{"id":17841,"date":"2025-10-22T11:57:41","date_gmt":"2025-10-22T03:57:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/solright.co\/archives\/17841"},"modified":"2025-10-22T15:22:01","modified_gmt":"2025-10-22T07:22:01","slug":"interview%ef%bd%9cbetween-old-furniture-and-the-aroma-of-coffee-the-daily-rhythm-of-boogie-woogies-hermit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/solright.co\/en\/archives\/17841","title":{"rendered":"Interview\uff5cBetween Old Furniture and the Aroma of Coffee \u2014 The Daily Rhythm of Boogie Woogie\u2019s Hermit"},"content":{"rendered":"

The morning light slips softly through the curtains. In Hermit\u2019s kitchen, the gentle hum of a coffee grinder signals the start of another day.<\/p>\n

He says the first thing he does each morning isn\u2019t checking his phone\u2014it\u2019s making a cup of pour-over coffee. That short, quiet moment is his \u201cmemory point\u201d of the day\u2014the only one that truly stands out in his 24 hours\u2014before work begins and time starts to blur.<\/p>\n

From Construction Sites to European Flea Markets: A Journey That Changed Everything<\/h2>\n

Before becoming the founder of Boogie Woogie Company, Hermit worked as an architect and interior designer. Back then, he often designed not only spaces but also the furniture that went inside them.<\/p>\n

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Yet he often felt frustrated\u2014Taiwan\u2019s market offered few choices for imported furniture, and his creative visions were constantly limited by what was available. \u201cYou know exactly what kind of personality a chair should have,\u201d he says, \u201cbut you just can\u2019t find it anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

That changed when he moved to Germany for further studies. While moving from one apartment to another, he began exploring local flea markets and antique shops\u2014and was amazed. \u201cIn Europe, good furniture is everywhere,\u201d he recalls. \u201cWalking into a small market and finding well-designed, affordable vintage pieces\u2014it wasn\u2019t just shopping. It was a gateway to a new way of living.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Boogie Woogie: Finding Joy Amid the Everyday Grind<\/h2>\n

After returning to Taiwan, Hermit naturally started his own furniture design business.
The name \u201cBoogie Woogie\u201d comes from a three-beat musical rhythm\u2014the root of blues and rock. For Hermit, it represents the idea of finding joy in the midst of struggle.<\/p>\n

In Japanese, \u201c\u90e8\u5c4b (heya)\u201d means \u201croom,\u201d while in Mandarin, the name \u201cBoogie\u201d phonetically echoes the letter \u201cB.\u201d Together, it forms a playground where life and aesthetics meet.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t see myself just as someone selling furniture,\u201d Hermit explains. \u201cI see myself as an educator\u2014someone who sneaks a bit of design knowledge and aesthetic thinking into every piece that leaves the shop.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The Danish Spirit: Quiet Dedication, Not Loud Design<\/h2>\n

Interestingly, Hermit didn\u2019t start out chasing the \u201cNordic countries look.\u201d It just happened naturally\u2014eight out of ten of his collected pieces turned out to be Danish.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s drawn to Danish design because of its quiet humility. \u201cThese designers weren\u2019t trying to prove how great they were,\u201d he says. \u201cThey just wanted to make something truly good.\u201d<\/p>\n

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That spirit reminds him of Japanese craftsmanship\u2014an understated but unwavering dedication to precision. Through material, texture, and touch, a sense of quiet perfection emerges\u2014so much that each piece seems to hold its own subtle presence in the room.<\/p>\n

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Mix & Match: Finding the Hidden Logic Behind Taste<\/h2>\n

This year, Hermit and Boogie Woogie collaborated with JuRi Construction to host an exhibition titled \u201cMix & Match \u2014 You Create the Combination!\u201d
The show explores 32+1 dining chairs through three lenses: functionality, aesthetics, and atmosphere, encouraging visitors to experiment and develop their own design logic.<\/p>\n

Hermit poses a playful question:
\u201cWhen someone on the street dresses in mismatched clothes, we call it chaos, but when Alessandro Michele at Gucci does it, it becomes high fashion. Why is that?\u201d<\/p>\n

His goal is to help people understand that taste, though subjective, still follows certain invisible principles.
Through this exhibition, he hopes to \u201csmuggle in\u201d a bit of semiotic thinking\u2014turning academic design theory into something people can feel through daily life.<\/p>\n

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Clearing Up Misconceptions About Vintage Furniture. Hermit often encounters three major misunderstandings when it comes to old furniture:<\/h2>\n

1. \u201cNew is always better.\u201d<\/h3>\n

Not true. Furniture made in the 1960s was often built with more care and better materials than today\u2019s mass-produced pieces.<\/p>\n

2. \u201cSecondhand means low quality.\u201d<\/h3>\n

\u201cIf something is truly well-made, it will outlast us,\u201d Hermit says. Well-kept Danish teak furniture can last over 200 years\u2014ownership is just temporary stewardship.<\/p>\n

3. \u201cSolid wood is better than veneer.\u201d<\/h3>\n

High-quality veneers can actually be more intricate and refined. What matters isn\u2019t the material\u2019s name\u2014it\u2019s the craftsmanship behind it.<\/p>\n

A Day Begins with Coffee<\/h2>\n

For Hermit, coffee isn\u2019t a ritual\u2014it\u2019s an anchor. Every morning, he selects beans and grinds them slowly by hand.
The resistance, the sound, and the aroma\u2014all of it brings him into focus. \u201cEven if I forget everything else by the end of the day,\u201d he smiles, \u201cI\u2019ll always remember that morning coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n

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An Unexpected Encounter with Solright DB-1<\/h2>\n

In that quiet morning routine, one object has become essential\u2014the Solright DB-1 hand grinder.
Compact, tactile, and consistent, it has become a silent companion\u2014blending seamlessly into his daily rhythm, much like the vintage furniture surrounding him.<\/p>\n

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Solright DB-1 page<\/a><\/p>\n

The Only Rule for Good Taste: Be Honest<\/h2>\n

\u201cBe honest,\u201d Hermit says simply. \u201cTaste isn\u2019t something you define at once\u2014it grows over time, through what you experience and what you love.\u201d
In a world overloaded with trends and noise, Hermit believes true taste comes from trusting your own senses.
The grind of the beans, the scent of the coffee, the quiet moment in between\u2014that\u2019s where authenticity lives.<\/p>\n

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Exhibition Information<\/h2>\n