The Patina of Time

The Patina of Time (French: la patine du temps) describes the elegance that objects exhibit as they age, a perfect blend of contrasting elements. The beauty of this house lies in its unique, irreplicable character, which is the charm of this villa. Drawing inspiration from classic architecture, the designer transformed this detached villa in a bustling urban area into a tranquil haven full of art and life. Through meticulous space planning and ingenious lighting layout, the elegance of modern design is combined with the romance of classical elements, creating a comfortable and pleasant living environment for each family member.

Photo: ZHU Hai Video: ZHU Hai Stylist: ZHU Judy

Starting from the ground garden level, the open-plan layout allows light to penetrate the living room, sunroom, kitchen, and dining area, creating a bright and airy space. The designer used neutral tones and simple lines, cleverly integrating deliberately simplified classical carvings with natural marble mosaics. This not only maintains a relaxed and lazy atmosphere but also showcases the elegance and sophistication of modern design.

The entire villa adopts a vertically elongated structure with four floors above ground and two below, making optimal use of natural light a core design principle. The designer used dual staircases to divide the space, effectively separating public and private areas and addressing the challenge of introducing light into the basement.

Between the living room and dining area, a spiral staircase winds down like a vortex, leading to the basement activity space while introducing natural light. The basement is divided into two levels: the first basement level houses a home theater and a gym, while the second basement level contains utility rooms and a garage. To achieve light extension and even distribution, the staircase was designed as a light well for the basement, with glass railings and walls to refract and spread light. The designer even considered the lighting needs of each functional area in the basement: a small light well was added to the gym, and the glass brick floor of the home theater allows light from the garage to pass through, ensuring the full utilization of both natural and artificial light.

The staircase leading to the upper floors is designed to be smaller and more discreet, emphasizing its private function.

The second to fourth floors are the living areas for three generations of family members. The second floor houses the elders' bedroom and features an open living area that connects to the double-height space on the first floor, visually expanding the space and promoting family interaction, making it easy to attend to the elders. The third floor is the master bedroom. The couple’s preference for blue results in this floor being dominated by various shades of blue, combined with diverse textures, presenting rich layers and rhythm. The top floor is the daughter’s room, quiet and secluded, ideal for her artistic creation and meditation.