Luxury and fun: The Shanghai lane house has been designed to exude under-stated, modern elegance. Photo provided to Shanghai Star

A touch of drama

His private collection of Hollywood stars photos is now hanging on the walls as a visible reminder of the business the host is involved in. Also gracing the walls across the space are his mixed media paintings featuring his muse Cathy, some with his image as well. The paintings in vibrant gold and red colors add personal touches to the interior and match well with the furniture.

"My design is to reflect Michael's personality and create a comfortable living and lounge space, functionally and aesthetically, exuding a touch of drama and glamor," says Cathy Wang, founder of Montaigne Design.

Because the apartment is inside a heritage building, she kept the apartment intact architecturally, making some small-scale adjustments. She discovered the hidden beauty of the old wooden floor concealed under the aged carpet. The carpet was ripped up. After a meticulous repair, the 80-year old wooden floor was restored to its original beauty.

Also thrown away were some dull sofas and in their place now stand two large brown leather sofas with cushions. A few single armchairs were re-upholstered. Two wall size dark brown curtains were added in the space to create a sense of privacy and luxury.