al-Shahzadi HK, simply and affectionately known by antique aficionados as ‘The carpet shop on Queen’s Road’.
Having been established in 1952, the family-business’ 60-year legacy is now proudly continued by third-generation scion Avais Ahmad, who calls the carpet shop at 265 Queen’s Road East his second home.
A visit to its showroom does not disappoint. Backed by a staff of experts, they guide discerning customers with an eye for detail through their wide selection of high quality traditional and modern Persian carpets. Available in an array of colours, shapes and sizes, from 3ft rugs to carpets that stretch up to 20ft – all hand-made with 100 percent silk, wool or cotton.
For more info: (852) 2834 8396 / alshahzadi.com
Read Also: Here’s where to buy traditional Persian carpets in Hong Kong
Flickers of creativity from BeCandle (besoke scented candles and essential oils)
Joy, passion, warmth and nostalgia… who wouldn’t want an olfactory experience that allows us to revisit the past or brighten the mood of those around us? Creating the perfect scent that narrates a story is surely possible, especially at BeCandle, a small fragrance shop-cum-lab nestled in Wang Street, Sai Kung.
Founded in 2012 by Xavier Tsang, a product designer-turned-business owner, BeCandle takes customers on an inspiring aromatic adventure while continuing Sai Kung’s history of sustainable local production.
Offering a range of vegetal and soy wax scented candles to essential oils, produced in small batches and encased in elegant hand-blown glass, copper or ceramic vessels, Tsang puts a premium on maintaining high-quality craftsmanship. He says, “Growing up in Sai Kung village, then living in Italy and travelling the world has given me a mix of unique experiences that inspired the creation of the brand”. This creativity extends to collaborations with international and local clients for exclusive and one-off pieces – each an expression of the individual’s personal journey.
For more info: (852) 8481 7684 / becandle.com.hk
Blooming marvellous floral art by Gary Kwok Flowers & Design (Bespoke flower arrangements)
Anybody can purchase a bunch of flowers and drop them in a vase, but proper flower arrangement is an art form. Beautifully styled bouquets, garlands and elaborate floral displays are more than just decoration. According to Gary Kwok, founder of the epynomous floral design brand, “flower arrangements elicit a deeper connection with nature and ourselves”.
With a passion to translate floral art into a sensory experience that enlivens and transforms any space, Kwok offers a bespoke service that is personal to each client. “I want people to experience flowers as living objects that they can admire, appreciate, touch and even integrate into their daily lives,” she says.
Whether it is a launch party, a wedding or a special arrangement for the home, the skilled florists at Gary Kwok Flowers & Design support your celebration of every important moment in life through their use of raw materials imported from European countries such as the Netherlands, and a play of colours that highlight the unique beauty of each flower and the individual taste of each client.
For more info: (852) 8200 9226 / garykwok.com
A touch of elegance and tradition through Yuet Tung China Works (hand-painted porcelain wares)
Hand-painted Chinese porcelain is famed across the globe for its delicate craftsmanship, intricate decoration and exclusive price tag. An art and cultural practice once reserved for the use of the imperial court and export, this centuries-old tradition continues at one particular – and endearingly humble – porcelain factory in Kowloon Bay.
Yuet Tung China Works, established in 1928, was the first large-scale hand-painted porcelain factory in the city. It is now the oldest and one of last remaining producers of fine porcelain in Hong Kong. Headed by Joseph Tso, the shop’s third-generation owner and manager, the company endeavours to keep this disappearing trade alive.
There is little that the skilled artisans at Yuet Tung China Works cannot do. Specialising in custom-made, hand-painted, functional and decorative porcelain wares, they can create a wide array of products for diverse tastes, from dinner sets to lamp bases and fish bowls to accessories and gift boxes in any size, colour or design.
For more info: (852) 2796 1125 / porcelainware.com.hk
Read Also: The Arts of Survival: Hong Kong’s disappearing crafts
Featured image courtesy of Sprue HK