[Sunday Slow Moments]Lelé Wood in Taichung: Handcrafted Woodware in Simple, Natural Colors

Upon entering Lelé Wood’s exhibition space in Dongshi, an indescribable sense of tranquility washes over you. The wooden pieces on the display shelves are simple and unadorned. The stacked, natural-color woodware exudes a serene atmosphere that feels comforting and reassuring—you simply don’t want to leave. You find yourself drawn to them involuntarily. “I like simplicity. I don’t use any color or chemical paint, just oil, to showcase the wood’s natural hue.”

Meng Yi admits that her woodworking style is heavily influenced by Japan. She reads extensively and draws inspiration from Japanese books, appreciating how the Japanese highlight the raw texture and color of wood. Additionally, with a background in industrial design, she focuses on practicality—simplifying the production process, shortening manufacturing time, and reducing costs are all key design considerations. “Does that sound too commercial?” Meng Yi laughs, insisting she’s not an artist, nor does she want to be. Though her starting point is rooted in production, the truth is, when it comes to design, the simpler it is, the harder it is to achieve.

 

During our chat, I pointed out the wooden flower stand by the window in the showroom. Its streamlined, hollowed-out design was strikingly eye-catching, and I said I loved it. “That’s scrap wood,” she said. What!? It turned out that the hollowed section had been cut from a piece of wood intended to become a cup holder at a factory. The remaining wood scrap was picked up by Meng Yi. After observing and thinking it through, she decided to turn it into a flower stand. “It’s not for sale yet—I’ll add some supports to reinforce the structure.”

It’s truly incredible—what was once considered worthless leftover material has been given a whole new life by Meng Yi. “Woodworkers always keep their scraps and offcuts,” Meng Yi added, pointing to a bird-shaped doorstop. “This is made from a triangular scrap. I thought about what I could make with it, turned it into a door stopper, and later realized it could also work as a bookend.” Taiwan has a logging ban policy, so most timber is imported, and every bit is used as efficiently as possible. “It helps reduce deforestation, and even small pieces can still be useful.”

 

On the day of my visit, Meng Yi took a square block of wood and, through simple cutting, drilling, and sanding, turned it into a business card holder and pen stand. There were no flashy decorations or complicated processes—the block of wood became a functional household item, one that fully showcases the natural texture of the wood.