Creative Uses for Chinese Garden Stools Beyond the Outdoors

Garden stools with their barrel-like shapes and flat tops make ideal accent tables in a living space, serving to elevate vases of flowers or other decorations in style.

These tables can accommodate typical end table accessories such as books, lamps and coffee mugs.

Seating

Traditional Chinese garden stools were intended to be an organic part of meticulously maintained gardens, inviting people closer to nature. That is why so many designs include natural elements, such as plants and animals from nature or mythological characters from folklore stories or tales from history. While original examples from centuries ago can often be quite rare and expensive, modern ceramic versions offering similar styles can often be purchased at significantly less than their historical cost.

These barrel- or drum-like stools make ideal seating solutions, as their barrel or drum-like shapes provide ample seating capacity without being uncomfortable. Some even feature nailhead trim that replicates ancient wooden drums for added decor and to honor its cultural roots. Their height makes them suitable as coffee tables or accent tables while their compact dimensions mean that they can easily fit under other pieces of furniture.

As traditional and contemporary decorating styles have blurred, stools have quietly started appearing inside people's homes, adding beauty and style while still adhering to a global aesthetic. While many may see this trend as unusual, elegant little tables like these have actually been quietly revolutionizing Asian decor in many households around the globe.

Coffee Tables

Chinese garden stools (and other Asian vases and accent pieces) make ideal coffee tables due to their compact yet spacious shapes, perfect for fitting neatly into corners of living rooms while offering enough surface area to display multiple decorative items without becoming overcrowded. Add one alongside modern coffee tables for an Asian touch, or use it alone as an oriental-themed side table in any room that demands this look.

Chinese garden stools are well suited to holding umbrellas during a rainstorm, thanks to their design and construction. Most models feature cutouts large enough for one or more umbrella handles to rest comfortably inside, while their waterproof material easily handles residual rain from torrential downpours. Furthermore, Chinese garden stools make a great alternative end table since their compact nature fits easily in tight spaces; you could use one to store books, magazines, lamps, chargers and more!

Chinese garden stools feature beautiful decorative patterns painted directly onto them and can make an impressive focal point or playful accent in any space. Popular choices for adding an Oriental touch into homes worldwide, they can also add texture and visual interest in rooms not typically decorated with Oriental furnishings.

Accent Tables

While Chinese garden stools may be best known for their role as organic additions in carefully manicured gardens, they can serve multiple other functions as well. With their drum shape and flat, table-like top, these accessories can easily serve as decorative accents that bring Asian flavor into indoor spaces.

Drum-shaped ceramic stools feature vibrant glazes from subtle and serene to vibrant and intricate, making them the ideal size as accent tables in any room. Their distinctive designs, such as nailheads, Asian linked coin motif or pierced carvings can instantly bring eye-catching color into any setting.

Strong bases and flat tops make these stools the ideal platform for potted plants to thrive, while providing necessary drainage and watering needs. Furthermore, these stools can also serve to elevate pieces of art for easy viewing in any space and add visual interest to any interior setting.

No matter your display needs - from books or stacks of coffee table books, to figurine collections from China or simply creating eye-catching displays - garden stools make an invaluable addition to any home. Their small stature fits seamlessly into tight spaces while serving as side-table space.

Sculptures

Have you seen these intricate drum-shaped Chinese garden stools in home decor photos and wondered, "What are these intricate drum-shaped Chinese garden stools?" They originated during the Ming Dynasty over one millennium ago, and are now highly desired items both outdoors and inside homes for both function and style.

Garden stools provide the ideal way to elevate a plant in its container outdoors, with earthy-hued finishes often chosen to complement the hue of its environment. Weatherproof enough to withstand spills and rain showers alike; hole-filled versions even help encourage proper soil conditions!

Garden stools come in all shapes and sizes, featuring decorative accents ranging from traditional Chinese symbols to modern motifs. When searching for garden stools that meet both aesthetic and functional needs, design should always come first - for instance a stool with faux nailheads at its base is great for an antique garden setting, while one featuring an Asian linked coin motif might suit better as part of a contemporary aesthetic.

No matter the purpose, garden stools offer something suitable for every need - from placing your Kindle and book during bathtime reading sessions, to serving as a clunkier end table between two chairs in your living room. Plus, if the color doesn't please, updating its look with some paintwork is easy!