Interior designer Luis Yan knew he was right for the job when it came to renovating a 2,000 sq ft Mid-Levels' flat. He was full of ideas but, most importantly, he had recently refurbished an identical space a few floors below. His knowledge of the building's quirks, he says, was invaluable because of the flats' odd shape. 'They're triangular,' he says, then corrects himself by drawing a three-leaf-clover-like configuration on a piece of paper and pointing to one of the leaves. 'There are three flats per floor. They're really difficult to use well.' The 'strange shape' of the light-filled flat - which is wide at the entrance and tapers off into a narrow far end - isn't apparent until he points to curious nooks that he exposed to afford more storage space, or, in the case of the en-suite master bathroom, more room in the shower cubicle (which, as a result is L-shaped). 'Before, these spaces were just blocked off,' he says. Luckily for Yan, his clients, a Hongkonger and her Australian partner, had few requirements beyond en- larging the living and dining areas and ensuring the interior was modern, eclectic and wowed guests. Other requests included an interesting colour scheme, drawers and doors that opened smoothly and bright rooms that would not need artificial lighting during the day. The owners also wanted a knockout 'something' at the end of the corridor leading to the three bedrooms (one of which is now a guest room, the other a study) and second bathroom. Instead of hanging a conventional canvas on the wall, Yan, of Harmony Interior Design & Decoration, found a floral work subtly illuminated with lights that change colour. The work attracts the attention of anyone entering the flat, drawing the gaze past the open kitchen and living and dining areas. To make the front half of the flat bigger, walls were moved back and the kitchen was opened. 'But they wanted something to block the smoke and smells of Chinese cooking,' says Yan. The solution was to install bi-fold windows above the kitchen counter (see Tried + tested). The floral feature in the corridor is complemented in the dining room with a custom-made mirror etched with blossoms and a similar feature outside the flat. 'This is the theme but we just have three things with flowers,' says Yan, an engineer-turned-interior designer. 'More would be too much.' Practical touches elsewhere in the flat hint at the couple's way of life. Cushions have been fitted into window alcoves so they can admire the view while relaxing and reading, Yan says. In the study, ample drawers and closed bookcases were built to ensure minimal clutter. The space, which is equipped with a Murphy bed, can be used for guests when the spare room is occupied. Again, with comfort in mind, Yan removed a wall separating the master bedroom and what had originally been a fourth bedroom to create a walk-in wardrobe. This enables a breeze to flow from one side of the flat to the other. When it's humid, however, and dehumidifiers are needed to keep the clothes dry, the space can be closed with glass sliding doors. Was there anything he didn't consider when it came to renovating the flat? Frowning, Yan says he visited the couple's previous apartment only once to gauge how much room they would need for their belongings, then points to a stack of framed photographs that haven't yet found a home. 'They have a lot of pictures,' he says with a sigh. 'I had no idea how many they would have.' 1 The bright dining area enjoys natural as well as reflected light from the etched mirror. The table cost HK$16,800 from Melandas (2/F, Grand Central Plaza, Sha Tin, tel: 3586 0581). Two Louis Ghost chairs in a champagne colour (HK$3,060 each from Kartell, 1/F, Ruttonjee Centre, 11 Duddell Street, Central, tel: 2810 0408) were bought to complement four that the homeowners already had. 2 Setting the look for the living area is a rug that came from the homeowners' previous apartment. The sofa cost HK$63,600 from Ulferts (1/F, Grand Central Plaza, tel: 2634 1318). The glass coffee table (HK$2,499) came from HMF (basement, Ichang House, 61 Caine Road, Mid-Levels, tel: 2869 8018). Near the painting by Youri Leroux, from Sin Sin Fine Art (1 Prince's Terrace, Mid-Levels, tel: 2858 5072), is a red floor lamp that cost HK$15,000 from Artemide (1/F, Ruttonjee Centre, tel: 2523 0333). The archer came from an antique shop in Cambodia. 3 Two Kartell stools (HK$1,710 each) stand in front a red sofa (HK$5,000), which was designed by Harmony Interior Design & Decoration (22/F, 88 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2528 6828). The chandelier cost HK$7,600 from E-lighting (43 Morrison Hill Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2833 1998). 4 At the end of the corridor leading to the bedrooms, bathrooms and study is a light panel that cost HK$48,000 from Ovo (16 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, tel: 2526 7226). 5 The bed and headboard were designed and made by Harmony Interior Design & Decoration for HK$12,000 and HK$9,500, respectively. 6 Plain white drawers are mixed with mirrored ones in the en-suite master bathroom. The Roca sink (HK$1,600) and the Grohe tap (HK$1,680) came from Luen Hing Hong Building Materials (236 Lockhart Road, tel: 2511 3630). 7 Harmony Interior Design & Decoration built the two-colour cabinets in the study for HK$30,200. Below the mirror are drawers that accommodate hanging files and above are enclosed bookshelves. 8 To enhance the sense of space, Yan created an open kitchen that can be closed with bi-fold windows. The cabinets were built for HK$105,000 by SigMann (188 Lockhart Road, tel: 2828 3438). The Gessi tap (HK$9,500) also came from SigMann. Tried + tested Smell check To create a sense of space, Luis Yan of Harmony Interior Design & Decoration created an open kitchen that fronts an open-plan dining area. Although they liked the look of their new kitchen, Yan's clients also wanted to be able to close the space, when necessary, to contain cooking smells. To solve the problem, bi-fold windows, which hang from a single track above the counter, were installed. 'You can't have an ugly track on the counter,' says Yan, which is why he used plastic instead of glass, to reduce the weight of the windows. The bar counter and wooden veneer sliding window were designed and installed for HK$80,000 by Harmony Interior Design & Decoration. Styling David Roden
