Renovation of Villa Karma / During the Dinner Studio

Villa Karma is the headquarter of KARMA, a well-known creative advertising company in Shanghai, located behind the busy Middle Huaihai Road. In early 2019, During the Dinner Design Studio was invited to transform this three-story French-style villa built in 1936 into KARMA's new site. The old house enjoys a traditional French look with vertical windows, red brick walls, fireplace chimneys, and graceful baroque oval window inlaid above the entrance. Before we take over the project, the former designer and construction team did a destructive dismantling to the old structure. The wooden floors, stuccoed walls, door and window covers, and even large trees in the courtyard were all removed. However, fortunately, the round pool, the old wooden stairs, fireplace, Roman columns and several mottled walls remain.