# Culturally-Inspired Furniture Collections These Furniture Pieces are Made with Japanese Influences By Mishal Omar | Published 2016-08-18 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/japanese-influence References: [design-milk](http://design-milk.com/bonsai-seating-inspired-japanese-culture/?utm_source=feedly&utm_medium=webfeeds) & [arflex.it](http://www.arflex.it/en/prodotti/divani/939/bonsai/page) This furniture is made with [Japanese influences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/woodcarving-heritage) by Swedish design firm 'Claesson Koivisto Rune' who creates it for Italian furniture manufacturer 'Arflex.' The collection is titled 'Bonsai' -- an artistic planting technique that is unique to Japan. The furniture pieces consist of seating as well as a foot-rest that are both curved in their shape and offered in rich green, deep blue and pastel blue colors. The rounded shapes of these pieces embody a Japanese influence -- as they were inspired by the [rounded bushes and shrubs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/grun-collection) that are found in Japanese gardens. These furniture pieces are quirky and their cultural inspiration makes them stand out in a market that can often be oversaturated with more traditional products. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.9/10 - Popularity: 60% | Activity: 50% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Furniture](https://www.trendhunter.com/furniture) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Cultural Integration:** Swedish and Italian designers integrate Japanese culture into modern furniture design. - **Nature-inspired Shapes:** Furniture pieces inspired by Japanese shrubbery showcase a trend towards natural shapes in modern design. - **Color Palette Expansion:** Use of Japanese-inspired color palettes expands the traditional color options in modern furniture design. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Furniture Manufacturing:** Opportunity to integrate cultural inspiration into furniture design to stand out in a competitive market. - **Interior Design:** Utilizing furniture pieces that showcase cultural inspiration can add unique character to interior design projects. - **Retail:** Stores can incorporate furniture with unique cultural inspiration to differentiate themselves from competitors. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Braided Furniture Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/design-tradition.md) - [Workshop-Backed Elevated Furniture](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nagare-collection.md) - [Japandi-Style Furniture Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lur-furniture-collection.md) - [Draped Fabric-Clad Lounge Chairs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hidahida.md) - [Mochi-Inspired Seating Lines](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mochiinspired-seating.md) - [Contemporary Nordic Chair Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nordic-chair-design.md) - [Naturalistic Furniture Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/back-to-nature-collection.md) - [Flower Petal-Inspired Furniture](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-phlox-collection.md) - [Organic Furniture Series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/roots-collection-1.md)