Love your new rental property in Hong Kong but want it to feel more homey? We’ve asked the team from The Editors Company for interior decor tips to give your space some added style and personality.
Top rental-friendly interior decor and home-styling advice
#1 Mirrors make spaces look and feel bigger
Interior Decor Problem: Rooms feel small and dark.
Solution: Large mirrors or mirrored panels bounce light and create the illusion of more space. Lean them against walls or use adhesive hooks for mounting.
#2 Always layer your lighting
Interior Decor Problem: Harsh overhead lights make the space feel sterile.
Solution: Add table lamps, floor lamps or stick-on lighting for a cosy, layered look. Warm-toned bulbs instantly soften the room and create a more inviting vibe. Any bulb under 3000K gives a warm aura.
#3 Mismatch furniture (on purpose!) for a luxury look
Interior Decor Problem: It feels intuitive to match everything: same wood tones, same shapes, same style, but too much coordination can make your space look flat and underwhelming.
Solution: Mix it up. Pair a modern coffee table with a vintage sideboard. Use different but complementary dining chairs. Have it so your bedside lamps don’t match. It adds visual interest, tells a story and gives your space a layered, collected feel that looks far more luxurious.
#4 Switch out hardware (and switch it back)
Interior Decor Problem: Cabinets or doors look dated.
Solution: If possible, switch knobs and handles on built-in cabinets and doors to something more modern or personal. Just keep the originals so you can swap them back when you move. This is also a great way to update any freestanding furniture you own!
#5 Style in threes for effortless visual balance
Interior Decor Problem: Your shelves or surfaces feel cluttered or awkward, even though you’ve added all your favourite pieces.
Solution: Use the rule of threes – group items in sets of three (or odd numbers) to create balance and visual interest. Vary the height, shape, and texture, like a candle, a book, and a vase, to keep things dynamic and intentional. It’s a designer trick that works everywhere, from coffee tables to bedside corners to display shelves.
About The Editors Company
Ten minutes with Co-founder and Creative Director FION LEE.
Tell us about your business in a nutshell. When did you launch and why?
We started The Editors Company in 2019 because people felt that working with an interior designer was something of a luxury, too far out of reach for the average person.
We wanted to change that. Our aim was to help the “IKEA graduates” – those who want their interior decor to start feeling more personal and less copy and-paste without having to invest vast amounts of time or energy searching, planning and managing it all on their own.
Since then, we’ve worked with all kinds of people – families, couples, and individuals – to create homes that feel settled and personal, even if they’re renting. Some clients have even come back to us years later, going from styling their bachelor pad to creating a family home for four.
What are some of your main offerings?
We offer home styling that’s renter-friendly, accessible and completely stress-free. There’s no renovation involved. We work within our clients’ existing space to make it feel like theirs. Our customers are paired with their own dedicated stylist, who works closely with them to understand their needs, space, and lifestyle.
We source from over 100 local furniture and homeware brands in Hong Kong and all over the world to curate homes for real life, factoring in things like pets, storage needs, multi-use spaces and tricky layouts common in Hong Kong.
What do you do differently?
We don’t just pass ideas on and leave people to figure out the rest. We handle the sourcing, ordering and setup, too. Our clients can be as involved as they want, but we’ll always take care of the heavy lifting.
Unlike traditional interior designers in Hong Kong, who usually focus on large-scale renovations and built-in furniture, we focus on styling and furnishings. Our service is made for people who want a beautiful, well-thought out home without the huge costs or lengthy timelines that come with renovation projects.
On top of that, we offer a fixed styling fee of $5,600 per room and no product markups, so clients know exactly what they’re paying for upfront.
6012 0095 | editorscompany.com
This article on improving the interior decor in your rental property in Hong Kong first appeared in the June 2025 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase the latest issue or subscribe so you never miss a copy!
