Trade Secrets
Cheng’s little black book of go-to boutique designers.
01 CARPET AND FABRICATION
“Tai Ping does interesting collaborations with the likes of Yabu Pushelberg and Andre Fu. They continue to push boundaries in textiles and weaving techniques, testing new man-made materials in place of traditional materials like wool and silk.”
02 FURNITURE
“Shang Xia, a Chinese home furnishing brand recently acquired by Hermes, adds very few pieces to its collection each year but continues to represent the best that China has to offer, in terms of workmanship and rarity in materials.”
03 GOLD/SILVER WORK
“French designer Eric Schmitt bridges sculpture and furniture design, and specialises in bronze and silver plating work. We like his collaborations with brands like Christofle, and his ability to create complex shapes and forms with metal that has a more analogue style.”
04 GLASS
“Alison Berger, a Los Angeles glass artist who now produces solely for US home furnishing brand Holly Hunt, does incredible cast and blown glass pieces. Her designs are typically simple forms, and rely very much on the visual weight of glass to create a sense of luxury.”
05 LIGHTING
“As we move our project typology towards hospitality and restaurant design, we look to companies like Brooklyn firm Roll & Hill because it updates designs frequently and releases new ranges consistently. The fixtures are very well-priced and the company offers a service to customise fixtures as well.”