The 1980s: "Keeping Up with the Chans"

    Following the implementation of the reform and opening-up policy, material shortages gradually eased and various kinds of "coupons" began to fade out of circulation. People had more means of earning money, and the absorption with "political movements" faded, awakening in people an interest in consumer goods to beautify their homes.

    In this decade, double-door wardrobes and folding round tables were replaced by objects with diverse design influences. The mood people were in now, seeking a comfortable life and beautiful home, was no longer considered inordinately ambitious but a rather normal expectation. Complete "coordinated" sets appeared for living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms. Since wardrobes, double beds, tables and desks were supported by four legs, people began to describe sets of furniture by the total number of legs – "36 legs" or "48 legs." The number of legs in one's home was an indicator for 'keeping up with the Chans." When a young woman considered her choice of marriage partner, whether or not the suitor had prepared "48 legs" before the wedding was certainly a factor.

    However, for most people living space was less than generous and limited living space restrained people's pursuits. In the middle and late 1980s, a piece of furniture called "composite cabinets" appeared. It consisted of three to six singular cabinets – each towering almost up to the ceiling – that were aligned along the wall, sometimes occupying a whole wall, becoming a "wall unit." It was an all-in-one piece whose many partitions combined the functions of wardrobe, cabinet, bookshelf, desk and other storage space that you desired. Even so, the popularity of this once-fashionable furniture quickly died. Very soon people got bored with its plainness and felt the inconvenience of its sizable awkwardness: a wall unit could not be reassembled and moved at will. People were becoming used to a lifestyle that called for more flexibility and novelty.

    The 1990s: Uniqueness Starts at Home

    By the mid-1990s, China began to reform its traditional housing system, resulting in vast improvements to people's living conditions. Moving into a new apartment called for floor to ceiling redecoration, and certainly, new furniture. Seeking durability to the exclusion of fashion sense was, by now, definitely out of date, and people are getting more fussy about the pattern, color, harmony and up-to-the-minute qualities of their surroundings.

    For the generation coming of age in this period, a rational approach to choosing furniture proved to be what Chinese consumers were inclined to maintain. People were paying attention to individuality, and trying to establish a signature style. As furniture was no longer regarded as a mere daily necessity, it was natural for people to express their taste and create a living environment uniquely geared to their personalities, interests and self-image.

    Just last year, Sun He, who works for an advertising company, redecorated her home and replaced all her old furniture. The new furnishings are in European style, in light colors. The old ones, bought in 1995, she complained "just looked out of date." This time, Sun He had the option to select items in keeping with the sizes and functions of her rooms. The pieces are made by different factories and in different brand names, but they are harmonious in style. "Their placement in certain spots in the study, bedroom and sitting room creates a feeling of both coziness and grace. The overall theme is unitary, with interesting variety in details," she noted.

    People's desire for individuality in decor and the sheer amount of mass consumption of household furnishings have provided scope and opportunity for China's related manufacturing industries in the last decade. The development was rapid too. This is apparent from the proliferation of furniture shops, and 10,000-square-meter markets and plazas devoted to home decoration scattered all over China's cities. Furniture in different styles and themes are abundant. A much wider variety of materials are used to make furniture, including pure wood, bentwood, glass and metal. Consumers are dazzled by the choice available to them.

    With comfort and prosperity, the cycle of furniture consumption shortens. People change their décor more often today, and they have added a few more standards to complicate the purchase decision. The modern buyer gives much more consideration to the "greenness" of materials used, to the fit of a given piece of furniture within their carefully constructed interiors, and to whether reliable and considerate after-sale service is included in the sale.

    The 21st Century: Modernity with Classical and Western Characteristics

Ikea, as a window on Western minimalism, was popular early - and has remained poppular among the Chinese.                                                                Chang Long

    On January 1, 2005, China began to implement a zero-tariff policy on imported furniture so the early days of the 21st century have been characterized by famous brands of foreign furniture makers entering the Chinese market in large numbers. The imports predominantly represent styles referred to as European classic, North European Minimalist, Italian Post-Modernist, and American Country. Furniture dealers in many countries have set their eyes on the Chinese market and it looks like there will be no let up.

    The average consumer likely makes Ikea their first choice for new furniture, and Ikea has been in the good graces of the consumer since its entry into the Chinese market. Many people go there to see what has become a mainstay for foreign home decoration, to get an idea of modern lifestyles abroad, and experience the diversity of practical and charming smaller household items offered there.

    Foreign furniture not only refreshed Chinese design and extended the use of materials, but also ramped up the very modern approach of customer-centered product design and services. Market sensitivity is reflected in the height of sofas and armchairs produced for the Chinese, the placement of the curve in the back of a chair, the shape of a drawer's knobs, or the lighting of cabinet interiors.

    Antiques are also enjoying consumer attention. Many antique furniture items that interested no one 30 years ago, are now the focus of a new collecting trend, and emblematic of good taste. Sun He is satisfied with her new furniture, but still she wants to buy one or two classic Chinese pieces. "Placing a Ming/Qing style long narrow table and tea table in a nest of European style adds distinction," she comments. "But if all the furniture was in classic style it would make me feel depressed; one or two make just the right difference."

    "When the trend was fresh, most people who bought classic furniture were collectors. But in recent years more and more ordinary buyers come to look at and invest in our products," said Zhao Xiaobei, general manager of the Lu Ban Ming and Qing Classic Furniture Market. His market is located in Gaobeidian Township in eastern Beijing, on the prestigious commercial street specializing in classic furniture.

    Yao Chungen, a classic furniture dealer from Jiangxi Province, said that he came to Gaobeidian to deal in classic furniture in 1997, and his business has improved year after year, and the cost of furniture has risen markedly over time. To meet the needs of ordinary people, many classic furniture dealers have begun to make reproductions. Yao Chungen also runs an interior decoration business specializing in the recreation of antique interiors. "At first I mainly made reproductions of antique doors, windows, tables and chairs for hotels and teahouses that wanted that look. Now many ordinary families are following suit with their homes. They not only like furniture in classic styles, but also like to outfit their homes with ancient architectural details. I do a brisk business in wood carvings for example," he said.

    Zhao Xiaobei has been dealing in classic furniture for more than 20 years. He and his daughter run their own shops opposite each other on the same street, both specializing in reproductions of antiques. The samples are displayed in home settings, mixed with modern furniture to add an undeniably eclectic charm. "The imitation antiques are designed and made by ourselves," said Zhao Xiaobei. To meet the needs of modern times, they have changed some details of the popular old designs. One example is exchanging the square and round dining table for the longer and narrower Western style, coupled with six chairs from the Ming or Qing dynasties, which on the whole impresses with its sheer simplicity and comfort. In a cabinet of the Ming/Qing style they have added rhombus-shaped lattices for storing wine bottles, a combination of classic cache and modern convenience. "This is in line with people's pursuit of a modern lifestyle," concludes Zhao Xiaobei about his thoughtful hybrids.