Basquiat Tray

Bearbrick (or Be@rbrick) figures stand out for two main features: their simple and attractive image and their endless variety of designs. Bearbrick was published for the first time on May 27, 2001 during the Tokyo World Character Convention. It was given away as a present for its visitors. Since then, the Bearbrick has become a canvas on which designers and artists have shaped their designs. Owned by the Japanese company Medicom, the Bearbrick shows an articulated bear similar to a piece of Lego. Hence its name, the conjunction of words "bear" and "brick". The most traditional Bearbricks are made of vinyl, although they can be found in any material, wood, metal or porcelain among others. Bearbrick figures can be found in multiple series. On one hand, they are sold in what has already become popular as “Blind Boxes”, boxes that contain a certain model that belongs to a series, which is made up of a specific number of designs. What makes some figures more special than others is the probability of finding a specific design. Some Bearbricks that are included in these “blind boxes” are very limited, so these have become highly valued collectibles. On the other hand, the most exclusive side of the Bearbricks shines thanks to the collaborations between Medicom and great designers or artists. Karl Lagerfeld, Salvatore Ferragamo, Kenzo or Roberto Cavalli, are some of the high couture designers who have dressed Bearbrick. Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Jackson Pollock, Keith Haring, Kaws or Pushead are some of the artists who give the artistic version to these figures.

From Japanese handmade earthenware pottery, originating circa 14,500 B.C. and adorned with elaborate corded patterns known as jōmon, to natural elm case pieces and storage cabinets built in Qing dynasty–era China to mid-century Thai rice-paper charcoal rubbings, antique and vintage Asian art and furniture make for wonderful additions to all kinds of contemporary interiors.

Eastern elements elevate any home’s decor. Introduce zen sensibility to your living room, dining room and bedroom with the neutral color palettes and the natural materials such as rattan, bamboo and elm that we typically associate with traditional Asian furniture. Decorative handwoven embroideries and textiles originating from India and elsewhere on the continent, which can be draped over a bed or sofa or used as a wall hanging, can be as practical as they are functional, just as you wouldn’t seek out Japanese room-divider screens — often decorated with paintings but constructed to be lightweight and mobile — merely for privacy.

With everything from blanket chests to lighting fixtures to sculptures and carvings, it’s easy to tastefully bring serenity to your living space by looking to the treasures for which the East has long been known.

For British-born furniture designer Andrianna Shamaris, the Japanese concept of beauty in imperfection isn’t limited to her Wabi Sabi collection. She embraces it in her New York City apartment as well. In the living area, for instance, she retained the fireplace’s original black marble while swathing its frame and the rest of the room in bright white.

“We left the fireplace very clean and wabi-sabi, so that it blended into the wall,” says Shamaris, who further appointed the space with a hand-carved antique daybed whose plush pillows are upholstered in antique textiles from the Indonesian island of Sumba.

In the growing antique and vintage Asian art and furniture collection on 1stDibs, find ceramics from China, antiquities from Cambodia and a vast range of tables, seating, dining chairs and other items from Japan, India and other countries.