Taiwan is an adventurous nation when it comes to interior design, pushing the envelope in terms of both tradition and technology. Their creative blend creates captivating spaces with personality that are truly one-of-a-kind.
Seed Design believes in the transformative potential of design to improve people’s lives, and encourages its designers to think outside the box and be innovative and creative in their thinking and approach to projects.
Traditional Style
Taiwanese design incorporates traditional elements into modern spaces, reflecting their ability to combine tradition with modernity. Their traditional style features rustic and industrial influences with clean lines and open spaces; furniture often serves multiple functions to ensure practicality and efficiency.
Taiwan is home to several historical buildings, such as the National Palace Museum, National Palace Museum of Fine Arts and Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. These historic structures serve as sources of inspiration for local designers; in their work they seek to capture their essence and incorporate it into new designs.
HAO Design completed their “Blank” project by renovating a traditional two and a half story house in Pingtung City. Originally, this building featured a mezzanine that was detached from the ground floor; however, HAO decided to keep this feature and use it as part of the living area by dismantling walls separating the mezzanine from other parts of the house and creating natural daylight within all areas of the space.
HAO Design also included other elements into this space, such as a minimalist kitchen and framed window in the dining area which serves as seating for one side of the table. Vintage items collected over time by its owners such as wooden stools, Chinese medicine cabinets, Indian lamps and German microscopes were also added into this design scheme.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Nationalist governments encouraged a revival of traditional classical palace-style architecture through public cultural buildings like Taipei’s Central Library and Science Education Museum in Zhongzheng District; such structures reflected human culture, arts, and scientific research.
Taiwanese designers are increasingly adopting modern minimalist architecture as an aesthetic statement, with designers striving to design spaces that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Wood and other natural materials often add warmth to a space, and designers also emphasize compositional principles like lines and colors in their work.
Natural Elements
One of Taiwan’s defining design themes is integrating natural elements into living spaces. Ranging from organic textures and vibrant hues, this trend embodies Taiwan’s vibrant landscape and culture – creating a balance of modernity with traditional charm that’s both functional and visually captivating.
Taiwanese designers are adept at designing spaces that incorporate elements from both modern and traditional architecture, or contemporary apartments combining various styles, finding the ideal balance between function and aesthetics. You will often see homes featuring innovative storage solutions and smart home systems alongside natural elements and traditional craftsmanship.
Integrating natural elements into interior designs is a fantastic way to connect people with nature. This is particularly important in cities such as Taipei, where residents have easy access to public parks and green spaces where nature can be experienced first-hand. Natural materials such as wood or stone add an earthy vibe while creating a feeling of serenity and wellbeing in any interior space.
Taiwan’s increasing urbanization has resulted in space-saving designs becoming more and more fashionable, evidenced by innovative ways Taiwanese designers implement smart home systems and efficient lighting into residential spaces. From multipurpose furniture to innovative storage solutions, these trends demonstrate Taiwanese creativity and innovation.
While straight lines and sharp corners remain popular design motifs, curvilinear forms are becoming more widely utilized. From furniture to archways, curvilinear shapes add softness and movement into any room they occupy; an example being this Hokkien-style swallowtail roof designed by AODA Interior Design which features its signature curves.
Another trend bridging indoor and outdoor living spaces together is biophilic design, a philosophy which encourages an intimate connection with nature reflected by homes incorporating natural materials, large windows and green walls into their architecture.
Though many have taken to carving cut porcelain into temples and altars, carving remains alive in Taiwan. Hand-carved designs can often be seen adorning homes or apartments around town; not only are these beautiful works of art visually stunning but they carry with them deep meaning for Taiwanese cultural identity and continuity.
Feng Shui
Feng shui (which translates to wind and water) is an ancient Chinese design philosophy that seeks to integrate natural elements with living spaces to promote balance, prosperity, and positive energy in living areas. This applies to every aspect of home and office design: from determining building layout to selecting furniture placement; choosing colors and materials – everything falls under its purview.
As many of us lead hectic and stressful lives, having a relaxing space at home that serves as an escape can help provide much-needed respite from daily pressures. Implementing Feng Shui principles into your home design can create an atmosphere which promotes health and wellbeing; providing you with an opportunity to recharge from daily rigors at work and at home.
One of the key principles of feng shui is decluttering your space to allow positive energy flow, including discarding old and worn-out items as well as making sure that any new additions fit seamlessly with existing furnishings. A disorganized environment may prevent Chi from flowing freely through it and have harmful repercussions for both physical and mental health.
Feng shui emphasizes natural lighting for its positive benefits on vitality and wellbeing, so make sure that windows and mirrors allow plenty of natural sunlight in. You could even incorporate natural textures like stones to add warmth and coziness.
Integrating indoor plants into your home is another excellent way of adding nature into the interior, not only boosting your mood but also purifying the air from pollutants and impurities.
The Bagua map is another key feng shui concept that helps determine optimal placement for items in your home or workplace. For instance, having your bed placed so as to command attention without directly blocking entryway is good feng shui; having it against walls or facing bathroom could be harmful feng shui.
Feng shui was initially designed for buildings with specific architectural features; however, its principles can easily be adapted to modern floor plans. Simply focus on your intentions and choose elements that correspond with them: for instance if you wish to attract wealth use elements that relate directly to money; alternatively if you seek to strengthen relationships opt for harmonious colors and materials which encourage healthy interactions.
Minimalist
Taiwan stands out when it comes to minimalism with its distinctive style of combining traditional elements and contemporary details in an elegant yet functional manner – an approach which was recognized at this year’s INSIDE World Festival of Interiors as it won Taiwan the award for Best of Show. JCA Living Lab designed this renovated Japanese colonial house which perfectly balances history and modernity.
The designers opted to use vibrant hues to distinguish each area of their home and delineate different functions without compromising aesthetics. An open plan kitchen, dining and living area create the impression of space while cabinets featuring large pieces of material contribute to an aesthetically pleasing layout.
Home designers employed whites, beiges and grays throughout the home to create an airy and uncluttered aesthetic. Empty walls without clutter such as papers or collections of trinkets is characteristic of minimalist decor; simple furniture designed around natural wood or stone surfaces stands out against its backdrop of minimalist color palette. Minimalist designs often incorporate monochromatic color schemes that highlight furniture shape and form.
Taiwan, as a global tech hub, incorporates technology into every aspect of daily life. Smart home systems, energy efficient lighting and creative storage solutions are common features found in Taiwanese homes; architects and designers also often utilize high performance materials in creating luxurious but energy efficient designs for living spaces.
Taiwanese interior design trends reflect its dynamic spirit. Fusing ancient Chinese elements with Japan’s colonial history and contemporary international styles while remaining true to local culture and environment – it is no surprise why Taiwan has quickly become a global leader in interior design.