Chinese artist and designer Robert Kuo is known worldwide for his modern furniture and objets d’art that merge ancient tradition and popular decorative styles such as Art Deco and Art Nouveau.
Born in Beijing, Kuo moved with his family to Taiwan in 1947. While he never received a formal art education, Kuo gained technical expertise working as an apprentice at his father’s cloisonné workshop from the age of 15.
In 1973, Kuo emigrated to the U.S. and opened his own cloisonné studio in Beverly Hills, California. There, he utilized the time-honored skills he learned with his father for a wide range of uniquely striking vases, sculptures and bowls. His Goldfish bowl — a technical masterpiece of vibrant colors and cloisonné designs that appear to float against a black enamel background — was acquired by the Smithsonian’s Arthur M. Sackler Gallery for its permanent collection.
In 1984, Kuo opened a showroom in West Hollywood, where it became a favorite among interior designers for the sculptural and often whimsical coffee tables, stools and table lamps on offer. A year later, Kuo shifted his attention toward repoussé — a technique that sees decorative reliefs hammered onto the surface of metals. Examples of Kuo’s repoussé pieces include his black lacquer Cloud chair and Oval coffee table in antique copper.
In 2014, a retrospective exhibition celebrating Kuo’s 30th anniversary as a designer was held at the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles and his New York studio. In 2016, he also hosted an exhibition in his New York studio titled “Robert Kuo Selects: Los Angeles Studio Made, Found and Represented Artists,” showcasing his works as well as pieces by prominent L.A. designers Blackman Cruz, Dana John and JF Chen. In 2019, Italian artist Mattia Biagi’s L.A. exhibition “Metropolitan Sets” included Kuo’s Back Rest chair and brass Facet Seat.
Today, Kuo’s works can be seen at the National History Museum in Taipei, Singapore Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco’s Hotel Palomar, the Las Vegas MGM Grand and the Four Seasons in New York.
On 1stDibs, find a range of vintage Robert Kuo decorative objects, seating, lighting and more.
Contemporary Hand Carved Cream Lacquer Floral Design Buffet by Robert Kuo
By Robert Kuo
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Floral Design Buffet 4 Doors Cream Lacquer Hand Carved Lacquered Wood Push Touch Latch 4 drawers with Copper Handles 2 Tier Removable Shelves Limited Edition Contemporary Each piec...
Wood, Lacquer
Contemporary Repoussé Copper Feather Design 4 Door Buffet by Robert Kuo
By Robert Kuo
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Feather Design 4 Door Buffet Antiqued Copper Hand Repoussé Elm Wood Lacquered 3 Drawers 2 Shelves (Removable) Touch Latch Limited Edition Each piece is individually crafted and is un...
Copper
Low Cabinet with Amber Shargreen Cloisonné Panel by Robert Kuo, Limited Edition
By Robert Kuo
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Low cabinet with Amber Shargreen panels Amber cloisonné Elmwood Brass panel lining handmade Each piece is individually crafted and is unique. The cloisonné technique is an en...
Enamel
Contemporary Hand Carved Cream Lacquer Cloud Design Buffet by Robert Kuo
By Robert Kuo
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Cloud Design Buffet 4 Doors Cream Lacquer Hand Carved Lacquered Wood Limited Edition Contemporary Each piece is individually crafted and is unique. Lacquer is a laborious and time...
Wood, Elm, Lacquer
Contemporary Hand Repoussé White Bronze Cloud Design Buffet by Robert Kuo
By Robert Kuo
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Cloud Design Buffet White Bronze 4 Door Hand Repoussé Lacquered Wood Push Touch Latch 3 Drawers with Copper Handles 2 Tier Shelves Contemporary Limited Edition Repoussé is the trad...
Bronze
$2,677Sale Price|35% Off
H 96.86 in W 46.86 in D 21.26 in
Antique Yellow Lacquered Wood Buffet with Glass Shelves, Italy, 1850
Located in Brescia, IT
Italy Mid-19th Century yellow lacquered wood and glass shelves cupboard in farmhouse style This cheerful yellow wood lacquered buffet is composed by two parts: the Mid-19th Century pine wood buffet, that it was hand-lacquered in yellow color recently, and by the contemporary production metal support in chrome finish. The metal structure of the shelves need to be fixed directly to the wall. The yellow back lacquered glass shelves are a contemporary production. The wood shelve...
Metal
$7,450 / item
H 36 in W 36 in D 18 in
Modern Chelsea 2-Door Buffet - Forged Metal and Grey Silver Glass by Ercole Home
By Ercole Home
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This chelsea buffet or sideboard by Ercole home has a 2-door front, with Earl Gray Ceruse wood finish on oak. Handcut glass panels in Wispy Gray Silver are on the door surface. Hand-hammered metal framed doors...
Metal
$16,000
H 26 in W 96 in D 12 in
Modern Mystic 6-Door Buffet with Forged Metal and White Lacquer by Ercole Home
By Ercole Home
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The mystic buffet or credenza by Ercole home has a 6-door front, with a white lacquer finish on oak. Hand painted glass panels in midnight moon are on the door surface. The decorat...
Cut Glass, Wood
Vintage Black Lacquer Union National Fitted Interior Buffet
Located in Elkton, MD
Vintage black lacquer credenza featuring ornate gold chinoiserie detailing along the doors and trim. This Asian-inspired piece, likely from the 1970s or early 1980s, boasts four cabi...
Wood, Lacquer
Robert Fellner & Mark J Furst Designed Tambour Sideboard
By Mark J. Furst & Robert Fellner
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Long mid-century modern credenza with rolling tambour doors, designed by Furst and Fellner for Furnette Inc. Great modern design with walnut grain an...
Walnut
$7,800 / set
H 25.5 in W 76.25 in D 20 in
Florence Knoll Style Credenza with Matching File Cabinet by by Giacomo Buzzitta
By Stow Davis
Located in Dallas, TX
Beautiful credenza with matching file cabinet designed by Giacomo Buzzittan for Stow Davis. The matching set is constructed of Carrara marble, black lacquer with chromed steel legs a...
Marble, Steel
Dovetail Vinyl Storage Cabinet 4 x 1.5 with Equipment Shelf
By Andrew Forseth, Blake Tovin, Matt Richmond
Located in Nyack, NY
Our dovetail vinyl storage cabinets utilize a “file drawer” approach to store LPs and allow you to easily flip through an entire record ...
Brass
$15,785 / item
H 43.61 in W 72.05 in D 20.87 in
Macassar Wood Buffet with Bronze-Patina Brass Details by R&Y Augousti
By R & Y Augousti
Located in New York, NY
The Arianne buffet by R&Y Augousti is one of a kind statement piece. The overall piece is inlaid in Macassar wood accentuated with intricate bronze-patina brass details that have...
Brass
$3,452Sale Price|20% Off
H 31 in W 60 in D 18 in
Vintage Imported Danish Teak Credenza/Buffet Tambour Door by William Watting.
Located in Seattle, WA
This vintage Danish Modern teak credenza is attributed to designer William Watting and features the clean lines and functional design associated with mid-century Scandinavian craftsm...
Wood
$9,750
H 30.63 in W 89.75 in D 19.63 in
Mid-Century Modern French 1960s Long, Low Cabinet, Ameublement NF
By N.F. Ameublement
Located in New York City, NY
French four door long and low sideboard / buffet featuring dark brown ebonized accents, side brass ltop trim and parquetry detail on all door frames ending with inlaid scroll detail. The whole rests on toupie feet in brass and wood displaying an overall exquisite cubist, Stark and simple design. The interiors of the compartments are refinished in beautiful ribbon stripe mahogany with the original high gloss lacquer finish. The left side has shelves and the right a frieze of four drawers along side a spacious compartment. Label by Ameublement NF...
Palisander
Dovetail Vinyl Storage Cabinet 3 x 2.5 with Equipment Shelf
By Andrew Forseth, Blake Tovin, Matt Richmond
Located in Nyack, NY
Our Dovetail vinyl storage cabinets utilize a “file drawer” approach to store LPs and allow you to easily flip through an entire record ...
Brass
Dovetail Vinyl Storage Cabinet 4 x 2.5 with Equipment Shelf
By Matt Richmond, Andrew Forseth, Blake Tovin
Located in Nyack, NY
Our Dovetail Vinyl Storage Cabinets utilize a “file drawer” approach to store LPs and allow you to easily flip through an entire record ...
Brass