Stone-Ideas.com

The aim was to open new horizons for the use of stone, thus giving the consumer an up-to-date idea of the material and developing new markets for the sector companies

2025: https://www.stonefair.org.cn/active/habitat.html

The idea of the Habitat Interior Design Exhibition (XHDLF) at Xiamen Stone Fair 2024 (March 16 – 19) was to bring more creativity and new vitality into the industry – the aim was to open new horizons for the use of stone, thus give the consumer an up-to-date idea of the material and develop new markets for the sector companies.

The fair’s webpage expresses this in a more mystical description: “It is the synergy of space and energy that form activation. Through design, energy is integrated to be an orderly operation. When reaching a certain level, it will activate the space. Likewise, the industry is recovering after years and it is urgent to activate the industry with external forces to play a greater role. To activate the industry is not only to explore the potential of stone, but also an invitation and inspiration to the audience. By observing, interacting and thinking, the audience will gain understanding of the stone from different perspectives.“

The chief curator of the exhibition was Steve Leung, founder of Steve Leung Design Group. With him, ten leading figures in interior design in China participated in the project: Sing Huang, Kinney Chan, TT. Tang, Joey Ho, Louis Liou, Xie Hui, Sunshine Wong, Sky Guan, Zhao Rui, and Nick.

“Resonance.“ Design: Steve Leung, Sing Huang (Design Director at Steve Leung Design Group). Companies: Bellissimo, Xiamen Dalei Stone Co, Ltd. The design was inspired by a scene from the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games opening ceremony, where a group of students created a tower up in the air by laying on top of each other from the ground up to 10-storey high. It showed a strong sense of power and human connections. Therefore, the designer wanted to show vitality by the heavy material of natural stone and cutting stone into different human figures. Eight stone varieties were used, each one having its own characteristics in color, pattern or texture. The designer created the human figures into a hollow-out structure and stacked it high by cutting the stone slabs thin.
Material: Grand Antique, Calacatta Vagli, Calacatta Armani, Calacatta Manhattan, Calacatta Violet, King Black, and more
 

“Knitting.“ Design: Kinney Chan (Kinney Chan & Associates). Company: Stonelink.
In this exhibition, the designer used sweater elements as the main design concept to break people‘s perception of stone. The “soft” characteristic of the material was presented by carving stone as woven patterns. The two major stone varieties were Babylon Grey marble and Pesca Venato, sponsored by Stonelink. With simple veins and a pure grey color, Babylon Grey marble was carved as woven patterns; Pesca Venato is outstanding for its strong veins; both go very well with each other.
Material: Babylon Grey marble, Pesca Venato
 

“Between Time and Stone.“ Design: TT. Tang (Design Apartment Co.). Company: Yingliang Group. The designer combined art installations in different texture surfaces and particle sizes with stone products into the whole space. By presenting various forms of stone blocks, boxes and volumes, the space was parted with several levels to enter. Therefore, time seemed to stop as the materials were constructed in the form of architecture. The main stone was The Wizard of Oz, sponsored by Yingliang Group, a quartz variety with jasper color and intense veins, making the entire space like an adventurous forest. The other two stones were Titanium and Conch Grey. Titanium is a dark quartz stone with gold threads. Conch Grey is a marble from Morocco with a carbon grey background littered with fossils of ancient marine life.
Material: The Wizard of Oz, Titanium, Conch Grey
 

“Bloom.“ Design: Joey Ho (PAL Design Group). Company: Stonewhite (Jiangsu) Co.
Stone has similar gorgeous characteristics as plants: They both come from nature, showing the vitality and beauty of life with unique veins and colors. The designer presented the stone’s beauty three-dimensionally, creating a new visual experience. Two stone varieties, Zermatt White and Polar Rainforest sponsored by Stonewhite were applied. Zermatt White conveys the life force while the Polar Rainforest’s stretching texture shows life‘s extension and endeavor. They match perfectly the idea that the designer wishes to express.
Material: Zermatt White, Polar Rainforest
 

“The Cave.“ Design: Xie Hui (ACE Design). Company: J&S Marble. The space aimed to evoke people’s most primitive perception through the mix of materials and the creation of mysterious ambience. The floor was covered with fine sand, and the interior of the zigzag cave was illuminated by lights, creating a mysterious atmosphere. In the center of the space was a tree, meaning the source of life and nature. Yinxun Palissandro sponsored by J&S Marble was the main stone variety for this space. It has a very special texture, like rivers, mountains and deserts. The designer wanted to show the full pattern and used a matte finish to present the natural characteristics of this stone variety. In addition to the floor and walls, Yinxun Palissandro was also used to decorate some furniture.
Material: Yinxun Palissandro
 

“The Breath of the Universe.“ Design: Kinney Chan (Kinney Chan & Associates). Company: Liwai Stone. By using elements such as stone, fur, light, and sound, the designer created a space that was both mysterious and full of exploration: Visitors could feel the breath of the universe and the pulse of the heart. The designer also conveyed his understanding and awe of the universe and life. The main stone used was Regis Gray, sponsored by Liwai Stone, originally extracted from Morocco. The dark gray is calm and restrained, with a hint of golden color, making it look like twinkling stars at night. Besides, the texture is unique with natural beauty and dynamic which increases the artistry of the space. It is suitable not only for commercial space, but also for home decoration such as living room floor and background wall.
Material: Regis Gray, Pena Dark Blue, Mars Green
 

“The Pupil.“ Design: Sunshine Wong (Seven Construct Space Design). Company: Stoneart China. The theme of this space came from the thinking of the future, the perception of the universe, and the philosophy of feeling through eyes, the first sense. Looking from above, the space looked like the pupil of an eye. There was a light shining down above the circular pool in the middle of the booth, which was a kind of hope, but also a subtle emotion. The three stone varieties in this space were all sponsored by Stoneart China. Eagle Blue is a luxury stone with rare dark grey, purple and blue base. It is blended with ink, white and blue veins which is suitable for personalized and artistic space or being applied in furniture. Montage has mild beige color with faint water ripple pattern, which is suitable to be largely used in floor or walls. Hilton Grey is a mixture of black, grey and white, showing a luxurious ambience.
Material: Montage, Eagle Blue, Hilton Grey
 

“A Box of ‘Light and Stone.‘“ Design: Sky Guan (Evolution Design, LLC.). Company: Xiamen Ice Stone. The design of the exhibition hall used water as a medium, integrating stone, light and works of art to create a zen and artistic exhibition space. The designer created a skylight by stone, and added light to simulate the sunlight casting. He reckoned the theme of “To Activate” is to activate the light. In terms of space layout, he adopted an open space. There were two stone varieties sponsored by Ice Stone, being Oracle quarried at Guizhou province and Ancient Times at Liaoning province, China. The curving veins on Oracle look like the oracle bone inscriptions in Ancient China, showing a feeling of years of vicissitudes. Ancient Times is green and has distinct texture. Its uniqueness lies in its ancient appearance and elegant tones, which create a unique ambience in the scene.
Material: Oracle, Ancient Times
 

“Pure.“ Design: Zhao Rui (V2Gether Design Co.). Company: Fujian Hanrong Stone. The design idea came from the stone blocks cutting out from the quarry, which has a natural beauty. The designer hoped to show the purest feeling and express the essence of the material in this exhibition in the most concise way. Sponsored by Hogloria Stone, Serpeggiante and Camouflage White were the main stone materials applied in this space. The beige background color of Serpeggiante is warm and soothing, bringing a pleasant visual experience. The linear texture unfolds horizontally and winds endlessly, while the vertical extension has clear layers. Camouflage White presents a subtle and soft texture through changes in light and shadow, layers, and lines, blending unrestrained vitality with gorgeous details.
Material: Serpeggiante, Camouflage White
 

“From Quarry to Space.“ Design: Nick (Nick Design Studio). Company: Kings-Wing Stone.The designer used slanted walls to divide the space, and the mirror-like material on the ceiling to visually expand the space. There were two highlights worth noticing – the carved raw block placed in the space and the stairs made of black stone to create a sacred atmosphere by lights. The granite, Thunderbolt sponsored by Kings-Wing Stone, was the main material coming from Brazil. It has fierce pattern and veins like thunder, while the black color itself shows a stable and noble feeling. This kind of granite is suitable for mysterious and large space.
Material: Thunderbold, Arctic Ocean, New Rodhium

See also:

(03.08.2024, USA: 08.03.2024)