Furniture world embraces vintage trend

A green sofa and footrest by the Norwegian design team Norway Says, which was formed in 2000.

The vintage look has been popular in the Korean fashion industry for some time. That trend is now creeping into the world of furniture design.
“The design sector has become so diversified that there are now many trends to reflect individual tastes,” said Hong Seung-gi, director of the Korean Society of Interior Architects/Designers.
“One main trend is the vintage look. It summons up nostalgia and represents a more natural approach to decorating,” he said.
Lee Seung-june, owner of Hampton, a vintage furniture shop in Cheongdam-dong, said five or six years ago, the two main trends in Korean furniture design were polar opposites. One was for classic European designs inspired by the Victorian era and the other was more minimalist and modern.

A work desk and cabinet by the Dutch designer Cees Brackman. Provided by aA Design Museum

“The trend in vintage design products has somehow bridged this gap,” he said.
Kim Myoung-han, who runs the aA Design Museum, said the visual generation, people in their 20s and 30s, are more used to advanced designs from the West these days. “They don’t see objects as mere status symbols,” he said.
Besides independent vintage shops, big design companies are also taking note. Darim Industries is using natural materials like wood and stone in its designs for the “Shim” series, meaning “relax” in Korean. Illum Designs is showcasing a vintage home library series using dark oak.

The trend also signals the return of materials like solid wood. “More customers want their furniture to look natural and lived-in,” said Cho Su-jeong, head of design at Spring Come Rain Fall, an interior design company that specializes in selling vintage-inspired reproductions. “Women are especially fond of vintage-era products, like weathered-looking postcards or reproductions of 1950s radios,” she added.

By Cho Jae-eun Staff Writer [jainnie@joongang.co.kr]