# Emotion-Inspired Chairs Designer Ka-Lai Chan's 'Selfportrait' Chair By Shelby Lee Walsh | Published 2009-09-17 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ka-lai-chan-selfportrait-chair References: [plusmood](http://plusmood.com/2009/09/selfportrait-chair-ka-lai-chan/) & [kalaichan.nl](http://www.kalaichan.nl/) Why get a [self-portrait](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dream-view-chair) that is simply drawn if you could manifest your spirit into a chair? Designer Ka-Lai Chan did just that. Her [creative chair](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/experiment-chair) was created from her graduation project and is suitably called ‘Selfportrait.’ The chair is based personally on Kai-Lai and encompasses emotions and suppressed feelings. Although she is self-described as “a [quiet and introvert person](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-introvert-chair),” this chair has a loud and clear message that her emotions are bubbling just below the surface. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.8/10 - Popularity: 24% | Activity: 53% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 30% men, 70% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Emotion-inspired Design:** Designers are creating products that reflect the emotional states of the users, creating new opportunities for personalized and empathetic products that address user's emotional wellness. - **Spirit-manifesting Art:** Artist are exploring ways to manifest their personal spirit into functional objects, creating new opportunities for personalized and unique art pieces with spiritual significance. - **Interactive Self-expression Furniture:** Designers are creating furniture pieces that enable self-expression and reflection, opening new opportunities for comfortable and visually appealing products that foster personal growth and creativity. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Furniture Manufacturing:** The furniture industry can explore new opportunities for personalized furniture with empathy design and spiritual significance. - **Art and Design:** Artists and designers can explore new opportunities for personal expression and creativity involving functional objects with emotional and spiritual significance. - **Wellness and Mental Health:** The wellness industry can explore new opportunities for products that reflect and support users' emotional wellness, enhancing personal growth and mental health. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Music-Inspired Chairs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/modern-chair1.md) - [Essay-Integrated Dynamic Chairs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pax-new-yorkea.md) - [Chaotically Natural Seating Solutions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kkochgalam-chair.md) - [Modern Therapeutic Seating Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/reflect-1.md) - [Sculptural Cocooned Chairs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/introvert-chair.md) - [Curved Line-Formed Functional Chairs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-heart-chair.md) - [Artfully Balanced Chair Concepts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/halfway-serious.md) - [Zen-Focused Furniture Pieces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/goyo-chair.md) - [Intertwined Wooden Chair Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hug-chair-1.md)