It’s quite a challenge for an interior designer to live in a rental apartment with kitchen and bathrooms installed decades ago, no storage at all and one hand tied behind your back by a huge deposit that will not be returned if you make any changes.
In this month’s Expat Living I am chatting about all of the tricks I used to get round these restrictions (the link to the article is in my bio). I have painted every wall and some ceilings, changed all the handles on every cupboard, installed vinyl flooring, replaced ugly cupboard doors with curtains, hidden plastic curtain rails behind pelmets, designed multiple bespoke pieces of furniture and storage solutions to fit awkward spaces, replaced all the lighting, hung cabinets in bathrooms… and finally, FINALLY I can walk through the door without being bombarded by all the things I haven’t yet got to. An interior designer’s home is always last on the list of places to make beautiful, but I’m happy, for now anyway.
Thank you to @expatlivinghk for the feature and to @michael.perini for the beautiful photographs of my home.
#rosheenrodwellinteriors #interiordesign #hongkongdesigner #rentedhome #designsolutions
Closing 2025 with resonance, gratitude, and stillness in every vibration.
以共鳴、感恩與寧靜，為2025劃上句號。
Photo credit: @michael.perini
#告別2025 #Farewell2025 #SingingBowl #SoundHealing #NewYearEnergy
A custom wall sconce designed as a narrow vertical glow within the dining rooms. The brass housing and ribbed glass sit against a lacquered recess, where a precise use of colour contrasts with noble materials, a recurring device throughout the project to shape atmosphere and guide perception. The controlled luminance and slim profile add depth to the wall surface.
Timber defines this room, full-height vertical panels, a clear horizontal datum, and a ceiling grid detailed to integrate lighting and acoustic panels cleanly. Slender screens introduce a controlled rhythm, punctuated by carved inserts that recall traditional latticework without imitation.
Chairs add a soft patterned texture against the timber. Overhead, red thread canopies provide a single intentional accent, shaping scale and diffusing light. The space is built on clarity, disciplined lines, and details that stay functional first.
In @garden.peking , details act as fragments of cultural memory, connecting the restaurant’s modern architecture with the lineage of Chinese craftsmanship.
Roof tiles and hand-cut bricks, referencing the textures of old Beijing hutongs. The carved medallion on the red chairs reinterprets the shou (壽) longevity symbol, upholstered seats in custom-woven fabric by @lamaisonpierrefrey inspired by imperial motifs in contemporary colour and scale.
Even the smallest elements, the cast-iron teapots, the grain of wood, and the cut of a joint, are chosen for their ability to evoke history through touch and light.
Each dining room at Peking Garden carries its own atmosphere.
In the Kigumi Room (image 1), interlocking timber geometry recalls ancient joinery techniques, reinterpreted through a contemporary structure on the ceiling grid and wall screens used to diffuse light, define boundaries, and create depth within the space. By distilling traditional construction into precise, modular elements, the design pays homage to a centuries-old craft while meeting the technical demands of modern hospitality interiors.
Each area at Peking Garden is defined by texture and tone, public dining articulated with light timber screens that control views and movement, while private rooms are enclosed in walnut panelling and embroidered silk wall coverings by @tatmingwallpaper for intimacy and warmth. Stone flooring and wall cladding provide a solid, continuous base throughout, contrasted by softer upholstery and controlled lighting.
Photography: Michael Perini
