'When we first walked in here, the flat seemed a little dingy and the dining room especially was very dark,' Au Yeung says. The 1,740 sq ft apartment has a traditional L-shaped living and dining area but although one side is brightly lit by a bay window, the dining zone was positioned behind a bedroom, which blocked off much of the light to the area. Au Yeung's solution was to open up the bedroom so that sunlight from its bay window could filter through to the dining area. The room is now a sleekly furnished study that can be closed off with a pair of pocket doors.

'I thought having a bedroom leading straight off the dining area was a bit strange anyhow and this way my husband gets to have his hole to hide in,' she says.

As Wat points out, 'Converting the fourth bedroom into an open study has changed the layout to a square shape, changing the personality of the apartment, making it more light and spacious.'

White built-in shelves and cabinets line the living room walls and, because they are only a few inches deep, their contents are always visible and easy to access.

'The 8ft [2.4 metre] ceiling is a little on the low side,' says Wat, 'so we suggested these extra-wide cabinet doors and a few other space-enhancing tricks to broaden the outlook.' For example, the few items of furniture that are not built-in are low, long and narrow and there is plenty of open floor space in which to admire the wide-plank walnut wood grain. In the same vein, wide horizontal stripes in grey-blue colours were preferred to vertical stripes for the walls of the master bedroom.

After ensuring there would be adequate storage, the introduction of colour was Au Yeung's priority. 'Our old apartment was eggshell all over - I had that for 10 years and this time I really wanted colour throughout,' she says. Choosing the blues of the master bedroom and pink and mint green for the other two bedrooms was relatively easy but finding the perfect shade for the main living areas was more problematic. Au Yeung finally opted for one of many neutral shades she custom mixed.

'I really enjoy this colour,' she says of the open area's rich creamy walls. 'It's dark enough to have character but it still reflects the light.' For Au Yeung, a graduate in art, the colour had another function - to provide a rich backdrop for the couple's growing art collection.

The six-month renovation was an exercise in doing things properly - with plenty of time and thought lavished on small details. From stripping the apartment right down to its architectural shell to building it back up again with high-spec wiring and expanses of beautiful walnut wood, Au Yeung and Wat have worked hard to achieve form and function in every aspect.

6 The Leicht kitchen from Chest Apply (2/F, Lockhart Centre, 301 Lockhart Road, tel: 2803 4638) features glossy orange and wood veneer cabinets and cost about HK$250,000 in total. Co-owner Mimi Au Yeung initially visualised a deep rectangular ceramic sink but could not find one wide enough for the planned space, so designed a brushed-steel version to complement the stainless-steel countertops. Regent Steel Gate Products & Construction (shop D, Lucky Plaza, 315 Lockhart Road, tel: 2395 2885) made the sink for HK$3,000. The Hansgrohe taps cost HK$2,800 from Luen Hing Hong Building Materials (236 Lockhart Road, tel: 2511 3630).

Tried + tested

Pot luck

An avid cook, owner Mimi Au Yeung keeps her pots and pans close to hand on two pull-out racks underneath the cooking hobs. Manufactured by German kitchen company Leicht, the sturdy steel racks are ideal for supporting heavy or bulky items. Leicht kitchens are available through Chest Apply (2/F, Lockhart Centre, 301 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2803 4638).

Styling David Roden