Furniture
can be a product of artistic design and is considered a form of decorative
art. In addition to furniture's functional role, it can serve a symbolic or
religious purpose. Domestic furniture works to create, in conjunction with
furnishings such as clocks and lighting, comfortable and convenient interior
spaces. Furniture can be made from many materials, including metal, plastic,
and wood.
Modern Furniture
The nineteenth century is usually defined by concurrent revival styles, including
Gothic, Neoclassicism, Rococo, and the Eastlake Movement. The design reform
of the late century introduced the Aesthetic movement and the Arts and Crafts
movement. Art Nouveau was influenced by both of these movements.The first
three-quarters of the twentieth century are often seen as the march towards
Modernism. Art Deco, De Stijl, Bauhaus, Wiener Werkstätte, and Vienna
Secession designers all worked to some degree within the Modernist idiom.
Postmodern design, intersecting the Pop art movement, gained steam in the
1960s and 70s, promoted in the 80s by groups such as the Italy-based Memphis
movement. Transitional furniture is intended to fill a place between Traditional
and Modern tastes.
Asian Furniture
Asian furniture has a quite distinct history. The traditions out of China,
India, and Japan are some of the best known, but places such as Korea, Mongolia,
and the countries of South East Asia have unique facets of their own.Traditional
Japanese furniture is well known for its minimalist style, extensive use of
wood, high-quality craftsmanship and reliance on wood grain instead of painting
or thick lacquer. Japanese chests are known as Tansu, and are some of the
most sought-after of Japanese antiques. The antiques available generally date
back to the Tokugawa era.Chinese furniture is traditionally better known for
more ornate pieces. The use of uncarved wood and bamboo and the use of heavy
lacquers are well known Chinese styles. It is worth noting that China has
an incredibly rich and diverse history, and architecture, religion, furniture
and culture in general can vary widely from one dynasty to the next.(1)
(1) Source : Wikipedia