IN a busy, stressful city like Shanghai, you may enjoy empowering yourself with a fresh perspective and renewed energy. One of the easiest ways to do this is to decorate your home with vibrant colors to create a good mood and foster an optimistic outlook in everything you do.

Jean-Michel Hostal and Katherine Royer have splashed some bold colors around their home that they have lived in for eight years. The three-floor, 300-square-meter apartment on Jinbang Road in Changning District is full of rich shades of flashy pink, green, orange and purple.

For the French couple, it is a great way to make a space come alive, giving it depth, warmth, confidence and life. The cheerful colors also deliver different atmospheres and moods from day to night.

Hostal had been in business designing packaging and images for cosmetics and perfume companies for 20 years and started to work for Asian customers in 1994.

"We decided to move in 2003 because most of my customers were in this area. We have chosen China and Shanghai because of its international living standards," Hostal said. "It was not easy to find our home. We looked at dozens.

"We wanted a living space with a calm environment, large rooms, good light and a practical floor plan. This one was in a good condition; the landlord was friendly, and all of our criteria was respected," he added.

The landlord had done a great renovation so the couple didn't change anything in terms of the space. By simply moving in furniture, designing some of the pieces and adding accent items, the space has begun to feel more and more "homey."

"I like modern China style, very simple clean-lined and even minimalist. With this kind of furniture, we can easily mix with other styles, such as traditional Chinese, French and modern Italian," Hostal said. "From Lyon to Shanghai, we didn't change much of our decorating style, always East-meets-West and a splash of colors."

Entering the flat, the open-plan space is divided into the living room on the right and the kitchen/dining room on the left.

Colors make a big first impression. Talking about the way he mixed the colors, Hostal said he saw the birth of Shanghai Tang when he worked with David Tang at the very beginning. "I was in love with those Shanghai Tang colors immediately and they gave me inspirations for my own space."

The couple and their three sons (their daughter lives in Dubai) spend most of the time on the first floor. "The living room in the evening has a very warm and cozy atmosphere thanks to the lighting and colors. It is our haven of peace, where we all feel very good," Hostal said. "This house has really good vibrations."

The large kitchen/dining room exerts a powerful aesthetic appeal that is comfortable yet surprisingly practical. No wonder it is Hostal's favorite room.

As the kitchen cements its role as the central gathering place in the home, it also takes on more vibrant, energetic colors. A unique but tasteful mix of orange, green and purple creates a cheerful kitchen and dining space that exudes happy, positive vibes.

They are comforting and appetite stimulators. The bold colors also complement the cold Chinese marble kitchen island, dining table and stainless steel shelves.

"It looks like a bistro where 'the chef' is cooking in front of you,'' Hostal said. Hailing from Lyon, the French capital of gastronomy, both he and his wife are good cooks and like to invite friends over on a regular basis.

The kitchen looks modern and stylish but also blends in plenty of storage space for practical living. It has the advantage of combining closed-in cupboards and open display shelving, with the latter providing a visual relief from the oppression of closed doors.

Good kitchen design is also revealed in the ease of movement within the "work areas" so there is room to put down plates of food, pans, as well as for other preparation.

The staircase leads to the second and third floors. There are three bedrooms on the second floor and two on the third floor.

Hostal's favorite bright colors have been replaced by rather neutral colors in the bedrooms. As the family loves to spend most of the time in the living room, the bedroom designs are kept simple and uncluttered.

Beyond the home basics, there is one thing Hostal cannot live without: photographs. Once a photo-journalist during his six-year stay in East Africa, Hostal likes to display both his and other photographers' works. Chinese photographer Yang Hui, who is famous for shooting people's daily life, is one of his favorites.

With a little imagination and enthusiasm, you can transform your home from drab to dramatic that is full of empowering energy whether you choose big bold accents or add little splashes here and there. This apartment showcases how color can really change the way you look at your home.

Who is he?
Cebu furniture designer Vito Selma was nominated for 10 Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines in 2009. The designer's pieces are sold in 29 countries. He recently entered a multi-disciplinary competition in Spain for emerging designers, the Espacio Nudage, and was one of 10 chosen to exhibit their works in Santander.

Tell us some of your works and name the one you are most proud of.
My work is a tribute to the beauty of wood, which I don't think people here have done. I try to stay away from applying color or stain to it. There is something about wood when you see its grain and natural color. There is a story, a warmth, an ambience, a character and an elegance to seeing it in its naked form. Hopefully, people will see how I interact with wood. I don't see it as a material; I see it as a partner. The Geo collection, which comes in pine or mahogany, is probably my favorite. It is inspired by "string art" we used to do in math class, how you use lines to create a curve.

Are you currently involved with any project?
I'm currently creating customized pieces for some clients, at the same time expanding my line. Along with other Philippine designers, I'm also collaborating with UNICEF, auctioning off my GEO table, in a silver leaf finish, one of its kind. All the proceeds will go to the many children of UNICEF. I am also preparing for an exhibit to showcase my work in Dubai later this year. Aside from furniture, I'm also in communication with another artist, to having an exhibition in Manila, the Philippines, for my photography and paintings.

Describe your design style.
I always start my design process with a material. With that, I experiment with the different ways I can use the material, and test its limitations. Manipulation of material molded into a new form makes a piece original. But in reality, the functionality of a piece of furniture is the most important factor. The conceptualizing and process of a single design can take up to a year or maybe years. Design is something that shouldn't be rushed. It should be well thought out. My style is a play of lines, a test of the limitations of wood, and an evolution in itself. Showing the defined organic lines of the grain of wood is very important to me.

Where are you most creative?
I am most creative when I travel. There is no other bigger source of inspiration for anyone out there than seeing what the rest of the world is like.

What does your home mean to you?
Home is an escape. It is a person's reflection of their perfect world, a space entirely made of everything you want to collect in life, be it memories frozen in photos or little ornaments. You can tell a lot about a person from what is in his home.

What do you collect?
I collect everything I can get from traveling, be it coins or little pieces by artists I meet in the streets. But my favorite collection is the bracelets I get from the countries I visit, from China to Namibia. I wear it everyday. It reminds me of where I've been and where I still need to go.

Where would you like to go most in Shanghai?
I love the Bund, Xintiandi and the former French concession area. Shanghai is a perfect mix of the past and future. There is really no place like Shanghai, Beijing or the entire China. It is almost a different world that everyone has to experience at least once in their life. If I had an opportunity to showcase my work there or even live there, I'd do so in a heartbeat.

What will be the next big design trend?
People are becoming more environmentally conscious. I think going green is not only a trend, but it is a direction of lifestyle that the entire world will adapt. Designing will revolve around this, from material processing to the function of a piece of furniture. Design or items will be simple and straight forward. I think it is best to keep everything natural and neutral, in that way, it doesn't become a trend, but instead it lasts and becomes a classic. That both benefits a designer and the end users.

ASK THE OWNER

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

A: Living in one of the biggest cities in the world, walking in small lanes and finding some noiseless and quiet green islands.

Q: Describe your home in three words.

A: Comfortable, relaxing and practical.

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

A: I kiss my wife and my kids!

Q: How do you unwind?

A: For me, playing guitar, for my wife ... cooking.

Q: Where do you spend most of the time at home?

A: In the kitchen, it is very large, we all like to be there because we like cooking and having diner with friends. We decorated it like a French brasserie/bistro.

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

A: Trees. They grew up very fast and now we cannot see the building in front of ours.

Q: How do you scent your home?

A: Most of time we use essential oil, candles and a few drops of lavender essential oil on our pillow before going to bed.

Q: What's your favorite object at home?

A: Two large photos from my Chinese photographer friend Yang Hui.

Q: Where do you source furniture?

A: MU Gallery, J4Kid, Casa Pagoda.