oriental furniture with secret compartments

Furniture was normally made from northern elm (‘yumu’) as this was readily available, and was often covered with natural tree lacquer. The style was quite plain, without the sophisticated detail or decorative styles of central China. It was therefore normally made with thick, robust frames. Below we've outlined most of these, along with some of the typical features associated with furniture from each area.įurniture from Shandong province, south of Beijing, was made to withstand the harsh climate of the area, with its hot, humid summers and cold winters. The Chinese antique furniture that is commonly available today tends to come from a fairly small number of provinces. With designs changing little over hundreds of years, it is often easy to identify the origin of many antique pieces, with certain features or decorative elements giving a good indication of the region where they were made. Although construction methods and forms were repeated througout China, local variations in materials and resources, cultures and preferences meant that distinctive regional styles of furniture also developed. Browse Furniture Dining Tables & ChairsĬhinese furniture developed independently from western furniture, with higher level chairs, tables and cabinets developing from an earlier low level, mat culture that was still seen in Japan and other parts of Asia much later.Browse Furniture Console & Altar Tables.

Oriental furniture with secret compartments