Master of disguise

The first thing visitors see upon entering your home for the first time should also be the first thing to go. So says Sean Niem, who cites that 'fun test' as the reason he and his wife now have a pull-down screen and hidden projector instead of a television in their living room. 'That's why I got rid of my TV,' he says, 'because it was usually what people noticed first.'

Niem, an architect and interior designer from Building Design Studio, and May, a fashion buyer, had other reasons for making the decision. Both are fans of minimalist interiors - a look that translates in their Mid-Levels apartment to the display of only that which gels (paintings, books, wine bottles) and the concealment of all that distracts. Which is why every room in the 1,166-square-foot flat contains ample, uniform storage areas set flush against walls to keep life's odds and ends from view. That includes a deep drawer by the entrance into which mail is deposited from the common hallway (see Tried & Tested). Apart from making it unnecessary to venture outdoors to collect letters and newspapers, the postbox is integrated with the design, says Niem.

Although the airy, open-plan two-bedroom flat boasts a simple, clean look, he says a well-executed minimalist design is often more difficult to achieve than a maximalist one. 'You have to get everything aligned, tucked in and straightened out,' he says.

That may explain why minimalist flats don't always perform for the camera and show 'how things work, how joints are connected and all the other details', he says.

The spare design has another advantage. When their baby daughter, Claire, begins to walk, she will have fewer obstacles to bump into. 'None of the cabinets has protruding corners because they go from wall to wall,' says Niem. And she won't have to worry about knocking over floor lamps because recessed lights provide illumination throughout the flat. The flat's size was another reason for being discreet with lighting. 'It feels very spacious now but once you start putting in lamps and things, they're going to take up room.'

Part of the appeal of the apartment was that, typical of old buildings in Hong Kong, it consisted mainly of beams and columns. That meant walls could come down, the flat could have an open living area and Niem could cook up a storm in his professional kitchen without having to miss the action or the seaview his flat enjoys. 'I like the interaction between dining and cooking place,' he says. Losing the kitchen enclosure was also a space saver. Where a wall once stood, Niem has installed an island/counter broad enough for kitchen work on one side and mingling on the other. A round dining table stands between the kitchen and the lounge.