'It took a week to install,' says Bond, explaining that her family decamped from their native South Africa to Hong Kong 3 1/2 years ago, and moved into their first apartment, also in Repulse Bay. A year later, Bond, her banker husband, Craig, their two children (Simon, now 15, and Jamie, 12), a Jack Russell and a rescued cat then settled into the duplex, which took seven days to refurbish.

As with the homes in Hong Kong and elsewhere she has helped to overhaul, Bond's was created with a lifestyle budget plus a decorating one. The first, she explains, is money you 'throw away': '[You say to yourself] I'm spending this on my enjoyment. I'm making this practical and I can't take it with me. And then you decide on your decorating budget.'

Although Bond appears not to have scrimped on expenditure anywhere (save for the kitchen and bathrooms, which she left much as they were), she didn't shy from buying Ikea cabinets and inexpensive Lockhart Road handles and hooks, some of which (see Tried + tested) have been used for decorative purposes. As part of her 'lifestyle' costs, she laid custom-fitted carpet, affixed wallpaper, installed shutters to hide air-conditioning units outside, demolished walls and removed doors so a study downstairs could become a family room. Bond also painted extensively and created a beautiful garden and terrace, complete with a jacuzzi, outdoor shower, circus-sized trampoline and Chinese-inspired lattice screens. She even laid a lawn, beyond which is a glorious sea view.

Her decorating budget allowed Bond to mix and match antiques, other collectibles, art, family photos and fabrics. 'A lot of the furniture came from my previous home but it has all been reupholstered. And 99 per cent of my fabrics are from South Africa,' she says.

'My easiest way of upgrading, uplifting or changing a colour scheme is to go and get some fabulous fabrics. Change 10 scatter cushions in a room and you change the room. I'm known for being the scatter-cushion queen.'

Although she might favour constant improvement and variation in a home, one aspect of her interior design remains constant, she says, pointing to what she calls her 'family wall'. In the ground-floor television room, which is her favourite part of the house, Bond has hung scores of photographs on one wall. 'That's my signature on every job I do,' she says.

Another might be her creation of 'stories' in various parts of the house, with arrangements that include 'tablescapes' - objets that are gathered together in one place for display.

But isn't it asking for trouble to have treasures on show when there are teenagers and pets running around? 'I'm not hysterical about my things,' Bond says. 'My children have grown up with beautiful things and they know how to treat them. Our house is comfortable and lived in. It's not just a magazine cover.'

1 Terrace

The big wall clock (HK$6,980) came from Tequila Kola (1/F, Horizon Plaza, 2 Lee Wing Street, Ap Lei Chau, tel: 2877 3295). The old Chinese table (HK$9,500) and stools (HK$1,800 each) were bought at Oriental Home (20/F, Horizon Plaza, tel: 3542 5336). The chairs (HK$900 each) were from Artura Ficus (15/F, Horizon Plaza, tel: 3105 3903). The candleholders (HK$570 each) were bought at Chapin House (Level 2, Oceanic Industrial Centre, 2 Lee Lok Street, Ap Lei Chau, tel: 2552 2727). The dining table came from a previous home in South Africa.

2 Family room

3 Dressing room

4 Lounge

Opening onto a deep balcony is the lounge, for which Bond had a television unit made by Artura Ficus for HK$19,000. The coffee table (HK$8,500) came from Oriental Home. The ottoman (HK$9,800) and cushions (HK$1,000 each) were made by James Curtain (40A Blue Pool Road, Happy Valley, tel: 2576 9448). The sofas and armchairs were bought years ago.

5 Dining area

6 Powder room

7 Son's bedroom

On the ground floor, with direct access to the garden, is son Simon's room. The headboard (HK$4,700) and curtains (HK$15,230) were made by James Curtain. The bedside lamps, fur throw, chair and clock came from a previous home. The artwork was by a student in Beijing. The desk and bedside table are old.

8 Master bedroom

On the walls is sisal wallpaper (HK$1,800 to HK$2,200 a roll) from Elite Curtain (15/F, Kwan Chart Tower, 6 Tonnochy Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2572 8337). The headboards (HK$9,800 for the pair) and curtains (HK$38,000) were made by James Curtain. The armchair, from a previous home, was covered in ikat fabric from Hertex. The Italian chandelier is years old but similar antique chandeliers are available at Tequila Kola for about HK$30,000. Above the armchair is a painting, by Vietnamese artist Dang Xuan Hoa, from Arch Angel Art Gallery (58 Hollywood Road, Central, tel: 2851 6882). The dressing table (HK$5,900) was from Chapin House. A chair similar to the one in the bedroom costs HK$1,500 at Chapin House. The bedside table, bedside lamps and coffee table are from a previous home.

Tried + tested

Hat trick

Instead of having small mountains of baseball caps around the house, Sue Bond made a feature of them in her son Simon's bedroom. The armchair came from a previous home and the antique trunk was HK$6,000 at Oriental Home.

Styling Fox Daniels