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In a serviced apartment, each family member tells a story
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HELEN Waters and her husband Andrew have finally arrived. For the past decade, the couple and their kids had been in and out of Shanghai, and had lived in a large house and a penthouse, both located in the former French Concession. Now, they are calling a spacious four-bedroom serviced apartment in Shanghai Centre their home.
It’s an escape from the expatriate community’s hustle and bustle, they said, and offers everything they could wish for.
Their previous places didn’t lack space, they said. “But we found ourselves at the Portman Ritz Carlton every weekend for the pool and to meet people, so we decided to move into the apartment at the Shanghai Centre,” Helen said.
They now have access to a massive kids’ play area, a jumping castle, a heated indoor and outdoor pool and a BBQ entertainment area where they can have friends over for dinner.
“Living inside Shanghai Centre, we have all the services of a hotel but we can also make it feel like a home,” Helen said. “It’s truly like a community with lots of kids and interesting people from all over the world. Many people come over for dinner with their kids, it’s just like an open house. And our boarder collie dog Biscuit finds this space comfortable as well.”
Although the serviced apartment is fully furnished, it didn’t prevent Helen from giving it her own stamp. Her colorful personality —and the rest of the family’s — is now reflected in the space.
“Wherever I live, I try to look for a style that reflects what makes my family feel at home. I don’t follow style trends but try to make the style and the vibe simple, elegant and just right for us,” Helen said.
Here, Helen has kept a classic European style as a base with a mixture of Chinese and other Asian pieces to highlight that this is still an apartment located in Shanghai. She loves to add some traditional and ethnic elements and said that it is important to her that the apartment didn’t end up looking entirely modern. The overall look is unique and welcoming.
A bright, earthy interior was an obvious choice for Helen, as the colors are calming and accentuate natural light. The generous living room is filled with simple, clean-lined furniture with big sitting and dining areas. From the selection of materials and colors to the stylish yet simple furnishing displays, the apartment boasts a tasteful and warm design with a lot of attention for detail.
“The living room is all about the comfortable sofas, and the soothing atmosphere that provides an ideal spot to just want to sit down, chill, read cookbooks or simple get lost while looking at the art around,” Helen said.
Next to the sitting area is the dining space, where a vintage wood dining table softens the overall scheme. Vases with fresh flowers are used as fragrant decoration.
The master bedroom is where the couple unwinds from a busy day, and where comfort and relaxation is key. Helen recently found beautiful Indian and Moroccan inspired benches and bean bags for the bedroom, which add an exotic touch.
The kids’ rooms, on the other side of the apartment, are also full of character. The room of their daughter, Mia, is a little princess’ dreamland, filled with dolls and a wooden kitchen to play. Mia’s friends love to come over for sleep overs on the weekends.
The room of their son, Louis, is typically boyish, and highlights his collection of skateboards and surf boards as well as drums. “It feels like he lives in California. I try to give everyone in this apartment his or her own getaway space and personal touch. It turns out to work well in the overall design,” Helen said.
The clean, soothing interior is portrayed as a canvas for passionate, beautiful paintings Helen has created over the years.
“My art is a very personal thing, sometimes it represents where I travel or what I see,” she said.
“I have been travelling to many places and people from different culture and backgrounds intrigue me. Through their faces, you can capture a moment that tells the story.
“The portraits I create are based on my personal style and the stories I’ve built in my mind. That’s the same with my home’s story. I believe a home should represent more than just design. It as well has to have its own spirit and stories.”
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