A Design Journey Through Foshan, China

Northern Tile Gallery recently invited Andrea to join an inspiring design trip to Foshan, China, exploring an incredible range of products, materials, showrooms, architecture and local culture.

Hosted by Krista from Tick Tiles, the trip offered a fantastic opportunity to visit a vast selection of tile showrooms, with an almost endless variety of colours, patterns, textures, formats and finishes on display. We also explored engineered stone for benchtops and splashbacks, together with extensive lighting and high-quality furniture showrooms. The sheer scale and variety were impressive and provided plenty of inspiration for future interior projects.

The design inspiration extended well beyond the showrooms. Throughout the trip, we admired Foshan’s local architecture, with impressive buildings and architectural details appearing everywhere we went. Even arriving at the airport made an impression, with its striking roof structure offering an exciting first glimpse of the scale and design we would experience throughout the visit.

Beyond products and design, Krista also introduced us to the local Chinese food, which became another highlight of the trip. We enjoyed some delicious meals together and had the opportunity to experience different local dishes and flavours along the way.

We also visited Foshan Lingnan Tiandi, a vibrant precinct developed around the historic Donghuali area. Rather than a traditional enclosed shopping centre, its historic streets and laneways have been transformed into an open-air lifestyle destination, bringing together boutiques, art and cultural spaces, cafés, bars and traditional Cantonese restaurants. The combination of historic architecture and contemporary life made it a particularly interesting place to explore.

Another memorable experience was visiting Mount Xiqiao, home to the impressive 77-metre-tall bronze Guanyin statue, which stands prominently on the mountain overlooking the surrounding landscape. It was a beautiful and memorable part of the trip and a wonderful contrast to the busy showrooms and city environment.

A big thank you to Louella from Northern Tile Gallery for the invitation, and to Krista from Tick Tiles for taking the time to show us around, introduce us to the local food and culture, and share so much of what Foshan has to offer.