One couple's desire to re-create their Parisian lifestyle meant putting into practice the maxim 'seek and ye shall find'. When a house-hunter knows exactly what she wants, finding it can be difficult. 'I looked at 60 places in three weeks,' Gaelle Echene says about her fast and furious apartment search, 'and finally found a place that met our requirements.' Having relocated from France, Echene and husband Mathias wanted a home that reminded them of the loft they had left in Paris. The 2,000-square-foot flat the Echenes selected is a split-level penthouse in a Mid-Levels high-rise that includes a large roof terrace with internal staircase. White walls and dark wooden floors provide a neutral backdrop to the stunning views of Central and Victoria Harbour. Floor-to-ceiling windows in most rooms contribute to an airy atmosphere. The floor plan was important to Echene. 'The unconventional layout was very appealing,' she says. 'The traditional Chinese layout was not what we were looking for.' Their flat has a closed kitchen and open living/dining area on the ground floor, along with a large study and guest bathroom. A glass-brick staircase with glass balustrades leads to the master suite, nursery, bathroom and guest room, which the couple have converted into a large walk-in wardrobe. 'There was not one wardrobe in this space,' Echene explains, 'so we needed to create one.' The Echenes created an urban oasis on their rooftop by incorporating natural touches, such as tall bamboo and patches of grass, kept green by an automatic sprinkler system. Wooden decking defines an outdoor bath and shower area where the family enjoys bathing alfresco. A teak dining table, chairs and firm cotton cushions are positioned to capitalise on the view and create a cosy space for relaxation. 'It was very easy to set up this terrace,' Echene says. 'We were lucky there was no air-conditioning unit we had to disguise.' As renters, the couple could not make structural changes to their flat. Instead Echene, who admits to being a chronic customiser, has stamped her personal touch onto the space by creating unique decorative pieces. 'I like to appropriate things and use them in ways for which they weren't originally intended,' she says. Examples of her inspiration include the acrylic baby cot she and Mathias designed for their daughter and the large glass apothecary jars filled with coloured water that brighten the nursery and dining area. The sun-washed beiges, light greys, chocolate browns and touches of indigo that make up the palette of the home create the low-key and cosy ambience Echene desired. Furniture is a mixture of treasures, mostly antiques, brought from their home in France, and pieces custom made in Hong Kong to her specifications. 'I like to experiment with materials,' she says, explaining that she had an acrylic base made locally to support a slab of 18th-century marble her parents, antiques dealers, sourced from a castle in Europe. The unique piece of furniture now serves as her desk. The apartment's view was the feature that initially drew the couple to their home and it still compels them. 'It is very French to entertain a lot - and we do - so atmosphere is important to us,' Echene says. 'And here it's more like being in a little house on top of Central than in an apartment.' 1 The cotton-covered chaise longue ($8,300) is from Artura Interiors (29 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, tel: 2527 2893). The dramatic French landscape painting hanging above it is by Echene's father-in-law, Valentin ( echenem@hotmail.com ). The candle holder ($500), the candles of which droop dramatically because of Hong Kong's humidity, is from Lane Crawford ( www.lanecrawford.com ; various locations). The soft beige couch was bought in Paris. 2 The sleek staircase, airily fashioned from transparent glass bricks, glass balustrades and stainless steel, connects the flat's three levels. The eight framed artworks were painted by Valentin. About 40 snapshots of the Echenes' wedding are taped to the stairway wall in a random pattern, creating an instant gallery of happy memories. 3 The lofty location of the Echenes' penthouse apartment affords a degree of privacy that allows them to bathe alfresco on their rooftop. The bucket tub (22,000 baht/$4,160) was purchased at Chatuchak Market in Bangkok. The folding chair ($600) is from Resource Asia (16/F, Horizon Plaza, 2 Lee Wing Street, Ap Lei Chau, tel: 2554 9088). The large containers ($500 each from Cheung Kee Copper & Iron, 76 Wellington Street, Central, tel: 2524 8656) keep the bamboo tidy in strong winds. The square cushion is from Bali. 4 The embossed leather armoire ($30,000, from a now defunct shop) provides excellent storage and space on which to display ornaments. The dining table ($7,500), which expands to seat 12, is from Artura Interiors. The two accompanying chairs are French antiques. The whimsically striped floor lamp ($2,000) is from Aluminium (19 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, tel. 2546 5904). Echene bought the table lamp on the armoire from Ikea ( www.ikea.com.hk ; various locations) and personalised it by affixing velvet ribbons. 5 The mixture of pieces - old and new, bought in Europe and Hong Kong - in the master bedroom exemplifies the approach Echene used in decorating her Hong Kong abode. The burgundy leather bed ($14,800) is from a Hong Kong shop that has sinced closed. The armchair ($20,000) was purchased at the Conran Shop during the couple's time in London ( www.conran.co.uk ). The clear plastic bedside table ($500) is from G.O.D. ( www.god.com.hk ; various locations). Perhaps the most precious of all is the drawing above the bed by Echene's great-great-grandfather Charles Mozin of Trouville Sur Mer in Normandy. 6 The nursery is a bright and colourful room that showcases the unique acrylic baby cot the Echenes designed for their daughter and plan to market in Hong Kong, London and France ($8,500; info@minibij.com ). The purple chair ($4,500) is from Chen Mi Ji (69 Peel Street, Central, tel: 2179 5388). The purple wall squares ($100 each from Artland, 15 Old Bailey Street, Central, tel: 2868 4854) show Echene's customisation wizardry, as do the hanging lights she put together with materials picked up in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The wall-mounted CD player, the spinning motion of which fascinates the baby, cost $1,000 at Muji (3/F, Lee Theatre Plaza, 99 Percival Street, Causeway Bay, tel: 2808 1306). tried & tested it's a wrap Covering up eyesores need not cost a fortune. Take the coil that snakes around the skirting boards of Gaelle Echene's living room. 'My husband installed some special electronic equipment so there were wires everywhere,' she says. 'I went to Shamshuipo one day and this natural rope caught my eye. I started thinking about a boat.' Echene, an inveterate customiser, returned home and wrapped the cords tightly with the rope she had found. The result adds a nautical twist to the problem of spaghetti-cord tangle, which plagues many homes. 'It took a long time, but now it's discreet,' Echene says. styling Ester van Wijk