Taking a house in Florida as inspiration, an American woman has turned a dilapidated Shek O shack into a colourful and relaxed beach-side home. Finding a gem of a house in a unique Hong Kong village was a dream come true for Normandy Madden. The journalist left her native United States more than 15 years ago, living in Ireland and Prague before moving to Hong Kong. She has called this colourful village house in the heart of Shek O home for six of the nine years she has been in Hong Kong, transforming what was a rundown, dilapidated shell into a personal hideaway that seems a million miles away from the city. But the path to idyllic beachside living was not straightforward; it took determination, tenacity and a strong sense of vision. Madden moved to Shek O to be near her boyfriend (now husband), Reuben Tuck. Back then, the only house she could find in her price range was essentially 'an abandoned wreck'. But instead of seeing a shell of a house without adequate plumbing, air conditioning or electrical fittings as a problem, she sniffed an opportunity. She came to an agreement with the landlord to fix the house at her own expense if he offered a reasonable rent. 'To someone who likes interior design anyway that was a bit of a challenge,' she explains. 'I got a three-year lease that I renewed for another three years with no increase.' Her first step was to call in contracting company Mr Hammer Design & Decoration (tel: 2816 6382). 'When they came in to view the place they asked how long it had been empty for and they were truly shocked that someone had been living here before me,' says Madden. But they set to work with enthusiasm, renovating the house from top to toe, replumbing, repainting, adding air-conditioners, a hot-water heater and more. Madden knew what she was aiming for. 'I wanted it decorated in beach-house style. I modelled it on a Miami house I had seen in Metropolitan Home magazine.' Originally the downstairs was painted yellow, but after three years, Madden had it repainted the vibrant coral shade it is today. 'The idea was that it was a tropical beach house occupied by an American. My inspiration was Miami and Key West.' Colour everywhere brightens the space. Turquoise, coral, purple, yellow and red co-exist. 'I like colour; it's fun,' says Madden. 'Coloured paint doesn't cost any more than white paint for the most part. So why settle for white? It's like why have vanilla ice cream when you can have pistachio?' In this home, style is not about price, it's about attitude. Says Madden: 'I know it looks like I have a lot of plain Ikea stuff, but my philosophy is that you don't need a huge budget to make a nice place to live.' The secret to creating a distinctive space - as evidenced here - is in investing in a few signature pieces that stand out, and accenting them with artwork, rugs and fun pieces bought while travelling. In this way, a home is a reflection of personality and lifestyle, rather than an impersonal design statement. Artwork, predominantly pieces by Ukrainian and Czech artists known personally to Madden, covers the walls. 'All of the paintings remind me of my time in Prague, right after the Velvet Revolution in 1989,' says Madden. 'I moved there in 1992. Watching the country evolve over the next five years was a wonderful experience and in many ways has been mirrored by watching China change over the past nine years.' Unfortunately, Madden's days in her cherished village house are numbered because her landlord's demand for a three-fold increase in rent means it is time for her to move on. 'I'm going to miss it; it's going to be a very sad farewell.' 1 The spacious living room has Key West-style vibrant coral walls. They were painted by Mr Hammer Design & Decoration (11 North Street, Kennedy Town, tel: 2816 6382). The furniture is relaxed, as befitting beach-side living. The wrought-iron daybed was purchased in Prague; Normandy Madden has supplemented it with a pair of iron chairs (about HK$800 each from Irony, since closed) and a Granas coffee table (HK$499 from Ikea, various locations; www. ikea.com.hk). Under the coffee table is a large kilim (US$750), bought in Istanbul. On the walls hang paintings by artists from Eastern Europe: above the couch are paintings by Ukranian artist Andrej Rusanov (left) and Czech artist Hana Janakova. The green silk cushion covers on the daybed are from Thailand. 2 The ground floor of the house is open plan, with the dining room divided visually by use of a raised platform. A brick wall, painted mint green, divides the dining room from the kitchen area. The Granas dining table (HK$990) and chairs (HK$190 each) are from Ikea; the pair of paintings above the table are by Rusanov and the Buddha painting was a wedding gift from a friend. 3 Madden removed a 1960s-style shelving unit that previously divided the kitchen from the dining area, and painted the exposed brick wall. She made the kitchen cheerful, practical and cute by installing basic wooden shelves, painted mauve, and stacking her implements and foodstuffs on them. She also installed a wooden countertop, which wraps around from the dining area into the kitchen, thus providing a handy breakfast bar. A bar stool with upholstered red seating completes the vibrant colour scheme. 4 The master bedroom has been painted a rich shade of red. For added drama, Madden took a regular wooden bed purchased in Macau and turned it into a 'four-poster' by adding a cream cotton canopy sourced in Bali and suspending it from the ceiling. Covering the bed is a bedspread purchased during a trip to a hill-tribe village outside Chiang Mai, Thailand. A line of wardrobes runs along one side of the room: Madden purchased simple wooden units from Ikea and, instead of doors, hung glamorous long red drapes that match the walls. The fabric is from Ikea. 5 The vibrant colour scheme continues on the building's exterior, which draws unwanted attention at the weekends from inquisitive day-trippers. To counter this, Madden placed rows of plants along her living room window (to the left) to maintain her privacy. 6 A circular nook off the side of the bedroom offers a calm area in which to read and relax, as well as providing light for the bedroom. The wicker chair and ottoman are both from Ikea; the kilim on the floor (US$100) is from Istanbul. A pair of red velvet curtains hung at the entrance to the nook were made by Sheryia Curtain Company (shop 2, 1 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, tel: 2525 6596). The pair of metal candle holders on the floor cost HK$500 from Shambala (2/F, Horizon Plaza, tel: 2555 2997; www.shambala.com.hk ). tried & tested hanging around Finding space for her beloved bike, on which she travelled across Europe - from Ireland to Prague - was no easy task, so when Normandy Madden's contractor, Mr Hammer Design & Decoration, suggested hanging it from the ceiling, Madden had no objections. A simple device consisting of a chain and s-shaped hook that attaches to the front wheel means the bike is easy to access and doesn't take up much room. A Bali-bought fabric hood - part of a set including the canopy in Madden's bedroom - helps hide the chains. styling Gloria Wong