| As soon as you start looking into purchasing | | | | began to creep into the designs. The basic |
| furniture, you are going to be confronted | | | | English chest of drawers that was little |
| with a lot of different categories. In this | | | | known in Japan became a popular piece and a |
| article, we take a look at Edo furnishings. | | | | favorite of the Edo craftsmen. |
| | | | |
| A Guide to Edo Furnishings | | | | After World War II, it was the Western World |
| | | | that discovered Edo furnishings. It was |
| Edo furnishings gets their name from a period | | | | noticed first by servicemen in the Occupation |
| of classical Japanese culture that flourished | | | | Forces, who often brought pieces back home |
| in the area of Kyoto, the ancient capital of | | | | with them. In the industrial rebuilding of |
| Japan between 1500 and 1780 AD. Kyoto was a | | | | Japan following the war many of the original |
| beautiful city with cherry tree lined | | | | craftsman, who had been producing the |
| avenues, and a highly developed appreciation | | | | classical furniture pieces one at a time in |
| of the arts. The area surrounding Kyoto was | | | | their little shops, were replaced by modern |
| heavily wooded, and carpentry was a highly | | | | factories. The beauty and the elegance of the |
| respected craft. Thousands of carpenters from | | | | look was retained in most cases, and the |
| the area were used to build the wooden | | | | secrets of the craft were transferred to the |
| castles and palaces of the country's rulers, | | | | new designers. |
| and they also made furniture that was typical | | | | |
| of the art of the area and time. | | | | In the West, Edo furnishings are often used |
| | | | as a room theme. Bedrooms are especially |
| It was characterized by understatement, | | | | popular. The Bedroom was always considered |
| simplicity, and restrained elegance. It was | | | | the most important room in Japanese culture, |
| very much influenced by Zen and the harmony | | | | and still plays a more important role in |
| of nature. Much of the pieces were crafted | | | | modern Japanese home design than is usual in |
| from fine mahogany and beech. The beech tree | | | | the West. The result is that Edo beds and |
| made up the majority of the workable wood in | | | | bedroom furniture represent some of the most |
| the area, and was used frequently. | | | | popular and finely crafted examples of the |
| | | | Edo theme. It has been found that Edo pieces |
| After the isolated culture of Japan came into | | | | do not necessarily have to constitute the |
| contact with Western Culture, some of the | | | | entire theme of a room, but rather they blend |
| western ideas began to find their way into | | | | nicely with other types of furniture. |
| the Edo furniture pieces. It was a remarkable | | | | |
| melding of the two cultures. The older pieces | | | | Stephan Teak is with - information on |
| tended to have little curvature in their | | | | furniture styles. |
| design, but due to the western influence this | | | | |