Shanghai Homes: Vintage Flair

Home & Style Series #1 – Interviews with cool people around the world and how they decorate their house to make it a home.

When the first thing you see is a large canvas featuring Captain America, you know you’ve entered a home with a bold personality. “My husband had the artwork made – he designed it himself and picked all the images. Capone is the creative one in the business, not me!” laughs Leontien, co-owner of eclectic furniture store Casa Pagoda.

Dutch-born Leontien and her American husband, Capone, started the Casa Pagoda business in 2005 with a small shop on Taikang Lu and today boasts seven stores across Asia. They moved to their new apartment near the cool urban street of Yongkang Lu a year ago with their two children, Kye and Liv. “Since we spend every day in our stores, which are a super eclectic mix of styles, we chose to keep our home more sober yet fun. Our previous home was all white, which was lovely, but besides the fact that white can be a bit boring sometimes, it’s also not very practical with kids around, so now our home is much more colorful and fun,” she says. Leontien believes it’s important for expats to create a space where they feel at home.

“Our outside surroundings here are vastly different to what we are used to, so your actual home must make you feel comfortable and relaxed.” Leontien advises choosing furniture that reflects your personality and pieces that you absolutely love. “We try to create a feeling, with all our products and our all-round concept, to positively stimulate all the senses. They must look good, feel good and smell good. Don’t be afraid to mix colors and styles; as long as you love a piece, you will always be able to match it into your home wherever you live.”

Want more? Check out more Home & Style Interviews in the Series HERE!