'The brief was very brief,' says MacDowall. 'It had to be full of light, with good storage and a kitchen you can actually cook in. And though designed for a couple, it also had to be able to sleep four people occasionally, for times when the clients' young children accompany them to Hong Kong. The budget was HK$300,000 and that was it - we were to come up with the rest.'

MacDowall, who hails from Sweden, considers finding creative storage and layout solutions a company speciality and quickly realised the two major problems with the flat had one neat answer. The first problem was large windows that wrapped around two sides of the apartment.

'In Hong Kong, it is very common to find apartments with huge windows. Yes, they let light in but too many windows can be like a greenhouse and make you feel like everyone is watching your every move. They also make the space very difficult to furnish, with no wall space for pictures and larger pieces of furniture,' she says.

The second problem, also common to smaller urban dwellings, was a dearth of storage space. By covering two windows with MDF panelling, and installing a wide box shelf directly on to the panelling, the designers created an elegant and streamlined space for storing books and files as well as a television. Similarly, a third window was blocked off above the bed to provide room for shelves and two cabinets.

'Our client was worried at first that blocking off three windows would make the flat seem dark. Actually, there are still a lot of windows and plenty of light but we also have put in a large mirror and kept the colours light so it always feels bright and spacious.'

The dark green windows provided the starting point for the colour scheme. 'Unfortunately we were not allowed to change the windows and although painting them white would have made them look nice for a while, paint soon peels and chips off in Hong Kong's humidity. It's really only a temporary solution. Because we could not change them, we decided to work with them,' says MacDowall.

The designers chose a palette of slightly varying greens to add depth and interest to the otherwise white interior. In the same way, bright white furniture is subtly offset against off-white walls.

'The words 'fresh' and 'personal' were our themes for this apartment,' says MacDowall, who adds that despite its compact size, this pied-a-terre embodies the design values she and Rojens feel drawn towards. 'Our look is really about simplicity rather than being Scandinavian. Of course, we have that Swedish love of light, fresh air and nature but you also find our kind of simple practical ideas in Japanese design, which is a big influence too,' MacDowall says.

2 Fitting perfectly into the cosy bed alcove is a king-size bed (HK$4,654) with white striped bed linen (HK$519), both from Ikea. A wide bay window alcove has been partly converted into shelves and a two-door cabinet. Adding a simple decorative touch is a curvy white vase on the windowsill (HK$450) from Franc Franc (2/F, Hang Lung Centre, 2 Paterson Street, Causeway Bay, tel: 3427 3366). The wall-mounted bedside lights (HK$710 each) were from E-Lighting (206 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2802 3068).

3 A wide floor-to-ceiling mirror creates a sense of light and space, and also provides the backdrop to the brasserie-like dining nook, where the classic simplicity of the white table (top HK$180 and base HK$219, sold separately) and chairs (HK$290 each), all from Ikea, is enhanced with touches such as a casually propped up picture (HK$99 plus HK$149 frame from Ikea). The deep seat cushions (HK$470) were custom made by Choi Designs (408 Dominion Centre, 43 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, tel: 2866 6816) in the same forest-green fabric as the window seat opposite. Overhead, a softly fluted pendant lamp (HK$480) from Metropolis (shop A, G/F, 32 Morrison Hill Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2893 8686) adds another classic touch.

5 The new layout of the apartment allows for a compact galley-style kitchen. The Germania standalone cooker (HK$7,366) was from Asia Gas & Engineering (3 O'Brien Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2575 5760). The cabinets (HK$7,324) and counter top (HK$550 a square foot) were sourced from Ikea, as were the wall-mounted accessories such as a dish drainer (HK$89) and three pots used to store cutlery (HK$290). An angular tap (HK$780) from Bo Crown Building Materials (388 Lockhart Road, tel: 2834 3730) stands over a round Ikea sink (HK$299).

6 The slender length of the cushion and bolster (HK$2,360) lining the wide bay window has a broadening effect on the living room, enhanced further by the contrast of rich dark green against the white backdrop. Above, roman blinds made from striped shirt fabric complement the room's fresh contemporary presence. Together with the ones in the bed alcove, the roman blinds cost about HK$6,000 in total. Fabric for the window seat and blinds were sourced by the designers in Sham Shui Po, with upholstery services provided by Choi Designs. In front are two clear perspex tables (HK$1,790 for both) from Muji (3/F, Lee Theatre Plaza, 99 Percival Street, Causeway Bay, tel: 2808 0622). The teal blanket draped over the sofa cost HK$432 from Inside (1201 Horizon Plaza, 2 Lee Wing Street, Ap Lei Chau, tel: 2873 1795). The apartment's laminate flooring in whitewash ash cost HK$6,710 from Sunwood Building Materials (308 Lockhart Road, tel: 2827 0990).

Tried + tested

Open plan

In compact homes, doors can take up too much room, particularly if privacy is not a priority. This solution employs a series of white linen panels that can be pulled across to screen off the bed from the living area. The hanging panels add a further decorative touch when they sway in the breeze.

Styling David Roden