asian contemporary style: green tea design

Contemporary decor is generally dominated by products from Europe and North America, so it’s always a nice change of pace to find furniture from Asia. Located in Toronto, Greentea Design carries a beautiful inventory of Korean hand-made tables and storage pieces. Asian furniture tends to focus heavily on the natural patterns and forms of wood, and the company continues this custom by primarily using Gingko and Elm hardwoods. Many of their furnishings likewise emphasize traditional shapes, including the intriguing Wheel Tansu mobile cabinet ($625) and the unforgettable Joy Jones step chests ($2800).

Each Greentea piece is hand-crafted down to the hand-rubbed finish and hand-forged metal hardware, and can be customized to your specifications. I’m particularly impressed by how their furniture manages to be simultaneously traditional and modern. I’m pretty sure it has something to do with the combination of clean, simple lines, restrained use of ornamentation, and rich, solid woods – all of which parallel contemporary sensibilities. The Wicker TV Stand ($1600), Wide Maru Coffee Table ($2600) and Large Rice Chest ($2400) easily complement any existing modern décor.

The award for maximum “Wow!” factor needs to go to their Mizuya kitchen collection. Pictured above with a Fruitwood stain and Iron Hirute hardware, The Counter ($3200) and Island ($2500) are amazingly architectural in design. From bamboo-themed fluted doors to cantilevered frames, the Mizuya pieces are miniature buildings in their own right. Even Donald Trump–a man who knows a thing or two about buildings–featured the Mizuya Collection in a contestant suite on his show, The Apprentice. If those pictures don’t make you say “Wow!”, I don’t know what will!
greenteadesign.com