Just because you rent, it doesn’t mean that you can’t make your apartment your own. Granted, rules, regulations and landlords may limit your decorating options, but as Hong Kong resident Emma Rochfort has proved in her two-bedroom rental, it’s the details that count. Whether it’s a fresh lick of paint, banishing bare walls with art, graphic accents on cushions and blinds, or even a simple stack of books, the details can work together to send the message that the space belongs to you, not your landlord.
Walking into Rochfort’s airy, light-filled apartment, it’s easy to see why she had an “I want it now” moment as soon as she saw the space. The windows look out onto unobstructed sea and mountain views, and the rooms are spacious, with high ceilings. “I hadn’t expected to find such an amazing flat in Hong Kong. [My partner] Miles saw it on the internet – no photos – and booked us an appointment. Another couple were leaving as we were walking in, and told us it was ‘just awful’. Either they were looking for something brand new or they wanted to put us off,” Rochfort recalls.
The 1,400-square-foot apartment is located in Pok Fu Lam, a residential area on Hong Kong Island that is located at the western end of the so-called Southern District, between Victoria Peak and Mount Kellet.
Rochfort has a discerning eye for design, and she’s made the space come alive through the artwork and furniture that she’s collected over the course of many years.
“Art really makes a room or a home,” she advises. “I get my art when I travel, and each piece makes a great memory of the place you visited. And framing in Hong Kong is super-cheap. I have an apron that I stretched over a wooden frame and it’s honestly the one piece I get the most comments on.”
The apron-cum-artwork, which takes pride of place in the dining area, was bought from the Australian webshop Third Drawer Down, which offers a carefully curated mix of art and design products by niche brands, and ships around the globe.
Rochfort is also lucky that her family is as much into art and design as she is; they even swap furniture – a set of Bauhaus-style, leather-and-aluminium chairs belong to her sister. “My mum found the antique chairs, and my dad has gifted me some amazing art, such as Keith Macgregor’s 1983 photo of Kowloon that he gave me when I was moving to London. It reminds me of my childhood and really captures that old Hong Kong feeling.”
It was while living in London that Rochfort amassed much of her furniture, as it’s generally cheaper to buy there than in Hong Kong. “I love Scandinavian design,” she says, listing Alvar Aalto, Hans Wegner, Iittala and Asplund among her favourite designers. “And I have a slight obsession with chairs – particularly the [Hans Wegner] Wishbone chair.”
So she relied on art, striking accents and Scandinavian furniture to transform this white-box rental into a real home. She effortlessly mixed her long-time staples with Hong Kong-heritage-inspired furniture such as an altar table, and eclectic pieces like a cockatoo lamp. A Chinese-heritage-inspired credenza and kooky accessories greet you by the entrance and a lime-coloured stool pops against white.
“I bought the blue dogs in a little china shop that was closing down on Mosque Street years ago. I’m a bit of a magpie – when I see something I like, I tend to buy it,” she admits.
In the bedroom, which is generously sized and includes ample space for the couple’s clothes and shoes, a Thonet Bentwood chair is used as a bedside table, while Korla blinds add character to the space.
Save for the old-school Hong Kong parquet flooring and the kitchen decor, the flat is virtually unrecognisable as a rental. “I feel relaxed when I come home and actually want to spend time in the flat on the weekends,” says Rochfort. “It’s such an escape from the buzz and chaos in the rest of Hong Kong, even though it’s all of 15 minutes away.”
It would seem that the couple has scored the Hong Kong rental jackpot. Rochfort agrees: “If only I could buy this flat – to me, it’s almost perfect.”
weekend@thenational.ae
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Five expert hiking tips
Always check the weather forecast before setting off
Make sure you have plenty of water
Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
Take your litter home with you
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
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Recipe
Garlicky shrimp in olive oil
Gambas Al Ajillo
Preparation time: 5 to 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
180ml extra virgin olive oil; 4 to 5 large cloves of garlic, minced or pureed (or 3 to 4 garlic scapes, roughly chopped); 1 or 2 small hot red chillies, dried (or ¼ teaspoon dried red chilli flakes); 400g raw prawns, deveined, heads removed and tails left intact; a generous splash of sweet chilli vinegar; sea salt flakes for seasoning; a small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Method
▶ Heat the oil in a terracotta dish or frying pan. Once the oil is sizzling hot, add the garlic and chilli, stirring continuously for about 10 seconds until golden and aromatic.
▶ Add a splash of sweet chilli vinegar and as it vigorously simmers, releasing perfumed aromas, add the prawns and cook, stirring a few times.
▶ Once the prawns turn pink, after 1 or 2 minutes of cooking, remove from the heat and season with sea salt flakes.
▶ Once the prawns are cool enough to eat, scatter with parsley and serve with small forks or toothpicks as the perfect sharing starter. Finish off with crusty bread to soak up all that flavour-infused olive oil.
Q&A with Dash Berlin
Welcome back. What was it like to return to RAK and to play for fans out here again?
It’s an amazing feeling to be back in the passionate UAE again. Seeing the fans having a great time that is what it’s all about.
You're currently touring the globe as part of your Legends of the Feels Tour. How important is it to you to include the Middle East in the schedule?
The tour is doing really well and is extensive and intensive at the same time travelling all over the globe. My Middle Eastern fans are very dear to me, it’s good to be back.
You mix tracks that people know and love, but you also have a visually impressive set too (graphics etc). Is that the secret recipe to Dash Berlin's live gigs?
People enjoying the combination of the music and visuals are the key factor in the success of the Legends Of The Feel tour 2018.
Have you had some time to explore Ras al Khaimah too? If so, what have you been up to?
Coming fresh out of Las Vegas where I continue my 7th annual year DJ residency at Marquee, I decided it was a perfect moment to catch some sun rays and enjoy the warm hospitality of Bab Al Bahr.
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The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
The Year Earth Changed
Directed by:Tom Beard
Narrated by: Sir David Attenborough
Stars: 4
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
About Okadoc
Date started: Okadoc, 2018
Founder/CEO: Fodhil Benturquia
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Healthcare
Size: (employees/revenue) 40 staff; undisclosed revenues recording “double-digit” monthly growth
Funding stage: Series B fundraising round to conclude in February
Investors: Undisclosed
Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
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