Maura Thompson is the Co-Founder of Sassy Media Group. We met her at our Horizon Plaza pop-up, where we connected over revamping her balcony into a cosy and inviting space that she and her family will actually use and enjoy. “I want a balcony I can enjoy my coffee and evening quiet times in.”
Maura and her family have a great balcony overlooking the water in Hong Kong. The balcony was already somewhat furnished with plants, shelves, and a grill. It served as an “overflow” space during parties with friends and family. But Maura wanted more than just an overflow space. She wanted it to be a space to enjoy a morning coffee, playtime with her kids on the weekends, evening Gin & Tonics (looking out at the sunset), and a grill space for parties. So we got to work.
We understood that Maura would like to have her morning coffee and nighttime drinks on the balcony with the amazing sea view at Villa Cecil in Pok Fu Lam. However, the plantations that she had were blocking the view while seated. Therefore, we rearranged the items on the balcony so the view wasn’t wasted.
The view itself helped draw people’s attention to the balcony, and our job was to make people want to stay and feel enveloped. The balcony needed a sense of arrival that lets you intuitively know where and how to settle into it. Therefore, the first thing we did was to design and add a seating grouping, and then we designed everything else around it. We opted for two relatively small lounge chairs to accommodate the balcony’s limited depth. Then, we added a rug underneath to create a sense of arrival. We also added 3 stool-and-tray combinations that enhanced balance and served as platforms for placing drinks and other items.
Lighting was incredibly important for this balcony. A big part of the charm of this balcony came from overlooking a beautiful sunset. Therefore, we needed lighting that was softer and more diffused and not overpowering. The balcony had two of those simple ceiling lights, but they were too bright. We utilised handy fairy lights to help. We also found these little ball lights and evenly spaced them out on the floor. This symmetrical combination of soft lights at once added to the space’s invitingness and drew attention to the incredible view.
One downside was the flooring. It was visibly old, and since the unit was rented, we didn’t have much latitude to do anything. We turned to the next best alternative: appreciating its character and complementing it with a rattan rug. It also served as a focal point, drawing the eye to this central sitting spot.
“I am happy to say that I spent a decent amount of it sitting on my balcony reading a book and just enjoying the lovely weather and nice breeze that was coming through. The chairs that you have found for me have been amazing!” says Maura.
We are so happy that we were able to help Maura transform her balcony. More than a nice space, we felt we played a part in creating small moments of happiness for Maura and her family. We love how they embrace it as a new central feature of their home, connecting with themselves and each other in a way that is a sanctuary away from the busyness of life.
