Harmony and balan
One of Guo Yi’s greatest skills is creating beautiful interior spaces with harmony and balance, comfort and function. Moving from her previous apartment, to the current one on Hunan Road, her talent for decorating is once again in play.
In the 135-square-meter apartment tucked inside this peaceful, tree-lined street, she has given each room a personal touch of intimacy.
“When our four-year lease from the previous apartment on Fumin Road was coming to an end, we wanted a new area to live in,” Guo said.
The jewelry designer and stylist thought it was time to move on and open a new chapter with New York City-born fiance Nikolai Grigorov, whom she met in Shanghai.
“This time we picked the apartment together. His only criteria was to have a balcony so he can barbecue — mine was to have more closet space,” she said.
Guo always looks for homes with an abundance of natural light, a good structure and a central location that allows her an easy commute to work.
“We loved the apartment for the wooden floors and the wonderful natural light throughout. It feels cozy with the room divided out nicely, very different from our previous apartment, which had more of an open floor plan. Furthermore, the open kitchen connected to the dining room is an added bonus for entertaining guests,” said the Shanghai native who grew up in New York.
The original lights were a hideous shade of gold so they had them all removed and replaced. There were two showers so Guo changed one of them into a bathtub.
She said the apartment had been unoccupied for eight years but the landlord did a great job of renovating it. Th solid and the fixtures are all
Guo was confident of turn ment into a sophisticated re she has a natural talent for in She pondered over every aspe ing each particular furnitur perfect lighting in each room
“I always prefer a slightly m to anything I design or sur in. I have a reverence for the finity to the new. For our livin wanted something cozy and we can nest in,” she said. “neutrals set the groundwor color. I’ve selected grays and as neutrals for the flat. Wh great to showcase art and o black linear lines here and th of color change throughout flowers, vases and pillows.”