Style over bling all the rage for Shanghai's rich

An art studio in Beijing, which has attracted wealthy property owners. The rich tend to deck out their homes with unique art that fits into their lifestyles. [Photo/China Daily]

Luxury cupboards, built by Poliform in Italy and costing $20,000, are in vogue along with $10,000 light fittings made by Belux in Switzerland. Another must-have item is Sub-Zero's latest wine storage fridge from the United States. This has a $15,000 price tag. Popular requests also include a gardener, or at least a gardening service, which can cost $400 a month in Shanghai.

"Five years ago villa owners often wanted to grow vegetables in their spacious gardens," Wang Jinshan, manager of Green Life Engineering Ltd in Shanghai, a company that has offered gardening services to the wealthy since 2009, said.

"Now they want real gardens, so our business has been picking up since 2013."

At the pinnacle of the rich list for luxury property owners is a British-style butler service. This can cost between $12,000 to $30,000 per year. Debrett's, recognized globally as the organization that trains butlers in British-style social skills and etiquette, can help provide the ideal man servant.

Securing the services of a butler for that special occasion can also be arranged, according to Zhang Lei, who is looking to open an agency catering for that segment of the market. The 29-year-old trained as a man servant with Noahs, the British Butler Institute in Shanghai, and is now hoping to provide a service to the city's elite.

Naturally, companies need to closely watch market trends, Tang Hua, sales director of high-end properties with Savills East China, pointed out.

"It's an age of mix-and-match, and consumers want the best in quality, not just the best for bling," Tang said. "International schools, clubs and high-end super-markets must all be conveniently placed. As services providers, we need to keep this in mind."

Elegance comes with a price tag to match

Chen Si has been visiting trendy department stores such as Lane Crawford since she and her husband bought a four-bedroom apartment in Shanghai.

The 38-year-old mother of two boys expects to move into their 20 million yuan ($3.23 million) home in September.