Taking charge of every decoration detail in her house, Vanessa Tobelem shows she's capable of being more than a designer of home accessories and little things.

The three-story villa tucked inside a nice compound on Hongmei Road is an ongoing labor of love, with modifications in various nooks and crannies.

The 350-square-meter house, in which she lives with her husband Emmanuel and two children (son Alexandre and daughter Kika), is a reflection of their characters and Shanghai lifestyle.

Like most newcomers to the city, house hunting was a difficult experience for the French couple. "We didn't like the American-style houses in the neighborhood as they shared gardens. The other compounds we looked at were too clean for us and they looked like the movie 'The Truman Show'," Tobelem said. "My husband could not picture himself picking up the morning paper wearing his robe while waving at the peeking neighbors."

This villa had a better shape than other square-layout villas, according to her. "Now more than the compound, we really enjoy the lifestyle on Hongmei Road. The proximity to the city center and the quietness that we have on the weekends plus the golf driving range across the street makes it an ideal living space," Tobelem said.

Before Shanghai, the couple lived in a designer house in the countryside outside Paris. As her husband's work meant spending almost half of his time in Asia, the couple decided to move to China. And the only furniture they brought with them is the bar made by a French artist.

This exclusive piece features a unique design and the couple loves the finish of the metal treated with acids that gives it green, brown and reddish colors. It has a strong social function and serves as the centerpiece on the first floor.

"For French people we love to drink and talk for hours and we have to admit that we have had quite a lot of success with our bar in our Shanghai home."

For the spatial layout, the couple has enlarged the kitchen as they love cooking and having dinner with the kids there. "It is still too small for us as we had a 24-square-meter kitchen in France. A great kitchen is more important than a nice living room," she said.

The ground floor is designed for entertaining, and the couple, both being gregarious sorts, do a lot of it. "Having had a large kitchen, I miss a large living space where you can move the furniture and dance with your friends. But on the upside, the kids have a lot of space where they can invite friends as well. So overall we are satisfied with the space we have."

They also moved the guest bathroom on the first floor to make a walk-in closet for their coats and shoes.

The house does not have much light during the daytime but the liberal use of glass walls and mostly white walls let in plenty of natural light on sunny days.

The interior was created keeping the open design in mind. The homeowner perks up an eclectic combination of rustic and retro with a sprinkling of modern art which makes a strong statement in the space. It seems the couple have a soft spot for anything statement-making but also love detail and the sensitivity of well-made pieces.

"I'm not into empty, pure, deserted design. It looks nice in a magazine but it is not warm and welcoming. Our origins are from the south of Europe therefore we like warm and comfortable interiors.''

The family have lots of room to relax and each corner encapsulates a chic yet casual mood. They love the main interior colors to be discreet and bring out the colorful, vibrant decorative elements. On the walls hangs a collection of contemporary paintings the couple has bought in Asia over the years. "After two years living in Shanghai we met a French couple and the husband was fond of Chinese modern art. He initiated us and we started to buy paintings and sculptures with him," Tobelem said.

At this house, you will be surprised at the important role that paintings play in home decor. Not only do those paintings add an artistic touch or become a dynamic focal point of the room, they can actually help change the illusion of a room's shape, sometimes giving the sensation of additional broader space.

The couple is sensitive to the house's particular atmosphere and they make some changes to freshen it up every summer. "My home is where we like to go when we want some comfort and enjoy each other's company after a cold, hot or hard day in the city. We also like our friends to feel comfortable and welcoming in our space."

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

A: Discovering a new culture far from Europe and enjoying the energy that the city generates.

Q: Describe your home in three words.

A: Peaceful, welcoming, warm.

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

A: I turn on my iPod.

Q: How do you unwind?

A: Reading a book on my sofa with the music on and a good glass of French wine.

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

A: In the kitchen and the living room.

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

A: The view from the living room where you can see the trees, the garden and our dog running.

Q: How do you scent your home?

A: With the Hotel Costes fragrance and with fragrant candles from Morocco.

Q: What's your favorite object at home?

A: My bed.

Who is he?

Shanghai-born Kenneth Ko Man On went to Hong Kong at the age of six and studied in high school there before going to Australia for undergraduate studies. He received his first degree from the University of Melbourne School of Architecture in 1969. He later obtained a first-class honor in design and won the Picton Hopkins Award. He then returned to Hong Kong, where he developed his professional career. Ko first worked in an architectural firm. He then worked for a reputed project management company before establishing his own company in 1976. Through years of dedicated hard work, he has become a fellow of HKIA (Hong Kong Institute of Architects, since 2006), member of RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects, since 1972) and a fellow of RAIA (Royal Australia Institute of Architects, since 1982). Since 2004, Ko has entered into the Chinese market and has gained respect in the design field.

Tell us some of your works and name the one you are most proud of.

Among all the hotels, gyms, retail shops and high-end residential projects scattered in Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, my proudest work is always the next one. One of the works which I am dedicating the most effort to is "Shanghai Bay," which is located by the "mother river of Shanghai." It offers a lot of possibilities for different styles: modern classic, Spanish, minimalism, metropolitan. This is actually the first project I tried so many different styles in, and I am hoping to get it perfect.

Are you currently involved with any project?

"Shanghai Bay" is our main project in Shanghai at present. We input many design elements and efforts in it, as I have mentioned above. We use many unique accessories, paintings and the southern passion of Spanish style and Mediterranean ocean feels. Glorious Property is one of our oldest customers with whom we've had a long-term relationship since 2005 with the first project named Shanghai Park Avenue.

Describe your design style.

Humanity is always found in my works. To me, family is the main spiritual support of every individual, so that home feeling is important and it must be cozy and warm. It can bring people energy in work and everything. Humanity will take care of the needs of everybody at home. It shows in subtle places like color, an open kitchen, a transparent compartment in a bedroom, an English armchair in a study room, a Turkish stool in the grandparents room, comfortable lighting ... all warm the heart.

Where are you most creative?

The feeling of being at home is the most creative element in interior design. It is felt so differently by everybody that it's hard to say in a word, but people need it because individuals come from family. Home gives people strength and love.

What do you collect?

I like to collect stones, wooden frames and old things. Big raw and natural stones; wooden frames like window frames and door frames; old things. They all tell us their age and own story. It evokes memories and imagination for further generations.

Where would you like to go most in Shanghai?

I like to go to the Bund and any old buildings in Shanghai. There are a lot of old buildings with architectural beauty. They were the landmarks of culture in the past century.

What will be the next big design trend?

Space management will be the key point of the luxury living market in the future. Big accessories, large wooden crafts, wall paintings and antique mirrors can all help. Of course, a unique layout is necessary.