Chinese antique furniture is a unique decorating style that can add real elegance to even small living spaces like an apartment or condo. With just a little oriental flair to accent your antique Chinese furniture, you can transform that small living space into an exotic décor that will make a big impression on your visitors.
In many ways, you can see how Chinese antique furniture has had quite a bit of influence over western tastes in furniture design. The platform bed and the futon in bedroom furniture reflect the influence of Chinese antique furniture design. Even chests and trunks that stack were some very basic and practical interior design ideas that we got from the Chinese. That is because the style of Chinese antique furniture puts an emphasis on what is beautiful and what is functional.
The composition of antique Chinese furniture is one reason that they have such a wonderful feel about them when used as part of your interior decorating plan. The use of rosewood, teak or ebony lends a deep and rich color to each piece which is made even more luxurious by the lacquered surface that is the setting so much of the creativity that we see in these fine pieces of furniture. Antique Chinese furniture makers often created artistic inlays into the tops of tables or other types of furniture that are often intricate and full of that ancient and exotic Chinese culture that lends so much to the appeal of this kind of furniture.
The construction of Chinese antique furniture will reflect a design approach that became popular in other oriental furniture styles. The joints of antique Chinese furniture are complicated and highly durable which reflect real artistry in construction that is the hallmark of this genre of antiques. Craftsmen who created antique Chinese furniture were scrupulous about never using nails or glue. Instead, the design of those joints creates a tremendously strong unit that has better ability to absorb shock than other furniture of the period. This high quality of construction standards is why antique Chinese furniture has survived down through the ages to grace our homes today.
Because the Chinese culture is an ancient one and one that is steeped in tradition, ancient Chinese furniture will have significant similarities to modern oriental furniture on the market today. This does not reflect that Chinese design has ever gone out of date. Instead, it is a testimony to the enduring nature and appeal of antique Chinese furniture. It also contributes to how perfectly even antique Chinese pieces will fit in to many modern interior decorating plans.
As is true of any high quality antique genre, it pays to learn to identify genuine antique Chinese furniture and to be able to differentiate it from other oriental styles. The cost and value of the pieces you might to your décor will be reflected in how genuine the antique Chinese furniture that you find is and how well it will hold its value over time. You can find high quality providers of this high quality furniture in the normal venues of antique furniture.
But you may stumble across some wonderful “finds” at estate sales or even on the internet. So learning how to spot genuine antique Chinese furniture and knowing its real value could result in you being able to bring home some “hidden treasure” when you are out and about shopping for wonderful antiques for your home. The investment you make in learning how to identify the authentic Chinese antique furniture will serve you well and pay off when you can find a treasured piece in this way.