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Sharon Leece

Minimalism is the only thing missing in a Mid-Levels apartment that manages to combine style and substance.

A refreshing reversal of the less-is-more design philosophy can be found in the Mid-Levels home of Alexander Baehr. Warm yellows, greens, scarlets and browns, rich furnishings and a host of decorative accessories fill his 1,800-square-foot home.

Baehr, whose company, Absolute Lifestyle, supplies made-to-order hotel and spa accessories, admits he does not have a minimalist bone in his body. 'My home is filled to the max,' he says. Lucky, then, that his job - travelling around Asia sourcing everything from ceramics to lacquerware to textiles - allows him to indulge his maximalist principles. 'I would have all this stuff anyway,' he says. 'But that's the great thing about the job - you can combine the two.'

Although Baehr's home is full, it is not cluttered.

The layout and design work to make the space warm, relaxing and cosy. Unusually, the apartment is long and narrow, having a corridor that links living sections at either end.

At first, Baehr was put off by the apartment's design, but after viewing numerous other properties, he realised it had potential. He changed the layout, built new walls and added fake ceiling beams. 'With such a division of space, it means you can really walk from one end to another,' he says. 'The layout also helps to make the space look bigger than it is.'

Opposite the entrance is the office. At the end of the corridor to the right is the dining/living room, which leads to a huge master bedroom with an open bathroom. At the end of the corridor to the left is a second living room plus guest room and kitchen.

The new layout divides the apartment into two neat units, with the office zone in the middle. Sliding latticework doors in the corridor can be closed for privacy so visiting clients walk straight into an office environment rather than a home. 'It's like you have a private area at one end, a public area in the middle and [another] private area at the other end,' Baehr explains.

Baehr's involvement in the spa industry is evident in the design of the master suite. He chose to create a long rectangular room with the bedroom at one end and a dressing room and vanity area in the middle, leading to a luxurious bathroom with a huge tub made of black slate. 'I tried to create a hotel/spa feeling here. I painted the wall in the bedroom green, which is a good colour for spas, and wanted a Japanese bath-house feeling. Hence the huge tub.'

Opening the master suite allows a lot more light to flood through. To make the most of the views over the city, Baehr raised the bed. 'The only time you really enjoy the view is when you go to bed and relax or in the morning when you wake up,' he says. 'I designed the bed to be the same height as the bottom of the window so I can see straight out.'

All the work was done at minimal cost, proving that a huge budget isn't essential to creating a well-designed space. 'When I renovated, I tried to keep the budget low and to get the most out of the least money. I went for days and days up and down Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, sourcing the bathroom fittings and the materials. The furniture was mostly made on the mainland and many of the amenities were from shops that sell show items. I saved a lot of money that way.'

The result is a relaxing retreat that features Baehr's personal touch. 'It's so quiet and cosy; I love to relax here,' he says.

1 The living room has been furnished in calming shades of white and green. The striped coffee table cost $1,000 at the closing sale of the Queen's Road Central branch of Lane Crawford. The sofa and matching chaise longue cost about $4,000 each from Casa Vogue (165 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, tel: 2529 4841). Above the sofa hangs a painting by German artist Brigit Rau (?3,000/$28,500) sourced in Germany. Above the chaise hangs an antique Persian saddlebag, a gift from Rau. The green-silk cushions and throw were found on a trip to Thailand. The standing lamp is from Ikea (various locations; www.ikea.com.hk).

2 Alexander Baehr created an open dressing room-cum-vanity area that leads from the master bedroom into the bathroom. The efficient use of space helps to create a relaxed, spa-like atmosphere. Fitted wardrobes with mirrored fronts flank the vanity area, adding to the sense of space. Baehr covered the rear bathroom wall and bath tub with slate tiles (30cm by 60cm, $59 each from a shop on Lockhart Road) and, for visual interest, placed a panel of green mosaic tiles behind the tub.

3 At night, candlelight reflects off the mirrored cabinets in the vanity area, lending a lush, relaxing feeling to the space. The cabinetry was designed by Baehr and custom made for about $25,000. Candlestands and holders come in all shapes and sizes, and include a humorous pair of frog candlesticks, found during a trip to the United States.

4 The walls of the central corridor have been painted a sunny yellow to brighten the space. On top of an elmwood cabinet ($3,000) from Macau is a white lotus lamp with green trim ($1,500; from Absolute Lifestyle) and a pair of glass decanters found in India. The neo-classical-style chair was designed in the Philippines and costs $1,900 through Absolute Lifestyle. The sheepskin rug is from Ikea. The standing Buddha cost about $2,000 and was bought in Phuket.

5 The guest bathroom has a dramatic black-and-silver scheme. Baehr covered the wall behind the sink with grey, black and silver mosaic tiles. The Mexican silver hexagonal mirror ($1,500) and the resin-striped vase ($900) are both from Absolute Lifestyle.

6 The second living room serves as a television room for Baehr and as a private living room for guests. The curved sofa and striped cushions cost $6,000 from Giormani (shop C, Tung Shing Building, 138 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, tel: 23623869; www.giormani. com). On the floating shelves from Ikea are a pair of Thai figure paintings, which were a gift, and a paper lamp ($1,200), available through Absolute Lifestyle. Next to the ottoman in the foreground is a large mango-wood bowl ($1,400) with an orange capiz-shell interior designed by Absolute Lifestyle.

7 A set of five coloured hanging lights ($3,000) and a splashback made of turquoise, black and grey mosaic tiles (from a shop on Lockhart Road) add colour to the kitchen. The fitted cabinets were designed by Baehr and custom made for about $30,000.

tried & tested

windows of opportunity

Alexander Baehr did not want to use the balcony at the end of the living room because it was too hot and noisy. To keep the interior/exterior connection, he enclosed it and added a bank of windows that can be pulled back to open the space. A set of sliding doors between it and the living room creates the feeling of stepping into a private room. The space also becomes an effective smoking room during parties. To enhance the space, Baehr turned what was a large Chinese-

style coffee table into a two-person chaise longue by adding a pair of pyramid-shaped Thai floor cushions. They were bought at Chatuchak Weekend Market in Bangkok (Kamphaengphet 3 Road, Chatuchak District).

styling Esther van Wijck

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