A traditional 1930s apartment reimagined for modern living
Print Edition
Set in a traditional 1930s building on Julu Road, Jack Harrison’s apartment is a modern, contemporary home in the heart of Shanghai. It reflects years of living across different cultures, combining practicality with a sense of ease and character.
A founding partner at ArcOn Brands — a brand management business whose current portfolio spans luxury hospitality, retail and lifestyle names like Aman Resorts, Mandarin Oriental, MSC Explora Journeys and Charbonnel et Walker — Harrison is no stranger to detail. After 17 years working across Beijing, Taipei and Hong Kong, he relocated to Shanghai last year as part of ArcOn’s expansion, helping grow the team from their new office at HKRI Taikoo Hui — just a 10-minute cycle from home.
Finding a home with history and a community soul was the goal.
“I’m drawn to contrasts, and Shanghai is full of them. It’s a city where old meets new; East meets West. I wanted to create a home that embodied that,” Harrison said. “There’s a buzz to Shanghai that’s hard to explain unless you’ve lived here.”
Convenience was a top priority. New to the city, Harrison wanted to be close to the energy — and few places capture that quite like Julu Road.
He looked at more than 25 apartments before finding the rare gem: a well-built, contemporary 120-square-meter apartment inside a 1930s heritage building.
“My landlord, Shirley, who owns the apartment, had done a great job with the wood floors, windows and navy curtains. The essentials — heating, air conditioning — were already in place, and the apartment had real potential,” he said.
But what mattered most was the building’s history.
“You can feel it when you walk down the halls. These walls could talk,” he said.
Harrison had a vision for his apartment: modern comfort whilst remaining full of character. “I wanted a place that worked for solo downtime but also transformed easily when friends come over.”
One of the apartment’s distinctive features is a red Chinese window frame that sets the tone — a welcoming focal point designed to draw people in from the end of the corridor. As you walk in, a bright olive-green accent wall, bold yellow artwork and a built-in bench create an inviting entrance.
The layout had to be tweaked. The previous tenant had used one of the rooms as a bedroom. Jack’s friends Georgina and Arthur, who live nearby, suggested turning it into a TV snug, which opened up access to the terrace. That change meant the living room could remain a screen-free space for conversation and entertaining.
Working with his friend stylist Edda Joyce Garcia, founder of Estilo, the two designed a space that channels the ambiance of clubs like Soho House and Maison Estelle. “Lived-in luxury” as Garcia called it — refined, but never too precious.
The living room ceiling was a bold move. It’s painted a daring deep brown, giving the open-plan space a visual anchor and separating the kitchen and dining space. A retro light fixture draws the eye, while beautiful KEF speakers flirt with nightclub sound quality.
“Some of Shanghai’s best bars surround me, so I wanted to recreate a bit of that vibe from the comfort of my home, relaxed but a touch indulgent,” Harrison said. Music’s a big part of my life and helps set my mood, so there are Sonos speakers in every room. It’s essential.”
The color palette throughout is mostly warm and muted, designed to create a calm atmosphere, punctuated by the occasional bold detail to keep things interesting.
One of the standout pieces in the living room is a striking painting — brought back from Bali, Indonesia — by a playful artist named Riz.
“His work is a bit wacky and wild, lots of animals, naked women, flowing wine,” Harrison said.
This piece is titled “Pride, Love and Glory” and depicts ceremonial war-like figures, lions symbolizing pride, a watermelon, said to represent abundance, and a woman calling out for love.
Harrison reads a lot, so books and magazines are scattered throughout the space.
“I dream of one day building a home library, given the right space. In a world dominated by screens, reading feels more meaningful than ever — it requires a conscious choice not to reach for your phone,” he said.
The dining area flows from the living room. A travertine high table with cider-toned upholstered chairs creates a subtle divide from the living room, perfect for dinners that stretch long into the night.
The bedroom started by matching the curtains with a midnight blue headboard. Layer by layer, Harrison and Garcia added warm orange linens, a turmeric yellow bench, a green rug and colorful wallpaper behind the bed that unexpectedly tied the story together.
“There’s almost a narrative happening between the animals in the wallpaper and the artwork we had already put in,” Harrison said. “Total accident, but it just worked.”
The third room is a clever multi-use space offering everything Harrison had in mind — a spare bedroom, office, snug, gym and spot for meditation. It opens onto a balcony where he keeps his ice bath. The room feels snug, creative, and energizing, with wallpaper covering the entire space. It’s a multifunctional space. He could start the day there with meditation and at the same time finish it with a late-night work call.
The overall design is elegant, but it’s also built for living. Harrison is up early, using his coffee machine in the open-plan kitchen and living room. For him, it’s about creating a layered experience, with lighting, layout, music and meaningful objects.
“Edda encouraged me to add more personal mementoes. Not cluttering every empty space which I can feel myself being pulled toward — just things that carry meaning,” he said.
“It’s a place I genuinely love returning to — rooted in the heritage of Shanghai yet modern and unmistakably my own. It sets the tone for a good start to the day and offers a sense of calm to wind down in the evening. Having lived here for a year, I think Shanghai is one of the world’s great cities, and I am thrilled to call it home.”
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