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Shopping for a piece of reclaimed wood furniture? From beams to doors to dining tables, reclaimed wood imbues even brand-new spaces with warmth and a sense of history.

In today’s homes, a reclaimed wood bench, side table or bookcase can add texture and a provocative focal point to a bedroom or living room. A live-edge coffee table is reliably attention-getting as functional art, while a blend of driftwood and weather-worn wood alongside your teak lounge chairs can lend emphasis to a space’s existing beach-house ambiance or draw eyes to the tranquil “California Coastal” style you’ve long been perfecting. And no cozy farmhouse kitchen is complete without a rolling metal-and-reclaimed-wood cart, leather stools and black-granite counters under its exposed rough-hewn wood beams, right?

Every piece of wood tells a story, especially wood recovered from 400-year-old shipwrecks or from devastating earthquakes. Environmentally minded furniture designers and makers are telling the fascinating stories of reclaimed trees by giving them a second life in the form of functional rustic-style furniture and lighting.

Tréology is a New Zealand–based company that continues a 150-year-old family tradition of furniture making. Its mission is to connect people with nature through contemporary organic furniture such as its mid-century modern-inspired desks, dining room tables, stools and other pieces.

In Kingston, New York, the cofounder of New York Heartwoods, a sustainable furniture and woodworking business, Megan Offner helps clients part with their broken, diseased or fallen trees by turning them into sleek tables, case pieces and other furniture that is inspired by Shaker tradition as well as modernist designers.

The combination of this unusually sourced wood with master craftsmanship results in one-of-a-kind pieces that can be cherished for generations. Today, there are many extraordinary practitioners of this eco-friendly form of design — find their reclaimed wood furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Asian sculptors have worked in materials including wood, bronze and jade. Artists and artisans have used traditional techniques to depict deities, scenes from culture and more, and today, antique Asian sculptures and carvings are a popular choice for provocative and sophisticated home decor.

In China, the Qing dynasty, from the mid-17th century to the early 20th century, brought about significant changes in art while preserving traditional culture. Many emperors during this period were patrons of the arts, such as painting, calligraphy and decorative arts. This era saw the building of new Buddhist temples, which were decorated with statues. Some of these sculptures were adorned with colorful cloisonné decoration, in which tiny compartments, or cloisons, made by soldering copper filaments to a metal surface were filled with vibrantly hued enamel.

From the 17th to mid-19th century in Japan, kimonos were worn across classes and often fastened with a netsuke, a type of small carved toggle. Artists carved these from ivory, wood, shells and coral, creating animals, flowers and mythical creatures. During the Japanese Meiji period, spanning from 1868–1912, the country began trading internationally after centuries of isolation, allowing artists to sell their work overseas. Bronze sculpture flourished around this time for creating teapots, vases and incense burners.

Asian sculpture continued to evolve in the 20th century. During the Japanese Shōwa era, from 1926–89, art was influenced by international modernist movements like abstraction, Futurism and Surrealism. Contemporary Asian sculptures and carvings continue to combine global influences and a rich heritage of technique.

Decorating a space with Asian sculptures and carvings is a great way to add interest to any corner of your home. Explore by material, period or style on 1stDibs.