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August 9, 2015

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Designer creates elegant oasis in Pudong

Danish fashion designer Dea Kudibal’s Shanghai apartment is sleek and cozy, cool to the eye but warm to the touch. It’s also filled with things she and her husband love.

The couple moved into the home in 2013, when they were looking for a place that was both close to their son’s school in the Pudong New Area and also within easy reach of work and shopping.

“The location of the flat was perfect and the view outside the window is peaceful, surrounded by greenery and a nice view of Lujiazui,” said Kudibal. “We’ve searched for houses in the former French concession area but this part of Lujiazui was my favorite. It has ample space, broad roads and residential compounds with good facilities meeting the family’s needs.”

The 170-square-meter three-bedroom apartment also provide a perfect place for Kudibal to decorate from scratch. Today, each room in the apartment is filled with personal touches and a sense of relaxed intimacy.

Many of Kudibal’s decorative choices were also made with the needs of her 7-year-old son in mind. Easy-to-clean objects and surfaces, for example, were a must as she focused on ways to make day-to-day family life easier.

The home’s color scheme is drawn primarily from a neutral palette that is both soothing to the eye and also creates a nice backdrop for the family’s collection of art and decorative pieces.

“I would like to keep a modern clean look yet with some old Chinese details to give it charm and a nod to local culture,” Kudibal said.

For example, a low coffee table in the living room is actually an old Chinese high table with its legs cut. This statement piece looks fantastic amid the room’s modern upholstered furniture and accessories such as a hand-made carpet from Danish company Hay.

“The living room is not that spacious so it had to be functional. When entertaining guests it can be tricky to try get enough seating so the little Chinese bench designed by my friend Lonneke Storm is a perfect piece to complete the seating area,” she said. “Sometimes when we host dinner for families, the kids can just sit around the coffee table while adults gather at the dining table.”

Several pieces from Danish design companies Paustian and Hay are placed in the living room, reflecting Kudibal’s Danish heritage. Tableware accessories, knitted pillows and blankets from Danish designer Louise Roe are also some of Dudibal’s favorite items.

“Edgy and classy at the same time, I love the cleanness of her design and there are always nice details when you give a closer look,” Kudibal said.

Relaxed elegance is the main theme in the dining area.

Dining chairs from Paustian around a wooden dining table, sleek tableware and lotus flowers — these and other objects defuse any tendency toward excessive formality while still imparting a sense of glamor during special dinner occasions.

The master bedroom also exudes a sense of calmness. “I always keep the black, beige and white colors for the bedroom — and crisp white bed sheets to remind me of coming into a hotel room,” Kudibal said.

Along one wall, the fashion designer keeps her latest collection on display as a way to inspire ideas for her next pieces. Her beautiful garments, designed with nature-inspired patterns and colors, also add visual appeal.

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

A: The Buzz – there is always something going on!

 

Q: Describe your home in three words.

A: Authentic, cozy, functional.

 

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

A: Wash my hands.

 

Q: How do you unwind?

A: Reading and drawing.

 

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

A: The river looking over toward the Bund.

 

Q: How do you scent your home?

A: With room sprays/diffusers from Diptyqgue.

 

Q: What’s your favorite object at home?

A: My dining chairs from Paustian.




 

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