Better in than out
Ada Chan was not prepared to take any chances when it came to renovating. Having lived in her 1,500 sqft Mid-Levels apartment for 10 years, she decided on a complete refit of the interior when told the outside of the building was to be redecorated. She and her husband moved out ahead of the exterior work but not before she had carefully selected who to entrust with the redesign of her home.
Having seen the work of Clifton Leung Design Workshop in Post Magazine, she was sold.
'I followed Clifton's work for quite some time,' says the bubbly financial services employee.
The firm was quick to understand the couple's vision.
'They came up with a design within a week, and we said, 'Yes',' says Chan. 'It was very smooth.'
'I rearranged the whole apartment,' Clifton Leung says. 'I wanted to open it up because it's a great space but the layout was terrible.'
The kitchen, where Chan spends a lot of time, was at the end of a dark corridor, far from the living area, and the dining space was separated from the kitchen by two corridors and a study. Leung got rid of the corridors, freeing up several square metres of space, and repositioned the study and the dining area. Chan's bright, airy kitchen now opens on to a vibrant dining area.
'We like to stay home and have friends and family over,' she says. 'The difference is, in the past, it wasn't an open kitchen so when I was cooking, I couldn't see things like guests arriving.'
The old study was dark, the new one is a compact sunny space between the master bedroom and the balcony, with large windows on two sides making the most of natural light.
Some generously sized features add to the sense of space in the couple's bedroom. An extra-wide sliding door separates the master suite and the spacious walk-in wardrobe from the living room.
By positioning the master bedroom, en-suite bathroom and study at one end of the living room and the guest bedroom and bathroom at the other, Leung has created wings, and the corridors are not missed.
'Old layouts always have problems,' Leung says. 'Thirty years ago, builders thought differently.'
Chan likes ornaments, so Leung kept the background uncluttered and chose a plain colour scheme, with plenty of wall space for her pictures.
'I wanted to do it in monotone, with the oak flooring and the oak cabinetry, because there are a lot of paintings and other things she has collected,' he says.
The open home feels modern and bright but not overly fussy, in line with Leung's design philosophy that homes should be functional, comfortable and timeless.
'I wanted it to be completely homely, not so glamorous,' Leung says. 'After 10 years, I want this house to be still comfortable.'
1 The painting behind the couch, by Hoang Phuong Vy, was bought in Vietnam. Three narrow shelves on the side wall provide a compact home for ornaments Ada Chan has picked up on her travels. The floor is covered in engineered wood that cost HK$120 a square foot from Rada Contracting (9/F, Two Grand Tower, 625 Nathan Road, Mong Kok, tel: 3114 0453). The coffee table and Cassina couch, both of which came from the couple's previous home, were bought from Anterra (5 Blue Pool Road, Happy Valley, tel: 2577 5716).
2 Brightly coloured chairs enliven the rectangular teak dining table, which cost HK$10,800 from Tree (28/F, Horizon Plaza, 2 Lee Wing Street, Ap Lei Chau, tel: 2870 1582). The walnut chairs - the orange ones are fibreglass and the green are fabric - cost HK$12,000 for six, also from Tree. The Diesel light over the dining table was bought for HK$8,680 from Apartment (62 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay, tel: 2882 2198). The painting, The Wedding Day by Le Thanh Son, was bought in Vietnam.
5 The Duravit washbasin (about HK$4,000) and the Hansgrohe shower set (about HK$15,000) both came from Sunny Pro (193 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2156 0388). The overhead light was HK$135 from PLC Lighting (210 Lockhart Road, tel: 2519 6275).
6 The audio-visual equipment stands against a painted feature wall. The platform accommodating the equipment was designed and built for HK$5,800 by Clifton Leung Design Workshop. The television cost HK$49,000, excluding speakers, from Bang & Olufsen (3/F, 1 Hysan Avenue, Causeway Bay, tel: 2882 1782). Also from Bang & Olufsen were the CD player (HK$48,500) and CD stand (HK$5,000).
7 & 8 The rectangular kitchen, with an expansive worktop, is the hub of the home for Chan. The kitchen was designed and fitted by The Gallery (169 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2838 9986) and cost HK$158,000, including the Corian countertop. The Fisher & Paykel fridge cost HK$32,000 from Kelvin Electric Trading Company (42 Leighton Road, tel: 2358 4228). The Hansgrohe tap cost HK$3,200 from Sunny Pro.
The good and the ugly
Open view
Seeking to create a sense of space and seamlessness in the master suite, designer Clifton Leung wanted to install a glass wall between the bedroom and the bathroom, running the full width of the latter. His client, however, was concerned she would see a little more than she wanted to. 'I wanted it fully open and she said half. It was a compromise,' says Leung, of the semi-open bathroom.
Tried + tested
Inner space
Combining functionality with design, the cushion-topped seat in the master bedroom has a sliding cover that conceals a large storage space underneath - perfect for cushions, bedding and other bulky items. It was designed by Clifton Leung Design Workshop for HK$6,600.
Styling: David Roden
