Seasoned Shanghai expats find the perfect ingredients for building a dream home in Shanghai

By Rosario Juan Photos by Don Yap

Counting eight years in Shanghai, with many of those years spent living in high-rise condominiums, Luc Froelich and Chie Repoldo were pining for a house where they could have all of their hearts' desires. In 2006, the couple decided that they needed more space. They took one look at Citta di Pujiang and immediately knew they were moving in. Look up and you'll see the sky, not skyscrapers. Look around and you'll see open space, and lots of it, too. Citta di Pujiang was modern suburbia and it had exactly what they were looking for: infrastructure, cohesive design, breathing space, amenities and great prospects for the future.

Their sprawling two-story, four-bedroom home in Pudong is their fifth and biggest move yet. Froelich and Repoldo are no strangers to the ins and outs of acquiring, building and designing a home in Shanghai. They've gone from going gaga over everything oriental to mixing and matching and now, they just want to pare it down and have a clear canvas to decorate. "[We] knew exactly what we wanted," says Froelich. "White-on-white, modern, basic and so simple the design disappears." To ensure this in a country where contractors are used to more elaborate and, at times, ostentatious, designs, close supervision of the renovation was required. "I was there almost every day, explaining the intricacies of the plans," says Froelich. This included overseeing the construction of the multi-level drop ceilings that give a sense of division to the wide-open first floor which houses the living room, dining area and kitchen, as well as monitoring the installation of the sunken lights that give the living room a cozy glow and the cleverly hidden storage areas. The shell of the house was most critical. After all, you only get one shot at it. In building a house, "know how to read a plan and know it by heart. There are a lot of choices out there, so stick with what you originally wanted. Have a budget and always remember to stick to it," Froelich advises.

In the process of designing, they adhered to their initial concept, carefully adding furniture such as designer Kenneth Cobonpue's red "Yoda" chair in the foyer, Eames-inspired wooden lounge chairs, a print of a huge red flower and a wooden dining table perched under a red light fixture to add a modern flair to their space. The ground level opens to a Zen garden and a pool, plus a barbecue that is perfect for the entertaining this tireless couple does and all the running around their little one, Bianca, is gearing up for. "We love entertaining and we love to cook, so our house had to be able to let us do both," Repoldo explains. When asked about child-proofing this white-walled home, Repoldo was quick to respond with, "I believe children can be made to understand what to touch and what not to touch."

A beautiful lamp inspired by Louis Poulsen's "Artichoke" lights up the staircase leading to the second floor. Here you find the master bedroom with a wall of shelves holding the couple's books and DVD collection, a clever space saver with maximum design oomph. The colors are warm shades of mocha and gray with splashes of subdued blues on the shelves. A balcony awaits further renovation and there will soon be a rec room, with talks of a billiard table, or maybe a guest room.

Their house is still a work in progress but since this family has moved, they've been spending more time at home. With a house so beautiful, there's no pulling them away. Barbecue parties with friends, relaxing dips in the pool and chilling out in a sun-soaked home. Sounds like paradise in suburbia.

Home Highlights

"We bought this ceiling lamp by the staircase in a lighting shop on Yishan Lu," says Froelich.

"I saw this 'club chair' in a furniture factory when we were looking for furniture for Luna." It now fits in perfectly in the L-shaped windowsill.

"I adapted the design of these shelves after seeing [the idea] in a magazine."

OWNER PROFILE

Coming from an extensive background in the food and beverage industry, Luc Froelich came to set up Luna, a cafe, bar and restaurant concept in Xintiandi. Catering Solutions followed suit and Froelich is now at the helm of both companies as the general manager.