We’re shown into fashion maven turned art agency founder Marleen Molenaar’s abode in Mid-Levels on an afternoon before she’s hosting a dinner party, following a private art tour she’d given to a group of collectors from Belgium
the day prior. While she might be relatively new to the art business – she set up her art agency, Neiman Molenaar, two years ago – she’s no stranger to the world of art collecting, having built her personal collection over the last 25 years.

“The first piece we bought was a Chinese contemporary artwork by Qi Zhilong,” she recalls, though her aesthetic interest began well before that. “I collected postcards and posters of paintings I liked as a student,” she says. “I liked Helen Frankenthaler, Robert Motherwell and Willem de Kooning. My parents were also very aware of their aesthetic environment.” She recalls her first home, a small apartment furnished with designer pieces that her mother had purchased: Arne Jacobsen chairs, Arabia service ware and two Stelton teapots, one of which she still keeps in her home today. “It all played a very important role in my life. I realised how important it is to be in an environment that I like aesthetically.”

See more: An impressive 1930s Bauhaus apartment houses a family’s stunning collection

Simple white walls, warm wooden flooring and mid-century furniture make the collection of artworks stand out.

Tomes about art and other subjects of interest pack the shelves behind the dining area.

Two artworks by Espen Cook, represented by Neiman Molenaar, feature in the study.

A figure of Yoda from the Star Wars series mingles with Korean ceramic pieces and polaroids by Nobuyoshi Araki.

The minimal, white master bedroom make Aida Makoto's Mt Fuji the star of the show.

A piece by Araki blends perfectly with the original blue tiles and pink bathtub.

Colourful tiles grant the spacious balcony plenty of charm, as well as planters that have been installed since the 1960s.

Homeowner and art agency founder Marleen Molenaar poses in front of a piece by Hong Kong artist Angela Su.

To read the full story, pick up a print or digital copy of our March issue!

By: Leanne Mirandilla

Photography: Edgar Tapan
Art Direction: May Lau
Production: Emily Leung