Furnishing culture: Chinese designer inspired by hometown

Chinese furniture designer Zhu Xiaojie and some of his latest designs, including a butterfly chair, an office chair, a tea set and a birdcage lamp.[Photo provided to China Daily]

"This is a story about me and Wenzhou."

The opening piece of the exhibition is a table longer than 10 meters that represents Wenzhou's Ou River. It's topped with ceramic waterfowl, live fish and green plants.

"Design is different from country to country. However, aesthetics are international," he says.

"I have always believed that I have to stand on my own soil and inherit my own culture in order to do good design."

The table leads to a series of Zhu's previous works. The butterfly chair fuses two Ming-style chairs to make a butterfly-shaped chair for family gathering.

The office chair can be extended and a shade can cover users' heads for naps.

"It's typical that Chinese nap to recharge for the afternoon," Zhu says. "We want to convey that with this chair."

Pendant lights are assembled from suspended glass water bottles filled with plants and live fish.

The door to the birdcage lamp is open so that real birds can come and go as they please.

Zhu also created a tea space in a cubical, where users can burn joss sticks while sipping tea.

"As a designer, you always have to observe life and really feel it," he says.