Vintage furnishing isn’t big in Hong Kong but Irene Capriz, Founder of Casa Capriz is here to make a change.
Founded by Irene Capriz in December 2013, Casa Capriz is a treasure cove of vintage furniture pieces ranging from the 1930s – 1980s, with the main focus on Italian design.
Hidden in the rising district of Wong Chuk Hang, you’ll find one of Hong Kong’s most beloved home furnishing store with a range of pieces sourced from the 1930s – 1980s; with a focus on Italian design.
Born in Italy to a family with Malaysian-Chinese heritage, Irene’s interest in home decoration started when she was buying vintage pieces for herself. With a keen eye for design, soon she started to receive shopping requests from her friends and this was the start to Casa Capriz.
Working closely with industry experts in auction houses and buyers in Italy to bring trusted goods at Casa Capriz is one its keys to success. Irene’s contacts come from her frequent trips to Italy and she explains, “it takes a certain level of trust and a lot of coordination in order to ensure items are on point with the showroom’s style.”
With a large selection of the furniture from the 1950s, around 70% of the of the pieces have had repair and restoration work prior to being put in the showroom. Shoppers can find upholstered chairs due to the fabric being worn out or because the vinyl was considered progressive material at that time but it is not fit for the modern day consumer’s tastes. Avoiding contemporary pieces, Irene likes to introduce unkown companies into the market and furniture from a certain period’s of life into the Hong Kong market.
When discussing some of her best finds, she excitedly tells Hive Life about a crystal mirror which sold immediately. “It had a great shape that was visually very powerful and didn’t occupy much space,” she says. Of course, like everyone, there’s also some regret with furniture purchases. In 2015, Irene bought a large sideboard by Paola Buffo, a designer where every household with a higher income in Italy has an item by. However, the sideboard was “a bit serious and a bit big – which is a problem in Hong Kong.”
From 4 years of running her showroom, Irene now has a clear understanding as to what she can bring to the Hong Kong market with her unique vintage pieces.
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