Spending some time in Hong Kong this summer, it is hard to ignore how busy this place is. Cramming 7.5 million sweaty people onto an archipelago of just 1,000 square kilometres, only 25% of which is built-up, is bound to generate a degree of busy-ness. However, even as a seasoned Hongkonger I still find myself equally impressed and appalled by the sheer excess of visual and physical clutter here. Look up images of Hong Kong, whether from travel blogs or from coffee table books, and you will see a messy melange of skyscrapers next to tenement blocks, neon signs jostling for attention, people and buildings everywhere. This is of course a tourist cliche, but it is mostly true.
I am particularly appalled by the style of graphic design here. Everywhere you look, from advertising billboards and shop fascias to promotional flyers and mobile phone apps, you see masses of pictures and text fighting for space, their weapons being clashing colours and ever smaller fonts. In this battle abundance clearly trumps clarity and the war is not won until every pixel is filled with information. Perhaps when there is so much going on (and space is at such a premium), you have to cram as much detail as possible onto every available medium to stand any chance of catching anyone’s attention.
This penchant for clutter and abundance goes beyond graphic design. People like to shop in bazaar-like places with mountains of goods on offer, whether that is a street vendor’s stall, supermarket shelves or the home page of Taobao. Restaurant menus are lengthy. People wear clothes with lots of prints, logos and slogans. Every handbag seems to have at least three Labubu dolls leashed to it. I once got into a taxi with more than five mobile phones attached to the dashboard, each showing a different app. There is a lot of stuff everywhere.
All this may sound overwhelming, but most Hongkongers love it. And Hong Kong is not alone. Go to any large, crowded city, especially in Asia, and you will likely be confronted with a disorderly mess of clutter. For the first time in history, more than 50% of the world’s population now live in urban areas. People are drawn to cities by the opportunities they present and that includes the excitement, stimulation and ability to connect to other people available in a bustling environment. The same applies to our homes. Many people live in messy, chaotic homes, not just because of laziness (tidying up is hard work), but because they like to be surrounded by stuff. Similar to living in an exciting, bustling city, a home full of clutter conveys convenience, possibilities and the comforting familiarity of objects imbued with memories. But this is no carte blanche for messy living. To avoid being overwhelmed, we have to strike a balance between calm and chaos. Here are a few tips on how to embrace clutter with style.
Curator Mindset
It’s okay to have lots of stuff, but my advice to collectomaniacs would be to unleash your inner curator. Don’t just collect things, select the best bits and present them beautifully. Allison and JP Williams of Wms&Co. show how this is done in their loft in Tribeca. It matters less that your collection is objectively junk, more that you try to express your pride and passion with the way you present them.
To facilitate this, go for sleek and versatile open shelving systems such as the 93-08 Modular Shelving System from Horm and the Mecano Shelving System from Diesel Living.
Make a Statement
Not a collector? Not a problem - fill your home with visually stimulating furniture and lighting instead. The priority is quality over quantity. Go for distinctive looking pieces that tells a story, whether it is the unique materials, design or how you came about it. Whilst it is true that statement pieces look great on their own in minimalist settings, filling a room with multiple statement pieces can look fabulous. Everywhere you look there will be something interesting and, unlike the minimalist room, every time you look at your selection you will see something new. Start with a selection of heirloom or antique pieces, interspersed with quirky contemporary designs such as the Ego Chair from Scarlet Splendour and the Ceraunavolta Suspension Light from Karman and garnish with a few pieces of unique designs from artist-designers such the Sweep2 Armchair from Quasidesign and the YKB Bench from Jiri Krejcirik.
Colours and Patterns
Be inspired by the bold graphics of Hong Kong and saturate your space with colours and patterns. Volumes have already been written on paint colours, wallpapers and feature walls. Unless you are very confident with decorating (and re-decorating), I would advise you to keep walls floors and ceilings neutral and add colours and patterns with decorative objects which you can move around to suit your changing vibe. Lining up books on bookshelves is the classic hack, though I’m not sure if the trend of rearranging books by the colour of their spines to create a rainbow effect is genius or incredibly naff. Better to insterspace books with decorative objects such as vases and sculptures to create visual variety. This works especially well with wall shelves which look interesting themselves, such as the Judd and Cellula Wall Shelves from Mogg.
Art, posters and photos are great sources of colours and patterns. Like statement furniture, of course a single painting can be showcased beautifully on a bare wall without other distractions. However, if your work of art is not exactly world class and you don’t have a gallery-sized loft to flaunt it in, you’re better off showing more rather than less. Your inspiration here should be Sir John Soane’s house, with art displayed on every conceivable surface, though I would stop short at movable walls panels for hanging paintings. Don’t be shy to mix and match - a wall with a well thought out display of art, posters and memorabilia beats a monotonous gallery wall of photos hands down.
Refuge of Tranquility
Last but not least, however happy you are to live in a cluttered, chaotic space, be sure to leave a small refuge of tranquility. This could be a minimalist, mess-free desk where you can pretend to journal, a refrigerator which you keep magnet-free or a plainly decorated bathroom where you can indulge in your bodily rituals in peace. Afterall, even the most stimulation-friendly mind needs a moment of peace to recharge. That’s why even though I have resolved to happily soak up the chaos and clutter of Hong Kong, it will be restricted to no more than a few weeks a year.
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What an marvellous tribute to this amazingly funky city, Hong Kong ... !🤩
I think that cab driver needs a couple more phones. ☎️🤣
As for me, I shall take inspo from Sir John Soane: build and start placing my wall art neatly in huge drawers disappearing in mysterious walls ... 🤪😃