Furnishing fashion in functional style

The historical legacy of the country's most internationalized port city continues to imbue its home decor with a unique chic that blends East and West, Wang Xin reports.

Ke Haiqi has been captivated by the enduring charm of Shanghai-style furnishings and, consequently, committed to bringing them back into fashion for about two decades.

The 44-year-old was born in Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province, and came to Shanghai before 2000.He specializes in old Shanghai-style villa restoration and decoration. Shanghai furnishings have continued showcasing the city's unique charm and have remained popular since early last century.

"The old Shanghai-style furniture, typically referring to pieces from the 1920s to '50s, presents a perfect blend of Eastern and Western cultures, and has amalgamated various styles, such as art deco, minimalism and modernism, and such features as practicality and inclusiveness," says Ke.