Lukstudio has overhauled a formerly gaudy apartment interior in Guangzhou, China, to feature a series of serene living spaces lined in Douglas fir.
The apartment belongs to businessman Peter Fong, who previously collaborated with Lukstudio on the design of a nearby cafe-cum-co-working space. He brought the studio back on board to revamp the apartment he shares with his partner and young child.
Nicknamed Urban Cottage, the 180-square-metre home is almost entirely fit-out with pale Douglas fir wood, which stands in direct opposition to what is traditionally considered an upmarket interior in China.
Douglas fir panelling features throughout the apartment's bedroom (top) and dining area (above)
"The apartment originally came with shiny marble and dark wood, a formula commonly recognized as 'luxurious' in the Chinese property market," explained Lukstudio. "For Peter and Lukstudio, solid planks of Douglas fir define our vision of luxury, because its distinct colour, grain pattern and smell recall the memory of the countryside," the studio continued.
"For most busy urbanites, home is a temporary refuge and one would need the countryside for real rejuvenation."
The living area can now be seen from the open kitchen
The studio had to make a number of structural changes because the rooms in the apartment were awkwardly arranged around a dark dining space that had become nothing but a thoroughfare.
A new eating area has been created in a former study, whi...