bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Liana Cafolla

A high-flying bachelor had no doubts about what he wanted his Bonham Road home  to be - a sleek refuge from life in the fast lane.
The brief given to design consultant Jurgen Abergas (tel: 9137 7679) was simple and unequivocal: create a bachelor pad with a spacious feel and, most importantly, a seamless, unfussy interior.
'He wanted everything to be organised, neat and almost tucked in,' the designer says. 'He wanted everything hidden,  a very sleek design - a tension-free environment, in other words.'
Even door handles were a no-no. Abergas describes his client, who works in a demanding, high-pressure job, as having an 'allergy' to such features and he had specified they be used only when absolutely necessary.
Following a makeover by  Abergas, Bruce Harwood, senior designer at BHI Group  (tel: 2787 7863), and contractor Barry Yip, project manager of BMG   (tel: 2524 6906), it seems those demands have been met.
Originally  comprising three bedrooms,  a dining area, a living room, a kitchen and two bathrooms, the 1,000 sq ft apartment on Bonham Road is unrecognisable after the renovation.
It now has one bedroom,  a spacious bathroom, an open kitchen, a living room and a small study-cum-guest room that can be separated from the living room by a sliding panel. The original dining area  has been transformed into a large walk-in closet and the kitchen bar/table  functions as the eating area.
The apartment's airiness and exceptional light attracted the owner, who had inspected many other flats during his search for a home.  It's large rectangular shape  lent itself  to a clear-cut layout. High ceilings and large windows on three sides  enhance the feeling of roominess, which is  particularly notable in the kitchen and living area.
Light  timber flooring is used throughout the apartment, except in the bathroom. 'It gives the illusion  the space is  huge,' says Abergas.
Another feature that tricks the eye is the unusually wide entrance hall, which has been left  unfurnished, creating an immediate sense of openness upon entering the apartment.
The owner's work obliges him to spend much of his time travelling  internationally and living out of a suitcase. To compensate for that, one of his requirements was a large walk-in closet in which he could easily see and select his clothes and accessories. The design he chose for his home  was influenced by the chic boutique hotels he prefers.
The colour scheme is an easy-on-the-eye combination of taupes, off-whites and browns. 'He wanted to keep it neutral to make it easier to accessorise,' says Abergas, adding that  the owner is planning to hang vibrant artworks, which will add dramatic splashes of colour to the walls.
The kitchen area is used more often for entertaining than for food preparation. The original dining area was lost to the  dressing room, in keeping with the owner's preference for drinks parties and casual dining at the kitchen bar rather than formal, sit-down meals.
Occasional overnight guests are accommodated on a sofa bed.  Host and guest are afforded a degree of privacy by a neatly installed  screen, which can be pulled out from a niche in the wall to separate the study area from the main living room.
The main living area centres on a sprawl-friendly couch facing the TV. 'When in Hong Kong, the owner spends a lot of time at home, watching DVDs  and listening to music,' says Abergas.
And what of the allergy that plagues the stressed-out resident? It has  been kept at bay. Adhering to the  requirement for sleekness, there is hardly a handle to be seen.
Sliding doors are the rule in the dressing room. The bathroom cabinets and  the doors to extensive but unobtrusive storage in the living room and study  are opened by pulling on underneath or overhead grooves. Even the kitchen cupboards are almost imperceptible, the factory-installed handles on the oven and fridge being the only protrusions here.
There are no large overhead lights in the apartment. All the lighting is ambient,  much of it  concealed in the ceiling, behind mirrors in the bathroom and behind panels in the bedroom.
It's all in line with the design brief then. And the result? 'A happy client,' says Abergas with a grin.
tried & tested
on the wire
For minimalists, essential but bulky items  such as speakers and sockets can be a design headache, defiling the seamlessness of walls. These essentials can't be hidden inside cupboards unless unsightly holes are bored through for access and sound emission. The contractors solved the problem by leaving the  area behind a floor-level storage space next to the desk open. All  electrical equipment and telephone lines can be connected to the sockets hidden here. There is also space for a subwoofer so it can be heard but not seen.
1 The comfortable couch (HK$26,880 from Kinsan Collections, 59 Wyndham Street,  Central, tel: 2526 2309)   is in two parts. The long divan side can be separated and turned into a sofa bed.  The Rubino coffee table is by Sovet  (HK$12,000 from Italdesigns, 39 Wong Nai Chung Road,  Happy Valley, tel: 2892 1809).
2 The worktops and bar/table (HK$48,000) are made of Corian.  They were designed by Palladio Kitchen (3/F,  Wah Hing Commercial Building, 283 Lockhart Road,  Wan Chai, tel: 2802 3900)  and installed by Speed Top Hong  Kong  (5/F, Trade Square, 681 Cheung Sha Wan Road,   Cheung Sha Wan, tel: 2392 2161). The Hoppy kitchen stools  are by Bonaldo from Italdesigns.  The cupboards are made from medium-density fibreboard (MDF) with a laminate finish and were designed and  made by Palladio Kitchen (cabinets HK$60,000).
3 Fluorescent light tubes are hidden on either side of the wooden backdrop behind the bed. The bedside tables were designed by BHI (3/F, Wah Hing Commercial Building, tel: 2787 7863)  and built by BMG (room 1602, Tai Wong Commercial Building, 222 Queen's Road Central, tel: 2524 6906).  The Carpyen Hotel wall lamps cost HK$2,500 each from Zodiac Lighting (Amber Commercial Building, 70 Morrison Hill Road,  Wan Chai, tel: 2882 9082).
4 The neat study area was designed by BHI and installed by BMG. The cupboards on  the left of the desk house a wardrobe  while there are deep storage shelves on the  right. The units are lacquer spray-painted MDF and plywood panelling. The dark brown leather  chair is called Miss Marta by Bonaldo  (HK$6,300 from Italdesigns).
5 The spacious bathroom was designed by BHI and built by BMG. The ceramic mosaic wall and floor tiles were bought from Vision Ceramics (157 Lockhart Road,   tel: 2511 8066).  The chunky white rectangular wash basin is from Hop Lung Sanitary Ware (300 Lockhart Road,   tel: 2802 2275)  and was installed higher than usual to allow for the owner's height.
6 The sliding room divider, comprising dark glass in a steel frame, was designed by BHI and built by BMG. It slides into a purpose-made space in the wall when not in use.  The  oak-timber floor in oil finish, Prestige Oak by Hattco, was installed by Karlian International (17/F, Yue On Commercial Building, 385 Lockhart Road,  tel: 2388 3938).



Handle with care