A Modern Marvel

I tend to be of the opinion that one of the best features of a home is the amount of light it can absorb. Any home that bares its rooms to the sun is alright in my book. The Hellmich family seem to be of the same opinion. With a combination of large windows and white walls, their home is designed to let in the sunshine.

Three years ago, Carina, Jan, and their daughter Clara (3) moved from their home country of Germany to Shanghai. They chose this home for the neighborhood, the design and size of the house (modern, not too big for a three-person family), and because of the brightness, of course!

Carina describes the décor of the home as modern and Lagome, and finds many of the furnishings on Taobao. However, the family brought with them some of their most beloved furniture from Germany, including their couch which they refurbished here, and a table that Carina’s mother bought for her when she was 19. Like most things in the home, the table is a shiny white – repainted from a previous dark brown. Carina says she likes the modern, clean feel of a mostly white living room and dining room.

One of the most impressive elements of the home, to me, is the seamless way that every aspect of the design is elegantly tied together. The play area in the corner of the living room looks like it belongs there as part of the décor, and even Clara’s paintings that cover an entire side of the refrigerator look like they’re meant to be there. Clara herself is a very lucky little girl with a bedroom that is the quintessence of every little girl’s dream!

One of my favorite parts about the home is that most of the art pieces throughout the house (besides Clara’s paintings, of course) are created by Carina. Stunning black and white photos of Shanghai and contemporary oil paintings decorate the walls, adding to the appealing modern aesthetic.

The Hellmichs say they’ll be residing in this home for another three years, but Carina voices something that most expats secretly know about living in Shanghai: you never really know how long you’ll stay.