Asian Furniture: A History of Chinese Cabinets

The Corner on Chinese Cabinets

Because of the way that the ancient Chinese built their houses, there were no places for closets. So the Chinese developed chests and cabinets for storing clothes and other things. This led to a wide variety in sizes of cabinets. In Western culture, these cabinets have come to be used for a wide variety of purposes, from storing crockery and glass to entertainment systems, as well as clothes on occasion.

The two main types of Chinese cabinets get their names from their contours. There are the square-corner cabinets and the round-corner cabinets. In the past, they were typically made in pairs to match each other and placed in the home for symmetry and aesthetic satisfaction.

The rectangular square-cornered cabinet gets its name from the squared-off overhang of the top piece. The doors to this type of cabinet are hung on metal hinges, and often have ornate lock panels. There is usually a slight splaying of the legs that hold up the large shape. The hinges might be brass or wooden, and shaped like an acorn, lotus flower, or some other appealing object of nature.

Terra Nova Design's Antique Chinese Cabinet with Square Corners

The open flat surfaces of the doors of these cabinets invited artists to decorate them. In the Chinese capital, the cabinets for the nobility were often enameled black and then inlaid with mother-of-pearl designs. In other regions, the decorations might be even more lavish, such as using red lacquer with gold designs.

The round-cornered cabinets tend to have rounded overhangs and sides. Since the legs for these cabinets are usually slightly splayed, the silhouette of the piece often has a tapered A-frame appearance.  The doors for these cabinets are often fitted on wooden pivots which allow the doors to be lifted out of the frame. The purpose for this was to reduce the amount of work required to handle bulky or ornate garments when stowing them.

Terra Nova Design's Antique Painted Chinese Cabinet

Although time has changed the uses for these types of cabinets, they remain desirable objects for any residence. Functional and yet elegant pieces of furniture can be a welcome addition to any home. 

Visit our beautiful online store, Terra Nova Los Angeles Furniture, if you'd like to experience the beauty of an authentic, one-of-a-kind Chinese cabinet.  Or, if you're in the neighborhood, check out the spacious Terra Nova Designs in Los Angeles.