British Colonial Furniture

For several centuries, England was "the empire on which the sun never set" - as in, its territories were so extensive that it was presumed to be daytime in at least one colony at any given time. Explorers, travelers, and merchant sailors returned from faraway territories with new materials, such as bamboo, rattan, and tropical hardwoods, and new ideas on how to use them. Similarly, travelers to these exotic lands found that their English furniture was not well suited to climates so much different from their own. A new style was soon born out of traditional English furniture that utilized foreign materials; one that is characterized by dark woods, light colors, and natural materials.

Teak, camphor wood, and mahogany are all native to the tropical areas that fell under British imperialism; they are also naturally water and pest resistant and extremely durable. They have beautiful wood grains and were considered quite exotic, which led to their over-harvesting and rampant exportation. While indigenous peoples had used these woods for centuries for their own dwellings, they often became much more difficult to come by after British occupation.  

It should also be noted that campaign furniture is similar in design, but was also meant to be picked up and carried for great distances, appropriate for the military. It often had folding elements, and brass handles and strapwork were common, allowing for quick and easy disassembly. While tropical hardwoods were quite a heavy burden, they were tremendously durable and allowed British officers to have all of the comforts of home during their conquests. 

As England pursued colonization of the Caribbean, India, the South Pacific, Australia, the Americas, Africa, and Asia, materials like tea and mahogany were exported at such a rate that they became more ubiquitous there than they were in their own native countries. We associate them almost entirely with English society while the indigenous were at best subjugated and at worst enslaved. The cool and airy elements that came from areas that were typically humid and tropical now denote travel and discovery. While we can appreciate the design, we should also acknowledge its origins.

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