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Susan Schwartz

Kevin Ng  wanted his 'throne room' to be well appointed  - he  put in a lot of effort and spent a small fortune on a souped-up loo and its surrounds.
'I really wanted an electronic toilet with a remote control that regulates the warmth of the seat, with automatic flushing,' says Ng. He was also particular about the type of marble he  wanted his loo to be surrounded by.  He had been shown a sample at a store in Hong Kong  but, he says, it was lacking in variation, so he asked to see others. 
'They said, 'Yes, but you'll need to travel to the factory in China'.' 
Undeterred, Ng  made the trip, to  Yunfu, in Guangdong province, which took him  nine hours  each way. 
'I wanted to have something I liked, especially if I was going to pay  for it and keep it for a long time.' Ng found what he was looking for at the factory, along with another type of marble he liked. Designer Dylan Tan, of WOM Concept, ended up using that stone to build a unit to  accommodate the entertainment system in the lounge  of Ng's 800 sq ft apartment, in Tin Hau. 
'That's the only other thing I chose for the flat,' says Ng. 
The rest of the flat was relatively simple to rework because it had an efficient layout. The main 'addition'  was  a hole; a serving hatch knocked through the dining room-kitchen wall. Display shelves were built into  the same wall and  sliding glass doors close off both constructions - making an old-fashioned concept fresh.  
The kitchen is one of Ng's favourite spots in which to relax. 'I enjoy cooking simple meals and on the weekend I like to bake,' he says. 
It is an organised space where everything has its place and the countertops are kept clear, except for  a coffeemaker. The  large  stainless-steel sink features  an  in-built water filter and soap dispenser.
Tan has a fondness for natural, raw materials; a preference shared by Ng. 
'I don't like a lot of glass or stainless steel,' Tan  says. 'Natural materials make a flat feel more homey  and comfortable.'
To reflect this philosophy, Tan had the dining table constructed from old Malaysian  railway sleepers. And  cheap white tiles on the floor were replaced with extra-wide oak floorboards stained grey and  bleached.
Perhaps the most dominant feature in the apartment, however, is the contrast between   almost-black walls and pure white surfaces: a strong, masculine look. 
'The colour works without making the flat look dark because we've only used it on certain feature walls and in the hallway - the rest of the walls are white,' says Tan. Abundant  natural light also helps maintain a balance.
The colour scheme is  carried through to the furnishings and finishings while artfully displayed  objects are dotted throughout the flat, making it feel a little like a contemporary homeware store.
One of Ng's favourite items in the lounge is a vintage leather chair he  bought  in Shanghai. 'It cost me  HK$2,000 plus HK$150 for shipping but I later saw one almost identical in Lane Crawford for HK$20,000,' he says.
In the  master bedroom, there is a beam running above  where the bed was supposed to go, so Tan  changed the position of the wall. Now  it lies flush with the beam and contains a niche that holds Ng's collection of Chinese figurines. The bedroom  features pendant lights, downlights and  nightlights.  
'It's so convenient because all  the switches are by the bed,' says Ng. 
The spare bedroom is used as a workspace and is  a  favourite spot for Ng's two grey cats, which, like his  personal effects, tend to blend into the decor.
1 Dylan Tan of WOM Concept (11/F, Block A, Viking Villa, 70 Tin Hau Temple Road, North Point, tel: 9828 9313) had the couch custom made for HK$9,500 by  The BHS in Shenzhen  (1/F, Century Centre,  Shennan Road, Futian district, tel: 86 755 2381 3009). He sourced the striped pillows (HK$50 each) from Ikea (various locations;  www.ikea.com.hk); the cowhide pillow (HK$1,650) from G.O.D.  (various locations; www.god.com.hk) and the rabbit-fur pillows (HK$750 each) from  Shambala  (2/F, Horizon Plaza, 2 Lee Wing Street, Ap Lei Chau,  tel: 2555 2997). Kevin Ng  bought the chair  in Shanghai for HK$2,000. The rug was  bought many years ago in Australia. The coffee table came from  Indigo (6/F,  Horizon Plaza,  tel: 2555 0540). The side table (HK$6,200) was from  Artek  (12/F, Horizon Plaza,  tel: 2515 2333). Tan had the entertainment unit custom made by Ngai Keung Decoration  (M/F, 70 Ki Lung Street, Sham Shui Po, tel: 2309 2311) for HK$15,100, using a marble top (HK$6,100) from  Fortune Building  Material  (191 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2511 0321). The blind  cost HK$2,500 from  New Kei Kei Curtain  (212 Fa Yuen Street, Mong Kok,  tel: 2338 8973).
2 Tan designed the dining table and had it made in Malaysia. The bench was HK$2,000 from Wai Hing Furniture (19/F, Horizon Plaza, tel: 3426 9803).  The two chairs cost HK$1,065 in total from   Moden Design 100 in Shenzhen (4/F, Zhenxing Industrial Building, 159 Meihua Road, Futian district, tel: 86 755 8204 7853). The pendant lamps cost HK$2,160 each from  Homeless  (1/F, 17 Yan Ping Road, Causeway Bay, tel: 2890 8789).  The silver lamps on the table were HK$280 each from Indigo.
3 Italian granite was used for the kitchen countertop and servery. It cost HK$75 per  square foot from  International Marble Works  (385 Lockhart Road, tel: 2511 6727). The sink (HK$3,800),  taps (HK$2,480) and the stainless-steel splashback  (HK$14 per  square foot) were from  Royal Kitchen Design  (3 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay, tel: 2573 3993).    
4 Tan had the bed, complete with built-in side tables, custom made for HK$11,000 by Ngai Keung Decoration. The  throw was HK$399 from Ikea.  The stools  and  lampshade came from  Malaysia. The Moroccan lamps came from Indigo.  
5 A wooden console (HK$7,300), from  Wing Fat Rosewood Furniture   (63 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, tel: 2866 0307), is used as a desk. Beneath are drawers (HK$500) from Ikea. Also from Ikea, were the clock (HK$200) and shelf (HK$120). The chair cost HK$1,180 from  Moden Design 100.  The lamp was HK$690 from  Tronce Lighting in Shenzhen (shop 036, Zone C, Century Centre,  tel:  86 755 8202 2922).  The four-panel artwork is by  Chen Yu. 
6 The toilet  (HK$22,000) and a matching stand (HK$3,700)  to hold its remote control  came from Galaxy Bathroom Collection  (188 Lockhart Road, tel: 2519 8188). The grey slabs of marble stone cost HK$80 per  square foot from Fortune Building  Material. The mirrored cabinets were custom made for HK$6,500 by Ngai Keung Decoration.  
7  The red wooden Buddha  at the entrance came from a gallery in Bangkok, Thailand. The candleholders were bought years ago for HK$200 in Bali, Indonesia. The pedestals accommodating the Buddha and the candleholders were custom made by a shop  in Mong Kok for HK$1,500.
Tried + tested
Slide show 
Sliding doors made of translucent glass frame the  display shelves and serving hatch. The doors and shelves were custom made for HK$16,500 by Ngai Keung Decoration.
Styling David Roden



Pennies well spent