WHEN Juliette van Gaver and her family left their former French Concession lane house to move into a new apartment,
it didn't take long to turn it into a home that looked like it had been theirs for years, Yang Di reports.

If there is a secret to making a new home look like a long established one, Juliette and Xavier van Gaver obviously know it. While they only moved into their new former French Concession flat a couple of months ago, the home is an oasis of good taste that immediately inspires feelings of comfort and cosiness.

The family of five has called Shanghai home since three years ago. When they recently moved out of a three-story lane house on Julu Road into this rented four-bedroom flat on Wukang Road, they were quite unprepared for flat layouts.

But it didn't take long for them to adjust and adapt and start to make the house theirs. Juliette's own distinct style has clearly matured over the years and the home reflects her way of making a contemporary style appear personalized and warm.

"The management didn't allow us to change anything but we could get rid of the previous furniture. Since we used to move often, we need to live in our own furniture to feel at home in any place," Juliette said.

Though it was not possible to renovate from scratch, Juliette quickly grasped the potential.

True enough, the apartment is a smooth-lined 180-square-meter space with white walls and wooden floors. The white gives the flat a light and airy feel, helped by glass sliding balcony doors that let in plenty of natural light. To jazz up the white interior, Juliette threw in touches of wood for warmth; exotic carpets and decor pieces also help break the monotony of white.

It was wise of her to furnish the home interior slowly. "Haste is responsible for most mistakes. I need some time to make a new space into mine and feel comfortable with it," she said. "Within a month, I gathered the things that we love, to make a stimulating atmosphere of furniture, textiles, rugs, objects and artwork, aiming for new discoveries at every turn."

The contemporary straight lines of the layout and built-in furnishings are balanced with the couple's collection of Oriental furniture and sophisticated ornaments. The simple, practical backdrop is softened with plenty of colorful prints and patterns on rugs, woolly cushions and accessories.

Every room in this apartment presented opportunities for a new idea, a different mood. Obviously the French woman has tried to achieve a home that is elegant but relaxed and informal, modern but very warm. The living area, the largest space, required the most thought.

The open living and dining area is graceful enough for entertaining and yet a place where everyone feels immediately at home and at ease. A pallet of beige, dark brown, copper-colored grey, yellow mustard with touches of bright green apple, vermilion and orange plays out a sophisticated drama.

The couple loves a mixture of old and new furniture: it is the connection of living history all around them. A handful of old wood furniture items cast a warm glow without being overwhelming.

Contemporary sofas and Art Deco chairs, with simple clean lines, minimize the feel of a crowded room and bring a sense of calm.

"I love to mix the styles and to evoke my memories of the different countries where we lived. That is why I always keep the similar style from one home to another," she said. "My furniture is my history. I love my paintings or decorative pieces to remind me of some good friends, a trip or the stories behind them."

Her favorite item in the house is a red Chinese cupboard placed behind the sofa sets -- its simplicity, its beautiful color and its special lock make it different from the rest. "And it follows us everywhere: we bought it in Beijing, sent it to Paris then it went to Moscow, Taiwan and Shanghai."

The painting from the famous French artist, Christian de Laubadere, is also one of their treasured pieces. "My parents bought one of his paintings in southern France 15 years ago and then I met him again in Shanghai where he began living and working since 2001," Juliette said.

The elegant and mysterious painting of the head and neck of a woman is a reflection of de Laubadere's fascination with the sophistication and sensuality of women. A dining room wall is adorned with a Korean artist's work they bought in Taiwan from a very close friend.

Juliette loves to add personal touches, anything from framed family photographs, ornaments from other countries, a favorite shawl thrown over the arm of a sofa and used as a blanket, or a row of lifestyle books that give insight to the owner's passions.

Whether it is the rich details of a Balinese wood statue, a carpet from the famous market Izmailovo in Moscow, a porcelain tea cup crafted in China or an Art Deco crystal lamp belonging to Xavier's grandparent, Juliette has realized the potential of different culture sources and design elements to impart magical moods in contemporary settings.

Her recent obsession is "Fleurs des anges jour" curtains from Robert le heros. The strong personality of their stimulating palettes and flower-inspired prints bring a poetic and chic touch in the living room.

As the brand's business development manager in China, she likes to use its latest design curtains, cushions and place mats to achieve a fresh look without changing furniture. With things organized and the right furniture in place, the family is getting used to the new apartment, especially when they lie on the sofa enjoying each other's company.


Who is he?

Luay Al-Rawi is creative director and co-founder of the renowned Dutch lifestyle brand Kenas. An attraction to antique Chinese cabinets 15 years ago was the trigger that led Luay to open his first factory in China. He is a pioneer, having started the first wholly owned foreign enterprise in China in the furniture business in 1995. He evolved the business to create artisan-quality furniture based on sophisticated European-inspired designs.

Tell us about your works, and name one you are most proud of.

For my design furniture, I seek to give new life to reclaimed wood and industrial wares that otherwise might have been thrown out of warehouses and old houses. Those old materials are reused and turned into sophisticated modern furniture with its own unique story to tell. High-quality paints and waxes are used for the finishing process to create the very warm characteristic.

Though the furniture is newly crafted, it bears the patina of an old, well-loved antique, exuding history and charm. For example, one of my designs is the Cadee table, the top made from reclaimed wood (old doors from northern parts of China) with an industrial-looking metal base. The product I'm most proud of at the moment is the Alaska metal bed.

Are you currently involved with any project?

Of course, yes. Among the ongoing projects I work on, there is a sports club project in Qingdao we're currently involved in. We customize most of the furniture pieces for them to create the right atmosphere, reflecting my own style. Another project this year is our first retail shop opened recently in the 1933 creative lifestyle complex.

We have spent 15 years developing our team, mainly focusing on R&D, which is now a blend of sophisticated European design and Chinese artisan craftsmanship. It is the right time to open our flagship store that showcases an extensive range of reproduction furniture and contemporary design. The store gives customers not just furniture but a lifestyle concept.

Describe your design style.

I love to work with old materials, giving rustic, warm finishes. I'm not in the modern era creating heavy lacquered, glittering and glamor pieces. I discover industrial objects, materials and even ideas and details from everyday life and try to combine them into unique pieces. I love to pass the charm of these things on to people.

Where are you most creative?

During my traveling.

What does your home mean to you?

Peace and happiness. A warm, inspiring place where children can bring any friend, people can stay for dinner and drinks, animals can walk in and out. Of course my home is surrounded by a lot of my design furniture.

What do you collect?

I collect lots of used things, antiques, and objects with an antique look. And I love to collect plenty of similar objects. Many of the same -- all put together, it makes the most simple objects stand out. I love to let my hand roll over a pile of empty bullet holders or old silver coins.

Where do you like to go most in Shanghai?

The Bund for its dynamic atmosphere.

What will be the next big design trend?

The next design trend is the combination between modern and used materials which is elevating the style mix to an art form. For example, the combination between recycled wood and stainless steel, as wood radiates warmth and coziness, while steel, in contrast, delivers a cool, purist highlight. Sustainable development is the foundation of Kenas, since we have been using recycled materials for 15 years.

There may be no better way to deal with the coming winter season than to sit in a warm, cheery room with floral prints adding color and pattern. Look for florals that will coordinate with colors you already have at home, balance strong patterns with plain surfaces and have upholstered furniture that will take on new life when covered with floral fabric. This week we pick great colors, textures, floral patterns and paints that work well together. It's where inspiration meets practicality...


1: Square cushion, 700 yuan, by Rober le heros, from Platane

Address: 156 Taikang Rd

Tel: 6466-2495


2: Eyelet curtains, 2,300 yuan, by Robert le heros, from Platane

Address: 156 Taikang Rd

Tel: 6466-2495


3: Bottoni Deep 170, 45,400 yuan, by Moooi, from Design Republic

Address: 5 Zhongshan Rd E1

Tel: 6329-3123


4: Plum Blossoms, straight cup & saucer, 398 yuan; large trinket box, 370 yuan, from Asianera

Address: Unit 1-110, 1933 Main building, 10 Shajing Rd

Tel: 6513-8982


5: Doosey table lamp, 1,480 yuan, by Innermost, from 100 percent

Address: 72 Wuyuan Rd

Tel: 5404-1678