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November 12, 2003

By Ty Ross Goldwater, Interior Designer / ASID

It's a great time of year to take a road trip. The cooler weather is refreshing and your destination is sure to be a bit less crowded. On a recent trip to Flagstaff, Ariz., I stopped at one of my favorite shops -- Animas Imports. It is located on Route 66 in downtown Flagstaff and contains a wonderful collection of Chinese and other imported pieces.

Items like chests, armoires, consoles and baskets are stacked to the ceiling, and the prices are perfectly fair. Some of the pieces are antique, but many are 30 years old or newer. It is important to buy a piece like this because you like the character and shape, not because it's an "antique." There is almost no way to tell if any of these pieces are actually antique -- they do an excellent job of faking it. That being said, who cares if it's an antique? If it looks right, it is right!

Since the colonization of China in 1514, the world has been blessed with a decorative style that is uniquely Chinese. Furniture and porcelain from the region worked their way into the homes of the European elite and has inspired artists and designers for decades. The pieces range from rustic to refined and coordinate with a lot of other furniture styles. And Animas Imports carries Chinese and other items from the Far East. They stock some rustic solid wood benches that are sculptural and simple, as well as carved chests with wonderful color and detailing.

The important thing to remember with this style of furniture is not to overdo it. One or two pieces per room is enough.

And if you're looking for ways to use the pieces, an armoire can hide stereo equipment and a chest can store magazines, games or blankets. But to make the pieces work for these uses, you'll likely have to outfit them with shelving.

When caring for your Chinese furniture, simply dust them with a damp cloth and try to keep the room temperature fairly consistent.