Concrete action
A striking floor treatment sets one Discovery Bay family home apart from the rest
It’s rare that a floor is so striking it becomes the focus of a home. That is certainly the case, however, in Justin O’Brien’s flat in Discovery Bay Plaza.
Make that two flats: the Australian pilot bought the property next to one he had already purchased as an investment and merged the two to create a unique living space for his growing family.
“I always wanted a concrete floor and I had a particular effect in mind,” says O’Brien, who shares the apartment with his wife, Nicole, a teacher, and their three pre-teen daughters. “I consulted a couple of professional floor contractors, who told me what they could do, but it was too uniform in colour. What I wanted was the sort of effect you see on the floor of shops such as Tree in Ap Lei Chau – a sort of mottled surface that looks ‘au naturel’.”
Fortunately, Bricks & Mortar designer Cynthia Breit knew what was required.
“[Her contractor] showed us a sample, which included a number of effects such as a polyurethane covering that gives it the sheen I wanted,” says O’Brien.
Having bought the first apartment at the end of 2011, O’Brien snapped up the second flat when it became available a few months later. Conscious that his family could do with more space, he soon saw the possibility of combining the properties, giving them a gross area of 1,800 sq ft.
Before work on the floor could start, much demolition was required.
“We ripped out the whole place,” says Breit. “It was a pretty big renovation for the size of the property.”
Internal partition walls were repositioned so that one of the old flats now comprises an open-plan kitchendiner and living area, plus, where the former kitchen stood, a laundry room. The other flat incorporates the master bedroom, with a spacious en-suite bathroom and a walk-in wardrobe, and – for the children, who share a bathroom – a double bedroom (with one of the beds placed partially in a bay window niche, to maximise space) and a single one.
“There was no need to knock down the main dividing wall between the two flats; the contractors just dug a door out,” says O’Brien. “This flat was a mirror [image of the one next door]. So Cynthia had a false wall put in the former master bedroom to create a corridor.”
That area now incorporates floor-to-ceiling shelves for storage and display purposes.
“The [en-suite] bathroom area gave us the most problems,” says O’Brien. “Originally we were just going to have a large shower room and a big walk-in wardrobe but Cynthia persuaded us to put a bath in and I’m so glad she did.”
Even with a tub in a cosy nook, the couple still have a spacious shower cubicle; and “probably one of Hong Kong’s largest wardrobes, barring those on The Peak”.
After the floor, it’s the stainless-steel kitchen that is O’Brien’s pride and joy. That is partly because of the kitchen table.
“When Nicole found it on the internet she was smitten,” says O’Brien. “So it was a surprise gift for her. It’s the heart of our home and it’s such good quality – it’s practically indestructible and will last a lifetime.”
Study nook The red lacquered Besta cupboards (HK$3,900 for both) and Kassett red/white filing boxes (HK$30 to HK$50 each) were from Ikea. Also from Ikea were the desk and chair, which have now been discontinued. The photograph of the Hong Kong skyline is by Nick Gleitzman and was bought at Discovery Bay Market.
Children's bedroom The “window” bed, which includes storage underneath, was custom made by the contractor for HK$11,500. The bunk bed came from Next Furniture and was HK$2,150, while the Ikea Expedit shelves were HK$1,600.
Children’s bathroom The contractor built the cupboards, drawers and shelves for HK$25,650. The Walrus sink (HK$770) and Hatria toilet (HK$5,600) came from Hop Lung Building Materials. The jumping goldfish canvas prints were about HK$2,000 for the set.
