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July 5, 2020

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Home » Sunday » Home and Design

A sophisticated, cosy, refuge for a family to nest in

THE beauty of Cissy Chen’s downtown apartment lies in the balance of relaxed simplicity and sense of individuality thanks to the Shanghai native’s natural talent for interior style.

Chen, with her French husband Olivier Lionnet, son Enzo and daughter Eva, moved into their new flat in a bit of a hurry.

“We needed to find a new home within ten days as the buyer was eager to move in as soon as possible. Luckily I had some good agents so I quickly selected a few nice properties to visit. The decision was made within three days,” she said.

Chen’s criteria of an ideal living space was specific. It had to be a three-bedroom apartment with lots of storage, white walls, a light -colored wooden floor and central AC. It also had to be located in the tree-lined downtown area, ideally around Huaihai Road, Huashan Road and Wukang Road.

“As long as I have these basics, I’m confident of turning any space into a sophisticated refuge for my family, a cozy and elegant home where we can nest in,” said the interior stylist, who owns an online shop called Adesir, offering a collection of furniture and decorative objects.

The 170-square-meter apartment did meet Chen’s criteria and she liked the layout of the interior. The property owner had completely renovated the space, leaving a perfect blank canvas for Chen to imprint a personal touch.

It has a very large living space and an open dining room, as she loves to invite friends to gather around the table for inspirational exchanges, share delicious meals, daily chats and play some table games with children.

“When I first saw the flat, I could immediately imagine how my art collection would fit in. Plus, there are trees outside and birds singing. I felt good fengshui and energy flow here,” Chen said.

The basic condition of the apartment was pretty good so she simply added some personal tastes to it and the color scheme of the walls was changed to wood, black, green and blue. Her personal style is all about mixing things up — oversized pieces next to something delicate, masculine objects contrasting with feminine pieces and Eastern accents mixing with Western influences.

The home reflects a mix of contemporary styles and is composed of designer pieces, highlighted by bold artworks, natural fabrics and ethnic patterns.

The spacious living room exudes an airy and relaxed vibe, accompanied by abundant sunlight during the day. Comfortable sofas, stylish lounge chairs set an elegant foundation while the vibrant paintings add a note of color and energy to the space.

The clean lines of modern furniture and white walls create a neutral background for a collection of amazing works of art, which makes this home authentic and personal. Each piece of artwork is dear to Chen and reminds her of different stories, friends and experiences.

“I had always been fond of beautiful objects and sensitive to art since I was little. In 2007, I had my first baby so I stopped working and had more free time to enjoy and study art. It was during that period I collected my first artwork from ShangArt — a piece by Zhang Enli,” she said.

A passion for art collecting started from that day. Each artwork Chen selects for her home makes you pause and savor.

“First of all, I always feel touched by a particular artwork, then I care about the artist’s capability to express his or her personal ideas. Of course before making the final purchasing decision, I need to understand a bit more, which gallery represents the artist and the exhibition records, among others,” she said, adding that she believes good galleries give strong support to artists’ development. She often chooses artworks from ShangArt, Perrotin, Don, and Longmarch.

She proudly pointed out the painting created by Yuan Yuan, hung in the dining space, is one of the highlights.

Chen began to collect artworks after his first exhibition, thanks to the impressive “Metro Station,” which has a power to draw you in. Yuan Yuan’s subjects are mainly interiors, based on real places.

What sets his paintings apart is the incredible detail with which he describes every individual surface within the composition.

“In particular this artist is fascinated by mosaics and patterns of tiles. His meticulous skill in depicting such details and the ability to play with an infinite variety of hues within the same color scheme produce a stunning visual effect. It always touches me deeply,” she said.

Known particularly for his abstract paintings composed of crosses, Ding Yi’s “10 crosses” is hung in the master bedroom. This particular work, with a signature use of cross symbols in black and white colors, draws Chen into a wonderland, a universe that is peaceful and dreamy.

 

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

A: Cosmopolitan, dynamic, openness, safety, convenience. Shanghai is a city of dreams. Everyone can be a dreamer and be able to make the dream come true.

 

Q: Describe your home in three words.

A: Cozy, warm, arty

 

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

A: Wash hands and have a cup of tea.

 

Q: How do you unwind?

A: Put music on, light up my Adesir aromatic candles, reading a magazine about art or decoration.

 

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

A: Around the dining table. I love to receive friends, spend time with family, and work on this wooden table instead of a classic bureau.

 

Q: What’s the view outside your window?

A: Trees.

 

Q: What’s the favorite object in your home?

A: My art collections are always my favorite objects in any of my homes.

 

Q: Where do you source furniture?

A: As I am an interior stylist, I have my own furniture and decoration online shop Adesir, thus the modern furniture mainly comes from my own brand and suppliers. I also enjoy treasure digging for the Chinese antiques.




 

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