Balance: Jiun Ho
Balance and harmony are the hallmarks of Jiun Ho’s design vision. Textures against clean lines, rich dark woods against simple fabrics, shapes that are both challenging yet inviting, ultimately a bridge between cultures, ages past and those yet to come. Jiun Ho calls his designs “flirtatious, elegant, tranquil and classic”…. all about style rather than fashion, all about relaxed living rather than studied formality.
The JIUN HO Collection is currently featured in top showrooms in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, and will be expanding to other major cities in 2003. His work is also to be found increasingly in major hotels throughout the US and Asia.
What makes a particular design last…what ensures longevity? Examples? Designs that are well thought out — perfectly proportioned and well scaled. Retraint so that the design uses simple lines, shapes and forms. Try to stay true to a material and let the material speak for itself rather than altering it too much. Designs that are not trendy!! For example, Jean Michel Frank and Josef Hoffman pieces that were designed in the early 1900s. They are classic — modern yet timeless.
Is there a classic—a staple—that is always a part of your design…sort of a signature? What is it and what enables it to work in any environment? Symmetry. Every time I start to design an interior space, I always spend some time trying to find order in the space. I make sure everything is perfectly lined up and then add layers to it.
Which comes first: lifestyle or product/design? Is it lifestyle that has generated the design changes, or is design the driving force that affects how we live?
Definitely lifestyle first followed by design. For example, I am giving a presentation about hospitality design trends in Korea for the International Design Development conference, to explain that our modern lifestyle really changes how consumers choose their hotels. Naturally, it follows that hotel designers have to alter the way they design a hospitality project with respect to the demands of the consumer.
How do you perceive design today: as catalyst for lifestyle change or as reaction to it, or both?
Both. We change the way we design because of our lifestyle changes, but at the same time our lifestyle also changes as a reaction to new creations. For example, the iPad & iPhone have changed the way we live.
Is the trend in green design a fad or is it here to stay? Are clients requesting you to utilize eco-friendly or sustainable products in your design? Green design is definitely here to stay, and my clients ask for it all the time. Ultimately, they might not want to pay for it, but they do ask and we try our best to incorporate green or eco products into the design. Designers, home owners, hotels owners, architects — basically everyone thinks green design means using green and sustainable products. But everyone seems to forget the most important, basic element of all design is to start with a high quality product. To me that is the foundation of green and sustainable. Nothing will be green and sustainable if it is a bad design. A good design should reflect the local environment, surrounding, culture and history. For example, TO ME none of the giant hotels in Las Vegas are green, even if they are LEED certified!! Those enormous man-made lakes and canals, the amount of electricity spent — not green or sustainable in my opinion.
There is a big reset happening in the world with people spending less and returning to basics with a focus on their home and family. How are your clients adapting to this new economic landscape? Is it business as usual…or are they cutting back? And where are they cutting back: quality, price, square footage? In a word, they are definitely more conscious even if it might be business as usual. My clients are cutting back more on footage and using more multi-functional rooms. There are some cutting back on price as well.
How important do you believe Websites, blogs, and social media are and will be in growing your business? I believe in websites very much. In fact, we just spent the last 12 months building a whole new website. It provides useful information anytime anywhere. I always search the site first before I go shopping for clients. I am still reserving my judgement on the future impact of blogs and social media.
How would you describe your design style? Classic, modern, timeless and yet functional. How do you keep up with new design trends? (Magazines, blogs, internet, travel, etc).
Travel and magazines.
What are your 2011 design trend predictions? Back to basics.
Who are your 3 favorite fashion designers and why? Miuccia Prada, Alexander Mc Queen and John Galliano because they combine innovation and high style.
All photography courtesy of David Livingston Photography unless otherwise noted. Shop Jiun Ho’s Style Stars Sale on Gilt Groupe.
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