Minimalism reveals essence. ——John Pawson
The result of meticulous decoration over two years, this private home located in a community of townhouses in Chaoyang District, Beijing, stands as a separate courtyard built in the traditional Chinese style. Capturing the spirit of modern minimalism while embracing the living atmosphere of an oriental residence, Mr. Shen Xiaofeng, the visionary owner of MIAOJUE DESIGN narrates the essence of minimalism through his design.
Inspired deeply by oriental culture and Japanese aesthetics, the townhouse owner exudes a steadfast attitude towards his minimalist lifestyle, aspiring to imbue his residence with all the necessities of life while reflecting the beauty of simplicity.
When the designer first set foot on the site, he discovered that the lanes and paths in Beijing communities had transformed into artistic expressions, reminiscent of the cherished memories found in the old Hutongs of the city. Buildings, both inside and outside, are decorated by glazed bricks and tiles, red foyers, Taihu Lake stones, an archaistic pavilion and carved windows. Deliberate in details and materials, MIAOJUE DESIGN perfectly matches timber and stone with glass materials.
By skillfully juxtaposing hardness with warmth, MIAOJUE DESIGN uses modern minimalism to build a comfortable oriental home. Mr. Shen Xiaofeng said, “Space is the emotion filled with nature, life, and beauty.”
The building is an L-shaped structure, with a courtyard lying behind it. The Chinese rockery scenery, connected with the cave, stretches into the courtyard with a long corridor and hexagonal pavilion. Shen Xiaofeng and his team, aimed to create a sense of atmosphere, and made a 360-degree loop corridor. The transparent glass doors and windows connect the courtyard scenery with the building space. In addition, doors and windows are also reserved in different scene areas, allowing clients to experience the essence of high-quality natural living.
Upper photo: The television is from the world-renowned audio-visual brand Bang&Olufsen; The black single-person sofa is CASSINA’s LC3, designed by architect Le Corbusier.
Lower photo：The orange Barcelona chair designed by architect Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe stands gracefully on one side.
In the living room, classic furniture, clean colors, light wood textured grilles, warm flooring, and an open fire fireplace come together, emanating a sense of life's warmth within an aura of restraint. As one traverses the loop corridor, multiple viewing angles converge with nature, painting a truly unique and captivating scene. "A picturesque vista awaits outside each window,” said the designer.
The kitchen cabinets come from VALCUINE; and the kitchen apparatuses come from MIELE and EVOLINE.
Walking along the loop corridor, you are greeted by an inviting open kitchen space adorned with gentle tones, where warm wood and clear white intertwine to evoke a comforting ambiance. Just beyond, a fully functional 9 m2 tea is small, offering coziness without compromise. Venturing further, you will enter a private hot spring area. Here, subdued lighting casts a soothing glow, while a strategically placed window unveils a picturesque view of nature.
To achieve a harmonious equilibrium between the upper and lower spaces, the loop corridor and stairs connecting the various functional areas are crafted as an artistic sculpture. A delicate blend of timber-color materials, graceful lines, and elegant geometry converge to create a clean and sharp visual focal point, offering an immersive and captivating experience.
The front part of the principal bedroom exudes an enchanting aura of oriental elegance and tranquility. A pristine, clean white tone sets the stage, flawlessly complemented by the carefully curated cloakroom fashioned by the top Italian brand Porro chosen by the designer. The timeless charm of the classic plaid door, sourced from the renowned Italian brand Rimadesio, showcases the epitome of design philosophy, emanating warmth and refreshing simplicity in the warm embrace of natural wood hues.
In the eyes of designer Shen Xiaofeng, minimalism has always been just an attitude. He aspires to strip away unnecessary stylization and open up boundless possibilities within the space, unveiling the most authentic essence of life.
About the designer
Shen Xiaofeng
Founder & owner of
MIAOJUEDESIGN
Co-founder of Beijing ARTZONE Culture Co., Ltd.
Owner of ARTZONE Resort Community
MIAOJUE DESIGN aims to explore more possibilities in space and endow design and space with infinite possibilities through new ideas. As an experienced interior designer, Shen Xiaofeng brings nearly a decade of rich experience to the fore, guiding the design work of projects such as MEDIATEK Wuhan office building, DENTONS Beijing, AmidLounge, Beijing EVERGRANDE LIGONG Villa, No. 8 Xiaoyun Road, ANZONE, etc; The MIAOJUE DESIGN project won the Golden Hall Award (Beijing) Top Ten Designers, 2022 Outstanding Design Youth and other honors. The MIAOJUE DESIGN project won the 2020-2021 International Environmental Art Innovation Design Competition (Huading Awards) Gold Award, MELBOURNE Design Awards2022 Silver, LOOP Design Awards2022 Honorary Award and so on; ARTZONE Resort Community Project won the Italian IIDA AWARD International Design Awards Platinum for Cultural Space Design, the 9th French GPDPAWARD International Design Awards Gold for Cultural Space Design and other honors.
Project information
Project name: Private residence
Location: Beijing, China
Area: 782㎡
Interior designer: MIAOJUE DESIGN
Landscape designer: MIAOJUE DESIGN
Chief designer: Shen Xiaofeng
Design team: Xi Xiao and Wang Weixiang
Interior arrangement: Cai Ciya
Project management: Yisiji (Beijing) Management Consultancy Co., ltd.
Decoration: Beijing Chuangyuan Zhihui Engineering Technology Co., Ltd.
Lighting consultant: Beijing Golden Begonia Decoration Design Co., Ltd.
Project photographer: Boris Shiu
Main materials:Wood flooring, paint, slate, stone, glass, logs, metal, etc
