Simplicity, naturalness and functionality are the hallmarks of interior architect Elliott Hambrook's blueprints, writes Matt Hodges.

Elliott Hambrook has spent much of the past decade designing the interiors of hotels, residential estates and private villas in Shanghai, making him witness to the changing tastes of China's famously exhibitionist nouveau riche.

"I think people have started appreciating simplicity a bit more and functional ideas relating to how they live, rather than loading everything down with gaudy details," says Hambrook, who hails from Ascot - an uppercrust village just west of London that serves as the home of England's most famous racecourse.

Elliott Hambrook says Chinese have started appreciating simplicity a bit more and functional ideas relating to how they live, rather than loading everything down with gaudy details. Photos provided to China Daily

"A few years ago they wanted to see all the money they had spent everywhere - classical moldings, gold trim, opulence - otherwise they felt they were not getting their money's worth. Now there is also better craftsmanship."

Cultural differences have narrowed, he said, but some are entrenched.

"We like to see bright and open interiors that increase the sense of space and encourage a sense of congregation, such as an open-plan kitchen," he said.

"But our Chinese clients would always ask for a fully enclosed kitchen, because of all the smoke and spices involved in Chinese cooking, and as many rooms as possible, based on the idea that the more rooms you have, the richer you are.

"However our biggest challenge is taking all these new and brutally built concrete apartments, which are lacking in any kind of furnishing, plumbing or electricity, and making them look different from the state we receive them in."

Meanwhile, more new properties are adding character by mixing styles or cultures from East and West, according to Margaux LHermitte, executive director of NACO, a firm of architects based in Shanghai.

"More and more people travel on a regular basis, thus their world is already a mix of many cultures. The home is the best place to reflect that," she said after Shanghai hosted the Luxury Properties Showcase expo in December. "Shanghai is a great platform for new ideas, and quality grows every month."

Hambrook, who is in his mid-30s, launched Elliott Studios last year with his wife Faye Dai and a third Chinese business partner. Due to the red tape and time involved, he recommends this avenue for any foreigner planning a small start-up with limited capital and legal representation. He has in total about seven employees.

"Having a Chinese partner and starting a Chinese company is definitely the way to go. If it weren't for that, we'd still be setting things up now," he said.

"Organizing a professional work flow is also a challenge and takes a long time. Before, I could just draw designs and hand them over to my draughtsman. Now I need to get them approved by the Chinese Design Institute to get the proper certification."

On one shelf of his bleached white studio sits a large, half-painted canvas of a blue and white workshop - Hambrook's vision of how he wants his "office" to look when they expand. The building, which houses a cluster of design-oriented and architectural firms, sits on a lazy bend on the river. Suzhou Creek can be seen snaking past its large curved windows.

"Our overriding philosophy is to create a natural look and to avoid things that look fake, which is why we now customize our own materials and fabrics to make designs out of materials that people haven't really seen before," he said, explaining how a marble tile in his library was acid washed to create a unique mottled effect.

Photos on his desk show another tile made of three-weave metal gauze that was used in one project as a wall veneer and integrated into dining room furniture.

"We hope that one day people will come to us as much for our signature materials as for our design know-how," he said. "We've already built up a library that we're very proud of. Even though a lot of companies say it's not worth the time and money to put so much energy into customization, for me this is one of the fun aspects of the job."

The concept - high-quality materials made in China - helps differentiate Elliott Studios as a brand.

Hambrook holds a bachelor's degree in fine art from the University of Gloucestershire but taught himself to speak and write fluent Chinese after moving to Shanghai in 2004. He decided to relocate here after attending a wedding in the country.

"He also likes to sit on the subway drawing caricatures of people on his smartphone," said Dai. In fact, her husband's belief in the importance of being able to draw by hand led him to arrange regular sketching classes for his staff. He also hosts a club called Shanghai Drink and Draw for likeminded souls.

Hambrook cut his teeth working on numerous luxury projects in China for employers such as Grigorian Design Group, an American company that works in architectural and interior development. Working almost exclusively with Chinese clients in Chinese hasn't all been plain sailing, he said.

Luxury villas here often embrace classical Western concepts of architecture and decor, but cultural conflicts can arise around the different uses of space and the kind of materials employed. Courtyards, for example, are required in many community projects because older Chinese like to dance or perform martial arts outside in groups.

"We used to get into lots of disputes with feng shui guys," he said. "Some of the more obscure precepts can cause problems, especially when somebody comes along and says that you can't put a library above a kitchen, because the respective deities - one for learning and another for food - don't get along."

This experience almost derailed his design plans for a set of villas in a wooded area linked to Sheshan Golf Course, which lies just outside Shanghai and has hosted the HSBC Champions for several years. He said the best recourse is "to listen and let the client walk you through the project first".

"If my client is obsessed with bling, we can do bling. We'll just do it really well," he added.

Contact the writer at matthew@chinadaily.com.cn.

Hambrook launched Elliott Studios last year, with his wife and a third Chinese business partner. They have worked on numerous luxury projects in China.

(China Daily 02/09/2014 page5)