Folding Fans On the Wall

A "Japanese fans" view on adding interest to your home with items such as a larger size ornamental (wall) fan.

Oriental Home Decor

The decor that is used to decorate an oriental style home is very ornate and colorful. Traditions from the Orient are displayed throughout these pieces. The pieces themselves can be found on walls in the form of artwork, displayed as statues or other ’show’ pieces, or the designs could be shown through the very furniture that is placed throughout the home.

Panel pieces in threes (such as a Japanese shoji screen) are very popular for displaying artwork in the oriental tradition. The artwork itself varies by what is displayed on the panels, but it is typically very traditional and colorful. There is a lot of gold, red, and black used as colors in this artwork.

Large, wall-sized fans are also popular for decorating in the oriental tradition. Again, the artwork displayed will vary, but the colors will be similar to those used in panel paintings. The displays may include traditional oriental women complete with hair pulled back and wearing traditional clothing, likewise for Oriental males. They may also display the mythological creature so often seen in oriental design, the dragon, often breathing fire from its mouth.

Colors of walls in an oriental decorated home are most typically white. The red, gold, and black are most often reserved for the complimentary pieces. Clean lines are important to the Oriental home, so the walls will enhance those clean lines by having been painted either white or very light beige.

Those walls will be lined on the bottom by wood grained shoe moulding and trim around doorways in the home. This further adds to those clean lines displayed throughout the home.

Knickknacks will be sparse. They will be well chosen after much contemplation. Not all Oriental pieces are red, black, and gold. Some use blues, blacks, and yellows too, but the first are the most typical.

These traditional colors will be found in a lot of the knickknacks that will be displayed throughout the home. There will be only a few chosen and they will compliment one another.

Plants will also be sparse. An orchid is a popular choice for Oriental decorating, but many green leafy plants will be appropriate too. Orchids can be hard to care for, so some may choose a simply ivy instead.

Artwork, other than fans and panels, will compliment the color choices of the knickknacks displayed. They will compliment the gold in a statue or the red sprinkled throughout the serving dish. There will never be too much color in the artwork, it should be simple, just like everything else discussed here.

Furnishings will be lower than typical to enhance the Zen tradition originated in the Orient. Some furnishing may not have legs at all, they may be nothing much more than cushions on the floor.

Coffee tables and end tables will also be placed lower than their American counterparts. Again, this is to compliment the furnishings that are set lower. Often the legs of the furniture and coffee and end tables turn in. This shape goes along with the Oriental tradition.

An Oriental home is a clean one that displays its cleanliness through the undisturbed lines in the home. There will never be clutter in this style home. All pieces will have been chosen with much effort.

The homes become pieces of artwork themselves and bring peace and serenity to those that are living among them.

Author: Lee Dobbins

Lee Dobbins writes for Decor How To where you can learn how to have great decor in your home and get more ideas for decorating with Oriental home decor.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lee_Dobbins

Do feel free to read more about decor in Japanese homes and the traditions and flavors of Japan here: Japanese Home Decor – Japanese Decorations & Paintings – Japanese Style Furniture – Japanese Decorating & Ancient Culture – Japanese Wall Decor & Traditional Japanese Decor – Japanese Bedrooms – Japanese Rooms – Japanese Shoji Screen – Japanese Futon – Japanese Wall Fans.

Asian Decor: Calm and Soothing

In Asian Decor both Japanese and Chinese philosophies believe that our most basic need is for space. Our spirits need room to breathe, move, and think with ease.

Keep the center of your room open. This principle comes from the Eastern belief that the center of the room represents the heart of your self and therefore should be kept open to allow the flow of energy to have full freedom of action.

One of the first steps necessary to transform a home into Asian decor is banishment of clutter. It is necessary to strip away all that is unnecessary in terms of furniture, accessories, and material possessions. For Westerners, this is a very difficult thing to do. If you want a true Asian style home, this is the first step.

Asian decor is attuned to nature and the environment. It would therefore follow that materials used in this style would be natural and bring good feelings to our senses. Oriental flower arranging in the Japanese Ikebana style and bonsai trees are often used. Bamboo is considered to bring good luck when used in a home. Water fountains are in use to bring calm and order to the mind.

Natural fabrics and materials tend to hold more interest for us. Unlike manufactured products, every piece of natural material is unique. It is impossible to get two stones, two pieces of wood, or two pieces of natural fabric to look exactly alike. Natural materials add a new dimension to a design every time they are used.

Here is a list of items you could use in your Asian decorating scheme:

• Shoji screens
• Tatami mats
• Lacquer furniture
• Rosewood furniture
• Ginger jars
• Items made of porcelain and jade
• Japanese fans and large wall fans
• Japanese lanterns
• Paper umbrellas
• Calligraphy wall hangings

If you are truly looking to create a peaceful haven from the outside world, if you are fed up with materialism and willing to part from your "stuff", if you are attracted to the spirit and philosophy of Asian culture, then perhaps the Asian Style of decorating is exactly what you are looking for.

Author: Gloria Daniels

Gloria Daniels has worked in many areas of the home decorating field and has been helping clients decorate their homes creatively for over 20 years. For more help and hints on creative ways to decorate you home, visit her website at Home Decorating Room by Room While there sign up for her ezine Home Decorating Workshop Each month receive a dozen home decorating tips along with a lesson in how to develop your creativity when decorating your home.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gloria_Daniels

Asian Inspired Wedding Favor Ideas

Asian themed weddings are on the rise, and they aren’t just limited to those people of Asian heritage. Many brides are finding themselves drawn to the festivity of Chinese themed weddings or the simplicity of "Zen" Japanese weddings. Perhpas you practice a bit of feng shui in your home, to bring peace and tranquility. Or perhaps your tastes reflect the traditional Chinese style and glamour. Whatever your tastes dictate, an Asian themed wedding is a wonderful way to celebrate your marriage connected to your values and lifestyle.

If you’re considering an Asian themed wedding, here are some ideas to inspire your Asian themed wedding favors.

In Chinese themed weddings, white is considered bad luck (the color of death) and red and black are good (colors of luck and prosperity). You’ll want to keep that in mind while planning your wedding and selecting your wedding favors. These Asian themed wedding favors typically feature bright colors and nature motifs.

Some ideas to consider for your Chinese themed wedding are:

• Red and gold place cards held in a Asian themed place
• Card holder
• Take out containers filled with fortune cookies
• Lucky bamboo stalks
• Chopsticks
• Items with the double happiness character
• Brocade sachets or boxes
• Red mini lanterns
• Hand held fans, Japanese or Chinese
• Red envelopes with lucky coins tucked inside
• Asian themed mints and candies

The above are just some ideas you could select for your favors.

In Japanese or Zen themed weddings, brides should look for simplicity, elegance and natural materials when planning their wedding and selecting their Japanese inspired wedding favors. Crane motifs are used in Japanese weddings, wedding kimono and Japanese wedding decorations because cranes mate for life and are devoted to their partners in all seasons.

Some wedding favor ideas to consider are:

• Japanese paper lanterns
• Chinese or Japanese hand fans
• Chopsticks
• Sake gift sets
• Lucky cat ornaments or figurines
• Kaeru frog charms
• Cherry blossom designed items
• Incense cones or sticks.

Whatever your Asian wedding style, make sure your wedding favors are infused with Far East flair to complement your theme. With a little thought and a bit of searching, you’re sure to find your perfect Asian themed wedding favor.

Author: Erica Tevis

Erica Tevis is the owner of Little Things Wedding Favors which carries thousands of wedding favors and wedding accessories to suit every couple’s style, theme and budget.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Erica_Tevis

Here are more sites about Japanese wall fans, oriental decor fans and other, related topics:

‘Tis a gift to be simple
Kabuki fans are large and graphically dramatic; tea-ceremony fans tiny and more ornamental than functional; and rakugo (comic storytelling) fans are purposely plain so they can be used as stage props symbolizing chopsticks, scissors, (…)

Cool Items
Mini kakejiku Japanese Scroll Art An item that’s custom made for us foreigners, these are small and attractive kakejiku (traditional Japanese wall scrolls) that you can hang up to Japanify your room. … Niko Niko Seaweed Punch for Bento Fans of Japanese Boxed Lunch.

Decorate Your Walls With Oriental Wall Hangings
These attractive wall hangings come in different sizes and designs. Whether you buy them individually or an assorted lot, Paper Cut Wall Hangings are a great way to add culture and color to your walls.

Give Your Room An Asian-Inspired Makeover
Add in some of those beautiful paper fans that add flair of more Asian to your room. These fans will also add color to the neutral color you have painted the walls. Coordinate the fans with pillows that are in the room, or curtains.

Oriental Feng Shui Wall Fan-Blue Horses
This classic oriental wall fan Handcrafted in bamboo and handpainted on heavy paper.Oriental fans has a history of two thousand years in ancient China. Artists express their artworks by drawing and writing on the oriental fans.

Decoration Tips, Ideas, And Technique
Opened Oriental fans attached to the wall at different angles add character. Have your teenager’s favorite quotes, funny sayings, or pleasant reminders plastered on their wall. Cut out comic strips and tack to the walls – this may keep (…)

Technorati Tags: class, fan, gift, giving, home, japanese, style, wall fans, welcomed

Shoji Screens

How to add a touch of japanese elegance to your home with these traditional and functional room dividers.

What is a shoji screen?

A shoji screen is a trellis-like panel usually made of wood. Each square hole in the panel is filled with Shoji. Shoji is a smooth, vinyl coated fibreglass that is generally translucent. It looks and feels like rice paper.

A shoji screen usually has 3 panels and is foldable. They are generally very light. This makes them every easy to both to store and move around your home.

What is a Japanese Screen for?

A shoji Japanese screen can be used for a variety of purposes around your home. They can just be decorative and make an interesting and unusual feature or talking point in any room.

Alternatively, they can used to actually screen off part of a room or divide it up. This can be very handy if perhaps you want to create a workspace with a desk in a room. It means that that the workplace can still be part of the room but it is somewhat separate. This will help the look of the room and also enable more to be done.

Sometime people use one of these screens to hide unsightly closets or windows where the view is not pleasant.

Shoji screens as sun blocks?

Shoji screens are not waterproof but they do offer a degree of protection from the sun. They are therefore very useful in rooms which are south facing and get too much sunshine in the summer. The shoji screen will allow plenty of light in, but it is somewhat diffused. This can create a lovely atmosphere is a bright room.

Buying Japanese shoji screens

Shoji screens are no longer the exclusive preserve of Japanese homes and they are now readily available in the western world. There is a huge variety on the market and prices range from just a few dollars to thousands.

Screens from Japan come in various sizes and there a huge number of different finishes. Whether you want a natural wood finish, or something like cherry, or even perhaps a black metal frame there is something on the market. The result is that everyone should be able to find the perfect Japanese room divider for their room.

Whatever your budget it is important to look out for a Japan shoji that is well made and sufficiently robust. Although they are very light a shoji folding screen should last for many years.

Do consider a Shoji screen for your home. Unusual, perhaps. Elegant, most definitely.

Author: Richard Lave

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Lave

Our top recommendation for contemporary and traditional Japanese room dividers and shoji screens is Iroomdividers.com. Check out their great selection today if your looking to buy shoji or just find out more.

Feel free to read more about decor in Japanese homes and the traditions and flavors of Japan here:Japanese Home Decor – Japanese Decorations & Paintings – Japanese Style Furniture – Japanese Decorating & Ancient Culture – Japanese Wall Decor & Traditional Japanese Decor – Japanese Bedrooms – Japanese Rooms – Japanese Shoji Screen – Japanese Wall Fans.

Japanese Shoji Screens Home Decor

There are many ways that a person can choose to decorate their home, a room in their home, or an office. There is a way that is becoming more and more popular in decorating any type of room, and that is with Japanese Shoji Screens. Japanese Shoji screens are the most popular form of room dividers in the western world and can be used for purely decorative purposes or as room dividers that decorate. There are many ways to decorate and/or use Japanese Shoji Screens in any space to make that space more tranquil and fresh. These types of room dividers are light and airy, giving small rooms private sections while keeping the feeling of openness.

The first way an individual can decorate with Japanese Shoji Screens is to keep with an Asian theme that is in the home or in a particular room. Asian themes are minimal in design and focus on the space and the function of that space. This Japanese room divider can be used to set the boundaries for any specific space that is wanted or needed while allowing light to come through the screen and illuminate the area. Japanese room dividers can also be used as accents in Asian themed rooms by adding a private reading corner, or making a space to hide things behind. A Japanese Shoji Screen that is used in an Asian inspired room will make the room more calming and soothing. The traditional Japanese Shoji Screen is made with white rice paper and wood with some art work.

Another way to decorate with Japanese Shoji Screens is to incorporate them into an existing room. There are modern forms of the traditional room divider that can be found to suit any one’s decorating tastes. Like with Asian inspired rooms, incorporating these room dividers into existing dcor will allow a person to make individual spaces. It is still wise to stay with the style of simple, clean lines that Japanese room dividers use. Also, an individual can use Shoji screens as a form of decoration by placing them in front of a wall or window, or maybe as a place to change clothes in a bedroom. One could even make a Shoji Screen a focal point by adding a water feature or a vase with calla lilies in front of the room divider. It really depends on the individual’s tastes has how to decorate with a screen.

It does not matter if one chooses to use Japanese Shoji Screens as a main focal point, art decor, or as a functional room divider, these screens will add a sense of calm and tranquility to any space. The beauty of decorating with these screens is that light is able to go through these screens which allows even the smallest of spaces to feel open and airy. Room dividers can turn a large room into many functioning spaces that have an Asian feeling or inspiration, plus, Shoji screens are light enough to be moved if an individual wishes to change the space around.

Using A Shoji Screen

There are several important things that you should remember when you use a Shoji screen to divide a room.

When you are using this type of screen to divide a room, there are several things that you should be sure to remember. First of all, a Shoji screen is not going to completely block the site from the area of the room which has been used, so therefore you might want to be sure that you are using the Shoji screen in a more artful way than in a way that will actually create another room. Remember that the point of the room divider screen is to make a symbolic division between one area and another.

One of the reasons that a lot of people pick this style of room divider screen is based on how it looks. The Shoji screen is going to have a very unique look that you might want to include in the Japanese home decor of the particular room. This is part of the reason that the Shoji screen ends up being the most popular of the room dividers that you might be able to find. With this room divider screen you can feel confidant that the Shoji screen will not only divide the room, but will create an interesting look that will enhance the room.

A place that a lot of people choose to use room dividers is in a bedroom, so that they can have some privacy while they are dressing. This is a good idea if you share a room with someone else, or if you like to leave your clothing on the floor after you are doing changing. Just be sure that you put the room dividers where you can also be unseen from the windows. You might find that the screen is a great addition to any room when it is used in this way.

There are some things that you should always remember before you put up Shoji room dividers. First of all, the point of these types of room dividers is to individualize the room, but it is not going to do so in a permanent way. You will still be able to see above the room divider screen, because it will not be as tall as the actual room. Therefore, you want to use the Shoji screen in such a way that it will be a symbolic division of the room. This is very important for you to remember.

Something else that you want to think about is that when you are using screen room dividers is that you should have other things in your home that also match these room dividers. The screen can really tie together any room, because it is a great piece of furniture to have. It is also nice to look at, which means that you will be able to enjoy these room dividers screen and all of the things that it can offer you. However, you want to be sure that you are allowing the Shoji screen to really get the best use, so be sure that you are putting it in a place that looks nice.

By: Mike Zamora

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Mike Zamora writes articles on room divider. Other information written by the author related to shoji screens, shoji doors can be found on the web.

Japanese Shoji Folding Privacy Screen Room
Also note that we sell a unique shoji screen stand to make any shoji screen into a flat room divider screen, just search for "Shoji Screen Stand".

Decorating With Room Dividers
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Modern Room Dividers – For Functionality And Visual Appeal
Also known as screens, room dividers originally came from China, although they are popularized by the Japanese. Before, Chinese screens have hinged panels with attractive artwork on every fabric panel contained by a wood frame while (…)

Design Tip of the Week
To close out Cherry Blossom season in DC and our small tribute to Asian design (with a focus on Japanese inspired design), here are some tips on how to easily add Asian elements to your home. … Hide an unsightly corner or separate your space with a room dividers such as paper screens. You can purchase unique rice paper screens like the one below at Oriental Furniture.

How To Decorate With Room Dividers
Using a room divider or folding screen can be a great way to create interest in an otherwise dull area. Contrary to what many believe, a room divider need not actually be used to divider a space.

Japanese Room Dividers – An Oriental Feel
Japanese-styled room dividers are quite famous as a luxurious décor that speaks of elegant design and style. The foundation is made of sturdy wooden material treated in different hues.

Technorati Tags: elegant, japanese, room dividers, rooms, shoji screen, shoji walls

Japanese Lacquer, Finest Sprinkled Pictures

Before I describe these unique and beautiful works of art, exclusively Japanese, I feel that you need to know more about Lacquer, the extraordinary medium that was used. Only then will you fully appreciate these brilliant creations.

For readers who are unfamiliar with old Japanese Lacquer, I suspect you will be thinking of the typical modern Lacquer trays and bowls that are mass-produced. These items are very decorative, but completely fail to compare with the magnificent earlier hand made works.

From China to Japan

Lacquer is really the sap from a tree known as ‘Rhus Vernicifera’. The Chinese were the first to discover and use it, at least a century before Christ, when it was used as a paint, and more often as a preservative. It was a very effective preservative, as many pieces still exist from as far back as the Han period 206BC, when Lacquer was very popular and in extensive use.

The earliest known Japanese Lacquer dates back to about the 7th Century, but it was not until the 14th and 15th century that the Japanese Lacquer works became so much more decorative. By then they had refined and created exceptional techniques, far finer and more beautiful than the Chinese lacquer that they had simply originally copied.

The Chinese had used shades of black, brown, yellow, green, and mostly red or cinnabar Lacquer. They mainly favoured deep carving of the Lacquer, to form the decoration, and produced some outstanding work.

They often applied the colours in layers, so that once carved, these colours would be revealed. One particular technique is known as ‘Guri’ Lacquer: the colours mostly red and black were built up in layers, and then a geometric or symmetrical pattern would be carved with a deep `V’ shaped cut, so that all these alternating layers would be revealed within the cuts. The Chinese also painted, incised and inlaid Lacquer with iridescent pieces of shell, but these works were treasured by the Japanese often more so, than by the Chinese.

To begin with all these methods were copied, but by about the 15th century the Japanese had become, justifiably, the unrivalled masters of the art!

Lacquer was, quite rightly, highly valued for its lasting qualities and strength. A very high gloss could be achieved, proving impervious to alcohol, acids and hot liquids. It would also have appealed to the Zen Buddhism ideals of ‘Yin and Yang’, as Lacquer appears to be so delicately beautiful and light in weight. Yet, it is hard, impermeable and enduring.

The preparation

It is a very difficult medium to work with, uncompromising, sticky, and time consuming. It had to be strained to remove any impurities, and gently heated to thicken, and evaporate any moisture content. All the time it had to be kept in a dust free environment, and added to these difficulties, in its liquid form it gives off a poisonous gas! Strangely, it requires a damp humid atmosphere for it to harden.

It had to be applied in very thin layers, otherwise it runs, and if too thick, will not harden at all but will just form a skin. After each layer had hardened, all the time in a dust free area, it was carefully rubbed down before another layer would be added.

An average piece consisted of a minimum of 30 layers, in order that there would not be a trace of the wood base, or on larger pieces the hemp cloth applied in the early layers, to help strengthen the wood. The Lacquer Artist would have taken over, only at this stage, to create the decoration by the addition of yet even more layers.

The number of colours possible, due to chemical reactions with pigments and the composition of Lacquer were limited. So Lacquer artists were still restricted and blue was a very rare colour.

It was the Japanese that developed the idea and the techniques of adding gold and silver to liven up the decoration. Real gold and silver metals were used in the form of foil, flakes, metal particles of various grades, as well as powders. All of these precious metals were brilliantly used to great advantage, particularly in the late 18th and early 19th century.

The sprinkling of gold or silver metal particles had been used before and over a very long period, to brighten up the interiors. Even very early Lacquer works have ‘Nashiji’ inside. This is where fine particles of gold have simply been sprinkled in to the Lacquer. Some were scattered unevenly, producing cloud effects, whilst others varied in the density. However no pictures were formed.

Sprinkled, not painted!

In the 18th century they invented and refined the idea of sprinkled pictures, and these were used to great effect in what are known as ‘Togadashi’ pieces. They are easily identified, as the surface of the Lacquer is always perfectly smooth in Togadashi work.

These designs and amazing pictures were created purely, by very skilfully pouring various grades of fine metal and pigment powders on to the wet Lacquer, so that they would sink in. There was no way of correcting any errors! Extra layers of the background colour, normally black, would be added over the picture. Then by carefully polishing down until the picture reappears, the top edges of the metal particles would be made to glisten from the polish, providing brilliance impossible to achieve any other way. The last very thin coats would be of the purest clear Lacquer, providing the mirror like high gloss finish.

Various shades of black were created, by charcoal mixed with different quantities of silver powder, so that they could even simulate painted brush strokes. These powders were mainly used for black pictures on a gold background, that one would never imagine were created by sprinkling techniques. What is also quite remarkable, is the very fine degree of control in shading that they were able to achieve. This meant that far more sophisticated pictures could be created, than had ever been seen before.

There are three types of sprinkled picture techniques in all and Togadashi, already described, is my favourite! Another is ‘Hiramakie’, which is where quite a thickly sprinkled gold powder is used, and the lacquer is raised just a little above the background. As usual the surface is polished and burnished, before the final clear layers, and has a very rich appearance. Lastly, there is ‘Takamakie’, which is again similar to Hiramakie, only it is in much higher relief. This thickness was achieved by building up and modelling the areas required in relief, with a combination of Lacquer and charcoal, before applying the gold powder layers.

Highlights of pure gold

Many Lacquer artists made use of a combination of these techniques in a piece of work. Just to further enrich these pictures, finely shaped tiny pieces of pure gold, so small that it is hard to imagine how they were handled, are individually applied near the final surface to create highlights. Frequently these are exactly matched shapes, tiny squares or diamond pieces that are all so amazingly very accurately placed.

Togadashi Boxes

One of our favourite examples of this type of work in this collection is a fine Box that appears as two overlapping boxes. One shows the figure of the swordsmith forging the sword ‘Little Fox’, assisted by the Fox Spirit in the guise of a woman; the other has an overall design of a mass of gold and coloured flowers.

Looking closely at the gold centres of the flowers one can see how these consist of a number of very tiny shaped flakes of gold; each flake has been carefully placed by hand.

It also has a marvellous fitted tray just in gold Togadashi of three foxes running in a landscape with a really dream like quality. The border of the tray is decorated in ‘Gyobu’, which is where each individual flake of gold has also been positioned by hand, rather than sprinkled.

Another wonderful Box that is purely, fine Togadashi, depicts a busy street market scene, and what more can I say, other than it is an outstanding piece of work!

Neither of these boxes is signed, but they are nevertheless, of the finest quality. To see the photographs please use the link at the end of this article. These wonderful lacquer works feature on Japanese inro too (the subject of another article).

Modern works

A word of warning when buying lacquer, it is important that the condition is both good and original. As there are now some cleverly repaired pieces on the market, expert advice should always be obtained.

Fine Lacquer is made even today, and there are certain living traditional Lacquer artists who are held in very high esteem in Japan. So much so, that some have been designated as ‘Living National Treasures’, and their contemporary hand made Lacquer work is in high demand and extremely expensive.

I have seen an example, at a Lacquer study weekend held at the V & A museum. A remarkable modern box that combined thick clear Perspex with black Lacquer in a geometric design that really was very dramatic. Personally I still prefer the earlier works and for the cost of this modern box a very good collection could be formed!

About The Author: John N. Cohen

All about how beautiful Japanese lacquer, found in 18th & 19th century works of art where exquisite pictures were formed, surprisingly, by sprinkling techniques rather than being painted.

The author has been a very keen collector for many years creating ‘The Cohen collection’.

See the photographs for this article by using the following link:

http://www.jncohen.net/antiques/articles.htm

http://www.jncohen.net/Japanese_lacquer/index.htm

Feel free to read more about decor in Japanese homes and the traditions and flavors of Japan here: Japanese Home Decor – Japanese Decorations & Paintings – Japanese Style Furniture – Japanese Decorating & Ancient Culture – Japanese Wall Decor & Traditional Japanese Decor – Japanese Bedrooms – Japanese Rooms – Japanese Shoji Screen – Japanese Wall Fans.

East/West Interior Decorating
She’d recently divorced and decided to go all out Japanese in her house. She even had a full size kimono framed in the biggest shadow box I’ve ever seen and hung on her wall. This lady was a born and bred Atlanta southern socialite.

"Tales in Sprinkled Gold"
They are decorated in a traditional Japanese lacquer technique called makie, literally "sprinkled picture." The decoration is achieved by sprinkling gold or silver powder and flakes over successive layers of lacquer before it dries.

The Japanese Kitchen
(…) offers a variety of antique and traditional Japanese kitchen furnishings, fixtures and décor. These range from handsome kitchen chest tansu to low dining tables of simple wood or fine lacquer, hibachi, furogama, (…)

Japanning for southern barbarians
Dutch taste dictated a new style of export lacquer known as "komo shikki" ("red hair" — a common term for Northern Europeans), in which elaborate gold-lacquer decoration replaced the complex inlays of Nanban ware.

Japanese Calligraphy Brushes
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Japanese craft, balancing beauty, function
One of the more impressive examples is a traditional Japanese furniture form called kazari-dana – ornamental display shelves. It’s a paragon of lacquer work, its jet-black surfaces mirror-bright and flawless. The decoration is even (…)

Japanese Lacquerware – urushi
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Technorati Tags: best, decor, decoration, home, japan, japanese, traditional, wall

Japanese Furnishing, Edo Style

As soon as you start looking into purchasing Japanese styled furniture and decor, you are going to be confronted with a lot of different categories. In this article, we take a look at Edo furnishings.

A Guide to Edo Furnishings

Edo furnishings gets their name from a period of classical Japanese culture that flourished in the area of Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan between 1500 and 1780 AD. Kyoto was a beautiful city with cherry tree lined avenues, and a highly developed appreciation of the arts.

The area surrounding Kyoto was heavily wooded, and carpentry was a highly respected craft. Thousands of carpenters from the area were used to build the wooden castles and palaces of the country’s rulers, and they also made furniture that was typical of the art of the area and time.

It was characterized by understatement, simplicity, and restrained elegance. It was very much influenced by Zen and the harmony of nature. Much of the pieces were crafted from fine mahogany and beech. The beech tree made up the majority of the workable wood in the area, and was used frequently.

After the isolated culture of Japan came into contact with Western Culture, some of the western ideas began to find their way into the Edo furniture pieces. It was a remarkable melding of the two cultures. The older pieces tended to have little curvature in their design, but due to the western influence this began to creep into the designs. The basic English chest of drawers that was little known in Japan became a popular piece and a favorite of the Edo craftsmen.

After World War II, it was the Western World that discovered Edo furnishings. It was noticed first by servicemen in the Occupation Forces, who often brought pieces back home with them. In the industrial rebuilding of Japan following the war many of the original craftsman, who had been producing the classical furniture pieces one at a time in their little shops, were replaced by modern factories. The beauty and the elegance of the look was retained in most cases, and the secrets of the craft were transferred to the new designers.

In the West, Edo furnishings are often used as a room theme. Bedrooms are especially popular. The Bedroom was always considered the most important room in Japanese culture, and still plays a more important role in modern Japanese home design than is usual in the West. The result is that Edo beds and bedroom furniture represent some of the most popular and finely crafted examples of the Edo theme. It has been found that Edo pieces do not necessarily have to constitute the entire theme of a room, but rather they blend nicely with other types of furniture.

By: Stephan Teak

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Stephan Teak is with FurnitureStoresforYou.com – information on furniture styles.

Feel free to read more about decor in Japanese homes and the traditions and flavors of Japan here: Japanese Home Decor – Japanese Decorations & Paintings – Japanese Style Furniture – Japanese Decorating & Ancient Culture – Japanese Wall Decor & Traditional Japanese Decor – Japanese Bedrooms – Japanese Rooms – Japanese Shoji Screen – Japanese Wall Fans.

What is Japanese Interior Design?
Use Zen philosophy when furnishing your room as the Japanese use this approach when decorating. Using natural lighting and natural materials are a big part of the Japanese interior design process. Items such as stones and wood are great (…)

Japanese Home Decor – Balanced and Graceful
It is about achieving a feeling of balance in the universe. This process is known as Zen, which is essential in true Japanese home decor. With minimalism in furnishing the Japanese home decor embraces space, and uses it as a way (…)

I’ve got a job
(…) hah and all thanks to my dearest Siti Shafariaton who told me about this job and she was the one who recommended me to this job. I’m now working part time at this japanese shop called Tatami Shop a japanese furnishing shop.

Kumihimo: Japanese Silk Braiding Techniques
Home furnishing & decoration Kumihimo: I know that times may be unyielding, but if you wanna go something like greased lightning like this, you price the item at any the disbursement of the book or minor degree.

Japan: The Art of Living
Read about and Domestic Japan: The Art of Living : A Sourcebook of Japanese Style for the Western Home and Home furnishing & decoration of Japanese and (…)

Japanese Interiors
The following are a series of designs for furnishing fabrics. I was greatly inspired by Japanese imagery and aimed to interpret it in a contemporary style using a mixture of hand drawn and CAD techniques. I went on to produce fabric (…)

Gaijin Houses in Japan Also Known as Guest Houses
A guest house or "gaijin house" as we say in Japan is an inexpensive type of accommodation for foreigners, who stay in Japan for one month or longer, and who want to avoid the hassle and the expense of renting and furnishing a regular (…)

Tips on Japanese Interior Designing
Japanese interior design at times also uses feng shui in interior arrangements in the typically geometric of furnishings. Japanese interior design also tries to balance color and texture, think of ying and yang, such as polished wood (…)

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Japanese home decor.net is dedicated to providing quality information on the subject of oriental furniture and decor items and in particular, on Japanese home decoration available online.

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