A classic Clear Water Bay village house received a five-star tropical makeover that the whole family loves. Creating a home that suits the often conflicting demands of adults and children is not easy. How does one deal with the rough and tumble of kids and pets, yet retain a stylish grown-up interior in which to unwind? Catherine Schallamach managed to do just that in the Clear Water Bay home she shares with husband Adam, sons Benedict, six, and Oliver, three, and family dogs Crumble and Brulee. A fan of countryside living, Schallamach had previously rented in Clear Water Bay and had firm ideas about what she wanted. 'We had lived in a village house before so we knew we could live with the amount of space,' she says. 'It was just a question of reconfiguring it.' After making the decision to buy, she took just six days to settle on what was then a standard village house in a quiet locale. A large garden was important: 'I didn't really care about a sea view because the kids are not able to play in the sea view are they?' she says. Thus the house, set on 6,100 sq ft of land, fitted her requirements. With a tree-fringed slope on one side, the plot had the potential to be private and had the space for a pool. 'We wanted a place that, once the children have gone to bed, could be transformed into an adult, resort-like environment,' Schallamach says. So she called in architect Adrian McCarroll, of Original Vision (tel:2810 9797), and they embarked on nine months of renovation work. McCarroll gutted the 2,100 sq ft three-storey structure. 'All that was left was the staircase and the central pillar. Every wall on every floor went,' says Schallamach. The house was divided into three zones, each floor serving a different purpose. The ground floor is the living area for all the family, with an open kitchen, a relaxed sitting room and a wall of glass bi-fold doors that pull back to reveal a terrace with a second living and dining area. Beyond the terrace is the garden, with the pool at the rear. The first floor belongs to the boys, with two equal-sized bedrooms and a play area that can be sealed off with sliding doors to become a guest room if needed. The second floor belongs to the adults, with a large, open master bedroom, resort-style en suite bathroom and study. Again, oversized sliding doors can be drawn across for privacy but increase the sense of space when open. 'Many people comment on how big and open it feels,' says Schallamach. To boost the relaxed ambience, McCarroll chose natural materials where possible, including durable slate flooring (a practical choice for children and dogs) and waxed walnut wood for the upper levels. There is teak decking outside on the informal terrace, with an adjustable louvred roof through which cool air is circulated using marine-grade stainless-steel fans. Such choices complement Schallamach's collection of wooden furniture - most of it large - and colourful artwork collected over the years. The kitchen is the heart of this home. 'I absolutely love cooking, so for me this was the most important area in the house,' says Schallamach. McCarroll designed the kitchen so it runs along one side of the ground floor, with a low-level divider that encourages social interaction but hides kitchen paraphernalia and dirty dishes from view in the living area. 'The stove is on the right so I can cook and talk to people at the same time.' Home entertaining is a priority and weekends are spent relaxing with friends and their families. 'Sundays here are often quite mad but it's so nice to be able to have a house that people can visit and enjoy,' says Schallamach. With the glass doors flung wide open, the house extends onto the terrace, where the adults can relax while the children play in the garden and pool. When dusk falls and the outdoor lights cast shadows around the bamboo-fringed perimeter, interior and exterior seem to merge into one, producing a tranquil, tropical ambience that wouldn't be out of place in Bali or Phuket. 'That's what everyone says when they come round for dinner,' says Schallamach. 1 The living room is comfortable and relaxing. The sofas are from GQ Interiors (26/F, Horizon Plaza, 2 Lee Wing Street, Ap Lei Chau, tel: 2501 0905) and the cushions are from Cloverleaf (1701 Keen Hung Commercial Building, 80 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, tel: 2866 6801). The large coffee table with kang legs cost HK$12,000 from Birdcage Antiques (22/F, Horizon Plaza, tel: 2580 5822). On the wall hangs a red painting by Vietnamese artist Hong Duc Dun, which cost HK$25,000 from Zee Stone Gallery (Yu Yuet Lai Building, 43 Wyndham Street, Central, tel: 2810 5895; www.zeestone . com). The oversized clock on the side table is from Indigo. 2 The terrace has a relaxed tropical feel. Large bi-fold doors open to create a seamless transition from interior to exterior, aided by the continuity of a hardwearing slate floor. The slate (about HK$40 a square foot) was supplied by the contractor. Marine-grade stainless-steel fans (A$425/HK$2,500 each) are from Cinni (857 South Dowling Street, Waterloo, Sydney, Australia, tel: 612 9758 4222; www.cinni . com.au). Adjustable louvres below the roof canopy can be closed if the sunlight is too strong. The outdoor kitchen, at the end of the terrace, has a built-in barbecue unit. The gold-painted carved wooden Buddha, which cost 12,000 baht (HK$2,500), is from the JW Marriot Phuket Resort & Spa ( www.phuket.com/marriott ). 3 The Bulthaup kitchen (shop A, LG/F, Ruttonjee Centre, 11 Duddell Street, Central, tel: 2868 9323), with its large Corian countertop, was designed to accommodate Catherine Schallamach's extensive collection of cooking equipment and utensils. The upstand provides space for a breakfast bar and hides the preparation/cooking area from view. At one end is an informal dining area with extra storage concealed beneath banquette seating. 4 An outdoor shower is set back off the side of the pool. Colourful towels bought in Noosa, Australia, wooden decking, white walls and bamboo plants enhance the tropical mood. 5 Adrian McCarroll, of Original Vision (tel: 2810 9797), ripped out the tarmac and tiles and installed a pool with raised teak decking at the rear and a lawn to the fore. Clear glass balustrades, 110cm high, don't interfere with the visual flow but ensure children are safe. At night, the bamboo and palms, installed in white planters, are backlit to provide a resort-like ambience. The grass, bamboo and bedded plants came from KK Horticulture (Tang Chung Road, Sai Kung, tel: 2792 7440). 6 A commanding teak four-poster bed from Tequila Kola (1/F, Horizon Plaza, tel: 2877 3295; www.tequilakola.com ) is the focal point of the master bedroom. Above the sideboard hangs an artwork by Aboriginal artist Ada Bird, sourced from a gallery in Canberra, Australia. The nightlight in the foreground was bought a decade ago from Selfridges, London. The American walnut engineered flooring (HK$700 a square metre) is from Equal (shop 302, Phase II, Ming An Plaza, 8 Sunning Road, Causeway Bay, tel: 2881 7066). 7 The ensuite bathroom is light and full of greenery. Tropical palms on the balcony provide an outdoor feel and privacy. The shower and the toilet areas are encased in glass for maximum light. The floor is slate. The Labeta sinks (HK$880 each) are from Hop Lung (shop A, Kiu Fu Commercial Building, 300 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2802 2274). 8 The luxurious, free-standing Morris bath tub (HK$7,500) is from Hop Lung. A wooden mask bought in Bali hangs on the wall. A slim inset shelf provides space for candles and toiletries. tried & tested pet project Every dog deserves a nook to call its own. Here, the space under the stairs has been turned into the perfect place for Crumble and Brulee to curl up on their faux leopard-skin doggie beanbags, from Stanley Pet Station (10 Wong Ma Kok Road, Stanley, tel: 2813 7979). A wide selection of beanbags for dogs (and cats) can also be found at Slack's Beanbag City (9/F, Unit A1 Evergreen Industrial Mansion, 12 Yip Fat Street, Aberdeen, tel: 8109 6955; www.slackbeanbags.com ). Understair lighting illuminates the space, which is also used for storage. styling Esther van Wijck