The apartment doesn't have a conventional layout, with the living room and kitchen featuring some awkward angles. But by commissioning some custom-made pieces, Wells managed to make these odd corners almost unnoticeable. Luckily, he prefers furniture that is not fully symmetrical. His TV cabinet, for example, is triangular, helping to centre the piece in front of the couch and also make the passage to the bedrooms and bathrooms appear wider.

Several minor structural changes were made to make the most of the space. The wall dividing two small bedrooms was knocked down to create a study, and the kitchen door was removed to open up the area. Several built-in cupboards were taken away, as was the built-in bed in the master bedroom. In addition, a false ceiling was taken from the living room, providing enough height to hang a small chandelier over the dining table, increasing the sense of space. A sliding door was installed in the main bathroom to achieve the same objective. 'I was just trying to get around the small space, and trying to make everything functional,' says Wells.

The study, which has enough vacant floor space to accommodate guests, is a departure from the wood-oriented look of the rest of the flat. This bright room allowed for darker colours and Wells chose black glass cupboards. 'I was either going to go [for] full dark wood or black glass, but I decided there was too much wood in the apartment,' he says. To avoid the depth of a full wardrobe, the cupboards in this room were built to allow his suits to hang one behind another, instead of side by side.

Design wise, he wanted a modern look. 'I was trying to do modern and Japanese together,' he says, adding that he hasn't finished adding the Japanese touches.

One element of his design plan is the rich red wall in the living room, which forms a dramatic backdrop to the dark brown couch. 'I painted the back wall red to give it more depth, and I guess a little more style,' says Wells, whose preference for dark brown and black accented by deep red is evident throughout the home.

The couch faces a flat-screen TV and there is a drinks bar to the right, reconstructed from his grandfather's antique bookcase. It's an important feature for Wells. He prefers to host drinks rather than dinner parties, and wasn't going to bother buying a dining table - although he's pleased with the petite one his mother found.

Sometimes, at least, mother knows best.

1 The television cabinet in the living area was made by George Wells' contractor (Ricky Construction Decoration Engineering, unit 2101B, Java Commercial Centre, 128 Java Road, North Point, tel: 3422 3093) for HK$6,000. The light over the dining table cost HK$1,400 from Au Mei Lighting Shop (67 Kwong Fuk Road, Tai Po, tel: 2651 8162). A bookcase belonging to Wells' grandfather now serves as a bar and has a glass top. The doors throughout the apartment cost HK$1,500 each from Poly Chance Asia (shop 1, 271 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2802 9819).

2 The brown leather couch (HK$32,450) is from Tree (22 Elgin Street, Central, tel: 2841 8844). The black wood coffee table (HK$3,450) - the top part of which opens to provide a storage area - is also from Tree. The red cushion and matching throw are from a store in Australia and the black panther statue was bought from Lane Crawford many years ago.

4 The study, formerly two small bedrooms, also serves as a guest room and storage for Wells' suits. His desk is a restored antique that belonged to his grandfather. Along the right wall, wardrobes lie behind doors of stainless steel clad in black tinted glass. The air-conditioning units are covered in painted louvred panels. The blinds here and throughout the apartment are from Crown Curtain (140 Kwong Fuk Road, tel: 2653 1913).

5 The blue mosaic tiles in the bathroom add richness and look fresh. Black grout was used, instead of the usual white, to create a dramatic finish. Wells sourced the tiles from Hop Hing Lung Material (235 Lockhart Road, tel: 2511 3013).

6 The kitchen tiles were resurfaced by the contractor, who also replaced the cabinets above and around the cooker and resurfaced the others for a total cost of HK$12,500. The new stainless-steel sink cost HK$1,400 from Galaxy Bathroom Collection (shop 3, 283 Lockhart Road, tel: 2802 3008). A stainless-steel splashback gives the kitchen a modern look.

7 The Milano queen-size bed (HK$11,450) and matching bedside table (HK$2,250) are from Tree. The window seat has been finished with a padded cushion covered in Thai silk. The faux fur and suede bedcover was made by Crown Curtain. A Versace cushion adds a vibrant touch. The projection wall clock cost about HK$1,000 from the Oregon Scientific Concept Store (shop A386, New Town Plaza, Sha Tin, tel: 2695 9001; www. oregonscientific.com.hk).

Tried + tested

Watch this space

The shower door in the main bathroom flexes in and out in a space-saving design. It cost about HK$4,500 from Sunrise Shower Equipment HK (366 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2834 7772).

Styling David Roden