HOUSTY Conversations with Tastemakers: Exploring a New Narrative for Ideal Spaces
The times are changing, yet home—as the place where we rest our body and mind—remains unchanged. But how can we better understand the dreams people hold for their homes today? How can we find new design languages and methods that resonate with the times? And how can we join with equally creative partners to explore new spatial narratives together?
Outstanding designers have already answered these questions through their works, distilling a journey of exploration into distinctive insights.
“Conversations with Tastemakers” recently had the privilege of interviewing Ms. Fan Li (Grady), principal of Three Red Pines and a veteran designer. Below are her reflections and insights—
About Grady Fan
• 18 years of design practice
• 29th-generation descendant of Fan Zhongyan
• Maternal grandfather: the renowned contemporary painter Mr. Wu Guanzhong
• Master’s in Spatial Design, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)
• Governing council member of AEDA (Asia International Design Association)
• She leads a team of designers specializing in high-end villas, office buildings, and premium clubs, aspiring to introduce people around her to a new way of life through design and to create a lifestyle aesthetic that carries cultural value forward.
01 Letting Space Become a Vessel for “Slowing Down”
A detached villa, a quiet courtyard, and lush greenery all around. Bathed in the gentle breeze and verdant scenery, one cannot help but feel delighted and relaxed. In the sun-drenched courtyard, our conversation naturally began with the surroundings of the Three Red Pines studio.
In Grady’s view, the studio environment “needs both to spark the team’s creativity and to make people feel at ease.” “Some people need to work on slides facing a bamboo grove, while others like to sketch over a cup of tea.” She believes in “uniting nature with space, structurally dissolving the boundary between indoors and outdoors, letting space become a vessel for ‘slowing down,’ and allowing the environment to nourish every member of the team.”
This is also Grady’s design philosophy. She hopes that the homes she designs can preserve the slow rhythms of life in this fast-paced age, so that those who dwell within them can unhurriedly draw nourishment from life and live a rich and beautiful life.
02 Creating a “Dreamscape” That Holds Unique Memories
Grady likes to compare a designer’s “dream” to a bridge: “one end is the client’s vision, the other is the soul of the space.” “Designers strike a balance among nature, culture, the client’s needs, and function.”
For example, in residential projects, Grady will “use curved lines to soften the cold hardness of modern architecture, or layers of light and shadow to evoke the rhythm of day and night in nature. But most importantly, by listening to the client’s stories, their emotional needs are translated into concrete design language, so that every space becomes a ‘dreamscape’ that holds unique memories.”
During the interview, Grady naturally spoke of HOUSTY. She sees the homelift as a turning point in the spatial narrative of a villa—a vivid, crowning touch in the overall home design. She first came to know HOUSTY while searching, for a villa project, for a homelift that could blend into different styles and offer flexible dimensions. Most brands she encountered emphasized an industrial look, which made the HOUSTY team stand apart: “They are equally meticulous about aesthetics and technology.”
After selecting the right product, Grady creatively adorned the shaft with a large-scale hand-painted mural. As passengers step into the bright, open car, a vast ink-wash botanical painting comes into view. As the homelift rises slowly, different scenes are revealed on each floor—as if crossing into another dimension, drifting poetically through an evocative ink-wash painting.
“Technology can absolutely empower art. Because HOUSTY can customize shaft dimensions and operates smoothly and quietly, the integrity of the artwork and the immersive experience are fully ensured.” Her collaboration with HOUSTY also made Grady realize that function and aesthetics can not only coexist but can together create a true “dreamscape.”
03 Home, a “Three-Dimensional Journal” of Life’s Chapters
With nearly 20 years in the industry, she has served many high-end clients. When we asked Grady what makes good design, her view holds inspiration for us all: “A home is not only a vessel; it can also be a ‘three-dimensional journal’ recording the chapters of your life.”
As a vivid chapter of its own, a HOUSTY homelift beautifully expresses the owner’s taste, interests, and aesthetic sensibility. In past projects, HOUSTY’s three-sided panoramic artistic homelifts—with their rimless minimalist design and exquisite craftsmanship—have not only blended seamlessly into spaces of every style but also complemented bespoke features such as luxury stone walls, floral shaft murals, and ink-wash hand-painted artwork, becoming a vertically moving, story-filled space within the home.
How we believe is how we live. Rather than chasing trends and fashions, embrace a home that is authentic, alive, and able to grow. May every chapter of life be endlessly wonderful.
——
With product strength as its cornerstone,
and an unwavering commitment to blending technology with aesthetics,
HOUSTY has found many kindred spirits.
Our sincere thanks to Ms. Grady Fan for her wise and insightful sharing.
May we, on the journey of exploring a new narrative for ideal spaces,
continually break new ground and craft beautiful dreams.
