We’ve seen many miserably failed attempts at giving traditional Chinese furniture a contemporary edge. These guys, however, pull it off by ticking all the right boxes—fusing more ornate antique aesthetics with simple designs stressed by modern sensibility.

Originally based in Taiwan, Ancient and Modern started out by working exclusively with architects and developers to realize their designs. Their new retail store in the former French concession has been received well by the Shanghai community, embracing collections primarily focused on hand-made, limited edition home furnishings that reflect the essence of Chinese tradition and culture.