Living colour
Brooke Babington's search for a new home led her to a dilapidated shop house in Sai Ying Pun. She was drawn to the building's age and history, and could see its potential despite it being in a state of disrepair - the three-storey house, dating from the 1920s, had been derelict for years and inhabited only by cats. But for Babington, a former financial trader who works as a volunteer with Stop (an organisation that helps abandoned animals), that was not the most daunting part of the project. The biggest challenge was working out how to get her husband on board.
'He's a words man,' she says of her husband. 'He can't visualise things. We decided it would save our marriage if he had nothing to do with [the renovation].'
With the help of interior designer David Roden she set about renovating the 1,800 sq ft house. She kept the original features where possible and planned the rest of the interior using carefully selected colours and furnishings that would maintain its traditional feel but add plenty of drama.
The original layout was kept, with the exception of an added internal staircase - previously, the upper floors had been reached only by an outside staircase. The white, galvanised-steel spiral staircase takes up a lot of space but also gives the house a contemporary, open feel.
Vibrant colour schemes have a different impact on each of the levels. In the kitchen and study area, shades of bright green combine to create a fun, young vibe, tempered by open white shelving with carved Chinese details and warm tactile wooden work surfaces.
Oozing sensuousness upstairs is the master bedroom, with its deep purple feature wall, part-purple ceiling and bed upholstered in rich, red fabric with purple trimming.
On the roof, dark brown wooden decking and deep chocolate brown furniture serve as a foil for the many tall, leafy green plants, highlighted by one wall painted in lime green.
On the lowest level, the dining room confirms Babington's taste for bold colours, which Roden, her 'colour man', helped her choose. Emerald greens and deep blues are used to stunning effect.
Babington has a down-to-earth touch, which kept the costs down and helped make the house a functional home and not just a rainbow of colours. The emerald green dining table, for example, was simply painted with a bright lacquer. The flamboyant altar table - which Babington made her husband buy because he forgot her birthday - provides storage for the various canine accoutrements that come with owning three dogs.
There is no sign of the long-suffering husband but Babington offers assurances that he's fine - now.
'He saw it right after I bought it and he was really depressed. He said, 'I can't believe you've spent all my money!' But now he's very happy.'
3 The roof garden is cosy and private thanks to the open beamed roof and matching decking, which was reclaimed from Babington's previous apartment by her contractor, Topwood (tel: 2529 3686). The plastic weave armchairs, sofa and coffee table cost HK$2,000 for the set at a trade show. The blue cushions are made from waterproof Sunbrella fabric and cost HK$9,000 for the set from Belle Curtain.
4 The desk was made by the contractor for HK$5,500 to fit snugly into the small nook at the bottom of the stairs, beside the kitchen. The lamps were bought in a shop on Hollywood Road that has since closed.
5 The taps (US$500) and sconces (US$300 for the pair) were bought from Restoration Hardware in the United States (www. restorationhardware.com). The washstand was made by the contractor and cost HK$5,000. The laundry baskets cost HK$500 for the two from Indigo during a sale.
7 The dining room table and chairs were bought years ago. The table was lacquered green by the contractor. The rug was made to order by Freda Carpet (unit E, 17/F, CNT Tower, 338 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2521 6606) and cost about HK$10,000. The painting, Bookshelves by Kim Jee Hye, was bought from Cais Gallery (54 Hollywood Road, Central, tel: 2527 7798).
The good and the ugly
Ugly: Although Babington had specifically asked for dimmers, they were not installed and she had to have the lighting refitted at her own expense. She says her biggest mistake was 'not rechecking the lighting design - again and again and again'.
Tried + tested
Peep show
Creating a heritage feature can be as simple as stripping off the paintwork. Homeowner Brooke Babington did just that to the original first-floor door and liked the old, weatherbeaten look so much she decided to leave it unpainted. The peephole is an original part of the door, beyond which is a staircase leading to the roof, and is especially useful for keeping an eye on her three dogs.
Styling David Roden
