China Modern. Sharon Leece
blue, orange, and green glass tiles; bar stools enclosed in oval red silk lanterns; a spectacular curved gold glass ceiling inspired by the Dunhuang grottos in Gansu province; and a shimmering orchid lake underlit with neon blue light. Hand-carved pillars, intricate tiles, and lush private rooms merge gothic, baroque, and opulent into one heady mix that brings China's cultural richness to a wider audience.
The double happiness symbol is carved onto fiber optic light shades.
High stools with carved latticework backs are positioned in a row opposite the main bar.
Vibrant colors inside; traditional 19th century shikumen rowhouse style in the dining area outside.
Downstairs, the tranquil Orchid Lake is a modern interpretation of the traditional Chinese tea-house. Atmospheric blue underlighting bouncing off the water emphasizes the Tang dynasty-inspired gold leaf walls. In front stands a pair of armchairs covered in lush, floral-print silk.
Detail of colorful hand-carved tiles inset into the bar. According to ancient beliefs, the circle is a symbol of heaven; the square a symbol of earth.
The red silk bar stools are in the shape of an inverted 1930s Shanghai lantern.
The dramatic ten-meter-long (33-ft) bar on the ground floor is entirely made of glass tiles in exuberant washes of color. Gold-leaf covers the ceiling and the rear wall; gold crystal glass lights hang above.
View along the length of the Orchid Lake where each orchid is made of hand-carved glass. At the end, a mirrored wall works to reflect the dramatic space with its blue and violet lighting. Lighting is key throughout the restaurant: with the focus on the interplay of light and shade to create washes of color and shadowy corners. To the left, cosy seating areas are divided by wooden pillars and beams.
Glass artists Chang Yi and his wife Loretta Yang Huishan used hand-carved glass to create TMSK, including walls, screens, floors, windows, tables, chairs, and table-ware. Upstairs, a wall of ornate carved glass pillars topped with jade green spheres marks the entrance to a private dining room.
The central feature of the first floor dining room is a domed glass ceiling inspired by the 1,600-year-old Dun huang grottos in Gansu province, the world's greatest repository of Buddhist art. The ceiling subtly changes color, moving from gold to red to green to pink.
Temple of Heaven
An exchange of cultures
A restored courtyard house located in the grounds of a temple north of Beijing's Forbidden City is now the distinctive home of French architect Pascale Desvaux and her family. In keeping with traditional Chinese architectural emphasis on enclosure and separation, the house is encircled by a wall that protects the interior from the world outside. "The idea was to take elements of Chinese architecture and history and to incorporate them with contemporary style," explains the architect, who completely renovated the 350-square-meter (3,766-sq-ft) space before moving in.
An impressive terracotta red archway featuring a moongate leads into a courtyard garden. Desvaux uses the moongate as her primary linkage motif within the interior, where modern moongates, painted midnight blue, are installed in the middle of each interior wall to produce a long slim space that flows around the courtyard on three sides. This linking device adds to the balance and symmetry of the interior and is a practical as well as an aesthetic decision. 'The rooms are not very big so this saves a lot of space," she explains.
Hers is a clever fusion of styles that values the power of simplicity. The palette is bold: the intense blue of the moongates contrasts with the traditional green, yellow, and red color scheme of Chinese temples, retained in the painted pillars, beams, and intricately patterned exterior woodwork. Inside, it is a stylish and comfortable home filled with Cassina sofas, antique Chinese furniture, own-design pieces, and curios from Beijing's Panjiayuan flea market. It is a little slice of heaven in the heart of the city.
Sculptural glass vases by French design duo Tse & Tse are juxtaposed against old wooden window frames. Outside hangs a traditional silk lantern.
Chinese doorways appear in a variety of shapes. As dusk falls, this dramatic red moongate frames the secluded courtyard. The color red signifies joy and good fortune.
A series of modern, midnight blue moongates link the rooms inside the courtyard house. This is the view from the bedroom of the long, slim living room, which is furnished with a combination of antique furniture found in Beijing and Desvaux's own designs.
By applying a contemporary design ethos to a traditional structure, Pascsale Desvaux aims to create an exchange between cultures. In the master bedroom, the red silk painting is by Zhao Ling and the Vietnamese bedlinen is by Catherine Denoual. The Constanza floor lamp is by Luceplan.
Flea market finds include shagreen spectacles cases, circular yellow roof tiles with dragon motifs and calligraphy print cushions. Below, painted pillars and woodwork retain the traditional red and green palette. The overhanging roof with upturned eaves protects the house from the elements whilst letting sunlight through.
The moongate is a traditional Chinese symbol of happiness. When closed, it provides privacy inside the courtyard.
X Appeal
Fashion-forward designs, proudly made in China
Australian designer Anthony Xavier Edwards has been living in Shanghai for eight years. He moved to the city after spending time in Japan and other Asian countries, and, inspired by the city's textile culture, he began producing statement-making silk scarves. Today, he displays his own form of Shanghai glamor in his Xintiandi boutique, called X, where alongside fabulously flamboyant fashions (silks, organzas, hand dyed ostrich feathers), he offers hats, soft furnishings, ceramics, and acid-etched glassware, all bearing the label "Proudly Made in China."
Such chic, domestic designs are proof that China-made goods can now hold their own with panache. "There is a huge growing middle class in China that demands refinement," Edwards explains. He finds his adopted country a limitless source of inspiration: "There's something