Open sesame

Text Peta Tomlinson / Styling Anji Connell / Photography K.Y. Cheng

A Hong Kong flat with three bedrooms and two bathrooms might sound impressive – until you realise they were all squashed into a grand total of 830 square feet. Australian lawyers Marco and Winnie Condotti, who moved to Hong Kong seven years ago, didn’t want to be cooped up in a maze of tiny rooms, so they removed walls to create a one-bedroom, one-bathroom home with a reading-cum-guest room and an open living area encompassing a kitchen and dining nook.

The couple had bought the high-floor Sheung Wan apartment – two flats that had been knocked into one by a previous owner – in 2012 because it was airy, and had city views and harbour glimpses. They also liked the balcony, even though, pre-renovation, it felt disconnected from the interior.

To visually extend the living space, designer Alan Y.L. Chan, of Red Studio, suggested replacing the balcony’s sliding door with glass bi-folds, allowing for a wider opening, and raising the height of its floor to match that of the living room. (To meet regulations, this meant the balcony’s railings had to be raised – so in front of the existing structure was added a glass balustrade, which also acts as a windbreak.)

The pokey, enclosed kitchen was also opened up. Now, an island counter with storage forms the focal point of the combined living area. Its location affords easy access to the wine fridge, oven and dining nook, with its built-in walnut bench.