The Refurbishing in China

2 min read

About three-fifths of new and old houses in big and medium-sized cities have been refurbished，and commodity housing built in recent years has undergone one hundred percent decoration.In super-large cities such as Beijing，Shanghai and Guangzhou，investment in home improvements exceeds RMB 40 billion annually.There are also instances of second-and third-round of refurbishments at an average cost of RMB80000.

In the mid-1990s，the fashion in China was to decorate in hotel style.For example，ornate boarding to cover pipes and radiators，suspended ceilings with reserved spaces for light fittings，and cheap wallpaper-covered walls.Furniture was made by carpenters from the countryside.

Northern European style furnishings contrast sharply with Chinese conventions，because they constitute a completely different concept.Ikea，therefore，took a risk as the first foreign enterprise to introduce European and American style furniture to China.The Swedish giant has since become synonymous with a fashionable an tasteful lifestyle.Even the most fashion conscious admit that Ikea has changed the Chinese concept of interior decor，and house owners planning to decorate go there first for inspiration on how to proceed.

Various styles have come into vogue since the start of the new millennium，among them European revivalism，traditional Chinese，and a combination of Chinese and Western styles，all in a wide range of colors and materials.The basic message house owners try to get across with their decor is:“This is my space，the way I like Consumer demand has enlivened the building materials market，furniture supermarkets and mechanized companies.The number of Chinese workers involved ininterior decor and renovation has expanded to 6 million，according to statistics from the Ministry of Construction.Among them，4 million are engaged exclusively in home renovations.More and more foreign firms are，understandably，hovering on the periphery of this flourishing market.

It was in 1998 that Ikea opened its first store in China.Since then a number of other chain stores，including B&Q and HOLA（House of Living Art）of Test Rite，have entered China.The US-based HomeDepot largest warehouse-style retailer of building materials and home improvement goods on the globe，has set up a procurements center in China，and Law’s has followed suit.

James Cook，global director of Ernst&Young Retail and Consumer Products，says，“Billions of Chinese people are entering the consumer society，and there is no country in the world more attractive to foreign films than China.”