Media Coverage of My Activities
I have been fortunate to receive attention in international and Shanghai media. Please visit the following sites or Google me, "Spencer Dodington", for additional information. Below are several representative articles.
For example, I was recently on the cover of "CITY WEEKEND" with my Shanghai Tang cufflinks.
(from ShanghaiDaily.com )
Why on earth would you buy such an ugly house?" asked an incredulous
Spencer Dodington when he first visited the site of what would soon become some
of his most splendid renovations.
"So that you can make it beautiful!" came the response from the fool hardy
buyer, who was later to entrust Dodington with the task of renovating her home.
The "ugly" house in question was built in 1936 by a Shanghainese cotton merchant
for his second wife, and wives one through five lived in the same row of lane
houses. Wife number one lived in house number three, which Dodington points out
is 40 centimeters wider than the other four.
A keen student of Shanghai's history, particularly its architecture, Dodington
says he found secret doors linking the house to the two on each side of it when
he was renovating the kitchen on the bottom floor, presumably used by the
servants to pass through.
A grand entrance hall features an original mosaic floor, fully restored and in
tremendous condition. At the rear of the ground floor, there's a glass walled
atrium, spanning the entire height of the building.
Dodington says their priority was to enhance the old touches but add more light.
As well as adding more light, a system of pulleys installed within the atrium
allows for ease of transporting important supplies, such as beer and ice, to the
rooftop terrace.
Much of the home's wooden flooring had rotted away, but it has been replaced
with pieced together aged wood to retain the charm of the old. The result is
impressive, and given the house is furnished sparingly to avoid clutter and
enhance space, the flooring is an important feature.
Dodington has used terrazzo, a material commonly used in Shanghai's old homes,
in the bathrooms and kitchen, incorporating the same colors used throughout the
house. Thematic schemes using different materials lend the house a sense of
"togetherness" that looks anything but uniform.
Dramatically high ceilings are perfect for displaying the owner's collection of
light fittings, sourced from countries all over the world. Many of the doors are
antique, but those that are not have been rebuilt in distressed timbers and are
hardly distinguishable from their more aged counterparts.
As well as the stunning eight-by-four-square-meter roof terrace, the master
bedroom has a lengthy and wide balcony, meaning there is ample outdoor space.
Grape vines have been planted, and by spring this area will have become a
heavenly retreat.
In winter, however, the gigantic claw-footed bath tub in the bedroom's ensuite
bathroom should make an ample substitute.
The impressive artworks hanging throughout the house are by one of the owner's
favorite Chinese painters, Huang Yuanqing. He was brought to the property and
the pieces were created with their resting places in mind, adding to the home's
warmth and charm.
In identifying what has made these renovations so successful, one thing is
clear. Dodington knows this city's history, but more than this, he is passionate
about recreating it.
The attention to detail exhibited throughout is scrupulous, and without it, the
results could have been disastrous.
For just 7 percent of the purchase price, this ugly duckling has become one
very, very beautiful swan.
Note: To contact Spencer Dodington about your home renovations, email him at
sdodington@yahoo.com
When this house was first presented to the man, who was to renovate it, he was
unimpressed. But the results of his hard work are simply breathtaking.
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