Getaway philosophy inspires home design

By Yang Di | 2009-11-15 | NEWSPAPER EDITION

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LU Yongzhong, founder and chief designer of Banmoo, is perhaps one of the brightest new stars in Chinese furniture design. He has carved out his reputation not by drawing on formal training but by relying on his own sense of aesthetics and composition, as well as a curiosity about art and design.

A spirited and warm three-floor apartment close to Shanghai Zoo is the perfect getaway for Lu, his wife Niu Bin and their daughter. Lu graduated from the Architecture Department of Tongji University and Niu studied industrial design, so it's no surprise that they designed an attractive, yet functional home.

When they looked for their family home in 2004, they fell in love with this 200-square-meter apartment's interior layout.

"It's spacious in terms of both height and width, and the natural light just streams in through the generous windows,'' Niu says.

Space spreads out both horizontally and vertically. The couple has made structural changes to the house and applied their designer and artist eyes to make the place their own.

The space is designed into two zones - the first level instilling a natural and open atmosphere is considered the day zone and the second and third floor is defined as the more intimate night area. The emphasis is on a mixture of simplicity, functionality and sophistication, with different materials and built-in furniture kept to a minimum.

The living room on the first floor is full of light, plants and natural colors. It is divided into two areas - a seating area and the dining/kitchen area - by the carefully designed wooden stairway.

Walking into the living space paved with floor tiles, you first encounter a seating arrangement facing a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf. A laurel tree is set here next to the comfy sofa to help symbolize the spirit of the place. Pillows are carefully placed, as are pots, vessels, and other ceramics.

"The design is centered around this laurel tree in the center of the living space. We feel serene, peaceful, and restful when sitting under the tree,'' Niu says.

The couple have often traveled to Hangzhou and they enjoy sipping Longjing tea under the shade of towering trees. This was the inspiration for the laurel tree.

"Since we don't have much time to leave Shanghai these days, we tried to recreate the natural environment of our favorite lifestyle in our own house,'' she adds.

That natural touch adds to the getaway feel of their home, a place where you are overdressed if you're not barefoot.

The living area is a soaring, sunny space where the family of three can all gather at once on a Sunday afternoon, and it is to their credit that the room projects warmth, comfort and friendliness without skimping on visual delights.

The stylish touches include Ming-style chairs placed in the corner and Lu's design chair hanging on the wall as an art piece.

Calming space

The other half of the first level is dedicated to the open kitchen and the dining area. There's no formal dining room - just an eating area alongside the kitchen.

The couple likes artistic pieces placed here and there and uses their own design table and other objects around the home "like punctuation marks.''

The second level features a family room, where the couple wanted to create a calm space. They used chocolate, mushroom and deep red colors to make this happen.

The couple furnished the family room with sofas and armchairs they already had, adding soft furnishings in similar tones for a warm look.

The master bedroom hints of romance as brown tones and recessed lights instigate feelings of intimacy and warmth.

The en-suite bathroom is an extension of their personal retreat. Transparent glass walls divide the bathroom and bedroom, leaving the shower and bath tub in full view.