This post is split into multiple pages: 1 / 2 Hong Kong is often billed as a shoppers’ paradise….and after a stroll past the string of designer shops in Central or through the crowded stalls of the Ladies’ Market, it is easy to believe that if you can’t find something in Hong Kong, it simply doesn’t exist. However when it comes to simple but necessary household items – the sort of thing you know you could easily pick up at Target or Asda, finding the exact item one is looking for can prove to be quite elusive. Fortunately, we’ve been prowling the streets and have some suggestions for streets or areas that contain loads of the same type of store. Even just minutes from Central, there are a surprising number of local alternatives to the big department stores. For a one-stop-shop on the Island, look no further than King Tak Hong Porcelain. Located on 126-128 Queen’s Road East in Wanchai, it offers everything from dishes and storage containers to kiddy training chopsticks and cleaning supplies.
Prices and quality are moderate – this is probably not the place to shop for wedding china, but most items are a step up from a chain shop like Japan Home and the staff are extremely helpful. If time allows and you are feeling more adventurous, check out Shanghai Street in Kowloon. Take exit B2 from Yau Ma Tei MTR station, head east on Waterloo Road and cross left down Shanghai Street. Here you will find everything from traditional bamboo steamers to luxurious industrial quality pots and pans. Shops carry and assortment of all things kitchen related – speciality deishes and cooking tools, cookie cutters and whimsical cake pans, chopping boards and knives – it’s all here. Though most of these shops do wholesale business, the majority are also happy to sell to retail customers and we’ve never been made to feel unwelcome while browsing. Check out our Shanghai Street low-down here. Located along Wellington Street (just west of the Central-Midlevels Escalators, towards the wet market), a string of small shops sell electrical items (cables, power strips, light bulbs, fuses), plumbing needs, and general hardware items such as tools, tape measures, spray paint, buckets, and twine.
The shops are extremely crowded with a vast selection of goods and staff do not always speak English, so it is helpful if you can come equipped with a photo of what you need, as you may have trouble finding it yourself in the mishmash. Not all stock is displayed; it is likely someone will shimmy up a ladder or down one into a crawl space or basement to locate your request. A smaller grouping of hardware shops can also be found along Hollywood Road at the intersection of Possession Street; and there are two electric/plumbing supply stores (which do not sell hardware items) located on Peel Street just below Caine Road. For wood items (such as 2x4s, plywood, and decorative baseboards and trimmings, check out the western end of Wellington Street (near Bonham Strand) for several shops. There are a few plumbing shops in this group as well. Alternatively the areas around Lockhart Road and Thompson Road in Wan Chai have a good selection of small hardware and electrical shops as well as a few stores supplying paint, paint brushes and other items if you are going to do some cosmetic work to your home.
There are several large “Computer Centres” on Hong Kong Island. Here are the most popular: Shops inside these multi-story shopping centres carry everything from headphones and speakers, to mobile phones and laptops, to computer components for DIY techie types. These are generally also good places to find someone who can repair a cracked iPhone screen or help you recover lost data from a hard drive. It is worth price checking several stores before making your purchase and doing your research on prices and item specifications before you visit to reduce the risk of over-paying. Horizon Plaza in Ap Lei Chau may be hailed as the furniture capital of Hong, but there are other locations which are must-visit if you are on the hunt for some new furniture for your flat. Queen’s Road East is home to a stretch of shops selling everything from traditional Chinese furniture to sleek, ultra modern pieces. Towards the eastern end of this grouping are several shops specializing in customized children’s furniture, so if you are looking for beds for the kids, it is best to start east of Hopewell Centre.
This same stretch of road also has numerous upholstery shops where you can have curtains and cushions custom made. A few light fixture and bathroom fitting shops are located on Queen’s Road East, but for a wider selection, head north to Lockhart Road (see below). The stretch of Lockhart Road between O’Brien and in Wan Chai offers a plethora of options for bathroom fittings of all varieties (taps, tile, toilets, tubs – you name it), as well as some lighting shops. For a condensed selection of stores selling light fixtures, visit Morrison Hill Road in Causeway Bay – the shop windows quite literally glitter from all the crystal chandeliers on display, but simpler, more modern fixtures are available as well. This post is split into multiple pages: 1 / 2 > Hong Kong Photography by Picture This< Mayarya Maternity BoutiqueMicro apartments: a fancy name for a longestablished phenomenon, a solution to global overpopulation or a bit of both? Living in tiny spaces is hardly a new concept in Hong Kong, but with developers showing an appetite for smaller units and first-time buyers and young renters alike finding them a handy first rung on the property ladder, this housing category seems to be here to stay.
At 250 square feet, Kai Walker’s home in Shek Tong Tsui fits the “micro” bill. Situated in a 1967 building near the University of Hong Kong MTR station, the apartment may be small on space, but it’s big on style. While it seems slightly ludicrous to call the space “open-plan”, the apartment formerly – somewhat incredibly – had two bedrooms. Planned down to the last square inch, the space now houses a double bed, a living area, a kitchen and even workout equipment, as well as a separate bathroom. It’s youthful, cheerful and inviting, without feeling cramped. And for that, 29-year-old Walker can thank his mother and landlord, Debbie Pun, of Debbie Deco.“Mum’s an interior designer so I didn’t interfere. I don’t have the vision she has, but I love what she’s done. I spent my childhood watching her transform apartments and what she does is incredible. We have a similar sense of humour, and you have to have humour in a space this size. It’s cosy, easy to keep tidy and I like the neighbourhood.
I couldn’t afford to live here any other way. I have lots of friends in the area and they all love my apartment – there’s often five or six people hanging out here.” After years working in Shanghai and Singapore for fast-fashion chain H&M, Walker returned to Hong Kong about a year ago. Rather than move back into the family home, he wanted to continue living independently. His first call was to Pun, who owns a number of apartments in the area. “It’s the smallest property we have,” says Pun, who is also a gallery owner. “When the previous tenant moved out, my husband said we could renovate for Kai, but only on a tight budget. I spent very little, although there was a bit of asset transfer” – she pats the Ligne Roset chair on which she is sitting – “and the sofa [Togo loveseat, also from Ligne Roset] would have taken at least half the budget. That was my Christmas present to Kai.” As any fashionista can attest, the secret is to mix cheaper items with more expensive key pieces.
It’s a philosophy Pun adopted with aplomb; as well as the designer sofa, she splashed out on statement curtains that now sit happily alongside cut-price pieces. “I spent quite a bit on curtains from Madura, but the wardrobe fittings are from Ikea and the bed is by Pricerite. Very cheap,” Pun says. Getting the scale right was also important to prevent the apartment feeling cramped. Low slung and with minimal detail, the Togo loveseat – a design classic by Michel Ducaroy – helps the space around it appear larger. Similarly, the other living-room furniture is scaled down to fit the space, but with bright pops of colour that add a sense of playfulness. Good space planning was crucial. The open wardrobe sits neatly in a window alcove behind the bed, filtering light through generously spaced shoe shelves and hanging rails bearing an impeccably edited collection of suits and shirts. I have another wardrobe at mum’s,” Walker confesses.) “The perfect thing is that the apartment’s so compact but has everything in it.
It reminds me of a boat cabin,” he says. The latest tech also works to the advantage of micro apartments, Pun says. “People don’t need so many gadgets these days, just a smartphone and a computer. Tucked into a small passageway by the front door, the kitchen is functional and stylish, with a stainless-steel splashback, a one-ring induction hob and a washing machine. However, Walker says, the Nespresso machine is the appliance that gets most use. Like many Hongkongers with micro apartments, he spends most of his time out and about. “I’m on the road around Greater China most weeks and I’m always out at weekends. I have the facilities to cook but I rarely eat at home – there are loads of restaurants in the neighbourhood. But I do make good use of the chin-up bar [see Tried + tested],” he says.Hong Kong can be so extortionate, but this is an affordable way for young professionals to live in a desirable neighbourhood. It’s nice to have somewhere to call home.
Will I still be here when I’m older, or married? But at this stage of my life, it’s perfect.” Living area “The Phil Clarke painting was my favourite when I was growing up,” Kai Walker says of the Australian beach scene. Like the flower by Miriam Rojas, it came from Debbie Pun’s gallery, Candy Darling (5 Po Tuck Street, Shek Tong Tsui, Sai Ying Pun, tel: 9091 7091). The Togo loveseat (HK$32,000) and felt easy chair, by Delo Lindo (HK$12,000), were both from Ligne Roset (77 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay, tel: 2778 8748). The ceiling lamp (HK$249.90) and floor lamp (HK$429) were from Ikea. The Mr Fox cushion (HK$700) came from Madura (various locations; www.madura.hk).The Stolmen wardrobe and drawers system (HK$6,500) were from Ikea. The basket was 400 yuan from Homes-Up. Pun’s whippet, George, is an occasional visitor. Kitchen The kitchen units (HK$8,000), countertop (HK$1,800) and splashback (HK$2,500) were custom made by Pun’s contractor, Sam Leung Tak-chung, who can be contacted through her at 9091 7091.
The hanging system (HK$600) was from Hung Ming Metal Supplies (294 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2827 1261). The clock (HK$220) was from Ikea.The upholstered stool (HK$2,000) was from Tsai Yun Studio. Bathroom The toilet, basin, shower and bathroom tap (about HK$2,500) all came from Shun Lee Building Materials. The wall tiles (HK$75 each) and floor tiles (HK$77 each) were from Colourliving (333 Lockhart Road, tel: 2295 6263). The cabinets (HK$300) were from Ikea. Television area The Stolmen open shelving (HK$1,300) and full-length mirror (HK$1,800) were from Ikea. The fridge and drawer unit (HK$3,800) was custom-made by the contractor. The steel protectors on the corners of the walls were custom made for HK$3,200 (for the entire apartment) by Jack Chan (tel: 9334 3103). Raise the bar Bolted to the ceiling and a structural beam separating the living area and bedroom, the chin-up bar gets a lot of use. "I like the raw industrial look of it," Kai Walker says. "And a friend - he's a bit of a monster - has tried it so I know it's not going anywhere."