Shimu

Shimu, specialist in Chinese and oriental furniture in the United Kingdom

Shimu presents itself as a British specialist in Chinese and oriental furniture, active since 2003. Its catalogue combines a wide selection of restored antique Chinese furniture with its own collections of handcrafted solid wood furniture, as well as oriental-inspired lighting, ceramics, gifts and home accessories.

Antique Chinese furniture

The company states that it has one of Europe's largest selections of antique Chinese furniture, with over 300 pieces in stock for fast delivery. Featured pieces in the catalogue include daybeds, tables, cabinets, chests of drawers and chairs, some from Shanxi province and dating from the 19th and 20th centuries. The site shows examples such as a large elm daybed with carved skirt (Shanxi, circa 1850), a large antique elm table with drawers (Shanxi, circa 1900) and a folding armchair in indigo.

Handcrafted furniture collections

Alongside the antiques, Shimu offers several collections of furniture made to traditional designs. The Classical Chinese range is handmade from reclaimed elm and poplar with a rich finish. Other lines mentioned are Shanxi Painted Furniture, Farmhouse Elm Furniture, Chinese Country Furniture, Chocolate Country Furniture, Beijing Blue Collection, China Seasons Collection, Contemporary Asian Range and Kayu Reclaimed Furniture. The catalogue is organised by room and furniture type: beds and daybeds, bedside units, bookshelves, chests of drawers, coffee tables, console and altar tables, dining tables and chairs, display cabinets, dressing tables, home office furniture, media storage, occasional chairs, screens and panels, side tables, sideboards, stools and benches, storage cabinets, television units, trunks and chests, and wardrobes and armoires.

Accessories, lighting and ceramics

The offer is completed with accessories and decorative objects: lamps and lanterns, mirrors, photo frames, pots and vases, boxes and baskets, cushions and throws, jute and hemp rugs, journals and albums, kitchen and tableware, wooden games, gifts and jewellery boxes, candles and diffusers, ceramics and stoneware, buddhas, bronzes, prints and wall art. It also includes blue and white ceramics from Jingdezhen, described as the capital of Chinese porcelain. New items include a porcelain buddha head, a table lamp with a handcrafted ceramic base and a large vintage black stoneware jar (Shanxi, circa 1920).

Services and purchasing conditions

Shimu allows you to buy online or visit its showroom in Yorkshire. The company states that it can make furniture to customer specifications or source specific antique pieces. It delivers throughout the United Kingdom and can arrange overseas shipping on request. The site mentions a standard 14-day cooling-off period and flexible returns on all orders, as well as free delivery to most UK addresses on orders over £1000 with the code FREEUK. It also offers a 5% discount on the first order to those who subscribe to its emails. Prices are shown in pounds sterling, euros, US dollars, Swiss francs, Swedish kronor and Norwegian kroner.

Sister site and editorial content

The site mentions Kayu Home, described as a sister site, focused on reclaimed and vintage wood furniture with a natural finish. Shimu also publishes a blog with articles on the craftsmanship of Chinese furniture, the hidden meanings in antique pieces and creating calm interiors for the summer.

Location and contact

Phone: 0800 088 6800 · Email: info@shimu.co.uk