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.

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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.

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The post A Lawyer Shares The Secret To Making Her Rental Feel Like Home appeared first on That Isle Life.

“Although Glendale is quite close to the hustle and bustle of the city, it has a very suburban feel to it. We really enjoyed the general vibe and surroundings of the area. It’s quiet, peaceful and there’s no street cleaning regulations (shhh! don’t tell anyone). An extra perk is its close proximity to Elmhurst, where most of the city’s Indonesian restaurants are located,” says Zerlina.

Born and bred in Bali, Zerlina first moved to the US to attend Berklee College of Music. That’s where she also met Matt, her husband, a Californian. Both of them subsequently pursued a career in music together in New York.

As full-time musicians, they had a few requirements for their accommodation. Their first priority? Space. Ample storage for their equipment is a must. Second, first-floor accommodation for easy loading of said equipment. Third, two separate areas for working simultaneously. Lastly, easy access to highways, since travel is a huge part of their schedules.

Thankfully, the railroad-style apartment in Glendale checked all of their boxes.

Although Zerlina still misses her home in Bali, she has finally found her footing in New York; in the railroad-style apartment in Glendale, her home away from home.

RELATED: A City Condominium Is Now An Urban Jungle That Feels Like Home

Name: Zerlina and Matt

Location: Glendale, Queens, NY

Type of home: Apartment in a multi-family home

Number of rooms: 2 beds, 1 bath

Size: Approximately 1000 sqft

Years Lived In: 2

Rental / Owned: Rental

How would you describe your home style? 

The house itself is an old, charming duplex built in the 1920s. Known as a railroad-style apartment, they were constructed to create as much living space as possible. As a result, this apartment has a narrow layout, which makes the space a little dark.

However, we noticed that the owner had done some minor renovations when we viewed the apartment. The most impactful change was opening up the walls in the main living quarters; giving it a more modern touch and ultimately making the home feel much more airy and bright.

I really enjoy minimalist silhouettes but I’m also always drawn to rustic elements. I think this provides a nice balance between keeping it simple but also straying away from feeling too ‘sterile’.

What inspired your home decor? 

We are both professional musicians so our love for music and the arts inspired our vision for the apartment decor. For instance, one large painting we already had fit perfectly on the wall in our new dining room. We then matched the dining table and area rug to that aesthetic.

Being musicians, we are constantly surrounded by all kinds of other artists.  Matt has collected some large paintings from some of his friends in the visual arts, reciprocating their support for him in his musical journey. Most of the artists are from Montana, where Matt lived for many years.

Since we’re not sure how long we’d be living in the space, my husband and I wanted to keep it simple and functional. Most of our furnishings came from our previous apartment, so we only brought in a few new purchases as needed.

Did you renovate your home?

We didn’t do anything major but we did add a few little things around the house to make it more functional. For example, putting up shelves to maximize vertical storage space (even to fit a couple surfboards!) and replacing the kitchen’s faucet to make cleaning up easier since we spend a lot of time cooking for ourselves.

What is your favourite element in your home?

I really like all aspects of our home but if I have to pick just one, it would have to be the living room. The windows let in so much light during the day, which attracted me to this apartment in the first place.

It’s also why I put most of my tropical plants in this room. I think this element makes the room feel extra special! I love my plants because, well… they’re gorgeous and they remind me of Bali where I’m from. Additionally, I enjoy nurturing them and seeing them grow. With the urban environment surrounding us in the city, it’s really nice to have some nature inside the home.

We managed to create such a cozy atmosphere and I’m always looking forward to winding down with the hubby, relaxing on the couch after a long day at work, perhaps with a glass of Cab?

What is the best investment you’ve made for your home? 

The couch. The proof is in the pudding. We spend so much time on it!

Name one thing you would like to change about your home. 

The one downside of the apartment is a common struggle for a lot of people living in New York City. The absence of a washer and dryer makes what seems like such a simple task really painful!

Where do you shop for furniture and home decor? 

Most of our stuff is from IKEA or Target. Our couch is from Bob’s Furniture. We specifically made an effort to repurpose our old furniture or buy second hand furniture as much as we could. For this we would usually scour through Craigslist. Good for the planet and the wallet too!

We turned an old shelf unit where Matt used to store his clothing in his old apartment into a floating bar.

What is your next home project?

Matt made a few DIY acoustic panels for our home studio. We’re planning on making more of those once the weather warms up this Spring.

Do you have any rental-friendly decor tips? 

Living in New York City, you’re always trying to maximize the space that you have.  Stand alone shelving and storage is essential. They’re functional, but also can be used to display knick knacks and plants. We laid down large area rugs as well to protect the floor and give the space a warm and inviting vibe. Also, PLANTS PLANTS PLANTS!!

Any advice you would like to share with others?

If you live in NYC, always look for gems on sites like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and @stoopingnyc on Instagram. You’ll be surprised to see what people give up for free on the streets of NYC!

What do you love most about this bright tropical railroad-style apartment? Follow Zerlina’s journey on Instagram here and here, Facebook and Spotify. Follow Matt’s journey here.

The post This Railroad-Style Apartment In NYC Is Now A Bright Tropical Home appeared first on That Isle Life.

Although she never formally studied music, Alena spent most of her life receiving the dance, song and music from her elders. As a result, culture has played a big role in her life, as evident in her chosen profession, lifestyle and home.

When Alena first moved to Kuala Lumpur eight years ago, her family chose a condominium in the heart of the city for practical reasons. She was about to start her first corporate job. Since Kuala Lumpur is known for its notorious traffic, it made sense to pick a home right next to her office.

They kept the condo as is with minor touch ups and never renovated nor decorated. While it was certainly convenient and functional, it never truly felt like home. Despite leaving her corporate job shortly after, she was constantly on the road sharing her people’s stories with many others around the globe.

Until the pandemic hit and travel was not an option anymore.

With more time on her hands, Alena started to fill the condo with all the things she loved – music, art and plants. Finally, her family’s city condominium is now an urban jungle that feels like home.

RELATED: The Best Three Decisions We Made For Our Home Renovation

Name: Alena

Location: Kuala Lumpur

Type of home: Condominium

Size: 1500sqf – 2000sqf

Years Lived In: 8

Rental / Owned: Owned

How would you describe your home style?

Earthy, rustic, Dayak.

What inspired your home style and decor?

My hometown, Sarawak, inspires me. Traveling inspires me too. All of my knick knacks, artwork and textiles have stories behind them.

Tell us your favorite room or element in your home.

My favorite area in my home is the living room. We used to have a TV and a console but I removed them during the pandemic. I wanted to create a background for my Instagram Live sessions so I curated the set.

I change the paintings, knick knacks and plants there often! But I usually have my musical instruments hanging on the wall or on the floor. I currently have a sape’ and a pagang from Sarawak, an ukelele from Tahiti and a talking drum from Nigeria.

The textile runner came from Burma. It was a gift to my mom from her friend in the early 90s. The black jar is called labu sayung – it’s a traditional earthenware from Perak, Malaysia. I have a chunk of charcoal – a remnant from our longhouse that burnt down a few years ago.

The large pink painting is by a friend and a young artist, Cara Holloway. The bright orange symmetrical painting is by a Malaysian artist, Kian. The orange one, which is a view of Vesuvius in Napoli, is a gift from our Italian family.

What is the best investment you’ve ever made for your home?

My plants! That takes monetary and some emotional investment. Besides that, I have a painting by artist Russell Powell. He did my album cover in 2016 and my brother and I have always wanted to own a piece by him. I saw this piece on his Instagram account in 2020 and felt it. After consulting with my brother, I purchased it!

Name one thing you would like to change about your home. 

 I’d love to revamp the kitchen. It’s currently a closed space and I dream of having an open kitchen. Ideally, I’d also love to move my home to the seaside.

Where do you shop for furniture and home decor? 

I don’t have a fixed place. For home decor, it’s mostly things I pick up from my travels like artwork and musical instruments. I get most of my Dayak artifacts from the main bazaar in Kuching, Sarawak.

What is your next home project?

Nothing planned for now. But, I would love more plants in the future if I can manage the ones I have first. I’d also love a large rattan lamp for above the dining table. 

What would be the ONE advice you would like to share about homemaking with others?

Make your house a home for you and your family, and not for anyone else!

What do you love most about this city condominium turned urban jungle home? Follow Alena’s journey on Instagram, Facebook and Youtube.

The post A City Condominium Is Now An Urban Jungle That Feels Like Home appeared first on That Isle Life.