Home away from home
The excitement of change and a yearning for the exotic is what brings many people to China. But even the most worldly wanderers can be overwhelmed by the smorgasbord of new experiences, and this is when a little creature comfort comes to the rescue.
Returning each night to a place that feels like home eases the jolts of adapting to a foreign land, and expats are using a range of creative means to customize their castles. Apartments, villas and courtyard dwellings become more than just bricks and mortar - they become homes.
Top: Unglazed pots contrast with minimalist modern leather couches. This living area features a traditional Chinese ink painting. |
Interior design experts say expats who fare best embrace the host culture, but leave room for personal expression.
The first step is securing the right style of abode. For foreigners, the choices include inner-city apartment towers, American-style suburban villas, and traditional housing, such as courtyards or colonial homes.
Ark International (www.ark-shanghai.com), a Shanghai leasing agency, offers a unique "city settler" program assisting with everything from finding a good school to getting the dog registered.
Managing director, Kate Whitton, said families often found villas best, while singles and couples could be content to trade immaculate surroundings for the charm of living in the urban heart.
"There are great villas in places like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, with tennis courts and pools, good air conditioning, and great kitchens with good ovens, which you never used to have. Having a nice washer and dryer - all these things make life easier," the Briton said.
"Renting in Shanghai, or renting anywhere in the world, you will probably never find the perfect property. You have got to make your priorities - location, feel or size."
Whitton recommended renting a semi-furnished property, but leaving room for, perhaps, a locally sought Ming-style dresser or some bright paintings.
Expats looking to feather their nests have bountiful options, with China's maze of markets, huge furniture stores and plethora of shining malls. Some go for plush sofas, while others find finishing touches, such as photo frames and candles.
Many foreign families are consulting interior design professionals. Others are delving into the ancient Chinese art of feng shui, which strives to create harmonious energy in a home by balancing the five elements of nature - wood, fire, earth, metal and water.
Beijing interior designer and feng shui expert, Dana Elarviv, (www.amatterofchi.com) said the challenge was, "turning your house into a home".
Particularly for families, Elarviv recommended displaying family photos and drawings by the kids. This can increase their sense of belonging, and ease feelings of homesickness. Families should let each member have a say, for example, letting children choose the color of their bedroom.
Unless a space provides sanctuary and reflects its occupants' identities, an expat's best efforts to assimilate can lead to oriental overload. Elarviv recently worked with a family who had unwittingly made their home akin to a showpiece.
"They arrived in China, they wanted to experience the culture and the whole Chinese thing, but they kind of got carried away with buying all the heavy, Chinese-style furniture," the Israeli said. "It was very nice, but it turns out the whole family never spent any time in that living room."
"They had a second-floor that was just IKEA furniture and what-have-you, and that was where they spent all their time," she said.
Joanne Wheater, the wife of a financial executive with a multinational company, has spent the last 12 years abroad. The New Zealander searched for a Beijing apartment with a community atmosphere, and brought household items, such as crockery, with her to China. She decorated her flat with photographs and gifts from friends abroad.
"Most of the things, people have given us from New Zealand or Australia, so it's nice to have a couple of things that remind us of home and our friends," Whitton said. "You need to have a few conveniences, bring a few nice plates and bowls from home that you can actually use - not just things to look at - because you don't know what you'll be able to get and what you can't."
Australian lawyer Tom Luckock has taken the customized approach to its ultimate conclusion, renovating a 200-year-old Beijing courtyard, purchased last year. Working with builders from Anhui Province and using original materials wherever possible, Luckock restored the 190-square-meter courtyard house to its Qing Dynasty glory.
The stunning overhaul exhibits respect for the authentic, blended with chic design and modern luxuries, such as satellite TV and surround sound, a sunken spa, open fireplace and heated wooden floors.
Luckock spent weekends looking at "hundreds and hundreds" of courtyards before finding the one to make his own. He was at the construction site late each night, lending his "personal touch" to the work.
"We didn't build with any real plans. We'll sort of put things up and if it looks OK, we'll leave it, if it doesn't, we'll take it down," he said.
(China Daily 05/25/2007 page19)
