Korean Furniture, Korean Furniture Collectibles, Korean Antique Furniture
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Korean Furniture - Strong Influences on Design

The two main influences on Korean furniture styles were and continue to be climate and available materials for furniture construction. Since the climate provides extremes in temperature and humidity with somewhat limited building materials, it became common to build floors in the home that would allow fire-warmed air-flow through the floor (through flues) for heating called an ondol floor. A raised wooden floor called a maru was used for the summer. Not only did this system influence the height of the actual house, it also prompted the inhabitants to adapt to staying as low and close to the floor as possible for temperature comfort, thus influencing the construction of low tables, cabinets, bedding and other Korean furniture.

Korean Furniture Building Materials

Since wood is the most prevalent resource for Korean furniture, one can find wonderful pieces from many woods such as pine, elm or mountain ash, paulownia (a preferred wood), and persimmon wood yielding attractive swatches and streaks of orange and black. Such woods as white birch, red oak, maple, pear, date, chestnut, walnut, and mulpurae were also used in furniture. Bamboo has long been associated with Korean furniture in that nails are not used in the construction of the pieces and pins of bamboo are expertly holding the pieces together.

Korean Furniture Decoration Staples

Korean furniture decorations can typically include the use of inlaid Mother-Of-Pearl, hand-painted Ox-Horn (a more delicate technique than it initially sounds), and lacquer work. While later pieces of Korean furniture sported lacquer, the application of red and black lacquers were more of a social status statement and reserved for certain classes of people to use. More commonly, stains, powders and oils were used on woods for creation as well as for maintenance of the woods throughout the years of use.

Korean Furniture Wonder - the Wardrobe

The wardrobe yields a great deal of fascination for many Korean furniture collectors. The structure of the chests are based on the depth of the chests and are described to be structured in a fashion to be deep in order to seasonally change out clothing by layers while protecting family treasures at the very bottom of the structures. They are indeed intriguing structures for all wardrobe enthusiasts.