Knowing that careful planning is the key to successful home design, experienced renovators Mark Saunderson and Jason Apolinario took their time working out the details for their new city bolt-hole, a 1,500 sq ft flat in Mid-Levels. Though now based overseas, the owners once lived on Bowen Road and knew the area well, which made it easy to narrow down their search to a bright space in an older building with a green and open view. Tapping the technical expertise of an architect friend, they redesigned the original three-bedroom layout before handing the project to interior designer Ivan Chau of Tea Interior Design. More than five months of planning was rewarded by a speedy and relatively trouble-free renovation. The result is an airy living space with an open kitchen and two en-suite bedrooms. 'Our brief was for a clean, light space in neutral tones because we were going to introduce colour with art,' says Saunderson, one of the driving forces behind Fabrik Contemporary Art, a gallery specialising in famous Western artists. The owners' rotating collection of prize artworks include colourful images by Damien Hirst, Andy Warhol and Hong Kong-based British artist Simon Birch. Chau's design is distinctly masculine. Metal fittings and stone counters in chunky widths stand in strong contrast to the bright white walls and cleverly concealed cabinetry. In a departure from the usual open-plan layout, the non-structural wall between the living and dining areas was maintained to accommodate the television and entertainment console as well as providing additional wall space to display artwork. In the bedrooms, Chau found creative ways to connect the reconfigured en-suite bathrooms, keeping the lines clean and making the most of the available space. 'Our biggest challenge was making sure that everything was going to work for Mark's height,' Chau says. 'Because he's so tall, we did everything we could to claim back every possible centimetre from the lowered ceiling, for example,' he says, pointing to the shallow ceiling recess above the main living area. The lowered ceiling was the price paid for new air-conditioning units, a set of unobtrusive music speakers and an extensive system of one-touch mood lighting, controllable from a wall panel. 'Both Tea and I have used the Lutron system before - it makes it so easy to change the mood of a room without having to go around and turn all the lights on individually. You can programme in whichever light you need for whatever scenario and it's good for featuring art,' Saunderson says. 'Now that we've done a few renovations and interviewed a fair [number of] people, we've seen the full gamut of interior designers in Hong Kong. There are the ultra high-end concept types and then, at the other end, are people who shouldn't even be in the industry. 'What I liked about Tea was that they've got input, but they don't dictate. They also stuck to their timeline and were very thorough on the follow-through once the project was completed - their attention to detail was exceptional.' Another feature of Chau's work that the owners appreciated was the palette of neutral shades that lend personality to different accent walls, from earthy putty to shades of granite and sand. Though fully stocked with creature comforts, the flat is furnished with simple solid pieces and there is a distinct absence of anything that might clutter the interior's clean lines and airy space. 'It's certainly not a girl's apartment,' says Saunderson. 1 The kitchen, which cost HK$201,000 to build and install, features dark cabinetry from SigMann (188 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2828 3438) and a Formica stone counter. The pale laminate flooring cost HK$60 psf, including installation, from GPM (12/F, Winner Commercial Building, 401 Lockhart Road, tel: 2789 1887). Metallic accents include aluminium bar stools, HK$5,250 each from Ital Design ( www.italdesign.it ) and an unusual box-shaped steel cooking extractor bought online from French company Roblin ( www.roblin.fr ) for HK$13,200. The artwork, Memento, is by Damien Hirst. 2 The solid wood and steel dining table (HK$18,800 from Indigo, 18/F, Horizon Plaza, 2 Lee Wing Street, Ap Lei Chau, tel: 2552 3500) stands out from the predominantly white furnishings, including Panton-style chairs (HK$1,500 each) and a large hanging light (HK$14,000), all from Marc James Design (16/F, Horizon Plaza, tel: 2189 7476). The triptych, Lightburn, is by Simon Birch. On the other wall is Paramount, by Andy Warhol. 3 Display shelving with built-in LED lighting was installed in the dining area to accommodate books and art. The unit was built by Tea Interior Design for HK$3,200. 4 A stone-hued corner sofa (HK$23,800) and rug (HK$7,000), both from Tree (28/F, Horizon Plaza, tel: 2870 1582) delineate the living area, where sunlight streams in from glass doors, custom made by Tea Interior for HK$22,500. A sliding console (HK$13,200), also custom designed by Tea Interior, conceals the sound system, which cost HK$34,800 from Bose (20 Des Voeux Road Central, tel: 3100 0080). The painting, The Shamefaced One, is by Jake and Dinos Chapman and is available, like the other works listed here, through Fabrik Contemporary Art (4/F, Yip Fung Building, 2 D'Aguilar Street, Central, tel: 2525 4911; www.fabrik-gallery.com ). 5 The flat's second bedroom features a custom-made bed flanked by wall-mounted lights from GA Lighting (9 Morrison Hill Road, Causeway Bay, tel: 2572 1968). The artwork, Colourful Underwear, is by Romero Britto. 6 A wall-mounted Duravit toilet (HK$11,480 from The Professional Depot, 373 Lockhart Road, tel: 3106 6008) and streamlined cabinets create the feeling of more space in the master bathroom, as does the enlarged walk-in shower area, which brings in light through its frosted glass wall. 7 A compact restroom off the entrance hallway is enlivened by the addition of dramatically patterned wallpaper that cost HK$550 a roll from Kinsan Collection (59 Wyndham Street, Central, tel: 2526 2309). 8 A custom-made headboard and wall-mounted bedside lights from Hoking Lighting Design (9 Morrison Hill Road, tel: 2572 9003) make the most of the space in the compact master bedroom, as does the frosted glass en-suite bathroom. Tried + tested Bright idea The lack of natural light in windowless bathrooms can often make the space feel small and stuffy. Ivan Chau of Tea Interior Design (2/F, Haywood Mansion, 57 Paterson Street, Causeway Bay, tel: 2861 1128; www.teainteriors.com ) suggested using frosted glass to enclose the en-suite bathroom. The frosted glass retains privacy while letting in plenty of light. At the same time, replacing a solid wall with the translucent surface has made the bedroom feel much more spacious. Styling David Roden
