Nell’s Home: A tranquil oasis for the soul

By John Evans
Translated by Angel Pu

0921-780-844
1-1, JingCheng 22th St, West District
Hours: 2:30-10:30 pm Tues-Fri, 2:30 pm-2:30 am Sat/Sun (closed Mon.)
www.nells-home.blogspot.com

What do you do with those yellowed love letters sitting in a shoebox, or those paid electric bills? Nell Chen has an idea, and an environmentally responsible one at that: Rip them up, and turn them into functional art. Mouse pads, picture frames, place mats and even tissue boxes can all come from recycled paper. “People waste too much,” says Chen, 33, owner of Nell’s Home. “I like to imagine how to make garbage into something useful.”

For seven years now, Chen has touted eco-friendly living while running a restaurant and handicraft store. Peter Lin, a Taichung securities analyst, says the relaxing atmosphere of Nell’s Home is exactly what he needs after a stress-filled day. “Coming here is really like stepping into [Nell’s] house,” said Lin, a first-time artist, as he pressed a mushy ball of old electric bills through a strainer, the first step in making a homemade place mat. “The relaxing atmosphere helps me empty my mind.”

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