An American (Home) in China

Pulling up to the home of Mandy and Billy Turchin felt like arriving at the home of a friend back in my home country of the United States. The quiet tree-lined lanes, the well-manicured yards with kids’ bicycles leaning against the garage really made me feel nostalgic for my American upbringing.

And it’s no wonder, as the community that the American-born Turchins reside in is “American-style.”

“We fell in love with the American style because it’s almost the same floorplan as our home in America. Our Shanghai home felt comfortable almost immediately because it looks almost identical to the home we sold in the US.”

Upon entering the front doors, you find yourself in a spacious living room with high ceilings, multitiered chandeliers, and nearly floor-to-ceiling windows. The home is a cozy combination of open floorplan and singled off rooms.

Mandy mostly focuses the décor on the subtle yet striking combination of East and West styles. “I love the mix of modern American décor with modern Chinese furniture. I’m a firm believer in mixing styles to create your own unique flavor.”

Mandy says that their choice of home was not just the comfort that its familiarity brought, but also the safety of a suburban neighborhood where she doesn’t have to worry about her children Liam (6) and Lexa (5) running into a busy Shanghai street. “The kids can just run across the street and knock on their friends’ doors. It’s very safe.”

In the two years that the Turchin family has resided in their Shanghai home, their family life has mainly taken shape around the cozy piano room. Both Billy and Liam play the piano, which the whole family enjoys. But the main use of this room is for the family to gather, watch movies together, or enjoy each other’s company with a game of cards or a board game.

The family thinks they will stay in Shanghai for at least one more year, but Mandy says, “We want to stay in this home as long as possible; it’s truly a gem and is so very comfortable.”