Nowadays, people like to decoratetheir home furniture with the themes they like.
Some of people will choose thestyle and design in modern concept. Velo Chair is one of the modern furnituredesign with aesthetic. Velo Chair was introduced by a British designer, JanWaterston. This chair is inspired by the shape of modern bicycles design thatlead Waterston to create an aesthetic design of furniture. According toWaterston (2015), the interaction between body and chair should be a seamlessone and the user feels as though they and the chair are one. From his words, hereflects the bicycle is an object that has relationship with the body.
Therelationship between body and object can be similar as bicycle’s tube that flowseamless into each other, changing shape constantly as improving function andaesthetic (Waterston, 2015). This chair was made of Ash wood. From his modernthinking and unique idea, he used only a single bent piece of wood to buildbackrest design without curve flaws. Instead of thinking the beautiful design,he also has test the limits of material’s physical that he used before heintroduces it to audience. On top of that, Jan Waterston has winning awardStudent Furniture Designer of the Year for his unique furniture design, VeloChair.
In my point of view, aesthetic valueis important to apply in furniture design. Aesthetic can be known as theattractiveness in a product design. As we know, attract with beauty has becomecommonplace of human beings.
From the design of Velo Chair, it can attractpeople to look at it since it has an unique design from people perception andthought. According to Asch (1946), a comparable phenomenon is properly documented in regards tohuman attractiveness. In addition, first impression of people influence mindsetformation and measurably have an effect on how people are perceived and dealt with(Asch, 1946).
On top of that, a product made of aesthetic design have a huge probabilityof being used even it is not too functional. Compared to unaesthetic designproduct, it will be lack of people’s acceptance even it has many benefits. Therefore,this design will be worth for people who love arranging their home space withmodern furniture design even it is only a chair. As a designer, Jan Waterstonis success to make people attract towards his design.
With the structure ofVelo Chair, it can be a wonderful addition furniture for people make it ascollection. Besides that, the design of VeloChair will be one of product that can increase economic resources. Since it hasa good design and has own aesthetic, it demands into various regions applicableto a product’s distribution or along with overseas market issues. As my pointof view, Jan Waterston has created a new design of home furniture in industry.Indirectly, when he produces this product to foreign country, he makes otherpeople open up their eyes and make up their mind about his design as simplefurniture but has a good appearance of style. As a designer, developing a designidentity is an important thing. Waterstone creates Velo Chair using Ash woodand used a single bent piece of wood to build backrest. It also can be said asunique design when the backrest was created with the perfect curve.
Accordingto Bloch (1995), product should has a power attractive design, it cancommunicates and creates value. Within this context, Kotler (1996) statedproduct design can construct favourable customer affiliations also a major toolfor creating brand identities and for making charactertistic product andcompany images.However, in my point of view,there might be some people will against this idea of design. The judgement ofaesthetic value is depends on people’s cultural background, their level ofeducation or class. Some of them will not interest to place Velo Chair at homeas their favourite or addition furniture. Instead, they will appreciate thevintage concept such as tradition chair design of their country, especially forthose who love classic style. People who is interested of classic style infurniture design will not easy to adapt the modern style.
For example, Frenchdesigner used the tradition style so then other countries will conclude thatFrench country has their own identity in designing furniture. Therefore, peoplewho loves classic style will buy French furniture in terms of the traditiondesign but different country. In other words, there are some countries willrejected Velo Chair design if they highlighted the national identity of theproduct as their main reason to buy home furnitures. Besides that, some of people willquery about the ability of this chair. Although the design of Velo Chair willattract people to look at it, but it may cause people to keep their intendnessto buy it. This is because the thin chair legs will bring doubt to peopleeither it is strong or not to accommodate people’s weight.
According to Lissak(1998), industrial design is not the making plans of the surface, but the expressionof all capabilities through form. Despite of that, the relation of consumer toproduct form is depending on their personal characteristics and personalrelations to surrounding product (Richins and Dawson, 1992). Hence, people wholook at this Velo Chair may feel interested and feel impress of the design. However,some consumers will not buy it because of their doubt obstructing theirwillingness to have it.
As conclusion, aesthetic value is important tobe applied in product design. Since people are bias choosing better-looking design,a designer should emphasizes the creative idea and the quality of the product.Besides that, a designer can creates aesthetic design to make people appreciateand understand what he wants to deliver about his product. However, the designshould not bring in the confusion of consumers about the whole product. Itshould consists of an aesthetic design and people understand why the design iscreated. Aesthetic design not only persuading people to buy the product,however it is enlarging the world industry when it has recognized as gooddesign with good function and consist of valuable art.