This 40 sqm one-bedroom lane house is a genuine duplex with a loft-style mezzanine bedroom reached by a steel staircase, set beneath a double-height ceiling with tall black-framed windows, industrial rather than a standard renovation. A private ground-floor courtyard opens off the living room through French doors, paved and enclosed, small but genuinely private outdoor space rather than a shared walkway. Exposed black ceiling beams and an eclectic mix of framed prints and vintage-style pendant lighting carry the character through. The kitchen and bathroom are compact but tidy, with a fridge and shower tucked beneath the mezzanine. Rent runs high for West Nanjing Road, and given the genuine duplex layout, the private courtyard, and the double-height windows, the finish level and character justify it, this isn’t a standard one-bedroom conversion.

A 5-minute walk to West Nanjing Road metro station, right by CITIC Square and Plaza 66, in Jing’an.