Terra Nova Asian Furniture's WOOD YOU KNOW Series: Bamboo

Many people prize Asian furniture made of bamboo for its lightweight strength, golden color, and the luminous beauty it brings to a room.  It appears to be lit from within and has a warm, honey colored glow.  However, did you know that bamboo is not a wood? The bamboo is one of the planet’s fastest growing plants, belonging to the grass family. A stand of bamboo can grow to maturity in five years or less. In certain conditions, a stalk of bamboo can grow 36 inches in one day. This quality makes it very appealing to those who are conscious of environmental issues and sustainability. Additionally, it is very versatile and adaptable to many uses.

The nature of the plant causes it to grow in a columnar fashion, rather than tapering from base to top. This creates a consistency of size that is very useful in furniture making, when the bamboo shaft is used for legs and support. The wood also has very high compressive and tensile strength, giving it a great deal of durability, while retaining a lighter weight than comparable materials would have.

The sectioned regularity of bamboo shafts makes it an appealing choice for design purposes. As you can see from the Asian bamboo nightstand, above, it easily invokes the sense of its natural growth, giving an added aesthetic impression to its use in furniture. However, inclusion of bamboo shafts is not the only means by which this wood can be used in furniture. Laminated bamboo has come to be used in many forms, from flooring to panels for cabinets, to complete pieces of furniture such as tables, chairs, and bedframes. A good piece of bamboo furniture can last many years.

If you decide to purchase bamboo furniture, search for pieces that are made from real bamboo, for there are less expensive bamboo look-alikes. If the piece states that it uses sustainable bamboo, that means that it was grown and harvested naturally, allowing for new growth after the harvesting. If you are ecology-minded, make sure that any bamboo veneers use nontoxic glue, and water-based stains. If the furniture was made in small villages, the artisans involved are likely to come from generations of bamboo-workers.

The Asian bamboo console table above, as well as many other unique console tables, can be found on our website, http://www.terranovadesigns.com/bamboo-console-table-if020.html.

Symbolically, in Asian cultures, bamboo can represent several favorable qualities. In Chinese culture, the plant’s long life makes it a symbol of an upright life. In India, it represents friendship. Because if its durability in harsh conditions, the Chinese also consider bamboo one of the “Three Friends of Winter,” along with pine and plumb blossom. Being aware of this background of meaning can give the owner of bamboo furniture an extra level of pleasure.  If you are looking for a beautiful piece of Asian bamboo furniture in Los Angeles, be sure to stop by our store, located at 

2251 S Sepulveda Blvd., 

Los Angeles, CA 90064 or give us a call at (310) 

478-0228.  Feel free to check out our local Yelp website for more information - and to read what our customers are saying about us! http://www.yelp.com/biz/terra-nova-designs-los-angeles-2

Terra Nova Asian Furniture's WOOD YOU KNOW Series: Walnut

WOOD YOU KNOW – WALNUT

Walnut provides a handsome wood for paneling and furniture, and is often used for Asian furniture, like this antique Chinese cabinet. The heavy, durable, open-grained hardwood is highly valued by woodworkers for many uses. It can be expensive, which is why furniture made with walnut may cost more than a similar piece made of another wood.

What makes a hardwood?

Many people hear the word “hardwood” and think that it has to do entirely with the hardness of the wood. This is not necessarily the case. Although most hardwoods are indeed harder and stronger than softwoods, the difference between the two types of trees lies in how they produce their seeds. Hardwoods come from angiosperm trees, meaning that the trees flower and their seeds are usually basically naked.

Walnut is a hardwood with considerable durability. Its straight grain can keep a beautiful finish for many years. The color of the wood covers a range from the dark brown that people expect down to a lighter brown. It is one of the few woods that naturally has dark color tones. The darker wood tends to come from the middle of the walnut tree, while the wood of the outer layers is lighter in color. Woodworkers find it a pleasure to work with and it holds its shape well.

                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Types of Walnut

There are several types of walnut woods. Common walnut is generally the most prevalent of the walnuts used for furniture. However, Black walnut is very popular due to the beauty of its grain. Butternut is related to the Black walnut, but its wood is paler in color and more lightweight. 

Asian Walnut

Shoppers may occasionally run across items made of a wood labeled “Asian walnut.” They should be aware that this is more likely to be acacia wood rather than actual walnut. Walnuts belong to the family Juglandaceae, while acacia trees are of the family Fabaceae. Marketers tend to label the acacia wood as Asian walnut because that name seems more attractive to buyers. However, acacia is more often used in flooring than in furniture.  At Terra Nova Asian Furniture, we pride ourselves on our high quality, REAL walnut Asian Furniture, like this antique Chinese walnut cabinet:

large antique walnut Chinese cabinet, from the Shanxi Province of China,
 available at Terra Nova Asian Furniture in Los Angeles

What to Look For

To be certain that the item you are looking at is indeed made from walnut, check for a straight grain in the wood. Although there may be a few swirls and curls in walnut, the over-all line of the grain should be straight. Be aware that stains for coloring the wood may make the grain less obvious. Also be aware that the piece of furniture you are looking at may have a walnut veneer, rather than being made of solid walnut.  The veneer will give furniture made from a lesser wood the pleasing appearance of solid walnut.  Knowing whether a piece is solid walnut or one with only a walnut veneer can make a difference in the price of the piece.

Dark Walnut Wood Grain Detail

In the end, the attraction of the dark wood tones of walnut can add a sense of stability and durability to any home environment.

Terra Nova Asian Furniture's WOOD YOU KNOW Series: Teak

Teak, like mahogany, is a tropical hardwood tree that is valued in furniture-making. Because the wood is known for its durability and water resistance, it frequently is used for outdoor furniture. It has a good grain and texture and is easily worked, so it also gets used for fine indoor furniture. Native to south and southeast Asia, many solid wood Asian furniture pieces are made with teak.

Teak wood has a high oil content, which is one of the reasons it gets used where weather resistance is a factor. Additionally, the wood’s tight grain and high tensile strength contribute to its durability in exposure to the elements. When the wood is exposed to direct sunlight, its natural yellowish-brown finish matures to a silver-gray. But even with the change in coloration, the wood retains its durable qualities. In fact, it is highly resistant to termite attacks. These are all reasons why mature teak wood may cost more than other woods.

Mature trees provide the best teak wood for furniture, but it can take as much as 80 years for a tree to mature. Because if this, the plantations in many nations are carefully monitored. In Indonesia, the government itself has a corporation that oversees the management of this natural resource. This management contributes to Indonesia’s status as one of the world’s leading exporters of teak, along with Myanmar.  Myanmar exports a third of the world’s teak, continuing the traditions that made the wood known as “Burmese Teak” for many generations. The world’s oldest teak plantation is in Nilambur, in Kerala, India, and that wood is of very fine quality.

Solid Teak Cabinet with Antique Panel Door

The durability of teak shows not just in modern patio furniture.  In Western India, teak objects more than 2,000 years old have been found in caves, and the objects are still if rather good condition. Considering the fact that these objects have been untreated and uncared for, these findings speak well of the overall nature of the wood. Teak is worth the high price it commands, and even furniture made from reclaimed teak wood is likely to display all the desirable qualities it is known for.

When you find a piece of furniture made of teak, you can be sure that it will be durable and stable for a very long time. Well-kept and maintained teak furniture can be a beautiful addition to your home for many years.  At Terra Nova Designs, you will find contemporary and antique solid teak furniture, like this teak cabinet with antique panel door.  We also carry a large selection of high quality, one of a kind reclaimed wood furniture.  Check out our local Yelp page at http://www.yelp.com/biz/terra-nova-designs-los-angeles-2 or even better, stop by and visit us - you’ll see why we’re known as the best furniture store in Los Angeles!

Terra Nova Asian Furniture's WOOD YOU KNOW Series: Mahogany

Mahogany is a sort of magic word when it comes to furniture. Many people know it is a desirable wood, but they don’t know much about it. They simply want to be able to say of a beautiful piece of furniture, “Yes, it’s made of mahogany.”

True mahogany comes from a tree species that is indigenous to the Americas, particularly from Central and South America, as well as the West Indies (native to southern Florida and the Caribbean). The straight-grained, reddish-brown wood is valued for its durability, color, and beauty. It is so prized, in fact, that it has been over-harvested and the three “true mahogany” species have been placed on the Endangered Species lists. These conditions make its availability for new furniture expensive, as supplies are limited and monitored.

The wood itself has few pockets and voids in it, giving it great durability. Because the trees achieve a great girth, it was possible to get wide boards from the true mahogany species. That made the wood very appealing to cabinet makers. The wood also resists rot, which makes it appealing for use in boats and outdoor furniture.

Curved, Hand-Rubbed, Black Mahogany Desk

Because of the rarity and expense of the true mahoganies, woodworkers have turned to other woods that have some, though not all, of the same qualities as mahogany. They are often qualified with descriptive terms, which helps indicate their nature. There are two well known types that are called “African mahogany”: Khaya and Sapele.  Khaya is a beautiful wood in its own right. It is usually sawn in such a way that it shows a distinctive ribbony look, leading it to sometimes being called “Ribbon-Striped African Mahogany.” The grain of Sapele also has a ribbony appearance to it, and a finer texture than true mahogany, but it a good substitute. It is however, more prone to tear-out than the true mahoganies.

Those in the market for Asian mahogany furniture look for pieces made of what is called “Philippine mahogany.” This wood is actually called Lauan, and it is inexpensive and plentiful. It comes in a variety of colors, and the redder ones are heavier and more resistant to rot than the lighter colored ones.  The thing to be wary about this type is that it is a softer and lighter weight wood than the true mahoganies. It can be easily dented with a fingernail, and it tends to splinter, thanks to its coarser texture.

There can be great satisfaction in having a piece of mahogany furniture, particularly if it is indeed a “true mahogany” wood. Knowing where the piece came from can be a help in verifying  the nature of the wood. The durability of the true mahoganies certainly allows for such a piece to be passed down and enjoyed over many generations.

If you are in the market for a beautiful piece of vintage, contemporary, or custom mahogany furniture, visit Terra Nova Los Angeles Furniture at http://www.terranovadesigns.com.

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.