bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Sharon Leece

White-walled designer flats look great but an active family is better  served by a softer style that allows plenty of room for personality.

Designer apartments  are super-stylish but when it comes to everyday living, most of us prefer a comfortable, relaxed home  rather than a pristine  showcase.

When David and Gabby Ellis purchased a 3,000 sq ft flat overlooking the sea in  Pok Fu Lam, they  were relishing the challenge of decorating  it. On recommendation from a friend, they asked architect Johnny Li of Li & Co  (tel: 2526 8326) to undertake the renovation.

'I don't believe in creating a show flat,' says Li. 'I really like the client to participate. For every project I like to have the client inspire me, and to learn about their lifestyle and expectations.'

For the Ellises, a  busy family with two children - Josephine, eight, and Benjamin, three - it was vital  the house reflected their tastes. Says Li: 'Here it's all about mixing and matching different things and if some things are not absolutely perfect then that simply adds to the beauty of it.'

The Ellises' brief to Li was simple, but the 1970s apartment  had not been touched for 15 years  and there was a lot of work to be done. They wanted Li to open up the space and introduce as much light as possible. They sought an east-meets-west style (a reflection of their family unit) and wanted warm wood flooring. What they didn't want was white walls everywhere.

'In our rented apartment we had white walls and I always associate that with the fact it's not your own place,' says Gabby.

Li set about knocking down walls to create an open-plan living and dining area and enlarged the windows to allow as much light into the space as possible. He divided the kitchen into 'dry' and 'wet' areas - with a  Dan Ryan's-style leather booth in the dry zone and a sliding door to seal off the wet area  and the noises and odours of cooking.

A corridor leads from the living area to the bedrooms.  Li has made the most of the space by replacing the corridor walls with storage cabinets clad with veneer.

The former four-bedroom space now has a three-bedroom layout, with the children's rooms on either side of the corridor and a master suite at the end.  The suite comprises three elements: the master bedroom on one side, a connecting bathroom in the middle and a study on the other.

Li also installed a tall, Chinese-style screen that juts into the room just to the left of the entrance door.  'We felt that when you enter a home there should be a bit of a transition area,' he says, pointing out that, while most Hong Kong homes don't have the luxury of a separate  entrance hall, it's possible to create  the illusion of one. 'This screen is a design solution that serves to separate the interior from the entrance.'

For warmth, Li chose textured wallpapers in muted shades and  dark walnut cabinetry. The furnishings - most of which were sourced by the Ellises - are predominantly dark wood, so vivid paintings and colourful accessories along with animal-print rugs and ottomans enliven the space. Additionally, the walls of the dining booth have been filled with family photos. 'They wanted a bit of fun with the decor,' says Li. 'I think their choices reflect their outlook.'

For the Ellis family, the renovation process was a positive one. 'One of the good things about working with a designer is that they narrow down the choices,' says David. 'They guide you on subjects such as brand ranking and quality and point out basic design concepts that  you would not usually think about.'

The banquette seating area (for family get-togethers), the full-sized tub in the master bathroom (for David) and the expansive mirror-fronted shoe cabinet (for Gabby) have proved firm favourites.

'We've been in Hong Kong quite a long time now,' says David. 'It's nice to have a place just how we want it.'

1 In the living room a collection of dark wood furniture contrasts with the hand-waxed oak flooring. The brown leather sofa (HK$28,300) and the pair of leather planters' chairs (HK$8,500 each) are from Tequila Kola  (1/F, Horizon Plaza, 2 Lee Wing Street, Ap Lei Chau, tel:  2877 3295;  www.tequilakola.com). The animal-skin ottomans cost HK$2,600 each from G.O.D. (various locations;  www.god. com.hk) and the decorative table lamp with glass base was HK$6,800 from  Altfield Home (shop 223, Prince's Building, Central, tel: 2524 3066). On the side table behind the sofa  is a limited-edition painted porcelain plate by Chinese artist   Liu Ye and a pair of jars (HK$750 each from Shanghai  Tang,  12 Pedder Street, Central, tel: 2525 7333;  www. shanghaitang.com).

2 The classic study has an academic air, with its desk and padded-leather armchair. The desk was made by  Excellent Wood Industry D&C  (1/F, Lai Shan Mansion, 19 Morrison Hill Road,  tel: 2572 8111). The shelving unit was custom designed by Li & Co (tel: 2526 8326) and provides space for books and accessories. The curtains are from Altfield Interiors (2/F,  The Galleria, 9 Queen's Road Central, tel: 2524 4867).

3 Architect Johnny Li opened up the dining room and removed what was a bar area to the left, turning it into a shoe cabinet with a mirrored door. The dark walnut Tom dining table, from the Yi Line collection, was custom designed by  Li for HK$45,000. The lamp by the window cost HK$1,380 from Shanghai Tang. Bringing another splash of colour to the space is a pair of contemporary Chinese paintings from  Schoeni (21 Old Bailey Street, Central, tel: 2869 8802;  www.schoeni.com.hk). Behind them is sand-finished wallpaper from  Altfield Interiors. The small Chinese table (HK$4,850) is from Shambala  (2/F, Horizon Plaza, tel: 2555 2997;  www.shambala. com.hk). The  Junckers oak flooring is from  Well Treasures (358 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2893 8283).

4 The rear wall of the master bedroom is clad with textured wallpaper from Altfield Interiors. The white bed linen was HK$16,800 from  Bed & Bath (shop 206, Prince's Building, tel: 2522 5151). The pair of bedside lamps cost HK$3,450 each from Altfield Home.

5 Li installed a sliding door to divide the kitchen into a dry area, with banquette-style seating and a Corian-topped table, and a wet area for food preparation.  The  Corian is from  Speed Top (518 Trade Square, 681 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Cheung Sha Wan, tel:  2392 2161). The walls of the booth are covered with photographs, housed in a selection of frames from  Zetters (40 Hollywood Road, Central, tel: 2542 4269).

6 The spacious bathroom features a lava-stone wall and full-sized bath. The lava stone cost HK$7,350 from Sing Fai Marble (242 Lockhart Road, tel: 2511 8375). The  shower employs a curved wall covered in mosaic tiling to enhance the dimensions of the space. A reflective aluminium ceiling makes the area feel roomier.

7 Dark walnut wood has been used extensively in the bathroom for continuity. The countertop and sink are by  Kohler from  Arnhold Design Centre  (315 Lockhart Road, tel: 2865 0123). The sink cost HK$4,200.

8 Benjamin's room was designed with a sailing motif, featuring a loft bed in the shape of a boat complete  with sails and fender. The bed was designed by Li & Co.  The striped wallpaper is from Altfield Interiors. The bed linen and drapes were ordered from Laura Ashley in  Britain  (www.lauraashley.com).

tried & tested

master of disguise

A laundry  area at home is essential but  can be an eyesore. In the Ellises' home, the logical place for  it was at the rear of the kitchen  but the family  didn't want it to be visible.  Instead of blocking the area off with a solid wall, Johnny Li created a floor-to-ceiling kitchenware cabinet using walnut wood backed with tinted grey glass. It serves as a storage unit, hides the clothes-drying area and allows light  through into the rest of the kitchen from a window at the back of the apartment .

styling Esther van Wijck



Home comforts