Each casting has been delicately hand painted; some just the facial details & elaborate hair styles and some with intricately rendered colorful kimonos & obi (sashes). Ranging between 14 & 18” tall, these are stunning works of Asian art, beautiful collectibles, perfect for a shelf or hearth, as well as a curio cabinet or display case.

The kimono each figurine is wearing is one of more than one hundred classic kimono designs, each symbolic of particular seasonal festivals, imperial holidays, historical commemorations, and traditional mythical celebrations.

The hairstyles can be in one of many styles, referred to as “shimada;” the “mage” bun style was the most popular. The elaborate hair combs & hairpins a Geisha wore were indicative of her junior or senior status, called “kanzashi”.

Contrary to popular belief, Geisha’s are not courtesans or even concubines; rather they are part of a tradition of feminine companionship without analogy in Western traditions. By their extraordinary costume & makeup, their refined & graceful conversation, and delicate, almost ballet like movements in serving tea or sake, the Geisha provided a transcendent experience of feminine beauty.

While our remarkably detailed, hand painted geisha figurines cannot provide the same refined conversation or serve tea & sake, they do provide delightful, distinctive decorative accents, as well as unique alternatives to common holiday, birthday, housewarming, or anniversary gift ideas.

Post from: Asian Style by OrientalFurniture.com

Beautifully Crafted Geisha Figurines

Hotei Buddha statues are depicted with mirth & girth, symbolic of the happiness & prosperity Budai or Hotei is thought bring to the home in Zen Buddhist, Shinto, Dao, or Taoist folk lore. It’s considered good luck to rub the “Buddha Belly” before beginning a new venture, entering into a contract, seeking a job, or taking a speculative risk; some refer to Budai or Hotei as the “Prosperity Buddha”.

• Large, substantial statues of the classic Asian art icon, Hotei (Japanese), or Budai (Chinese), the “Happy Buddha”, “Laughing Buddha”, or “Lucky Buddha”.
• Very popular traditional Asian household guardian spirits, thought to attract & protect prosperity, happiness, health, good luck, and family harmony.
• Made of beautiful cast black resin statue of a traditionally rendered original sculpture, with authentic, important symbolic detail, contented smile, lucky beads, & bag of plenty.
• Each statue is carefully hand detailed with an outstanding, remarkably real looking faux bronze finish, an attractive reproduction of a centuries old antique bronze patina.
• A simple, intriguing, Asian style art accessory, and an interesting alternative holiday, birthday, housewarming, or anniversary gift idea.

Statues or carvings of Hotei or Budai are sculpted with a large sack, a Santa Clause like sack of plenty. Whether you call him Happy Buddha, Laughing Buddha, or Prosperity Buddha, his sack, in modern vernacular, is symbolic of Hotei’s or Budai’s “phat”, the good kind, like the good kind of cholesterol.

Not just in Asia anymore, people all over the world bless their homes with Hotei Happy Buddha statues to attract good fortune, a reminder to be grateful that the glass is half full, that an attitude of gratitude helps fill the glass. If positive emotions encourage good health, is there a scientific reason that in classic Asian home decor, a Hotei statue is a ubiquitous decorative accessory?

Happy Buddhas are different from meditating Buddhas, the spiritual Buddha of ancient India, symbolic of inner  happiness, enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. Without the mirth, girth, and bald head of a Happy Buddha figure, the Gautama Buddha image is equally popular in Asian art, with a silent, serene visage, knotted hair & top knot, hands in mudra positions. We offer a large selection of meditation Buddhas- sculptures, & statues, paintings, & prints of Sakyamuni Buddha, the Asoka prince Siddhartha, in Japanese, Chinese, Tibetan, Burmese, Lao, & Cambodian designs- even room dividers & window blinds!

Our collection of classic Hoteis & Budais- Happy Buddha statues, includes 11 unique designs, in a wonderful selection of finishes, sizes, & shapes. We offer standing & sitting versions, each figure holding the traditional prayer beads that help the Laughing Buddha pray for the luck, joy, health & wealth that bring felicity and laughter to well balanced households.

Spend some time browsing our outstanding selection of both Happy Buddha & Meditation Buddha statues. Choose one of each, to provide both a uniquely attractive Asian accent, and to attract the inner & outer happiness necessary for a happy home. When looking for interesting alternatives to conventional holiday, birthday, wedding, anniversary, graduation or housewarming gifts, consider a Buddha statue, either a Happy Buddha or a Meditating Buddha, or, for authentic Zen balance, one of each!


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Introducing Our New Happy Buddha Statues

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 d&ecaute;cor 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.

Tatami mats are usually an inch and a half to two inches thick, and about three feet wide by six feet long when they are crafted from tightly woven rush grass, carefully stuffed with rice straw, framed with wood and trimmed on the long sides with plain black cotton or silk brocade strips, about an inch wide. Modern designs may be any size, large or small, square or rectangular, and may include a moisture wicking barrier made from a breathable material to encourage moisture migration, evaporation through and out of the panels, helping to maintain warmth underfoot, and discouraging mold growth underneath the panels.

Tatami mats are a traditional Japanese interior design accessory used as floor coverings over plywood or wood plank underlayment, in living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms and meditation and devotional spaces in ancient and modern Japan. As flooring, they’re not as durable and easy to clean as a wood floor, rug or carpet, and they are not stain or water resistant. Tatami mats are not a good choice for constant foot traffic- hallways, foyers, or rooms where water is used- kitchens or bathrooms. Tatami mats create a unique cozy room with a uniquely comfortable floor- slightly springy, slightly cushioned, comfortable to walk on in stocking feet, comfortable to sit on, and for some, even to sleep on, especially with a simple cotton or wool futon rolled out on the floor. Care is necessary to keep the rush grass clean; always remove one’s shoes, and clean the Tatami mats often so dirt isn’t ground in- sweep, vacuum, or wipe them off every few days.

Professional home decorators and commercial interior designers use pairs or even large multiple tatami mat configurations to raise and define a distinctive, discreet area, away from shoe shod foot traffic in a large living room or common area. Yoga and massage studios, chiropractors and other health oriented businesses and enterprises, often purchase tatami mats to create a shoe-free zone in a larger room. It’s a decorative approach that works well with portable and practical Japanese style room dividers to partition a room into various configurations.

Many customers purchase a pair of our very reasonably priced tatami mats to lay right on the floor, for a small raised area, for yoga or exercise, or for a simple platform for a futon- an attractive alternative to a platform bed or a mattress foundation and bed frame. Creative customers report raising the tatami mats off the floor onto patio blocks or cinder blocks, even building simple wood frames from standard two by four lumber, held together with drywall or decking screws, purchased at the local hardware store.

However, we offer beautifully crafted and finished solid wood bed frames, Tatami Platform Beds, in Black, Walnut, and Honey stained wood finishes. Specifically designed to accommodate pairs of tatami mats, built to dimensions to fit standard U.S. queen, king, or California king sized mattresses and futons, as well as a single (or twin) sized design. Included wood slats prevent the pair of tatami mats from sagging. Because the tatami mats are slightly springy, many put the futon directly on top, while those who crave softness add a latex or polyurethane foam pad under the futon.

Our most popular 6′ x3′ Full Size Tatami Mat, about 3 feet wide by 6 feet long (35.8″ x 70.8″), is just a little shy of the standard American single size futon (39″ x 75″), but fits almost perfectly with a 1.5″ thick standard U.S. two by two or two by four lumber frame around it, which, at 1.5″ thick, adds 3″ to the length and width, almost equaling 39
 x 75″. A standard U.S. full size mattress or futon usually measures 54″ x 75″. A pair of our Euro Full Tatami Mats, sized (27.5″ x 78.7″), measure 55″ x 79″ when put side by side, leave an extra inch on each side and an extra two inches at the top and bottom of a standard American full size mattress or futon, an interesting and attractive look.

We offer a very popular 30″ x 80″ Queen Tatami Mat; a pair, side by side, fit a standard U.S. queen sized futon or mattress exactly- 60″ x 80″. We also offer a 38″ x 80″ size King Tatami Mat; a pair is a perfect fit for a standard U.S. sized king futon or mattress- 76″ x 80″. Some customers purchase a pair of the larger King sized tatami mats for use with a standard American queen sized mattress or futon, to leave an extra interesting 7′”+ of tatami mat exposed on both sides of the mattress. Though we offer tatami mats in sizes to fit Euro full, queen, and king in pairs, we do not offer tatami bed frames to accommodate those sizes. Note we offer a wide selection of beautiful, 4″ thick authentic Japanese style Traditional Shiki Futons, in standard American twin, full and queen sizes.

We also offer an extremely popular, inexpensive, 3′ x 3′ Tatami Mat that customers have described 1001 uses for- part of small floor covering configurations, or a simple single shelf next to the door to hold shoes, as a decorative platforms for potted plants, or as unique table tops on a makeshift table base, or use a pair as a practical, portable single bed base or platform. Our greatest deal is our incredibly affordable, Goza Mat- just a single layer of woven rush grass, 3 feet by 6 feet, with a black cotton border.

Use our tatami mats for any of the dozens of practical uses our customers describe- unique, slightly springy, slightly cushioned, natural floor covering, as a simple natural bed platform, as a table top, an entertainment center, a massage table, a shoe shelf, or as a dog bed, to mention a few. But take note, when your tatami mat first arrives, you’ll notice the smell of rush grass as it cures, like hay drying, for the first few weeks. Some people complain of a “barnyard” smell, which is true- they smell like new mown hay, not like manure. Most people like it, and many people miss it as the smell dissipates in a few weeks time.

We hope you will find a use for many of our fine quality, low priced tatami mats, and please tell us what that use is, and browse our unmatched selection of Japanese style rice paper and bamboo room dividers and window treatments, as well as tansus and Sumi-e wall paintings, to authentically appoint your personal private tatami room.

Post from: Asian Style by OrientalFurniture.com

Tatami Room Essentials: Tatami Mats

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. These are classic, timeless designs that are sure to inspire you.

One of a Kind Persian Rugs

This wonderful collection starts at $895. It features hand-made Persian rugs that are one of a kind! Act quickly or you will lose the opportunity to own one of these heirloom quality rugs. Large area and border rugs are available in a variety of colors and designs.

If you are still having trouble deciding which rugs is best for you, Decorate-Redecorate.com offers some useful tips on decorating with Area Rugs. Check them out and get started on your next home makeover project.

Post from: Asian Style by OrientalFurniture.com

Asian Rugs Buying Guide

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.

Despite the “recipe”, however, all rice paper shares a few elements: while rice paper crinkles readily, and crinkled rice paper is the main element in many lanterns and lamps, it can be crumpled and folded without damage, it is highly absorbent and sturdy, and it resists rot and mold.

Rice paper is widely used not only for lanterns but also for shoji screens (or room dividers)  you can see many beautiful examples of the art of shoji elsewhere on our website.

Lanterns are typically held together by ribs of wire or bamboo, but other materials can be used as well. Also, modern lanterns are often made of fabric or other materials as well as rice paper; some lovely examples of this can be seen in our extensive lighting galleries.

Use Of Lanterns

Rice paper lanterns are used for a multitude of purposes, from simple illumination, to everyday decoration, to very specific holiday and ceremonial duties. They are strongly tied with Buddhist tradition, and as such, different shapes and colors of lanterns, painted with a wide range of symbols, are linked with Buddhist practices and holidays.

While the round lantern is used in multiple different countries and cultures, the Japanese do have a specific indigenous style of lanterns, which are short and rectangular in design, and feature wooden frames with translucent rice paper windows. These lanterns produce a soft ambient light best suited to quiet moods enhanced by subtle rather than bright lighting.

Red Lanterns

Red is a very frequently used ceremonial color in China, because it is the color of good luck and abundance. Red is thought to ward off evil of all kinds, so nearly every positive event in Chinese family and religious life is marked with red decorations, red clothing, and of course, red lanterns! Births and marriages are particularly linked with red; wedding dresses are red, and red eggs are a traditional gift celebrating a new baby. The New Year is also lit with the vibrant red glow of thousands of red lanterns and wall-hangings, as well as the punctuating explosions of firecrackers, traditionally employed to ward off evil spirits. Your new red lantern will bring your family luck and joy, as well as serving as a lovely accent piece.

Purple Lanterns

In the practice of Feng Shui, purple signifies Yin (the female half of Yin/Yang), spiritual awareness, and both mental and physical healing. In China, a red so deep it is considered purple is highly auspicious, symbolizing good luck and fame. As such, a purple lantern can be an excellent focus for meditation and spiritual thought, and will bring you good fortune, as well as a beautiful subtle lighting effect.

Yellow Lanterns

Yellow is another richly significant color in Asian culture. In China, it is a nourishing, sacred, and imperial color, linked with the color of the earth and the color of skin. In Buddhism, it is linked to wisdom; in Japan, it connotes courage. A yellow lantern throws a gentle golden glow which fits into a wide range of indoor color schemes, and is greatly comforting.

White Lanterns

While white is the color of mourning in both China and Japan, in Korea, it is a highly sacred and much-used color. It is linked with the Buddhist idea “come empty, return empty”, and thus is related both to birth and to death. It also connotes purity, innocence, and morality. A white lantern matches nearly any other item in your home, and produces a pure, bright light for you and your family to enjoy.

Green Lanterns

In many cultures all over the world, green is associated with nature and growing things, and this holds true in the tradition of Feng Shui, where green represents the feminine Yin, as well as wood, harmony, health, and growth. A slightly more hair-raising connotation comes from China, where green is the color of exorcism! A green lantern promotes an excellent atmosphere for study and spiritual growth.

Blue Lanterns

In China, blue is a feminine color, representing Yin, and more specifically often used for little girls, in a reversal of the European/American blue/pink. In Feng Shui, it also carries the more familiar meanings of water, peace, and relaxation. A blue lantern creates a restful atmosphere.

Post from: Asian Style by OrientalFurniture.com

Does Color Matter when Buying an Asian Lantern?

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.

Simple Designs, Amazing Color Choices: The classic Japanese style lattice work offers interior decorators a blank slate of sorts, unlikely to clash with furnishings in the room, and the huge range of color options still offer the opportunity for unique decorative accent.

2. Wood Slat – Shutter Style Room Divider

Comparatively Heavy Room Dividers: Though these are still quite portable, wooden room dividers are definitely heavier than paper screens, and so less prone to blow over or get knocked over. Some designs with offset wood slats, or adjustable blinds will allow air to flow though.

An Effective Folding Privacy Screen: There are designs with staggered wood slats that let some light through, and some have adjustable blinds, offering the choice to keep out or let in the sunshine. Thick & substantial, this category works well for creating a sense of privacy.

Simple, Neutral Design Floor Screen: With traditional European and American design elements, these screens won’t clash with either eclectic, modern, contemporary interior décor, or more formal traditional decorating. Great for urban apartments or cabins in the woods.

A Solid & Durable Folding Screen: These designs require a somewhat heavier wood frame, extra rigid, making for a stronger, sturdier piece of furniture, and can provide inexpensive office partition alternative, compared to commercial room dividers or cubicle systems.

3. Asian Style Woven Plant Fiber Folding Room Divider

Comparatively Light, Portable Room Dividers: These room divider screens are generally as practical and convenient as Japanese style wood & paper screens. Available in woven grass, rattan, wicker, or spun plant fiber panel shades. They’re somewhat heavier and more substantial than shoji paper screens, but lighter than the all wood screen category.

Mostly Opaque Privacy Screens: With a few exceptions, woven grass, rattan, wicker, or spun plant fiber panel shades are woven tight, in a variety of patterns. Designed to block light and sound, providing more privacy to create a more effective room partition, compared to Japanese style paper screens.

Simple, Neutral Design Floor Screens: Though there is a tropical design influence, they don’t clash with traditional European and American interior design elements, urban shabby chic, and work well with modern eclectic, contemporary Asian influenced décor.

Solid, Durable Folding Panel Screens: Frames are kiln dried soft wood, the panel shades are woven fiber wrapped around the frame, creating more solid, rigid panels. The woven plant fiber is much more difficult to damage than paper, so a better choice for constant use for either commercial or consumer purposes.

4. European Style Faux Leather Folding Screens

Heavier, More Substantial, But Very Portable Room Dividers: These faux leather room dividers are covered front back and all edges with a relatively thick textured vinyl faux animal skin, making for a heavier and more substantial folding panel floor screens. Certainly the 3 panel six foot versions are still pretty easy to fold up and move around for most customers.

Entirely Opaque, Sound Damping Privacy Screens: The faux snake skin, alligator skin, leather, crocodile skin and even Zebra skin vinyl is absolutely opaque, no light comes through whatsoever. Also, the vinyl is somewhat helpful in blocking and absorbing sound; vinyl is known for it’s sound deadening properties. Great choice for roommates in a dorm, or studio apartment.

Striking, Colorful Design Floor Screens: Real leather, and other animal skin covered panel screens come from Europe originally. The dark colors work very well with formal and traditional American and European interior design motifs. But this category also offers remarkably beautiful, even glamorous, decorative finishes – arctic white and ivory, shiny silver and gold, and a rich red snake skin.

Solid, Durable Folding Panel Screens: The frames of these faux leather screens are also kiln dried Pine or Spruce, same as the fiber, fabric, and graphic art screens. The center cross member is meant to reinforce the strength and rigidity of the panel. The faux animal skin is wrapped around the panel frame giving the panel even greater structural integrity. For commercial purposes, these are probably the most long rugged, long lasting category, where a room divider may be in constant use.

OrientalFurniture.com offers a wide variety of Room Dividers as well as fine Asian home furnishings to fit most all decorating styles.

Post from: Asian Style by OrientalFurniture.com

Room Divider Buying Guide