The way we decorate our abodes reveals a lot about our personality quirks and eccentricities. Even if some of us do the interiors ourselves and some others hire interior decorators to do the dirty work, it’s still a must that we, as homeowners, know the latest trends in furniture and designs, if we are to keep up with the times. For this particular post, let’s have a run-down of what the Asian furniture trend is all about this coming new year, 2011.
Asian Interior Designing Style
Asian furniture has always exuded a quiet, peaceful appeal. Whether you choose Chinese furniture or any other Oriental furniture, the 2011 trend is leaning towards the natural and tropical look. As such, hardwood furniture, bamboo furnishings and natural home accessories will dominate this year. Asian rugs, decorating panels featuring scenes about Asian history and nature will be of utmost importance. Low platform beds will flourish; bamboo roll ups as house windows will be used as an alternative to curtains; white, black, gold, ruby and emerald colors inside the home will more than thrive.
Tropical Furniture Design
The tropical look of the upcoming season reminds us of the easy life — the sea, sand, sky all within our reach. Hence, blue and green colors will also sit well with the rest of the tropical theme while beige, light and dark brown will be best used in furniture. This is where wicker furniture come in. As for fabrics to be used in chairs like sofas as well as in beds, cotton and silk will be the trend. Palm plants, seashells and tropical flowers are the accessories that will best complete the look of an Asian tropical home.
Traditional Furniture Design
For the more traditional design style, Asian furniture that offers comfort and relaxation will abound. Oriental furniture featuring clean lines and simple designs will penetrate the market and give even the modern homes a more rustic and relaxing appeal. Because many people these days live in such harried lives, they clamor for space that will allow them to stay still for a while, rejuvenate those tired aching muscles and clear their minds. Traditional Asian furniture will do just that the perfect traditional Chinese furniture pieces will once again take a major piece of the furniture design pie. Thus, red, white and maroon colors will best be use to exude a more laid back and relaxing ambiance.
The Asian furniture trend for 2011 generally speaks of a more relaxed atmosphere inside the home. And because of the ultra modern and busy life people live outside of their houses, this upcoming trend will surely offer the much needed soothing relief and comfort inside the home that only Asian furniture can afford.
In creating a theme or mood that you can build around a room, you need to define what style you want to incorporate it with. It’s the same as revamping your bathroom. One important question that you can ask yourself is, How can you make the bathroom space a retreat? Well, you can start by adding a touch of Zen and the sway of the Asian charm. As you may know, eye appeal is a crucial element in the bathroom scene. Besides style and design, bath remodeling ought to consider efficient functionality as well. In an Asian-themed bathroom, you can see and experience all of that and more. Today, modern Asian designs have embraced the concept of bathroom as an art form and most interior designers have let their creativity and heart well into fully accepting this oriental trend.
Moreover, Asian furniture typically uses natural materials that are eco-friendly such as the bamboo, or pine which is renewable. Dark kinds of wood are often used because they blend well with any other home furnishings you may have, plus, they help bring the entire home design a sense of mystery, exquisiteness and elegance not common in other contemporary furniture. They are usually done with lacquer finish and if you want a cleaner and sparkling look, you can have them done in white lacquer finish too.
Indonesia teak wood has fine grain surface and so it will not splinter easily. Its color varies from dark to light brown, with a very smooth surface that is resilient to shrinking, swelling, and rotting. Because teak has naturally high amounts oils and silica, the teak wood can actually be preserved for several years. After a decade or so, teak can attain a silver-gray look caused by the natural weathering process that the wood sustains. It’s easy to bring it back to its original sheen though. Just apply some teak oil and your teak furniture will once again look as good as new.
The furniture industry in Indonesia soared after the 1998 crisis. Rupiah was still weak but there was no competition in the furniture industry. And because a huge proportion of teak wood supply comes from Indonesia, the industry made sure that they continuously keep a huge teak supply. Many people took advantage of the affordable rates of Indonesian teak furniture, which resulted to two sectors: The organized teak sector and the unorganized.
Knowing these sectors, it is then important for you, as a buyer, to know where your teak furniture came from. Keep in mind the quality of the wood used, who created it, were international standards applied, etc. The Indonesia teak furniture of your choice should showcase the art , culture and heritage of the Indonesian people. It should be attractive and durable, two things you get for buying such high end furniture.
Up until recently, wicker furniture and other pieces made from rattan have only been used in Asian and tropical countries like the Philippines. But in the last few decades, the interest in rattan furniture has grown and now even colder countries in the West have adopted this stylish furniture in their homes.
What contributed to the global rise in popularity of this Oriental furniture are trade conventions and exhibitions which naturally exposed these products to a larger scope of audience all over the world. Because rattan can be easily mixed and matched with existing ornaments, furnishing and upholstery, its charm to the global market steadily increased as expected. Moreover, wicker furniture can withstand all kinds of weather. They are easily maintained and homeowners won’t have a hard time taking care of them, unlike some 
Aside from these exhibitions, companies who manufacture such Asian furniture pieces also publicize their “going green” or eco-friendliness. They grow their own rattan plantation so as not to endanger those already existing in the wild and in forests. They also go the extra mile by making sure that no child exploitation is practiced in terms of labor and manpower, thus, creating a market for consumers who are environmentally conscious.
The influence of the far East has greatly influenced home decorations and interior designs especially with the trends that we have these days. Our Western hectic lifestyle has proven to be very stressful and we just want something relaxing, serene and peaceful when we get home. This is where the simple and Zen designs of the Far East come in. It is therefore important to take note that many of the elements of these Asian home décor stem from two major schools of thought – that of the Japanese and that of the Chinese.
What attracts positive and brilliant thoughts in a home is the simplicity of design. With simple styles, it’s like you are motivated to contemplate deep thoughts and philosophies, enabling you to dream big things and other wonderful lofty ideas. With simple Japanese interiors, you are allowed to go about your life with consistent productivity and constant vigor. Because the elements showcase controlled use of colors and styles, you are compelled to walk the path of human growth.
Do you want romance in your life? Are you in need of intimacy that only a stable romantic relationship can bring? The answer is in your bedroom.
Tatami mats are a kind of traditional Japanese flooring which literally means “folded and piled”. They are classically made of rice straw to form the core then covered with woven straw. They are typically made in uniform sizes. On the long side, most of these mats have edging made of cloth although there are others that don’t.
Display one on your wall or stand or put it on your table as a table runner or on your chest as a chest runner.
Japanese tansu is perfect for the kitchen. They are traditional chests with several compartments and sliding grated doors. Aside from the kitchen, they can also be placed inside your home office or the family’s entertainment center. Depending on the size of your Japanese tansu, you can actually fit a TV inside one of its cabinets. The smaller sizes would be great for your bedside table. Because Japanese tansu’s design is linear, it can really go well with any modern décor.
Sake jugs are not just used for drinking sake. You can also use these things for decoration. Use those with Japanese writing.
Kimonos are not just worn. They can also be used for decoration as well. Since they are very long, they look formal enough to be displayed in either the living or dining or bedroom by hanging one on the wall. You may add a Japanese fan in there for accent.
You can store your CDs in here as well as your clothes and accessories.
Turn this ancient jar into a lamp. Let a local lamp shop on your area do it.
Hang these lanterns either indoor or at the patio to add color and vibrancy in your space..
Purple made a grand come back early this year after a long absence and will continue to stay until early next year.
Minimalist design never really goes out of style. With Asian inspired furniture, rooms get their minimalist look with a twist and a breath of fresh air. This involves floor seating arrangements, low linings and clean lines which are always featured in Asian furniture pieces.
Comfort is giving way to style but practicality will always be included in the equation. Thus, modular furniture became popular. They help maximize the space you have in your home. Furthermore, Japanese animate prints are also a must this season.
For those who are not into minimalist designs, don’t fret. This year’s trends have something in store for you. If you want flashy furniture and interior decorations, just incorporate silver or gold in your furniture.
Use glamorous curtains. Employ tall floor lamps and use those made of iron or chrome.
Furniture pieces become interchangeable which allows flexibility in style. Usually, this pop inspired look is a must if one is shopping for office furniture to make the place of work more fun and enjoyable.
Feng Shui literally means wind and water. People believed it to have begun more than 10,000 years ago in the land of Tibet and have now been practiced in China for over three millennia. It is considered as one of China’s ancient systems that uses the laws of both Heaven and Earth. Applying this ancient law in one’s daily life helps one receive and improve the positive flow of energy.
Calligraphy’s local name in China is Shūfǎ, which means “the way or method of writing”. In this great country, the hieroglyphic writing culture immensely influenced their furniture tradition, such that laws of hieroglyphic writing, furniture décor and design have always exuded deep symbolic meanings. For Westerners who are interested in owning this unique kind of furniture need not know the exact meanings of these symbols and signs, nor follow the feng shui rules. It is enough for them to know that Chinese furniture such as these are both comfortable and elegantly beautiful. Enough reasons for them to pass the furniture from generation to generation.
Another popular type of Chinese furniture is the stool, which appeared almost at the same period as the couch. Many even say that the couch has evolved from the stool since the latter was so primitive in its structure — basically just a block of wood or stone tile. Sometimes they come in various configurations with the help of wood, reeds, bamboo, roots of trees, stones and ceramics. In wealthy homes, the stools feature precious wood with a special lacquer coating. As stools developed, high scaffolding was used for the privileged which were later turned to beds while common people continue to sleep on the floor. Then the enterprising Westerners came and turned these beds into some kind of tea houses. This foreign influence basically came from the Silk Road Caravans.
Chinese aesthetic of today originated in China as far as 1000-1500 BC. The kinds of furniture that can be viewed in some of the artwork during that period include woven mats with arm rests, and low tables with seats. As early as this time, both simple and intricately designed pieces have already been developing.
Typical Chinese furniture like chairs and tables are extremely decorative and showcase a variety of styles, but are low like those of the Japanese. This came from the practice of sitting on the floor because sitting on chairs was not a common practice back in ancient times. They were reserved for more formal occasions usually pertaining to royal courts.
To understand the design used in any piece of Korean furniture, one needs to understand the characteristics of traditional Korean living spaces. Generally, they make use of fault wooden structure made of natural materials. This means that the living spaces progressed based on how the houses are structured. Maru, for instance, is made with planks and ondol, which pastes the paper lacquered with bean oil on the surface, is representative form of the room floor.
When you translate the Japanese word tansu, it basically means joined wooden boxes. Tansu straddles the line between folk art and furniture. It embodies the essence of Japanese antique cabinetry which was made from 1860 to 1910 during the Meiji period. What they had in mind was having a piece of furniture inside their little homes that can save space and minimize clutter. This gave way to the proliferation of tansu furniture, most especially the portable chests that were used in storage lofts or what Japanese call “kuras” or fireproof storage places.
There is drama behind every creation of tansu furniture. The combination of beauty and utility of each piece carries with it a unique piece of Japanese history. You can tell a lot by scrutinizing the intricate and careful construction of tansu furniture, like its place of origin, the owner’s social status, intended use, wealth and even the profession of the owner.
One of the ancient civilizations that has always fascinated the West since its arrival in the 16th century is Japan. But then Japan closed its doors which opened a port to other foreign trade. It was only during the mid-19th century that the trade between the West and Japan opened once again. So when the Victorians came in for a visit, they were astounded by the bare rooms of Japanese houses as compared to their own.
The starkness of Japanese rooms is based on Ma, which is the balance between objects and the space they occupy. This is why Japanese mats, tatami matting in particular, is a fundamental factor in Japanese interiors. These mats are made from rice straws woven together, covered by igusa (rush) and edged by decorative cloth. They absorb heat and moisture inside a room where people walk, sit and sleep. They also help measure the dimensions of rooms in Japanese homes. For instance, a doorway should have an equal dimension as those of two tatami mats for length and one tatami mat for width. Traditionally, each tatami mat is about 180cm x 90cm wide. They are used for seating as well as for sleeping and flooring.
To divide the spaces properly, they use shoji screens on wooden tracks which can be removed to let the outside in. They are made by pasting thin shiji papers on lattices. As such, Shoji screens are also used as curtains since they indirectly let in light inside a room.
As for the doors, Japanese use fusuma doors which are made of thick fusuma papers on frames. In many Japanese homes, rooms are divided by only fusuma doors. The color and design of fusuma papers used depend on the personal style of the owner.
For cabinetry, many Japanese use the beautifully designed antique tansu, and for tables, they prefer the low ones called kotatsu with electric heaters attached to them. In order to stay warm during winter, Japanese folks put their legs in kotatsu covered by futon and blankets.
- Southeast Asian furniture is typically dark brown in color, showing a lot of Hindu-influenced carving
- Korean furniture uses various signs and symbols as a reflection of Korean spirituality.
- Taiwanese furniture has a very distinct black ink decoration.
- Philippine furniture is typically made of rattan, bamboo and exquisitely carved wood.
- Every handcrafted Asian furniture is always very detailed and shows highly artistic styles.
