Ming furniture dealer Grace Wu Bruce has chosen a stark, all-white palette in her Hong Kong gallery. Visitors pass through a modern interpretation of a moongate into the serene space which shows off the antique furniture's fine architectural proportions.
Calligraphy, carved latticework window screens, lacquerware and silk lanterns furnish the series of small lounges and bars which make up BAM-BOU restaurant.
CHINA STYLE
text by Sharon Leece
photographs by Michael Freeman
PERIPLUS EDITIONS
Singapore • Hong Kong • Indonesia
Published by Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd
Copyright © 2002 Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd
Text © 2002 Sharon Leece
Photos © 2002 Michael Freeman
ISBN: 978-1-4629-0671-0 (ebook)
All rights reserved.
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In the comfortable living room of Grace Wu Bruce's Hong Kong home, a pair of calligraphy hangings by Wang Shixiang flanks a scroll painting by well-known Hong Kong artist, Harold Wong. The table is a late Ming day bed; in foreground are a pair of drum stools.
The living room in furniture dealer Jean-Philippe Weber's house contains a cane-topped table with a white leather Qing dynasty hatbox from Beijing and a collection of opium pipes made of turtleshell and ivory. The black lacquer cabinet is from Beijing, early 19th century. On the rear wall is a colourful oil painting by artist Pang Yong Jie.
CONTENTS
Ming and Qing Elegance Redefined 16
A Scholar's Office 18
A Personal Passion 22
The New Mandarin Style 28
An Eclectic Mix 34
Classical Precision 40
Designer Ming 44
A Love of Order 50
A Collectors' Haven 54
Classical Style 60
Recreating the Past 64
The Feminine Touch 68
Living with Collectibles 72
The New Orientalism 78
Brilliant Baroque 84
A Touch of Luxe 88
Living with Antiques 92
A Fascination with Oriental Art 98
Straits Ornate 102
A Slice of Nostalgia 110
Retro Modern 112
A Touch of Romance 120
Art Deco Decadence 126
Longtang Life 130
Shanghai Chic 134
The New jazz Age 140
Stylish Minimalism 146
East West Fusion 150
Ming Modernism 154
Spacious Serenity 160
A Zen Sanctuary 164
Contemporary Flair 168
Space and Light 172
Modern Classics 176
A Cosmopolitan Mix 178
Opposites Attract 184
A Global Vision 186
Ming and Qing Furniture 192
China Country Style 194
Accents and Accessories 196
Handwoven Carpets 198
Tableware and Ceramics 200
Silks and Textiles 202
Contemporary Touches 204
Decorative Motifs 206
China Stye Goes Goba
Chinese style is most often associated with ornate carvings, complex patterns and a searing palette of rich reds and glitzy golds. But what is often overlooked is that there is a deep-rooted modernity