When speaking of the Chinese-style furniture, one thousand Chinese may have one thousand picture descriptions in mind.

However, for the foreigners, it seems that the Chinese-style furniture has still remained on the heavy and complicated carving craft, expensive rosewood texture and square design. All the designs seeming to focus on the form will cause the experiencers to lose the well-informed communication with the furniture objects.

Furniture also has soul. It is the designers who put their intentions and ideas in their mind into the practical design which endows the furniture with soul.

Zhao Xiaoqi，Student of Beijing University of Technology

From the perspective of the young designer Zhao Xiaoqi participating in SaloneSatellite this time, soul of the Chinese-style furniture is the process of concreting the beauty sense and artistic conception of nature and the works should echo the environment. Just as in the Chinese landscape paintings, the painters of which express feelings by portraying the natural images and their own subject perception and express a kind of spiritual and artistic beauty instead of purely portraying the natural scenery. Household design is of no exception.

Design Works- Alone Chair

Her exhibition work “Alone” won the third prize in SaloneSatellite.

Miss Zhao with her design work 

Journalist of JJGLE.COM has the honor to interview the designer Zhao Xiaoqi:

JJGLE.COM: What is the design inspiration of this chair? Why do you name it as “alone”?

A：I like autumn leaves which always bring a kind of peace and freedom. Therefore, with the leave as the basic elements, I observed its curly form and extracted its curve changes so as to design the chair having the sense of wrapping of leave and enable the people to enjoy the leisurely life. Both the Chinese and English names have the meaning of “only and alone”, and I hope that one person can think quietly and enjoy the lone time while sitting in the chair.

 The works should echo the environment

Work's Source— Fallen leaves

JJGLE.COM: What is your biggest harvest and inspiration at exhibition? What’s your most impressive work?

A：It is the first time for me to attend SaloneSatellite, and it is the novel experience. Here, I can see many new designs, and it provides the young designers with a good exchange platform so that I can learn about more peoples’ feelings of this work. Many people like my work as well, and it is an encouragement to me. I will continue to improve my design and continue learning.

My impressive work should be Washi lamp of Satsuma Washi Studio because I can feel the handmade temperature and it displays the material and craft well.

JJGLE.COM: Is the degree of foreigners’ awareness and acceptance of the Chinese-style furniture high?

A：All the people will be more interested in understanding different cultures. They will highly accept the good designs. My work may be paid more attention of beauty and artistic conception in form because I have been influenced by my growing environment and cultural atmosphere.

JJGLE.COM: As a young designer, what do you think about Chinese design?

A：In my opinion, design is to create a more vivid and more interesting life for people. We should extract the intrinsic value by design while solving the practical problems instead of copying the fixed Chinese element symbols, and we need to feel life with our heart and create the works that have temperature.

(Source:jiagle.com)