NEVER TOO SMALL: Self Taught Interior Designer’s Apartment, Hong Kong - 48sqm/516sqft - Summary

Summary

Here is a concise summary of the provided transcript:

**Project Overview**

* Transformation of a 40sqm tiny studio apartment in Hong Kong's Kowloon district
* Designer: Daphne Ho, a self-taught interior designer
* Budget: $5,000
* Duration: 1.5 years (with 5 months spent sourcing secondhand furniture)

**Design Objectives & Features**

* Create a tranquil, bright, and neutral space with adequate storage
* Utilize arches and curves to soften the diamond-shaped layout
* Space-saving solutions: sliding doors, custom storage, and multi-functional areas
* Influences: Japanese design principles (e.g., separating dirty and clean areas)

**Apartment Layout & Notable Features**

* Entrance with shoe cabinet and platform
* Living area with custom sofa, storage, and a circular dining table
* Small kitchen with optimized storage and a narrow vertical drawer
* Two bedrooms (one currently used as a dressing/multifunctional room)
* Bathroom with open layout, Japanese-inspired design, and antimicrobial wood flooring

**Design Takeaway**

* When designing small spaces, be open-minded to each area's possibilities while balancing functionality with intentional empty space.

Facts

Here are the key facts extracted from the text, numbered and in short sentences:

**Apartment Details**

1. Apartment size: 40 square meters.
2. Budget for transformation: $5,000.
3. Location: Clinton area, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
4. Apartment type: Tiny studio apartment.
5. Original condition: Not renovated since 1990.

**Owner/Designer Details**

6. Owner's name: Daphne Ho.
7. Occupation: Self-taught interior designer.
8. Residence: Lives with her husband in the apartment.

**Design and Renovation Facts**

9. Transformation duration: Almost 1.5 years.
10. Initial changes: Painting the floor with white Epoxy paint and installing shelving systems.
11. Furniture sourcing: Mostly second-hand, taking almost 60 months to collect.
12. Design inspiration tool: Mood board (using Milonote).
13. Layout adjustment: Demolished bedroom walls to increase bathroom size.
14. Door type change: Replaced with sliding doors to save space.

**Space-Specific Details**

15. Entrance feature: Small foyer area for shoe removal.
16. Living area feature: Wooden platform, full-body mirror, and custom-made sofa.
17. Dining area design: Step down from living space, circular table, and booth seating.
18. Kitchen size and shape: Small, pentagonal; original layout largely retained.
19. Bathroom design inspiration: Japanese bathrooms, with separate dry and wet areas.
20. Second bedroom usage: Currently a dressing room and multifunctional room.

**Materials and Features**

21. Wall and ceiling finish: Chicory and ecological non-toxic Japanese lime plaster.
22. Bathroom flooring and ledge material: Japanese Aomori Hiba wood (for anti-molding and antibacterial properties).
23. Storage solutions: Various, including hidden full-height cabinets and stackable shoe boxes.