T
he house initially felt very clinical,” says homeowner and interior designer
Veronica Emery. “So I painted a few walls and installed curtains to add warmth
and character.”
To Veronica, of Port of Design (
www.portofdesign.com
), these words sound
simple enough since she specialises in adding her creative touch to residential
homes in Hong Kong. Veronica’s joy comes from turning a gloomy sitting room into a
bespoke interior bliss more at home on the pages of a glamorous lifestyle magazine. “I
particularly enjoy helping people create the house of their dreams and I have lots of
experience with all sorts of bespoke solutions,” she says.
Her five-bedroom apartment located on the south side of Hong Kong Island is a
picture of this joy. The floor-to-ceiling cupboards in the dining room are cleverly fitted
out with special doors for the vintage cutlery, and the distinctive collection of precious
family heirlooms has its own private space. Everything is placed with uncompromising
and impeccable taste.
Veronica, who was born and raised in Argentina, moved to Hong Kong nearly
two years ago with her French husband Alex and their four children, Charlotte, Max,
Falco and Savannah. It was the sense of space that drew her to this apartment. “I
like the contemporary feel and it makes us all feel very much at home. I enjoy having
different corners where we can all sit together or retreat if we need to,” the talented
designer says.
Veronica is never put off by making a rental space more visually agreeable;
indeed, she encourages her clients to make an effort to make a space feel lived in.
82
Playtimes