AN artful even dramatic blending of classic ornaments and modern inspiration has produced one-of-a-kind settings that seamlessly suit period spaces in the heart of Shanghai.

Baptiste Bohu, a renowned interior designer and decorator, is the lucky tenant of this gorgeous 220 square meter old Shanghai apartment.

When he took it from the previous tenant, it was in good condition, with lots of original features intact such as floors, the moldings, and all the doors and door frames.

The highlights of this historic apartment for Bohu are really the old features: high ceilings, beautiful herringbone pattern wood floor, plaster moldings, arches, and door details.

“The first time I entered in this apartment I loved the entrance and the long corridor which is typical Parisian apartment layouts,” Bohu says.

“My previous apartment was a type of loft, all open and modern so this time I wanted something completely different, with many rooms and a bit secretive.

“I deeply wanted a Parisian atmosphere. After spending a decade in Shanghai I felt a little home sick and wanted a piece of Paris here.

“It turned out quite successful, when people come to my home they feel ‘somewhere else.’ People like the fact that the apartment is classical yet modern and young. It’s not a boring old representation of the past but rather an adaption into our current time. I’m young and even though I love the classics, I still live in my own time.”

He says the highlight is the corridor as viewed from the entrance. When he organizes a dinner party, he places lines of candles there which give a dramatic effect for people as they come in.

Living in Europe and China has refined his artistic sensibility, combining old and new, the West and the East. The apartment features a bit of a patchwork of Bohu’s different inspirations with some classical 18th century French look mixed with Chinese elements or North African touches.

“I prefer strong lines and graphic elements so I think that’s what would characterize my style with black and white stripes or other patterns. Overall, it is a modern take on classical design from different countries and eras,” Bohu said.

While some people think Bohu is all about black and white due to the stripes that became his signature, this designer does use colors — some bold hues — in his living space.

“My house is a great place to experiment with colors,” he says.

Bohu mixes Asian and French elements in colors, playing with velvet fabric in blue or green and a Southeast Asian green accent in the bedroom.

Or deep red lacquered cabinets or red walls in the kitchen, or the Venetian blue of the dining room matching the blue Chinese pots.

“I used colors mostly in small rooms or rooms without too much sunlight to create interesting angles,” he says.

“Bigger rooms or rooms with a lot of light are kept more neutral with light grey or white on the walls.”

The living room, where Bohu socializes with friends and clients, is decked out in a more neutral palette with a few dramatic highlights.

“The design of this room started when I purchased an old fireplace from a warehouse and an old door with beautiful wood moldings that I attached on the wall,” he says.

He painted the fireplace and a part of the wall behind it in black and the rest in white and light grey to create a cool contrast.

He has added a huge, heavily decorated mirror for the “Parisian” look. On the ceiling, there is a Moroccan chandelier and the sofa is a modern twist on a traditional French style sofa in green velvet. There are two 1950s wall lamps on each side, two huge green Chinese pots, some busts and customized curtains and blinds in pure white silk.

The dining room is unfortunately quite dark as it’s oriented to the north without enough sunlight even on a very sunny day.

“So the challenge was to make it still interesting, instead of choosing a bright color like most people would do, I decided to even make it darker choosing a deep Venetian blue and make the room a little more mysterious,” Bohu says.

He added shelves on the walls with blue Chinese pots and blue silk curtains decorating the window, placed an old fireplace here which was not part of the apartment. It turned out to be an intimate dining room for gatherings.

Each room of this apartment is elegant yet bold, full of an eclectic but happy mix.

“I like to spend most time in the kitchen. Since a lot of people come to my house everyday, I have to keep the overall house quite neat,” Bohu says.

“The kitchen, however, is really my personal space. I have put an Eames chair and a book library in that room as well. I keep it messier and with a more casual design. When friends come over for dinners we always spend time in the kitchen having wine first and very often end up in the kitchen, too,” he said.

Bohu says a home represents who you are.

“The biggest challenge in my career is to fully understand people’s personalities and taste. I don’t opt for the furniture showroom style so I will never buy everything from the same store or brand.

“The best is to mix and match: 18th century with 1950s pieces; Asian with a French touch, for instance. I love contrasts and I think they make interiors very vivid.

“Another important thing is lighting. I have dimmer on every lamp of my house. Adjusting lighting is very important if you have tea, a dinner, a party or if you are working. “Dimmers give you the opportunity to create any mood you want. Lighting can create a very dramatic atmosphere like I did in the corridor.”

ASK THE OWNER

Q: What’s the best thing about living in Shanghai?

A: You can still dream

Q: Describe your home in three words.

A: Parisian, comfortable, dramatic

Q: What’s the first thing you do when you get home?

A: Make an espresso

Q: How do you unwind?

A: I walk for one hour everyday

Q: Where do you spend most of the time at home?

A: In the kitchen

Q: What’s the best view outside your window?

A: Fuxing Road trees

Q: How do you scent your home?

A: Karl Lagerfeld Home Candle

Q: What’s your favorite object at home?

A: My aunt’s painting

Q: Where do you source furniture in Shanghai?

A: From my collection that is coming soon with an APP!