Wence Wong shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Wence, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
I’m most proud of building a stream of passive income through a portfolio of investment properties that my husband and I own and manage together. It’s something very few people see, but it represents years of disciplined saving, research, and hands-on work. Before the age of 40, we built and continue to self-manage our investments without the help of a property manager; an accomplishment that has taught me invaluable lessons in financial planning, negotiation, and long-term strategy.
While this has been a shared effort, I’ve played a central role in the day-to-day management, design decisions, and operational details that keep everything running smoothly. What makes me proud isn’t just the portfolio itself, but the independence and flexibility it’s created in our lives. Managing every aspect of our investments has given me a deep appreciation for ownership; not just of assets, but of time and choices. It reminds me that success doesn’t always have to be visible, sometimes the most meaningful things are the ones that quietly give you freedom and stability.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Wence Wong, and I’m the Owner and Principal Designer of House of Devon, an interior design firm that focuses on creating spaces that are both timeless and deeply personal. Alongside my design practice, I also manage a growing real estate portfolio, including a successful short-term rental property where I’m a proud Superhost.
I launched House of Devon in 2020, combining my background in banking and finance with my lifelong passion for design and real estate. That unique blend has become the foundation of my work; balancing creativity with strategy, and aesthetics with investment value. My financial background allows me to approach design with a business mindset: understanding budgets, timelines, and how to create spaces that not only look beautiful but also deliver long-term value.
My journey has been about building versatility; wearing multiple hats as a designer, investor, and entrepreneur. Managing my own properties has given me first-hand insight into how people truly live and interact with their spaces, while hosting on Airbnb has deepened my understanding of hospitality, comfort, and design that resonates globally.
Given the current economic climate and rising inflation, I’ve focused more on the investment and property management side of my business, while continuing to nurture the design side strategically. This shift has allowed me to strengthen the financial foundation of my brand and prepare for new opportunities in a changing market.
At the same time, I see this period as an opportunity to expand internationally, particularly in the UK and Europe, where classical architecture and design traditions continue to inspire me. I want to learn more about international building codes, design trends, and regional influences so that House of Devon can evolve beyond borders and bring a global perspective to timeless design.
Ultimately, I see House of Devon as more than a design firm. It’s a reflection of my belief that design, real estate, and lifestyle are all interconnected. My goal is to continue learning, creating, and redefining what it means to live beautifully, no matter where in the world that may be.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
The part of me that I’ve learned to release is the need to please everyone, always doing the right thing, putting others first, and carrying more than my share of the weight. For a long time, I believed that leading with kindness and giving my all would naturally be appreciated. But I’ve learned that not everyone operates with the same integrity or intentions. When you’re kind, people can mistake it for weakness; and when you succeed, they can misjudge your story.
Over time, I’ve realized that some people will form opinions based on assumptions, thinking they know everything about who you are, your journey, or your success. They see the outcome but not the reality: the hard work, late nights, sacrifices, personal struggles, and countless hoops I’ve had to jump through to get here. Many assume things were handed to me, without seeing the discipline, resilience, and persistence that happened quietly behind the scenes. I’ve learned that not everyone will understand your path, and that’s okay. You can’t take advice or seek validation from people who haven’t lived your experiences.
That realization has been both humbling and empowering. It’s taught me that kindness and boundaries can coexist, and that protecting my peace is not selfish — it’s essential. I’ve learned to speak up, trust my instincts, and lead with confidence and compassion, without losing sight of my values. Letting go of the need for approval has allowed me to grow, both personally and professionally, into someone who leads with clarity, balance, and authenticity.
Today, I choose to live and lead with integrity and kindness, but also with strength and intention. Being kind doesn’t mean saying yes to everything or carrying the weight of others, it means showing empathy while standing firm in your worth. I no longer feel the need to prove myself or overexplain. Instead, I let my work, my actions, and my consistency speak for themselves; because true confidence comes from integrity, not validation.
What’s something you changed your mind about after failing hard?
Something I changed my mind about after failing hard is what I thought my life should look like, the timeline, the expectations, and the version of success I was taught to chase. I was raised in a traditional household where women were expected to become a man’s wife, care for the home, and raise children. For most of my life, that was the plan — married by 24, kids by 25, everything perfectly in place. But when that dream couldn’t become my reality, everything I believed about my purpose came crashing down.
Infertility is something few people talk about, yet it quietly reshapes lives. After experiencing loss, I had to confront not just the grief of what I’d lost, but the deeper question of who I was without that identity. For a long time, I saw it as failure, as if I couldn’t live up to the life I was supposed to have. But with time, I realized that my story wasn’t ending; it was simply taking a new direction.
What I once viewed as loss became a source of strength and perspective. It forced me to rethink success, not as checking off milestones, but as living with purpose, authenticity, and resilience. I began to see that life doesn’t lose meaning without children; it can expand in other ways. I’ve poured my energy into building my business, growing as a designer and entrepreneur, and creating spaces and opportunities that inspire others.
That experience taught me how to lead, and live with clarity, empathy, and intention. It gave me freedom: the freedom to define my own path, to make bold choices, and to build a life that reflects my values. I’ve changed my mind about what fulfillment looks like, it’s not about living by someone else’s script, but about writing your own with purpose, integrity, and heart.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Whose ideas do you rely on most that aren’t your own?
I rely most on my husband’s ideas. He’s not only my partner in life but also my sounding board, my voice of reason, and my greatest supporter. I trust his perspective completely because I know he always has my best interests at heart, both personally and professionally.
Since our industries naturally overlap, his in real estate and mine in interior design, we’re fortunate to share a creative and strategic connection. We collaborate often on our personal investments and projects, which allows us to see things from both sides: the business and the design. His analytical approach helps ground my creative vision, while my eye for aesthetics and functionality often brings his ideas to life. That balance has shaped not only our portfolio but also how I run my company, House of Devon.
What I value most is that he challenges me to think differently, to step back and look at the bigger picture, especially when I get caught up in the details. We approach problems from different angles, but with the same goal: to create something meaningful and lasting. Having someone who understands both the business side and the creative side of what I do is invaluable. It’s not just about sharing ideas; it’s about sharing trust, respect, and a vision for growth.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
The story I hope people tell about me when I’m gone is that I made a difference, that in some way, I touched or changed someone’s life for the better. Whether through my work, my words, or simply how I chose to live, I hope people remember that I inspired them to see what’s possible, even when the odds were against them.
I want my legacy to be about impact, resilience, and authenticity, that through my own life and career journey, I showed that it’s never too late to start over, redefine success, or follow a new path. My experiences, both personal and professional, haven’t always been easy, but they’ve taught me strength, empathy, and the value of perseverance. If my story encourages someone to take a chance on themselves or to believe that anything is possible with faith and hard work, then I’ve done something meaningful.
Through my brand, House of Devon, I hope that spirit continues, not just through beautifully designed spaces, but through spaces that inspire confidence and possibility. I want my work to remind people that design, like life, is about creation, about turning vision into reality and building something that reflects who you truly are.
Ultimately, I hope people remember me as someone who led with integrity, kindness, and courage, who wasn’t afraid to be vulnerable or to pave her own way, and who inspired others to do the same.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.houseofdevon.ca
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/houseofdevoninteriors/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/houseofdevoninteriors/
Image Credits
Lynn Mate Photography
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
