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Poetic bazaar with a peaceful ambience
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Contemporary furniture, period features, artworks and accessories make Juliette and Xavier van Gaver’s duplex apartment in Shanghai the perfect mix of old and new, East and West.
When the French couple and their three children moved into this 140-square-meter apartment three years ago, it was a big rush. Their previous landlord wanted to sell his flat and gave them two weeks’ notice.
Juliette visited 40 apartments in 10 days and found this freshly renovated flat that has charm, abundant light, a good layout and a perfect location in the middle of the city.
“However, we had to deal with the absurd and ugly brand-new renovation,” she said. There were some fake brown leather walls, a big dark wooden gate to separate the rooms, a wine cave in the middle of the living room with very narrow shelves all around for the wine glasses. “It seemed every detail was made to reduce the space and the light,” she added.
Juliette asked the landlord to remove everything and paint the walls in white. “We wanted it to feel personal and create a ‘poetic bazaar’ in this home,” she said.
Against the rather plain walls, the lady in the house has placed a carefully curated combination of different styles of furniture, colors, textures, and accessories from all the family’s travels.
It never takes long for Juliette to adjust, adapt and give any new house a cozy and playful atmosphere. Her distinct style has matured over the years with frequent house moving, and this apartment once again proves it.
“We are used to move very often and each of our home items has its ‘soul’ and is a part of family’s history. With all the existing resources we have, there are plenty of ways to redo our home,” she said.
Juliette loves to make a “deco patchwork” with a mix of their memories, say pictures, old frames, heritage furnishings, accessories from travels, paintings from the people they love and Chinese touches. “So I can tell a story by creating small scenes here and there. I love this idea of a ‘deco tale’ that everywhere your eyes go it tells a story!” she added.
In this kind of “odds and ends” interior, harmony is essential. The white backdrop gives the flat an airy feel, helped by glass sliding balcony doors that let in plenty of natural light. The basics of the furniture are in the same tonality; then she started to play with touches of colors and warmth as well as a mix of patterns to break the monotony of white and create a cheerful ambience. To enhance the warm effect, she displays pillows in different shapes and patterns; her favorites among them are from Tsai Yun studio founded by Armelle Wu-Dandrieux and Catherine Sayous.
The living room is graceful enough for entertaining and yet a place where everyone feels immediately at home and at ease. Dark wooden cabinetry contrasts dramatically with the crisp white walls, while simple shapes make for a graceful backdrop for a pallet of yellow mustard, bright green, orange, beige and gray.
Juliette is fond of each of her furnishings and is never tempted to get rid of them. However, she brings in new pieces every so often to keep editing the space. The newly acquired Art Deco sofa chair is a surprising addition to the dining room. Its simple lines and green fabric minimize the feel of a crowded room and bring a sense of calm into the ambience.
Art is abundant in the house, from the French artist Christian de Laubadere’s painting to a Korean artist’s work the couple bought in Taiwan. “All of our art pieces come from a beautiful encounter that often turned into friendship. My recent obsession is a very subtle and poetic photography of butterflies called ‘Les Eclaireurs’ from talented French artist Christian Chambenoit for his last exhibition ‘Cabinet de Curiosites’ at the Company Studio.”
Q: What’s the best thing about living in Shanghai?
A: Everything seems possible ... it gives such a positive energy!
Q: Describe your home in three words.
A: Cozy, playful, elegant
Q: What’s the first thing you do when you get home?
A: I switch on some lights and turn on the music to give a cheerful atmosphere.
Q: How do you unwind?
A: By spending some time with my three children and good music.
Q: Where do you spend most of the time at home?
A: In my living room where I feel a very good feng shui.
Q: What’s the best view outside your window?
A: A magic view with a mix of the “old” Shanghai and the ultra-modern Shanghai of tomorrow.
Q: How do you scent your home?
A: With the Shanghai Tang interior fragrance.
Q: What’s your favorite object at home?
A: I don’t have one favorite object … I love all of them!
Q: Where do you source furniture in Shanghai?
A: Tsai Yun Studio for all their customized furniture, l’Atelier Mandarine for the best cashmere tartan rugs, Illudeco for the lights, and Jonas design.
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