Amthal Karim – Head of Design at Furniture And Choice – shares her monthly overview of on-trend styles and interior looks currently inspiring furniture buyers.
Originating as the ancient craft of Urushi in China and Japan at least 15,000 years ago and known for its durability, lacquer is fast becoming a playful tool in modern design. We’re increasingly seeing contemporary furniture design embrace lacquered glossy finishes in unexpected ways alongside colour and paint.
Milan Design Week introduced elements last year, from a floating sofa highlighting lacquered panels to a modern, asymmetric curved red lacquer desk. Elle Décor refers to it as ‘glossy glamour,’ designers are calling it ‘a brilliant vehicle for colour’ and upcycling enthusiasts love the way it gives a new lease of life to old items.
The popularity of lacquered dining, coffee tables and desks, has evolved over time, gaining a foothold in post-war Britain when the Art Deco movement gave rise to opulent, black lacquered furniture inlaid with expensive ivory, chrome, or mother of pearl. More recently the retro revival celebrates this ancient art form in a modern way and is responsible for the iconic lacquered drinks cabinets favoured by today’s high society.
Contemporary lacquer furniture is not always so self-important, it can also be playful and fun, offering an exciting material for furniture designers to experiment with. Whether it’s centre stage on a modern dining table, or a hint of colour in a side table, the lacquer-look is easily achieved using paint and varnish and has become a chic way to modernise your home. The key is to use it sparingly and in combination with matt, earthy or vintage materials.
A sky blue, oval dining table in high gloss finish easily becomes the focal point of a room when surrounded by retro-inspired rattan dining chairs and matt, sand-coloured walls. Equally, an upcycled oxblood sculptural side table provides an instant colour hit within a neutral, minimal space of off-white and light wood textures.
A word of warning—lacquered furniture can appear glossy and synthetic if mishandled but used in the right way it elevates modern spaces and enhances other styles.
Design in 2026 is increasingly perceptive, no longer just multiple elements of different textures, but unexpected combinations, balance, and the right style and colour for your space. So, contrast a material so sparingly that it shines amongst everything around it—lacquer’s been doing it for 15,000 years.
