From Malaysia to the United Kingdom and now China, BK is no stranger to living abroad. In the past, home decor was never a priority for this busy lawyer. But, everything changed once the pandemic hit and forced everyone to stay at home.
During the day, she successfully leads the Compliance and Privacy team in Asia for a Fortune 500 apparel company. During other times, she’s an unintentional artist, creating different floral arrangements and artwork to decorate her home.
Despite isolating herself in a foreign country, BK never lost her sense of self. “My creations make my home me. For example, my paintings, my floral arrangements, etc., a piece of me in each part of the house exists,” she says.
BK has since spent nine years in China and is now settled comfortably in a condo in Shanghai. It helps that she has chosen a bustling yet safe neighborhood like University Avenue to live in. More importantly, her close-knit network of friends has helped her feel more at home, especially when traveling back home is not an option.
Although the city has now opened up, BK still seeks solace in her place, relishing in all of her masterpieces that have truly transformed her once-sparse condo into a home.
More Home Tours:
- You Won’t Believe This Cozy Cafe At Home Is Actually A Rental!
- This Railroad-Style Apartment In NYC Is Now A Bright Tropical Home
- A City Condominium Is Now An Urban Jungle That Feels Like Home
Name: BK
Location: Shanghai
Type of home: Condominium
Number of rooms: 2
Size: 96sqm
Years Lived In: 5
Rental / Owned: Rental
How would you describe your home style?
I would describe my home style as being cozy with a personal touch. I have tried to keep things simpler over the years. But, I am very sentimental so it is difficult to pack away or give away memorabilia that I accumulated over the years of living and traveling abroad.
What inspired your home decor?
To be honest, pre-Covid I never really spent a lot of time on home décor as I always thought that we couldn’t do very much with rented property.
When I returned to Shanghai at the peak of Covid and needed to self-quarantine for two weeks (and did not socialize until close to three months later), I realized that I had to make my quarters not just habitable but also enjoyable.
It was also getting warmer at the time, so I went a little bit overboard with plants. Unfortunately, not all of the plants have survived the winter cold. Thankfully, some of my favorite pothos are still intact!
My inspiration comes from creating an interior garden where I imagined that I was traveling to different parts of the world (based on the plants). That gave me some level of comfort when we had to be pretty isolated for the first few months.
Tell us about your favorite room or element in your home.
The living room is my favourite element as it the area I spend most of my time (including late nights when I have to work and take calls). I like the fact that I have my paintings on the wall, and fresh flowers are always in supply, so it helps me relax as I get my personal projects or work done.
Can you share some floral arrangement tips with us?
I learned from my floral arrangement class that there is a “front” and “back” profile for every flower. And sometimes, less is more.
For beginners, it’s important to understand what flowers you will be working with for the day. It is also part of respecting the creation of nature that you have been bestowed with.
I also recommend looking at nature and how plants actually move and incorporate these angles and elements into your flower arrangement. Start from the center, and work your way outwards and upwards to get a sturdy 3D view of your arrangement.
Besides that, don’t be scared to cut long stems off! I used to think I was wasting flowers when I did it. But, trust me, you’re not being wasteful.
Where did you procure your art?
All of the paintings in my house except one, are painted by me. These are two of my favourite landscape paintings painted using acrylic over stretched canvas.
The first is the famous Tapang Tree near Serian, which should be a familiar sight to fellow Sarawakians. The tree represents longevity, strength, integrity, and has withheld the test of time. I’d like to think that the same Tapang tree was also painted by renowned British painter and traveler, Marianne North when she lived and painted in Borneo in the 1800s. Her original is on display at the Marianne North gallery in Kew Gardens, London.
The second painting is a refreshing mini lake with a waterfall feature. It’s from the garden of the first apartment I lived in when I moved to Shanghai in 2014. I liked the original color scheme, which was bright and sunny. But, I turned it a little melancholy with my overzealous blending. It turned out okay though.
What is the best investment you’ve made for your home?
I have to say that it would be my ECOVACs vacuum cleaner (equivalent to iRobot). If you have not tried it, I highly recommend it. That’s one less thing to do which involves wrestling with cables.
Name one thing you would like to change about your home.
No regrets really… perhaps not that many living plants in the future?
Where do you shop for furniture and home decor?
It varies. I tend to shop anywhere from IKEA to Taobao. Sometimes my florist has some cool ideas, and I get her to source certain unique items for me.
Any advice you would like to share with others?
I think one of your guests really struck a chord with me. Just because you are living in a rented property doesn’t mean that you cannot make it a lovely home with your unique touch. It does not have to be expensive, elaborate, or permanent. But, it does have to make you happy.
Try alternating between items according to the seasons. For example, I have a mock monster plant that serves as my Christmas tree and my Chinese New Year tree depending on the seasons.
I’m also trying to figure out how to recycle and reuse items in the house to make lovely decorative pieces. I’m especially proud of the Chinese New Year vase on my front door, which I created using surplus red packets. The flowers were cut from leftover 2020 calendars. It is still on my front door at the moment and I might just re-use this in the years to come. I’m all about saving the planet!
What do you love most about this lawyer’s condo in China? Follow BK’s journey on Instagram here.
More home tours:
- A Scandi Boho Style Condo Is The Perfect Space For This WFH Family
- This Timeless Singaporean Apartment Has The Cutest Room For A Furry Friend
- This Modern And Traditional Townhouse In New York Is Loved For Its Diverse Neighborhood
- A Content Creator’s Home Is Filled With Beautiful Yet Functional Spaces
- An Incredible Makeover of An Old Terrace House Into An Impressive All-White Home