1880
Pottier & Stymus designed this room in 1880 in the Renaissance Revival style. Mahogany woodwork was the dominant feature, having been used for the lockers that line the walls at two heights, as well as for the door and window surrounds, and the ceiling strapwork. The central locker on the south wall featured a clock and carved lions, while the overmantel of the open fireplace on the north wall had ornamental carvings. Artificial lighting was provided by the central brass chandelier and two gas torchieres on either side of the large mantel mirror above the fireplace. Walls, ceiling, cove and frieze featured floral patterns in coppery shades, stenciled on to the plaster. The flooring was parquet.
In 2009, the most prominent surviving elements of the original design were the wooden lockers and carvings. The darkened wood finish and the green-painted walls lent the room an incongruously gloomy atmosphere that could no longer be attributed to any particular style.
M+ Hong Kong, March 2021