While many decor trends are short-lived, others are endlessly reborn decades, centuries, andin the case of lacquermillennia later. Originating in East Asia, where artisans decorated objects using resin tinted with charcoal or cinnabar, lacquer later inspired the likes of Thomas Chippendale and Eileen Gray.
Lacquer crosses over between very traditional and very modern, says decorator Steven Gambrel, who is drawn to both old and new examples. It conveys a sense of the rarified and refined.
For designer Nina Freudenberger, the lustrous material needs a textural counterbalance, such as an upholstered bench, nearby. She also considers wear and tear. Lacquer is sensitive, which is why its so glamorous, she says. It has a bit of untouchability.
Gambrel agrees. Slick modern furniture is less forgiving when its chipped. But pieces that have more spirit, he says, will age beautifully, revealing their layers over time.