Paternal glory

A year-long renovation, overseen by a family man on a mission, has resulted in a modern home that caters to adults and children alike.

An interior with highly polished white marble floors, minimal storage space and design features in glass and steel sounds like the quintessential bachelor pad. But for Hong Kong businessman Dilip Parmanand, these are essential ingredients of a family home, created by a mega makeover of his Ho Man Tin apartment.

'[My wife, Marina, and I] liked this place when we saw it because it has lots of facilities for children,' says the father of three: daughters Tanya, eight, and Selina, six, and baby son Krishna. The extensive amenities include play- and sports grounds, meaning the children can spend a lot of time outside the apartment but still be safely within the complex.

The bright and airy home, which measures 3,200 sq ft, was originally two apartments. The interior walls were torn down, leaving an open shell that took Parmanand and his contractor, Terry Lai of Main Point Interiors (9/F, China Industrial Building, 155 Kowloon City Road, To Kwa Wan, tel: 2761 3677), a year to complete. The two met regularly and visited the apartment about three times a week to help with the visualisation of their plans.

Parmanand had done his homework. Having spent a lot of time visiting show flats, he knew exactly the look he wanted, which included the marble floor in the main living area. 'I always like white,' he says. 'It's more modern. But I didn't want too much white.'

Most of the walls are similarly pristine. To avoid an overly clinical look, he opted for contrasting black steel frames around doorways and the display cabinets in the living room. It's now one of his favourite features. 'This is what makes the home look really nice, the black steel.'