The tranquility of Bernard and Youchi Chan's apartment in North Point is no happy accident. The high-flying couple wanted their recently purchased 1,200 sq ft apartment to have a Zen-like quality so they could unwind together at home, but also entertain, work and raise a family there.
'Our jobs used to mean a lot of working away from home' says Youchi, a Taiwanese management consultant. 'Just after we bought the place, Bernard decided to launch his own online fashion business and started working from home. Plus, we plan to have kids soon, so the time is definitely right to settle down a little and spend more time at home.'
To handle their demanding brief, the couple called in a friend of Bernard, Ivan Wong, who is an architect and a founder, with Agnes Lee, of In- Between Design.
'They definitely put all their trust in me,' Wong says. 'The real test came when I told them to remove the stepped floor that separated the living room from the dining space. This feature is what first attracted them to the apartment but I told them to rip it out.'
This grand room, now refloored in light matt oak, forms the heart of the home. Its key feature is a breathtaking view of the city and Victoria Harbour. But Youchi confesses that this room is not her favourite, and that she's fallen in love with her bathroom. 'I was so surprised,' she says. 'I've never been very interested in bathrooms, but what they've created is like a mini spa.'
An en-suite, the wet room features a striking stone wall, tranquil LED lighting and a hidden, wireless speaker system over which Youchi plays music from her iPod.