Traditional Chinese Furniture

Traditional Chinese furniture is becoming increasingly popular amongst those looking for modern, minimalist shapes, but with a bit of a twist. The lacquered surfaces of traditional Chinese furniture chime well with the current fashion for high-gloss furniture, while the simple shapes and clean lines go well in minimalist, contemporary decors.

At 4 Living we sell a range of traditional style Chinese furniture in our oriental lacquer ranges, with most pieces available in either black or white lacquer. We fuse traditional processes such as multi-layer lacquering, with modern designs and practical features to create pieces that work beautifully in contemporary homes. Aged brass handles and other detailing, combined with distressed edging, add to the feel of traditional Chinese furniture.

Traditional Chinese Furniture – click here to browse our full range of products

The Characteristics of Traditional Chinese Furniture

All traditional Chinese furniture is made from wood and will involve some degree of engraving, carving or decoration. But perhaps the most characteristic most strongly associated with Chinese furniture is lacquerwork. Uniquely oriental, the lacquering process produces a depth of colour and sheen which is highly attractive and sought after.

While our oriental style furniture may be newly made, it shares these essential qualities with traditional furniture. We use a 7 layer lacquering process which is then brushed by hand and distressed at the edges. This creates the durable gloss finish as well as a lovely aged feel.

Aimed at the contemporary market, our decoration and engraving is deliberately understated, but nevertheless adds a sense of workmanship and sophistication to all our pieces.

Why Choose Newly Made Traditional Chinese Furniture over

Chinese Antique Furniture?

Of course, if you want to bring a traditional Chinese element into your decor, you could seek out antique pieces of Chinese furniture, rather than buying newly made furniture. But there are several reasons why buying contemporary furniture may be a better choice.

To begin with, genuine antique furniture from China will cost considerably more than newly made furniture. Their popularity, combined with relative rarity and uniqueness means that, for example, an antique Chinese cabinet can easily retail for £1500 or more. Our cabinets range between around £600 and £800, by contrast.

For those who prefer antiques on the grounds that it is more eco friendly to re-use old furniture, we have every sympathy. All our traditional Chinese furniture is made from reclaimed pine or ash wood.

Another strong reason to buy new is if you are looking to create a consistent or minimalist look, or want to retain a contemporary feel. Antique furniture is sold as single, unique pieces, with widely differing colours and styles. A room fitted out with several different antiques runs the risk of simply looking cluttered or uncoordinated unless done with great care.

The 4 Living range of traditional Chinese furniture includes many different types of furniture such as sideboards in different sizes, tables, chairs, coffee tables, console tables and a full range of bedroom furniture, all to the same essential design and finish. This creates a more harmonious look while still retaining the traditional Chinese feel. This is especially desirable in small spaces or open plan spaces where one room runs into another.

About 4 Living's Range of Traditional Chinese Furniture

We have traditional Chinese furniture for the living room, dining room and bedroom, with several pieces fitting comfortably into all types of space.

In the dining range we have matching dining tables and chairs. The dining table is available in 5 lengths, including an extendable model, so you can choose the perfect size for your dining space. Dining chairs have a clean, square shape, with or without armrests, and are fully upholstered in ivory leather, with black lacquered legs.

In the living range we have small and large sideboards, several coffee tables and side tables and two console tables. There is also a square mirror with lacquered frame which can be used alone or in conjunction with a console table, and a rectangular black lacquered mirror available in two sizes. Finally, we offer two sizes of TV unit, essential for any modern living space.

In the bedroom range there is a range of chests of different sizes. The smallest is a nightstand with 3 drawers, next is a tall chest with 5 drawers, and finally a large merchant style chest with 4 small and 4 large drawers. There are two wardrobes to choose from: the first tall (205cm) and narrow (85cm) with useful drawer below, the second is lower (180cm) and wider (106cm). Our oriental bed frames give a simple yet sumptuous look to any bedroom, with subtle carved edging detailing on the headboard and foot panel. Bed frames are available in black or white lacquer finishes, in Double, King or Super King sizes (Super King in black only). Finally, complete the look or add more storage with a range of other items. Our favourite is the small oriental cabinet which looks like a mini wardrobe but has 3 fixed shelves inside. With a footprint of just 60cm by 45cm this is a highly practical and stylish way to add a lot of storage into the smallest of bedrooms. One of our lacquer side cabinets, trunks or ottomans can also add useful storage into a small space, any of which can also be used in a living space or hallway. Finally, our beautiful oriental butterfly cabinet is the perfect accent piece for any bedroom. It has a darker cream lacquer background and at just 85cm x 45cm x 85cm it is a useful addition to any small space.

Choose from our black lacquer range to create a scheme which feels solid and substantial. Black lacquer pieces work well against a neutral background, but can also be used to contrast with bolder colours to create a very striking style statement. If you have a smaller space and would like to minimise visual clutter and create a greater sense of light, choose our off-white lacquer pieces.

Traditional Chinese Furniture – click here to browse our full range of products.