Chinese Classical Furniture

Chinese Classical Furniture

Classical Chinese furniture has a timeless appeal that never goes out of style. Our signature range of traditional Chinese furniture is handcrafted from reclaimed elm or poplar wood, and includes reproductions from China's golden age as well as more contemporary designs inspired by the same period. The range includes oriental cabinets, beautifully crafted chairs, Chinese blanket chests and much more.

Low Scroll Table, Black Lacquer
£1,195.00

Low Scroll Table, Black Lacquer

CT03D

Great as a coffee table or as a stand for a television, this beautifully simple black lacquer low table is designed on the 'lute tables' used by th...

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£1,195.00
Tapered Cabinet, Warm Elm
£795.00

Chinese Tapered Cabinet, Warm Elm

CW08N

This style of Chinese cabinet, seen here in a warm finish, with the doors mounted on wooden dowels that fit directly into the frames and a slightly...

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£795.00
Tapered Cabinet, Black Lacquer
£795.00

Tapered Cabinet, Black Lacquer

CW08D

Cabinets like our black lacquer version were sometimes known as 'Scholars' Cabinets' as they were often used to store the books, papers or writing ...

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£795.00
Tapered Cabinet, Light Elm
£795.00

Tapered Cabinet, Light Elm

CW08M

With two removable shelves inside, our modern day light elm version is a great size to hold a stereo unit, or even in a bathroom for toiletries. Th...

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£795.00
Yoke-Back Side Chair, Warm Elm
£425.00

Yoke-Back Side Chair, Warm Elm

CT11N

The name 'Yoke-Back' chair comes from the curved top rail seen on this timeless Chinese design and seen here finished in our warm elm. The style fi...

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£425.00
Yoke-Back Side Chair, Black Lacquer
£425.00

Yoke-Back Side Chair, Black Lacquer

CT11D

The seat of our black lacquer chair has a smoothed rattan inlay and works perfectly as a dining chair, with a desk or as occasional seating. Antiqu...

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£425.00
Yoke-Back Side Chair, Light Elm
£425.00

Yoke-Back Side Chair, Light Elm

CT11M

Since its early development this style of chair has changed very little through the centuries, with only slight modifications or regional variation...

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£425.00
Yoke-Back Armchair, Warm Elm
£495.00

Yoke-Back Armchair, Warm Elm

CT12N

Our warm elm armchair has the same beautiful curves and detail as our yoke-back side chair, including the dragon in carved relief on the curved bac...

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£495.00
Yoke-Back Armchair, Black Lacquer
£495.00

Yoke-Back Armchair, Black Lacquer

CT12D

Made from solid elm wood with a rattan seat our black lacquer armchairs would look great individually in a bedroom or living room as a statement pi...

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£495.00
Yoke-Back Armchair, Light Elm
£495.00

Yoke-Back Armchair, Light Elm

CT12M

Great individually in a bedroom or living room as a statement piece, or use them at the head of our dining tables. This light elm model is made fro...

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£495.00
Ming Chest of Drawers, Warm Elm
£1,045.00

Ming Chest of Drawers, Warm Elm

TK07N

Our warm elm chest of drawers features the usual frame and panel construction with a simple apron below the lower frame and round brass handles tha...

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£1,045.00
Ming Chest of Drawers, Black Lacquer
£1,045.00

Chinese Ming Chest of Drawers, Black Lacquer

TK07D

The four full width drawers in our black lacquer oriental chest are mounted on wooden runners to give an easy action when they are opened and close...

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£1,045.00
Ming Chest of Drawers, Light Elm
£1,045.00

Ming Chest of Drawers, Light Elm

TK07M

This chest in light elm is a modern interpretation rather than a reproduction, made for practicality but still with a strong oriental style. The Ch...

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£1,045.00
Ming Tall Boy, Warm Elm
£1,345.00

Ming Tall Boy, Warm Elm

TK10N

This beautiful warm elm tall chest of drawers offers modern bedroom storage but with a strong oriental style. The chest is in the classic frame and...

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£1,345.00
Ming Tall Boy, Black Lacquer
£1,345.00

Ming Tall Boy, Black Lacquer

TK10D

This black lacquer chest is in the classic frame and panel construction that is typical of Chinese furniture, with a curved apron above the feet an...

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£1,345.00
Ming Tall Boy, Light Elm
£1,345.00

Ming Tall Boy, Light Elm

TK10M

Great for holding clothes in a bedroom or in a corner of a reception room, this beautiful tall chest of drawers, in our light elm finish, offers mo...

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£1,345.00
Filing Cabinet, Warm Elm
£1,365.00

Filing Cabinet, Warm Elm

TK13N

This tall, warm elm filing cabinet is not just practical but would be a beautiful addition to any home office. Made from solid elm wood, it include...

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£1,365.00
Filing Cabinet, Black Lacquer
£1,365.00

Filing Cabinet, Black Lacquer

TK13D

Made from solid poplar wood, our black lacquer tall filing cabinet includes five deep drawers fitted with metal rods to hold A4 suspension files, i...

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£1,365.00
Filing Cabinet, Light Elm
£1,365.00

Filing Cabinet, Light Elm

TK13M

Mounted on metal runners for smooth opening and closing the drawers of our light elm, tall filing cabinet are fitted with metal rods to hold A4 sus...

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£1,365.00
Cross Legged Armchair, Warm Elm
£645.00

Cross Legged Armchair, Warm Elm

CT17N

Based on the classic Chinese horseshoe armchair but in a more colonial style, this lovely warm elm chair goes perfectly with our cross legged desk ...

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£645.00
Cross Legged Armchair, Black Lacquer
£645.00

Cross Legged Armchair, Black Lacquer

CT17D

This lovely black lacquer chair has the same 'S' shaped legs forming an hourglass shape at the front and back, as well as a slightly curved seat wi...

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£645.00
Two Drawer Filing Cabinet, Warm Elm
£745.00

Two Drawer Filing Cabinet, Warm Elm

TK18N

This small warm colour filing cabinet is in solid elm wood and has the same distinctive style as the larger version but with two drawers instead of...

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£745.00
Two Drawer Filing Cabinet, Black Lacquer
£745.00

Two Drawer Filing Cabinet, Black Lacquer

TK18D

Each drawer of our black lacquer small filing cabinet includes metal poles to fit standard A4 suspension files, it is made in solid poplar wood and...

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£745.00
Two Drawer Filing Cabinet, Light Elm
£745.00

Two Drawer Filing Cabinet, Light Elm

TK18M

Adding a touch of oriental style to a home office, this small light coloured filing cabinet is in solid elm wood and has the same distinctive style...

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£745.00
Low Kang Chest, Warm Elm
£995.00

Low Kang Chest, Warm Elm

TK14N

Low tables and cabinets were in use from early on in China's history, particularly in the colder northern provinces, where low furniture would be p...

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£995.00
Low Kang Chest, Black Lacquer
£995.00

Low Kang Chest, Black Lacquer

TK14D

This black lacquer low TV unit is one of our own more modern designs, but with Chinese style that harks back to those early pieces. Low cabinets an...

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£995.00
Low Kang Chest, Light Elm
£995.00

Low Chinese Kang Chest, Light Elm

TK14M

Ideal as a TV stand, our light elm low Kang chest has an open shelf for a DVD player or digital box (including a hole at the back for feeding wires...

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£995.00
Scholar's Desk, Warm Elm
£995.00

Scholar's Desk, Warm Elm

CT14N

Tables like this warm elm version, simple in style with two or three drawers, were commonly used by Chinese scholars of the Qing dynasty. The 'hors...

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£995.00
Scholar's Desk, Black Lacquer
£995.00

Scholar's Desk, Black Lacquer

CT14D

Made from solid wood, our black lacquer desk works beautifully as a dressing table, as an elegant hall table or as a narrow desk with useful storag...

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£995.00
Scholar's Desk, Light Elm
£995.00

Scholar's Desk, Light Elm

CT14M

The 'horse hoof' shaped feet and curved aprons that stretch between each leg give our light elm desk a distinctive oriental feel but otherwise the ...

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£995.00
Carved Console Table, Warm Elm
£1,145.00

Carved Console Table, Warm Elm

CT19N

Great as a modern day console table with a beautiful lattice shelf at the bottom, this warm elm piece is a reproduction of desks that were common i...

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£1,145.00
Carved Console Table, Black Lacquer
£1,145.00

Carved Console Table, Black Lacquer

CT19D

The lovely carved lattice design of the low shelf, on our black lacquer console, harks back to earlier door and window panels in Chinese homes and ...

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£1,145.00
Carved Console Table, Light Elm
£1,145.00

Carved Console Table, Light Elm

CT19M

This stunning light elm piece is a reproduction of desks that were common in China during the later Qing dynasty, used by the scholarly classes in ...

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£1,145.00
Square Stool, Warm Elm
£445.00

Square Stool, Warm Elm

CT23N

Our warm elm version is a faithful reproduction of the classic design, and has a rattan top set within the seat. It works well for occasional seati...

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£445.00
Square Stool, Black Lacquer
£445.00

Square Stool, Black Lacquer

CT23D

Unlike in other Asian countries, where people continued to sit on the floor centuries later, the Chinese quickly developed higher level seating and...

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£445.00
Square Stool, Light Elm
£445.00

Square Stool, Light Elm

CT23M

Stools and higher level seating were in use throughout China from as early as the Tang dynasty over a thousand years ago, unlike in other Asian cou...

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£445.00

The history of Chinese Classical Furniture

Classical Chinese furniture refers to a style and an aesthetic taste, of restraint, balance and grandeur, rather than to a particular period. Plain hardwoods, like the reclaimed woods we use for these reproductions, were always accorded high esteem by Chinese craftsmen from the Qing dynasties onwards. Trade had recently opened, and tropical hardwoods from South-East Asia were beginning to be imported. It was these strong hardwoods which allowed the craftsmen to create austere, slender legged chairs and tables which showed off the beauty of the precious wood, alongside the lacquered furniture which was equally prized. Here at Shimu, we’re very happy to be continuing the tradition of Chinese classical furniture, and to be bringing you these beautiful pieces of furniture to show off in your home.

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