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    This villa by interior design firm GFD takes cues from the serene landscape of southern China

    AUG 8, 2020 | By Aneesha Bhadri
    The living features a bespoke light by GFD interior design firm. French windows at the back open out to a courtyard; Photographs by Liu Gangqiang and Xu Shukai
    Marble walls and flooring characterise the living room that's fashioned in a modern Chinese style; Photographs by Liu Gangqiang and Xu Shukai
    The sofa and glass panelled screen in the backdrop are custom crafted by GFD; Photographs by Liu Gangqiang and Xu Shukai
    Close-up of the bespoke sofa in the living room. The screens behind it segregate the dining area; Photographs by Liu Gangqiang and Xu Shukai
    The glass panelled screen displays alpine imagery; Photographs by Liu Gangqiang and Xu Shukai
    View of the intimate dining space; Photographs by Liu Gangqiang and Xu Shukai
    This dining room features a 6m-high ceiling studded with a Marsden lighting installation; Photographs by Liu Gangqiang and Xu Shukai
    Strip lights on the ceiling and airplane model paintings on the wall in this lounge encourage children to creatively apply themselves at the model-making desk; Photographs by Liu Gangqiang and Xu Shukai
    View of the master bedroom with a seater to curl up with a book; Photographs by Liu Gangqiang and Xu Shukai
    The children's room has a wall painted to resemble outer space. The lighting on the ceiling is by Marsden; Photographs by Liu Gangqiang and Xu Shukai

    In the surreal, poetic backdrop of misty mountains and sampans buoyed up by undulating waters, the Hufeng Courtyard Villa sits in Hangzhou in southern China. Conceived by interior design firm GFD, the 2,725 sq ft space references natural elements seen in its picturesque surroundings.

    The interiors bring the serenity of the outdoors in with a soothing palette and sleek contours. The living room is enveloped by pristine marble walls and floors. Matte sandalwood panels accentuate the tranquil ambience. A French window offers an entrancing view of the courtyard and the changing scenery. The main design highlight in this room is the partition between the living and dining rooms—six artistic glass screens depict imagery of rolling mountains and a cloudy sky.

    A light grey palette reigns supreme in the living room, where the sofas and lighting are custom made by GFD, the Hangzhou based interior design firm; Photographs by Liu Gangqiang and Xu Shukai

    The villa mainly takes inspiration from the Song Dynasty, a leisurely and poetic age in ancient China, when the literati and calligraphers flourished. The colour palette is based on nature inspired paintings from that era—mountains and waters, flowers and birds—and all these elements are implicitly reflected in the villa; even the materials reference the characteristic grey hue of Xianghu Lake.

    The glass panelled screen depicting alpine imagery is custom crafted by GFD; Photographs by Liu Gangqiang and Xu Shukai

    A more formal dining area is characterised by a double heighted ceiling as well as a glass wall that looks out onto the verdant outdoors. The walls are clad in textured, white marble, which echoes the marble walls in the living room. An arresting lighting installation studs the ceiling, emitting light in mesmerising star-like patterns.

    Marble walls and flooring characterise the living room that’s fashioned in a modern Chinese style; Photographs by Liu Gangqiang and Xu Shukai

    Above this space lies the study furnished with artworks and books collected over the years. The long desk placed against muted surfaces provides ample space for reading as well as working. Its semi-open layout forms an uninterrupted expanse, while ensuring privacy.

    Soothing light hues juxtaposed with dramatic black accents enhance the monastic appeal of the palette; Photographs by Liu Gangqiang and Xu Shukai

    For convenience and comfort, the room for the eldest generation lies on the first floor, adjacent to the courtyard. In this room, the cabinet door displays mountain imagery and a framed painting of pine tree makes for symbolic art—conveying the wishes of good health and longevity. A similar, calming theme continues in the master bedroom with a cosy seating arrangement and a small cabinet. The doors are made of white stone panels, symbolising purity.

    A graphic artwork decorates the wall above the Marsden lamp in the children’s bedroom; Photographs by Liu Gangqiang and Xu Shukai

    The children’s room follows an outer space theme with planet-shaped pendent lamps and a wall covered in stars. We love the quirky artwork of a fully suited up astronaut lounging on a couch!

    This dining area is characterised by a staggering 6m-high ceiling furnished with a lighting accessory from Marsden; Photographs by Liu Gangqiang and Xu Shukai

    The guest bedroom that features a cosy and simplistic setting. An almost ethereal look of the furnishings and the pristine palette, along with panoramic views of the landscape changing through the seasons, makes the Hufeng Courtyard Villa a paradisiacal oasis of tranquility.

    Scroll below for more images of the Hufeng Courtyard Villa by GFD…

    The material palette of the villa alludes to the characteristic grey colour of Xianghu Lake, a picturesque lake in southern China; Photographs by Liu Gangqiang and Xu Shukai

     

    The grandparent’s bedroom on the first floor follows the same minimally elegant theme seen through the house; Photographs by Liu Gangqiang and Xu Shukai

     

    Cabinets, custom made by GFD, run along the wall of the bathroom, while a Kaldewei bathtub sits in the background; Photographs by Liu Gangqiang and Xu Shukai