Cool Oasis In The City Heat
By Shi Jing (China Daily)
2010-08-29 10:59
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Top: The rooftop patio catches all the breezes and has a panoramic view of the city. Left: The immaculately kept kitchen also boasts a bar counter in the shape of a piano.
Middle: A peaceful palette with white and dove grayas the primary colors.
Right: The pendant lamp, made up of a dozen separate bulbs, is the center of attraction in the living room. Yong Kai / China Daily
On the banks of the Huangpu River, a designer and her husband have created a home that catches the eye with its own unique style. Shi Jing samples its comforts.
While the city folks down below are sweltering in the humid heat of summer in mid-August, cool breezes are blowing through an apartment on the top floor of a Shanghai building. Looking out from the spacious balcony, the hustle and bustle of downtown is muffled by the peace and tranquility here.
This is home to Chinese designer Dai Di. The founder of design brand Oshadai and her husband, Frederic Jouve, settled here after wandering around for five years.
Jouve is an information technology engineer at an international bank while Dai designs fashion accessories and household goods.
Peaceful white and dove gray are the keynote colors of the apartment. Gray is Dai's favorite hue since she believes it helps her calm down.
"The most important thing about a home is to make those living inside comfortable. Gray makes people relaxed and quiet once they enter the room. At least, it works this way for me," Dai says.
Although things Chinese are becoming popular in international design, Dai Di has carefully kept them out of her dcor because she says it's outdated and unoriginal.