Furniture from the Far East is not only known for its unique designs, beauty and elegance; but also for the forms used as well as the decorative arts techniques which vary dramatically from what we are familiar with.
The culture in the Far East differs dramatically from the culture in the Western world. This creates dramatic differences in the lifestyle as well as in home décor and the furniture used. Antique Chinese furniture is extremely simplistic, especially compared to the elaborately designed items originating from Europe. Antique Chinese furniture pieces are designed to bring functionality and uniformity to home décor as their purpose is to bring harmony from the natural world into the home.
Despite their simple designs and geometric forms, antique Chinese furniture pieces can boast originality, beautiful colours and stylish ornamentations. In addition, various lacquering methods and techniques from the Far East provide elegance and a refined look to such pieces.
The different styles which emerged from China remained in use for centuries due to the traditional practices of Asian artists, designers and craftsmen. Unlike the dramatic changes of styles that took place in Europe and America, the traditions used in making Chinese furniture were preserved, even though practical improvements to the designs were introduced throughout the different periods.
Chinese homes were also modestly furnished. In many cases, one piece of furniture served a dual purpose. For instance, ‘Low-Kang’ beds, which we have in stock, were used as beds and sofas as well as to provide storage space inside. This illustrates the functionality of antique Chinese furniture.
To add character to the simplistic and plain geometric designs of Oriental furniture, Chinese craftsmen would add dramatic colours and beautiful artistic designs ranging from paintings of landscape, flowers and people, usually representing peace and harmony. The wood would have also been highly polished to give a gorgeous shine and lacquer techniques used to give the furniture durability and beauty.
We have selected antique Chinese furniture that we believe fulfil the context in which they were created. We have a variety of items that can be used as a statement piece to add character to any style of home whilst bringing functionality with storage space solutions.
