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<span class="vitstoryheadline">Asian furniture</span>
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<span class="vitstorydate">November 12, 2003</span>
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<span class="vitstorybyline">By Ty Ross Goldwater, Interior Designer / ASID</span>
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      <img border="0" src="http://www.azfamily.com/images/entertain/news/stories/20031112_armoire.jpg" align="right">
       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.
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      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 &quot;antique.&quot; 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!
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      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.
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      <img border="0" src="http://www.azfamily.com/images/entertain/news/stories/20031112_chest.jpg" align="left">
       The important thing to remember with this style of furniture is not to 
      overdo it. One or two pieces per room is enough.
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      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.
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      When caring for your Chinese furniture, simply dust them with a damp 
      cloth and try to keep the room temperature fairly consistent.
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