Khai Liew

Khai Liew's career is truly exceptional - it began in his forties, without formal education yet at once with fully formed, mature aesthetic sense and practical knowledge. Before establishing his own design studio in 1996, Khai Liew had worked as a renown restorer of vintage furniture for over 20 years. His first antique shop in Adelaide was filled with early Australian pieces, mid-twentieth-century Danish designs and Chinese antiques.

“Years of taking furniture apart in the restoration process has enabled me to examine and study the techniques of furniture construction from various countries and cultures, from different artistic movements and centuries. This has been the principal factor in the formation and development of my design vocabulary, and has greatly shaped the way I assess what good design is and how I apply this assessment to my own work.”

Chinese-Malaysian Khai Liew incorporates craft tradition from both Asian and mid-century European cultures. And still leaves a lot of space for creative invention. His beautiful, handcrafted pieces were presented in numerous exhibitions including a group show at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.

www.khailiewdesign.com

photos via: Wallpaper, video via: ABC