Cultural symbols migration and user perception: Innovation in Chinese-style furniture design

The design of Chinese-style furniture (CSF) strives to preserve cultural symbols and aesthetic features while enhancing user experience and emotional resonance. This paper explored how to optimize the design of CSF by analyzing the relationships between affective vocabulary, cultural symbols, and user perception, aiming to narrow the gap between designer intent and user perception, thereby enhancing emotional resonance and user satisfaction. An Affinity Diagram was employed to collect and organize affective vocabulary related to furniture design. Subjective weights of the affective vocabulary were calculated using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), and objective weights were determined through the Entropy Weight (EW) Method. The Coupling Coordination Degree (CCD) Method was applied to identify the core affective vocabulary. The artifact shapes and patterns from the Haihunhou tomb site were analyzed to extract representative design elements. Finally, the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) Method was utilized to examine the mapping relationships between core affective vocabulary and the artifact shapes and patterns, ranking the characteristics of these elements. The optimized design elements were integrated into the design of a Chinese-style chair. The incorporation of cultural symbols and affective vocabulary into Chinese-style chair design enhanced user experience and emotional identification, providing a viable path for innovation in CSF design.