The doors of perception
- Source: Global Times
- [09:54 July 21 2010]
- Comments
Wooden art Photo: IC
The trend for decorating your home with traditional-style ornate carved wooden furniture has come back in vogue during the last 10 years. And this is particularly true of carved wooden doors which, until recently, had only been manufactured for export, but are now being increasingly popular domestically. "More and more interior decorators and young people are coming into my shop," said shopkeeper Pan Jiahong who works in one of the city's few dedicated Chinese wood carving stores in Yishan Road. "They seem more interested in these carved doors than the older generation."
In with the old
Typically these ornate wooden carvings are used for screens, window frames, and for cabinet and wardrobe doors. Many shops in Shanghai are currently offering custom-made services where the buyers can choose their own designs. Pan Jiahong explained how the most popular and basic styles cost an average of 950 yuan ($140) per square meter and that the construction time is usually around 20 days. In addition to being trendy, this is also one of the more modestly priced carvings on the market; the more expensive varieties can cost up to 1,800 yuan per square meter.
Zhang Bo, who oversaw the interior design at the nationwide Greenery Cafe chain spoke to the Global Times about the rising popularity of this style. "I have been increasingly using a lot of these types of wood carvings in my work. I use them for hotel lobbies, tea houses, private lounges, but most of all for restaurants. These places increasingly want to make use of these doors because they exude a certain class and a nostalgia for old China. These creations are truly beautiful things and we find the best way to make them is to use new wood in old Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) designs." The carved doors vary in size and embellishments but the most sought after are those with characteristically intricate decorations. The middle carved area will typically display a Chinese geometric pattern within which depictions of flowers, vases, butterflies and dragons are repeated.
