Occasional Furniture Guide

View our range of Occasional furniture

Occasional furniture covers all those smaller pieces - the end tables, nightstands, chests, cabinets and one-off chairs - that add the layers of contrasting style, texture or colour to a room. Literally, they fill in the gaps and allow you to create a room of depth and interest in a look that suits you.

Occasional furniture has its roots in nomadic traditions all over the world from Africa to China. Centuries of packing up and moving on with treasured possessions has left us with a rich heritage of wood, wicker or leather trunks and boxes; carved wooden stools; small chests and tables - painted in vibrant sacred colours or carved in the age-old way. They all tell stories of another time and place and continue to stir the imagination today.

Occasional furniture can be chosen for its function or decorative qualities and, at The Pier, you'll find occasional pieces that fulfil both needs. These smaller occasional pieces are designed to increase the varied uses in a room - versatile occasional chairs can be pulled out when extra guests arrive but equally make a decorative statement displayed against the wall when not in use; occasional tables can be moved around from sofa to armchair when they're needed for drinks in between displaying your vase of flowers or lamps; a lacquered Oriental cabinet can work as a piece of art bringing textural interest to the room, whilst hiding the TV or computer.

Our range of occasional furniture is inspired by trips around the world. We've got elegantly lacquered Chinese screens, glossy dark Indian coffee tables enhanced with traditional carvings; African chests and Indonesian cabinets. Here's your chance to add that splash of exotic colour or tribal texture with a piece of furniture that won't cost the earth but will make a world of difference to any room.

Care of our wooden occasional furniture

All woods will mellow and darken in natural light and this is more noticeable on lighter finishes. Bear this in mind if you keep any objects on a surface for extended periods as they will also leave areas of lighter wood.

Keep furniture away from heat sources to prevent warping and splitting.

Clean with a moist soft cloth and dry immediately.

Liquid spills should be removed immediately to avoid staining.

Always use tablemats and coasters.

Do not use wax polishes on furniture which has a protective lacquer or varnished finish.

Wax-finished products can be re-waxed occasionally.

Important - Have you checked your measurements?

This is stating the obvious, we know, but particularly when ordering larger items (wardrobes etc) it is important that you carefully measure both the ultimate location of the item and ALSO whether it can be manoeuvred through doors and hallways to get to its destination. If you have narrow doorways or a staircase with tight corners, please be sure to check again and get in touch with us if there's a problem.

View our range of Occasional furniture