Visiting Cindy Liu's home is like stepping into an American country home with an elegant flair.

The apartment's dark wood furniture harks to a bygone era - and makes it hard to imagine that it is a home of a 24-year-old.

"Many friends asked me why I decorated my home like this," said Liu. "It seems that it was designed by some old people who are more likely to appreciate the style."

Liu, who obtained a master's degree in Mathematics of Finance at Columbia University in New York City, now works for an investment company in Beijing.

"But I'm fascinated with rustic, antique home styles since I was a little girl," Liu said.

"I liked reading fairy tales and watching Disney cartoons, and I believe every girl has her own dream image. Mine used to be a princess living in an old castle."

When she bought the 25th-floor, 160-sq-m home in 2007 with help from her parents, American country dcor was her natural choice.

"My principle of decoration is that the furniture must be rustic with a modern touch, and it has to be comfy and practical at the same time," she said.

Most cabinets and drawers are typically box-shaped and finished with either wax or oil varnish. The three bedrooms, living room and dining area, are filled with wood furniture with a clean design.

A tea table, wardrobes, dining table, shelves and even chairs follow this standard of simplicity. They are designed for usefulness rather than stylish look and feel.

One bedroom, 20 sq m, looks much larger than its size, as a huge mirror next to the door lends the illusion of extra space.

The room is occupied by a sofa, a wardrobe and a four-poster queen bed. The bed, which costs 20,000-yuan, has three mattresses, which makes it higher than usual.

"I like a bed with a certain height, so I can just jump on it, which makes me feel so good. Sometimes you can't explain the reason why you like something. Maybe it is a book or a movie in childhood that had an impact on you, or maybe you just like the way it is," she said.

Competing for Liu's favorite room of the house is the study, which was furnished with handicrafts she bought during her world travels. A black wood giraffe and a face sculpture of African natives purchased in Kenya, give the room a mysterious, exotic look.

"The study is my favorite section because every corner is furnished and no space is wasted," she said. "It keeps the room warm and has a sweet atmosphere.

But it takes time to find the objects you like. You have to shop around for better items. "At the beginning, I was very excited about the whole dcor thing. But later I found out there were hundreds of trivial things to care about," she said.

"Every time before going to the furniture store, I had to measure every corner of the apartment as well as the windows. Even doing so, it was still far from enough. To imagine how the furniture will look in the home is also very important.

"I'm very picky about furniture, so the whole process makes me very exhausted. But lucky for me, I know exactly what I want for my home."

For Liu, the flat would be perfect with a warm fireplace. But she wasn't able to install one in the living room because of limited space.

"A rustic home style must have a fireplace, which creates drama and focus for the living room and emanates a warm, comfortable and welcoming feeling to guests," she said.

"It is a pity that there's not enough room for a fireplace. Maybe I will consider buying one next time I moved into a new place."

After two months of hard work getting the dcor just right, Liu is finally satisfied with the results. Though she will continue to perfect her style, this is the exact look she wants for her apartment.

A set of strawberry figurines,purchased from Nuren Jie	An ornament of two plump hens, also bought on Nuren Jie

An art deco lamp stands on a desk to complete the classic study style.

This dining set is purchased from Markor Furnishings