Contemporary and Traditional Chinese Furniture – What to Expect
Contemporary Chinese furniture has a simple and graceful design with sleek, clean lines and elegant proportions. Chinese furniture is growing in popularity in the West due to its subtle sophistication and timeless design that makes it a perfect fit for traditional or modern style homes.
With contemporary Chinese furniture, even small pieces are not only beautiful to look at, but also extremely functional. In many homes with limited space, modern Chinese furniture can serve a dual purpose, such as a wooden chest that can double as a side table with storage.
Traditional Chinese furniture designs and antique Chinese furniture can be richly decorated with exquisite craftsmanship. Some feature intricate wood carvings or are painted with colorful scenes of rural life, ancient battles, dragon myths or mountain monasteries.
A Chinese style room should be kept simple and uncluttered to bring peace, harmony and balance to the space. The typical colors of Chinese furniture include strong red, black and gold accents. Traditional influences such as robust glossy lacquer surfaces, accentuated edges and brass hinges and handles can also be found in contemporary-style furniture.
Chinese style designs are simple, attractive and timeless. Whether you want to decorate your home in contemporary Chinese or traditional style, Chinese furniture makes a bold statement. With each piece being a work of art in itself, Chinese furniture is a wonderful way to showcase your creativity and add an extra wow factor to your home.
Black lacquered furniture
Black lacquered furniture designs have a classic yet modern look that suits all types of homes, from traditional to contemporary. Oriental black lacquered furniture is created by carefully sealing the wood with multiple thin coats of high gloss lacquer, creating a durable and lustrousBusinessacademy1 finish that will stand up to the rigors of everyday household use.
For black lacquered furniture, the selected wood such as pine or solid ash is lacquered seven times to obtain the unmistakable black lacquered furniture of the Orient. Many designs these days feature antiqued yet modern brass handles and wood edge detailing, allowing you to choose how contemporary or traditional you want your black lacquered furniture to be. From coffee tables to console and dressing tables to dining tables, TV displays and sideboards, black lacquered furniture comes in all sizes and styles to suit any room in the home.
Origins of black lacquered furniture
Oriental black lacquered furniture was often found in temples, palaces and homes of the wealthy upper class. Four basic styles of lacquered furniture design were used during the Ming and Qing dynasties, which lasted from 1368 to 1911. These styles included carving the lacquer, using black lacquer to fill in a pattern engraved in the wood, and rubbing flat to outline the black lacquer and inlaying mother-of-pearl into the lacquer.
White lacquered furniture
White lacquered furniture can be made from a variety of woods, such as reclaimed pine that is hand finished with a brilliant white lacquer. White lacquered furniture has a fresh, clean and modern look and includes beds, end tables, coffee tables, chests, console tables, mirrors and large sideboards, all elegantly hand-brushed to a linen finish. Increasingly popular in recent times, this style of furniture can be fitted with attractive and elegant features such as antique yet modern brass folding handles and bevelled edges that subtly reveal the warm, waxed wood beneath.
Above all, white lacquered furniture conveys a beautiful, calm aura that is perfect for the bedroom. Imagine your bedroom with a double bed, chest of drawers, bedside tables and wardrobe, all finished in a calm white with details like rectangular brass handles and accented edges. White bedroom furniture can be complemented with colorful artwork or bedspreads. Even bright white living room furniture can be enhanced with rugs, paintings or vases with large floral arrangements to provide a pop of color .
This style of furniture is ideal for large, airy spaces with bold or natural wall paneling and decorative lighting. It also works well in smaller spaces. Here, sleek white furniture can create a sense of more space and light compared to dark-colored furniture, which can make a room appear smaller.
Whether you want to contrast your lighter decor with the bold, clean lines of traditional Chinese-style black lacquered furniture, or prefer to contrast bold artwork or décor with the more subtle linen-white tones, Chinese furniture will truly enhance your home. By choosing lacquered furniture, you can create a wonderful environment in which to relax and enjoy the beauty of your interior design for many years to come.
Traditional Chinese furniture
Traditional Chinese furniture is a testament to excellent craftsmanship that has been developed over centuries. Lacquer features prominently in traditional Chinese furniture, where the wood has been treated to dark brown or lustrous black and features hand-carved or painted decorations, gold leaf overlays, or mother-of-pearl inlays. The colors used are varied, including red, which represents luck and happiness, and yellow or gold, which represents health and longevity.
The peak of traditional Chinese furniture making was between the Ming and Qing dynasties. Ming furniture represented a simple structure, wonderful craftsmanship, and minimal decoration that showcased the natural beauty of wood. Qing furniture was larger and elaborate engravings were popular. Handcrafted traditional Chinese furniture creates an intriguing focal point for your home. From bridal cabinets to decorative chests, ottomans, two-door storage cabinets, end tables and oriental screens, Chinese furniture is a wonderful addition to any setting and a work of art in its own right.
