Over down under

When Joanna Lee first saw the Mid-Levels flat she and her husband, Michael, an investment banker, would eventually buy, it was in such a state she felt it could pass for something out of the 1970s. The 2,750 sq ft flat was dark, damp and smelly, but something about it – the high ceilings, its potential for space – struck a chord.

“The apartment was in a poor condition and dated but I felt that as long as the space was there, I could do something with it,” says Lee. “I’m not a designer, though, and didn’t have a vision. That all came from Clifton Leung and his team.”

Leung gutted the property and, among a host of changes, reduced the number of bedrooms from five to four and substituted the fifth bedroom with a glass-walled study.

He opened up the living and dining areas and installed large glass doors leading onto the balcony to allow light to flood in.

Since the Lees and their three children were living in Australia while the renovations were taking place, everything was done via Skype, e-mails and phone calls, with Lee paying only two visits to check on progress. The renovation took about eight months, from initial concept discussions to completion.