Tatami mats are a classic East Asian natural floor covering, a decorative element central to “washitsu”, a Japanese tradition or school of interior design. Tatami mats were first introduced into common use in metropolitan Tokyo during the Edo period, the time of the famous Tokugawa shoguns and their shogunate.

The spare, simple, serene look of a “tatami room”- with futons and cushions for furniture, shoji privacy screen room dividers for partitions instead of solid walls, and rice paper roll up blinds as window treatments- entered mainstream American contemporary home décor when the “Shogun” miniseries aired in 1980. Advertisements in Tokyo newspapers often still describe room dimensions by the number of tatami mats per room rather than square feet or square meters of floor space. (more…)

At OrientalFurniture.com we have a wide variety of rugs in many sizes and materials.  The shear quantity of products we offer may be a bit overwhelming so we’ve narrowed it down into an easy to use guide.  We offer three distinct styles of rug:

1. Bamboo and Sisal Rugs
2. Wool, Nylon and Olefin Rugs
3. One of a Kind Persian Rugs

Bamboo and Sisal Rugs

Our newest and most practical collection of rugs are the Bamboo and Sisal varieties we now offer. They start at just $19 and are made of economically friendly materials that are good for high traffic areas. Not only do they look great, but they all feature a non-slip latex backing, so they don’t require a separate carpet pad. Choose from Natural, Honey, Chocolate and many more colors to add a warm inviting touch of the Far East to your home.

Wool, Nylon and Olefin Rugs

These rugs are brought to you by Shaw Rugs, one of the nation’s leading flooring and rug specialists.  Our offering includes such collections as the Kathy Ireland Home Collection and Regal Heritage by Nourison.  (more…)

Asian rice paper lanterns have a rich history extending over hundreds of centuries, and every color and shape is linked to religious and cultural tradition. While these are beautiful decorations which fit wonderfully into any home from China to Japan to Europe to America, a richer appreciation of these lovely furnishings can be gained by examining their past and present. Let’s begin!

Rice Paper Material

The earliest known reference to rice paper exists in writings dating back to the Tang Dynasty in China (618-907 AD). It was initially manufactured out of rice straw, but as with many other Chinese traditions, rice paper traveled throughout Asia and was modified by each culture it encountered. Modern rice paper differs in “recipe” from one country to another—some lanterns are still made of rice straw, some of mulberry, some of bamboo, some of combinations thereof, or other less common plants.

(more…)

When shopping for a  room divider, there is an incredible variety of styles to consider. Japanese style screens are by far the most popular and mostly have rice paper shades. While traditional American style screens have wood slats in the frames, and look like window shutters joined by hinges. Most traditional decor style room dividers can be broken into 4 distinct categories:

1. Japanese Design Wood Frame & Paper Shoji Screens

Wide Range Available: This category is by far the largest, with the widest range of design, number of panels, height and color options. This category also has the widest range of price points, depending on the quality of the design, materials, construction and finish.  These room dividers (or shoji screens) are reproductions of original classic Edo period Japanese designs built from carefully kiln dried lumber with traditional Asian style joints and fine wood finishes.

Extra Light & Portable: Paper panels are the lightest material available, easiest to open, close, and move. This is particularly important for 4, 5, & 6, panels screens & 7 foot tall panel screens as they are heavier.

Translucent Panel Screens: Unlike heavier solid wood, fiber, fabric, faux leather, or bamboo panels, only the rice paper panels allow light to pass though, & diffuse the light beautifully throughout the room. (more…)