Furnishing fashion in functional style

"Furnishings are usually a reflection of people's lifestyles during a particular period, because furniture is functional and closely related to people's daily lives. Shanghai-style furniture is simple, practical, innovative and integrated, just like the city and people who live here," Ke adds.

Although Shanghai furniture tends to replicate pieces from the first half of the 20th century, it never looks outdated. Instead, it remains fashionable, modern, innovative and functional.

"Art deco is Shanghai-style furniture's most distinctive characteristic," says Ke.

Art deco originated in France in the 1920s. It's a prominent decorative-art genre that emerged in the early 20th century that emphasizes symmetry, geometric shapes, mirror-like effects, bright colors and decorative patterns. It is widely used in various mediums, such as architecture, interior design, jewelry, fashion and visual arts.

"Art deco itself is pretty inclusive, since it features elements from various countries. When it comes to Shanghai-style furnishings, this inclusiveness is expanded more by incorporating traditional Chinese and, specifically, the Shanghai elements," Ke adds.

He points to a folding screen in his studio as an example. He explains that its style probably comes from Japan, while the designs carved using Chinese craftsmanship tell a traditional Chinese story.

In addition to the mixture of cultural elements, art deco features are also presented in the modeling, structural design and patterns of Shanghai-style furniture.

In his studio, Ke showcased an old cupboard with the patterns of the rose and nightingale, which he believes are inspired by Oscar Wilde's The Nightingale and the Rose. Besides, the cupboard is decorated with geometric patterns and layers on the edges, a representative interpretation of art deco style.