French Concession
原法租界
Founded by Peter Lam, this interior design firm takes inspiration from Lam’s world travels. The designer offers traditional interior decorating services as well as decorating to sell or rent, and shopping help for those looking to decorate on their own. Lam creates comfortable, homey, and elegant spaces.
From Sara Villareal, owner of The Villa, a fashion boutique on Taojiang Lu: "Opening my women’s boutique, THE VILLA, was an entirely new adventure and direction in my life. I knew next to nothing about interior design. While I had the entire shopping experience fine-tuned from a bigger picture perspective, the minutiae of executing the design were less thought out. Peter Lam helped me to realize my vision for the store by bringing my ideas together into a cohesive space that conveyed elegance, femininity and my own personality. After the initial consultation, Peter submitted a formal proposal to me conceptualizing the layout and overall mood of the store. I provided Peter with a collage of pictures and magazine clippings to give him direction regarding furnishings, colour schemes and thematic overlays. Peter was always considerate of and sensitive to my ideas but also provided criticisms when necessary. When we had differences of opinion, Peter either gave me other suitable alternatives or stated his case for why he believed a particular path should be chosen. Regardless, we always came to a consensus that satisfied the both of us. Bringing together my ideas was undoubtedly challenging, as I did not have a clear vision for what I wanted the final product to look like; I merely had a mixture of aesthetics that I found appealing. Understanding that I had difficulty visualizing many of his ideas, Peter put together 3D renderings that helped me to understand what he was envisioning for the store. Astonishingly, these renderings are almost identical to what he ultimately designed and executed. One of the biggest challenges when executing a project such as mine, is taking into consideration the more technical aspects of designing a retail store. Peter took the time to research store layouts and functionality, ie, what is appealing to customers, target height for racks, etc. Peter was meticulous in his planning for the anticipated inventory that I would be carrying and wasted no effort in trying to understand exactly the types of items I would be showcasing. Moreover, Peter designed beautiful furniture that also doubles as display racks for my inventory – I think this takes extraordinary talent. Moreover, his use of colour adds a unique freshness typically unseen in Shanghai. A unanimous comment received when people walk in the store is: “What a beautiful space you have.” Peter was incredibly thorough and careful throughout the entire construction phase of the project. Not only did Peter serve as my interior designer but he also served in a construction management capacity. He researched and recruited all of the various suppliers and coordinated with the on-site local construction team, which alone was a full-time job. Peter was diligent in introducing me to some of the main suppliers, even taking me to visit the factory where all of the furniture was being made. Even now that the project has completed, I still find Peter here checking up on the space and liaising with various contacts when issues need to be addressed. This hands-on approach ensured that the entire scope of the project went smoothly. It is definitely this type of service and attention to detail that makes Peter stand apart from other interior designers/firms. I know that Peter truly invested his whole self in my project and this makes his work altogether outstanding and special. If you are looking for someone that will treat your project as his or her own, Peter is without a doubt your designer.
Both my wife and I were absolutely delighted with Peter’s work. In terms of the working experience, it was very smooth in a number of ways. Peter listened carefully to our requirements and his first presentation to us ticked every single box. When there were minor details on which we varied, there was no preciousness whatsoever, and Peter found an alternative solution very quickly. At no point did we feel we had to compromise. What made the difference to us however, was that Peter was able to bring an extra dimension to our vision – he suggested things we would never have thought of in a million years and even when I was skeptical (and I am a skeptical kind of person) he took me through his thinking step by step…and it all came together perfectly. Aside from having exceptional taste Peter is also a pragmatist who realizes that one actually has to live in a space rather than simply look at it. In addition he has the connections, imagination and understanding to find whatever you need both quickly and at a fair price. Both of us endorse Peter to you wholeheartedly. Hopes this helps.
Interior decorator specializing in home décor. Most comfortable with timeless and vintage furnishings for spaces that are kind of eclectic, to give the appearance that things have been collected over time and from different places. Best at creating spaces that feel organic - whatever elements work well together are used, resulting in spaces that don’t look overly-designed. Visit www.hotdogdecor.com for more details.