Dream House Architects: JINGU PHOENIX Area: 310 m² Year: 2019 Photographs: Ouyang Yun Cheif Designer: Hui Ye Design Team: Xuexian Chen, Dongxu Zeng Decoration Team: Feng Qi Wu Tong Construction Firm: Wan You Yin Li City: Shantou Country: China
Dream House by JINGU PHOENIX is a thoughtful renovation of a 310-square-meter old apartment in Shantou, China, designed for an art-loving client with deep sentimental ties to the home. After living there for over a decade, the growing family needed additional space, prompting a redesign that preserved the original layout while adding a bedroom. Emphasizing light, texture, and personal meaning, the design incorporates white textured finishes to brighten interiors, extends the kitchen toward a lush garden for more natural light, and curates furniture and decor that reflect the owner's memories and global influences. The result is a warm, inclusive, and story-rich home where life and dreams converge.
Welcome to Unit 2. Today, we're diving into a unique residence that's not only rich in
aesthetic value, but also deeply rooted in family stories and cherished memories.
This is the Dream House, a remarkable apartment transformation project in Shantou,
China, designed by Jinggu Phoenix.
Spanning 310 square meters, this home has witnessed the life journey of its inhabitants
for over a decade. The owner, an artist who deeply values emotional atmosphere and memory,
chose to preserve the apartment and transform it into a dream home for a growing family.
What makes this home even more special is its private outdoor garden, covering more than 100
square meters, a green space that has grown alongside the family from the very beginning.
With the need for additional space due to the expanding family,
the design team reconfigured the layout by turning one bedroom and one bathroom
into two bedrooms and one bathroom, all while maintaining the core layout.
The renovation didn't erase the home's original identity. Instead,
it reinforced a simple minimalist style enriched by the owner's personal touches.
White dominates the interior surfaces, applied with textured paint that was later polished to
create a calm yet characterful atmosphere. This choice not only enhances the aesthetic but also
maximizes natural light, particularly in the living room, which previously lacked
sufficient brightness. Light and shadow now play a key role in the home's artistic expression.
Upon entering, guests are immediately led into the dining area, which receives additional daylight
from the kitchen. The kitchen was extended toward the outdoor garden
and features an aluminum frame roof with ultra-clear glass panels.
Elements such as white cabinetry and micro-crystal ceramic walls contribute to the home's bright,
clean ambience, while subtly bringing the outdoors inside.
One of the most captivating spaces is the family room. The owner envisioned it not just as a place
to watch TV, but as a warm gathering spot. To achieve this, the design team placed a long table
in the center, surrounded by American country-style fabric sofas, traditional wrought-tan chairs,
and leather stools. The result is a cozy and inviting space that fosters togetherness.
The home is also filled with meaningful decorative elements. An abstract painting of a
market scene sits on a low platform, adding a vibrant, lived-in energy to the space.
Outside the study, a wooden cabinet with a varnished finish,
brought directly from India, adds an exotic touch and enriches the home's visual narrative.
Dream House is not confined to a single style. Instead, it embraces diversity,
blending elements full of stories in a harmonious way. This house is more than
just a place to live. It's a living space that holds dreams, memories, and togetherness.
A true embodiment of an ideal home, where life finds its anchor and dreams begin.
