Jiang Qiuner, the art director of the Shang Xia brand, realized the traditional oriental idea of fullness of space in her home in Shanghai, using a minimum number of objects

An elegant spiral staircase leads to the gallery on the second floor.

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Manolo Yllera / Fotofoyer

“The power of life is in motion!” — Jiang Qiuner likes to repeat. She was guided by this motto when designing her home and creating collections for Shang Xia, one of the most exquisite brands of clothing, accessories and household items, using only traditional Chinese hand—made techniques in production. The brand name sounds like “shang xia”, where “shang” means “up” and “xia” means “down”. Together they embody the concept of an endless flow of energy that unites the past and the future.

Designer Jiang Qiuner loves open spaces. Therefore, starting the reconstruction of the house, she removed the door between the living room and the dining room, and at the same time increased the height of the doorway. The decor combines items from Europe and China.

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Manolo Yllera / Fotofoyer

“Like the continuous flow of life, the house must also change, ensuring the freedom of movement of people and air,” the designer reflects. But continuous movement does not mean vanity. Jiang slowly takes out a white porcelain teapot, takes a pinch of highland oolong tea, thoughtfully chooses an antique cup.

Living room. All the furniture, in addition to the antique table, as well as the tea set and vase – designed by Jiang Qiuner, Shang Xia. On the wall is a painting by Penya Sho.

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Manolo Yllera / Fotofoyer

“Even if family members are on different floors, we feel each other’s presence”

Jiang Qiuner on the background of bamboo curtains – in this house they replaced part of the partitions.

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Manolo Yllera / Fotofoyer

“I like the idea of things changing,” she says, showing off a table in a tea room. It is usually used for playing chess, writing and reading books. But during the tea party, the table moves apart, a built-in induction cooker appears and a chahai is a vessel into which tea is poured when it is brewed to the desired state.

The serving reflects a mixture of Western and Chinese traditions. Crystal, Saint Louis, is combined with traditional Chinese cups. However, the devices are laid out in the European manner.

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Manolo Yllera / Fotofoyer

Another important concept for Jiang Qiuner is spaciousness. Having started the reconstruction of this house, she demolished the extra walls, enlarged the door and window openings, installed an elegant spiral staircase instead of the previous one, which took up a lot of space. The fences of the mezzanine on the second floor are made in the form of benches, referring to the idea of courtyards of traditional Anhui architecture. They, like traditional Chinese porcelain, standing interspersed with colored crystal from France, bring the spirit of antiquity into the modern interior.

The hallway and the living room are separated by a thin handmade bamboo curtain — this element is often found in traditional Chinese apartments. On the right side of the wall is a sculpture created by South Korean artist Lee Jiayou.

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Manolo Yllera / Fotofoyer

“By slightly changing the layout, I was able to fill the space with light,” says the designer. – Bamboo curtains smoothly divide the hall and the living room. The border of the living room and kitchen is quite conditional. Even if family members are on different floors, we feel each other’s presence.”

The hostess managed to skillfully beat the triangular-shaped space. The open kitchen is made as neutral as possible. In the center of attention is an old buffet and bright stools.

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Manolo Yllera / Fotofoyer

Bedroom. Red striped bedspread, Shang Xia. The wooden side table is a family heirloom. The walls throughout the house are decorated in white and beige tones to create a neutral background for furniture and art objects.

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Manolo Yllera / Fotofoyer

“Space needs emptiness so that air can fill it”

The office is located on the second floor. Sliding doors made of wood and Japanese washi paper hide the shelving.

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Manolo Yllera / Fotofoyer

But an open layout does not mean living for show. The shelving in the office is hidden behind sliding doors made of wood and Japanese washi paper. Small details on the shelves, according to the hostess, bring chaos to the interior. “Sometimes to close means to release,” Jiang Qiuner notes philosophically. – Rare items placed in a half-empty space acquire a voice and enter into a dialogue with the owner. You know, now there are about a third less things here than there were at the previous owners. At the same time, the space looks more filled. I prefer this effect.” www.shang-xia.com

Tea room. The sliding table, Shang Xia, is equipped with a built-in induction cooker.

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Manolo Yllera / Fotofoyer

“Like the continuous flow of life, the house must also change”

If you lightly hit the walls of the bowls made of the finest porcelain, they emit melodious sounds. They say this is how the idea of music appeared in China. Ceramic vase, antiques.

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Manolo Yllera / Fotofoyer

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