WITH innovative design schemes and a pared-down palette, public relations firm account manager Anne Geronimi has applied gorgeous simplicity to decorating her house.

Cream walls and clean furniture mingle with a rich brown rooted, literally, in the floor. An unfussy layout, with plenty of space between the rooms and furniture, enhances the uncluttered calm.

Geronimi's home is a perfect example of how simply decorated rooms can provide a far warmer, relaxed and more livable character. Softness and comfort are key and it is a place where people feel a sense of welcome.

French national Geronomi was born in Sri Lanka and moved with her diplomat father to Malaysia, Japan, Taiwan and Beijing up to the age of 16. She visited Shanghai again nine years ago to see a friend and has never left. "Somehow, I thought it was so much more exciting then so I decided not to return to France,?she said.

It took a year for Geronimi and her New Zealand husband Scott Brown to find the right house for their family of three. "We found this house in 2006 but it took about four months of negotiation to get it. It was quite rundown when I first saw it then I decide to invest time and money to renovate,?she said.

From a structural perspective, Geronimi didn't change much of the old 220-square-meter Fuxing Road M. apartment. "It was all about how to clean it up. Everything was painted dark brown and the walls were all yellow, which looked very dark. The kitchen and the bathroom had not been touched for so many years and there was a lot of junk.

"We kept the wood floors, the tiles in the kitchen, and fixed up all the old windows,?she said. "It was a lot of detailed work because we tried our best to keep as much as we could. It worked out pretty good.?

Geronimi loves old material, to the extent that she even replaced the new door handles with old ones.

"What was very daunting about the old apartment was it seemed really dark. Our major concern was how to make it look fresh and clean,?she said. "So, when we painted everything white, it really changed the whole house.?

Geronimi pointed out the two rooms facing the street were cold and dark so she decorated them in warm, cozy shades instead.

One of the advantages of the location is that the main bedrooms and living room all facing a quiet and pleasant lane. It is also very practical to be so close to downtown for family members. The Fuxing Park within walking distance is fantastic for her daughter Mila.

Geronimi furnished the house with simple sofas, chairs and beds, and was restrained in adding a helping of her favorite fabrics, artworks and flowers. Her aim was to create a home where the family could relax and feel completely comfortable.

And because the look is relaxed, she feels free to alter the details whenever she wants, adding new treasures to a wall display, propping up a new discovery on a shelf, or replacing a collection of teacups, to make an interior that is always evolving and that they never tire of.

"All of our apartments have been very similar in style. I like things to be quite plain, but comfortable, with just a bit of color ?a few pieces that stand out,?she said. "Modern, classic and definitely Asian?is the way she describes her ideal home style.

Geronimi injects her own sense of individuality into a room by introducing one or two things she is passionate about ?maybe a richly textured throw or an exotically colored fabric ?without spoiling the look's characteristic unfussiness. "When I fall in love with one piece of fabric, I like to make it into a cushion cover or display it against plain furniture,?she said.

Her daughter Mila's room is probably her favorite. "It is the biggest room. Since it is a child's room, I could let my creativity run wild and use those strong colors such as hot pink, red and green.?

Geronimi has been searching for floral and colorful fabrics, small-sized furniture and a plethora of other items to turn Mila's room into a mystical, private haven.

Children dream of owning a second home, too: a place where they can hide, fantasize or hold a make-believe tea party. The tailor-made pink, floral-printed whimsical tent designed by Geronimi is placed next to the bed and provides private play space for Mila.

Although the family has devoted a room to dining, the all-white kitchen opposite Mila's room is considered the hub of family and social life. She incorporates a table and chairs into the design of their kitchen which has a built-in kitchen table that sometimes serves as a work surface too.

The kitchen's colors have been kept muted. Lots of white is always a winner and cannot fail to look clean and crisp, but some pale colors or fresh flowers add a touch of prettiness.

Who is she?

Popi Laudico is the in-demand young architect behind some of the hippest homes and establishments in the Philippines and, increasingly, overseas. She is an architect and designer with a variety of international work experience in high-end residential and commercial establishments. She also is active in interior and furniture design.

What are some of your works and which are you most proud of?

I specialize in design. There is a very wide range of projects that I've been fortunate enough to have worked on, ranging from homes and buildings to stores, restaurants, schools, spas, urban planning, development, and more. Completed projects include high-end, award-winning resorts in the Philippines such as El Nido in Palawan and Friday's in Boracay, as well as upscale restaurants like Bistro Filipino and atypical branches of leading fast food chains.

I enjoyed working on most of my projects, but if I were to pick one that I would be particularly proud of, it would be the Johnson Mindoro Residence (see the Website www.popilaudico.com for photos). This was a 715-square-meter single detached residence in Puerto Galera for a couple, designed to be a get-away for the pair and a place for their children to come together. The client's unique personality and tastes played a vital role in the design. The design features multiple structures using locally available materials with a modern twist on indigenous architecture. The fantastic sea views and surrounding nature are an integral part of the design, showcased everywhere in the living areas ?even in the bathrooms!

Describe your design style.

I don't typically put a label on my style, and I make sure I never repeat myself. I am not going for any one look that can be associated with me. I don't see a project as a way to express myself; it's all about giving you, the client, what you want, what you're dreaming of. The best compliment for me is when the people closest to my clients do not see that an architect has designed their space. They don't "see?me, but in fact only see the client's personality and the project's specific requirements in the spaces that I've worked on. Then I believe I have done my job properly.

Where are you most creative?

The process of creation happens everywhere. You just need to open yourself up and allow it to happen. To help get the process going, I get my mind stimulated by doing meditation. Architecture is a stressful job and the mind needs calmness so creativity can set in.

What does your home mean to you?

My home is a space that contains me and allows me to flourish.

Where would you like to go most in Shanghai?

Shui Urban Spa, and anywhere they serve very good fresh water shrimps.

What will be the next big design trend?

Environmentally sustainable architecture.Anne's tips for decorating:

Keep things simple in terms of decoration and color. However, random splashes of bright colors are very uplifting for a room.

Overall decoration needs to be around a certain theme, but feature objects always add a fun touch.

Have minimum furniture which is both decorative and functional. Less is more. The coffee table placed at the living room is very decorative but also functional because it has a shelf underneath where we store magazines and books.

Where furniture was sourced:

Casa Pagoda ?15 Taikang Rd.

Spin ?Bldg. 3, 758 Julu Rd.

Asian View ?233 Shaanxi Rd S.