A Bali Villa Vibe

We chat with homeowner Jen Wong about the renovations she and husband Jeff recently completed in their little corner of Happy Valley.

About the Home

Size and location: 1,100-square-foot fourth-floor apartment in Happy Valley Who lives here: Jeff and Jen Wong (and one baby on the way!), and two dogs (a Tasmanian Labradoodle and a rescue Papillon) Where they’re from: Jeff was born in Hong Kong and bred in Northern Ireland; Jen was born in Vancouver, bred in Hong Kong, and spent time in the US What they do: Jeff works at LinkedIn and Jen works at the Hong Kong Jockey Club; both offices are in Causeway Bay

When did you buy your place, and why this particular property?

We bought it in May 2020, when we were looking for a bigger space to renovate and add our personality to. Jeff found our current flat on the “Living in Happy Valley” Facebook group. It was the location, the high ceiling and the efficient layout that mostly attracted us.

What was your vision for the renovation?

Being one with nature; bringing “Bali villa living” to our home in Hong Kong; being away from the city; and having a minimalist, unconventional urban oasis that’s unlike most other flats in the city.

We also didn’t want our apartment to be too pretty to touch or use; we’ve seen apartments that are so nice and perfect that you don’t want to do anything in them, just in case you ruin something! We didn’t want that – we wanted to be able to enjoy the space.

What were some of the specific things you did in the renovation?