Symphony is in harmony with modern living

Mar 1 2007 by Debbie Johnson, Liverpool Daily Post

Their home features works of art, but is predominantly painted white, with light wooden floors and plenty of sunshine flooding through the windows - when the weather is in the mood.
 
The lounge and open-plan dining/kitchen area are bright and airy, with the couple's books, records and accumulated "stuff" on display - such as a collection of traditional Japanese eating utensils, a few shelves down from some equally traditional English pint glasses.
 
"Ian says he used to be minimalist before he met me," says Minako, "but actually most of my stuff is still at home with my parents in Tokyo."

One of the bedrooms is used as an office, and is overlooked by the duplex balcony, framed by original wooden beams.
 
The office is home to the computers the couple clearly couldn't live without. Ian runs www.artinliverpool.com, a website that he launched in 2004 initially for listings, but which has developed into an essential resource for art lovers in the region and beyond. Ian's controversial blog has even been described as "the best art blog in Britain" by one publication. It has bloomed into a mix of listings, interviews and reviews. On March 9, the site is co-ordinating Thank You Art Day with many local galleries.
 
Not to be outdone, Minako is the Liverpool correspondent for www.scousehouse.net, which is written in Japanese and is specifically for Japanese who are obsessed with Liverpool. "At first, the main appeal is football and The Beatles," says Minako, "but I include art and culture to show a different side to the city as well."

Luckily, there are three computers and plenty of space in the apartment to ensure no domestic disputes.
 
A short flight of stairs leads to the upper part of the duplex, divided into two parts. The first is used mainly for storage and wardrobes, and the second as the couple's bedroom - with a gorgeous sloping loft ceiling and again, lots of sun shining in through the skylight window.