The incorporation of lacquer furniture is making a come-back with designers wishing to decorate using clean lines and trendy textures. Yet, while contemporary lacquer furniture designs generally appear to be cutting-edge and even futuristic, the use of the finish is dates back hundreds of years.

The Japanese have featured lacquer panels, dressers, and tables in everyday design centuries. Their designs incorporated intricate craftsmanship and have been revered as some of the most sophisticated pieces of art.

In the 16^th Century, wealthy Europeans imported Japanese lacquered furniture. Those that could not import the expensive pieces would attempt to recreate them on their own using a lacquer process called Japanning.

Many of the most popular contemporary lacquer pieces feature simple, clean lines. A major distinguishing characteristic of lacquer furniture is the shiny luster that the material emits. Modern consumer trends lean towards the use of white and black lacquer finishes for popular furniture items such as chairs, tables, and shelving units.