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Out of sight

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Form and function combine to bring sleek storage solutions and flexibility to a stunning new apartment.

First impressions can be deceiving. The ornate gold and marble lobby of the new Pokfulam development where Nelson Fong Chi-meng and Polly Leung Siu-kwan purchased their 1,125 sq ft apartment is the diametric opposite of the sleek, pared-down flat they created with interior designer Bun Ho, of su:b design (tel: 6773 7292). 'We didn't want anything fancy or overly decorated in our apartment,' says Fong, 'and we'd worked with Bun on our last two places so we had a lot of confidence in him.'

Being presented with a new apartment, full of unused fittings and fixtures, did not prevent Ho from tearing the place apart. Originally, the flat had two bedrooms, two bathrooms, an open living/dining room and a concealed kitchen. After ascertaining the spatial needs of the owners, Ho, with the help of contractor Man Ho (tel: 9770 4123), transformed the layout in the private quarters: he turned two bathrooms into one, added significant closet space in the smaller bedroom, used a built-in desk to create a study and carved a walk-in closet with vanity area out of the master suite.

Each room in the flat - a cool combination of stainless steel, aluminium and glass on white - enjoys a stunning bird's eye view of the sea and Lamma Island. Making the most of the flat's vista are floor-to-near-ceiling glass doors leading to a balcony with a Plexiglas balustrade. Entry into the home is through the living/dining space, which opens into the kitchen through a corner door.

A short hall between the living and dining areas leads to the bathroom, which can also be accessed through the master bedroom. The study is across from the bathroom.

Functionality was important to Fong and Leung, and that helped to shape the design process. To open up the home and make it as flexible as possible, Ho sequestered almost everything. 'All the storage space is concealed,' he says, 'and all the sliding and swinging doors are hidden so the space can be configured according to need.' This approach emphasises the lines of the built-in features and creates an uncluttered living space. 'The idea is to minimise the elements to fit the space, but not to create a minimalist look,' says Ho. 'We achieved this by using curves and some accent colours, not just rectangular spaces.'

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