Michael Li
My connection with Mr. Ren began at a party, and then continued. After chatting, I learned he was a construction contractor. At the time, my wife and I were full of energy and very interested in home renovation. So, we arranged to visit his new house, which was on display.
After walking around, even my usually picky wife was full of praise. She was amazed by the rational design, as there was almost no wasted space, the natural light was abundant, and every room was functional and of a suitable size. The decoration was exquisite and elegant; to use a popular phrase at the time, it was understated luxury. Later, we learned the designer was Italian.
This sparked a strong desire in my wife to renovate the basement.
I hesitated a bit; he was a large-scale developer, where would we find the time and energy? It seemed like a daunting task.
Unexpectedly, Mr. Ren readily agreed.
My wife is a perfectionist, so the design and materials were repeatedly discussed and refined, with Mr. Ren patiently explaining everything.
What impressed me most was the efficient use of the hallways. Our basement is dumbbell-shaped, with a long, narrow, and somewhat irregular hallway in the middle due to the fireplace and stairs. This area would normally be unused, but it was creatively designed into a bar counter, which turned out to be surprisingly clever.
My wife was delighted, so we did a simple renovation of the kitchen as well. The flooring was the first thing we did; the large floor tiles were laid diagonally. Although it was labor-intensive and costly, it made the kitchen appear much larger and more vibrant.
Overall, the entire renovation was on a small budget, but the result is pleasing to the eye.