Handbag designer Fiona Kotur Marin is in every sense a New Yorker, yet she finds that the charms of Hong Kong have an inspiring effect on her work, and on her apartment.

Her spacious home on Magazine Gap Road in Mid-levels District features a 180-degree view of the most iconic feature of Hong Kong - Victoria Harbor.

A decade ago, Marin and her husband began searching for their family space in Hong Kong. Nothing quite fitted the bill until they discovered this flat. "Probably the time of day helped, because the sunlight was so beautiful and the views over the Hong Kong skyline were amazing," Marin said.

"And we were able to take two apartments next to each other, so we took down the dividing wall and merged two units into a single large space."

The space, about 500 square meters, is a rarity in Hong Kong, where most apartments are relatively small. "We knew we wanted to have a large family, so we thought it gave us room for expansion," she said.

"Born and raised in Manhattan, I'm used to city views and I think it's such an important part of Hong Kong. During the last decade, we've seen IFC mall built up, the harbor's pushed back and a lot has changed.''

Marin loved the layout, with its clear distinction between entertaining areas, public areas and private areas. "We need an apartment to multi-task as a space for living, entertaining, and working. It is a good divide and can be very flexible. We've changed the space quite a lot, adapting to the size of our family,'' she said.

Marin said she knew she could make the place look great. The 1930s Art Deco bar and the 1950s egg-shaped table were family heirlooms, while the rest of the furnishings were gathered over the years. She continues to develop an appreciation of Asian craft and for layering textures and styles. Not coincidentally, these are also characteristics of the bags she designs.

"The apartment has an eclectic look but is very personal to us. A lot of shopping and sourcing was done here and in other parts of Asia. It reflects how we live and what we've been collecting," she said.

Marin said her personal style was a bit more ornate before she had children. "I have four boys so I wanted them to feel comfortable and not get hurt by sharp angles. We kept it quite spare and my focus is comfort."

Functional yet chic for the interior, Marin has created a mild, soothing ambience with some pop-up colors. She chose cream and pastel green as the backdrop color because she wanted it to feel organic and natural. She teamed up traditional and modern Asian fixtures, customized furniture and contemporary artworks.

Marin's mother is an interior designer in Manhattan, whose style her daughter admires. "My mom's house is ornate with lots of antiques. I love her style but it would not work completely for my house. My family is really active."

However, Marin has implemented some of her mother's decoration ideas, with the family eating area directly inspired by her mom. Intimate, almost like a tent, it evokes images of safari, with the ceiling and walls draped in linen that Marin had dyed in an olive zebra print at Hong Kong's Sham Shui Po fabric market.

"When I grew up, we had a tented room in my mother's house, which she did with fine Indian fabrics. It was a little magical being there and that dining room holds happy memories for me," she said.

"I chose an olive color because it is soothing and connected to other spaces."

In the center of the living room, there's a long, cream-colored couch leaning on a wall of mirrors that reflect the sweeping views. There are two more oversized mirrors placed in the dining area. Marin said that the idea of using mirrors also came from her mother. The oversized mirrors add elegance and drama to the living area by creating the illusion of space.

Satisfied with her custom-made furniture and Asian accessories, Marin said she would like to focus on acquiring more contemporary art. At the moment, items on display include works by photographers Candida Hofer and Jonathan Becker.

Marin started her thriving handbag empire from her home in Hong Kong in 2004, and saw her work snapped up by such international retailers as Bergdorf Goodman and Scoop in New York, and Harvey Nichols in Hong Kong and Browns in London.

A wall of her study room is covered by the feedback notes from celebrities and fashion editors. "It's nice to have feedback for your work, so I thought it was fun and inspiring to put all the notes on the wall of where I work."


ASK THE OWNER

Q: What's the best thing about living in Hong Kong?

A: The variety and diversity of the city. I love having easy access to the city but also a 20-minute drive to the beach or tropical rain forest.

Q: What's the first thing you do when you get home?

A: I usually say hello to my kids when I get home.

Q: How do you unwind at home?

A: A drink in the living room, looking at the view.

Q: Where do you spend most time at home?

A: The central part of the living space or our master bedroom bed where our four children and us spend time together.

Q: What's the best view outside your window?

A: The harbor view, Bank of China Tower by I.M. Pei, my favorite building since I came to HK 20 years ago.

Q: How do you scent your home?

A: I like Shanghai Tang fragrance but I don't use much perfume at home. I like very subtle tones. I don't want it overpowering.

Q: What's your favorite object at home?

A: The bar traveled with us.

Q: Where do you source furniture in Hong Kong?

A: I have some furniture makers here I always use through word of mouth. And I also love the art works from Altfield Gallery, Ben Brown Fine Arts or Cat Street Gallery.


THE DESIGNER

Who is he?

Simon Ma, director of MA.DESIGN, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Describe your work and one example that makes you especially proud.

I think the most important thing is to identify what I really feel proud of. For this I would highlight 33 artworks, including sculptures, paintings and an installation that I created for an exhibition currently running at the Shanghai Italian Center. It brings China and Italy together, embodying the traditional "dragon horse spirit" - the symbol of the Chinese spirit. For me, there is no word like good; I want to be better and best. This pursuit of the best is exactly what I am especially proud of.

What's your current project?

I'm working with famous French winery Rafi, and also working on the Above The Bund project, located on the northern part of the Bund. I will create an Italian ecological village named Marco Polo there. In addition, I'm working with Banyan Tree. They invited me to act as artistic director for their project in Boao, Hainan Province. I'm helping them with design for public areas. And I'm also focusing on my exhibition.

Describe your design style.

My style is mix of design and art. I am an artist; I learned calligraphy and painting at the age of seven. I love music, so that also informs my design, as I refer a lot to the rhythm in music and movement in art in my design. I like to catch the beauty of balance. I try to combine art with design, which nowadays is very popular in the market. It is hard to imagine that traditional artists would be able to create such works.

Where are you most creative?

As a designer, my schedule is fully occupied with a heavy workload. Yet it is after spending time in meditating, that I become most creative. I practice meditation everyday as I find it helps me keep a balance.

What do you collect?

I collect a lot of things: cameras, chairs, paintings, etc. Every year I spend some time in Hong Kong and Shanghai collecting items. I don't care who created the piece, as long as I like it.

Which part of Shanghai do you like most?

I like the Hongqiao area more and more. Hongqiao is quiet and there's more greenery. And people from different countries gather together there, with whom I can communicate.

What's the next big design trend?

It's difficult to say, but I still think that the fusion of art and design will become more accepted, as many people are aware of the importance of art in design.