When browsing the web for furniture, you will often come across “faux bamboo style” furniture. It’s a very charming, delicate, feminine style of furniture that has stood the test of time. It’s not trendy, and it’s a classic.
Faux bamboo furniture was a staple style in warm weather climates like Florida and other Southern states. It has become popular all across the country based on how many pieces I have shipped from Washington State to Maine.
Faux bamboo furniture is exactly what its name suggests. It’s wood and other materials that imitate the look of natural bamboo. There is not an ounce of real bamboo in any of them. They sure are very charming and look super pretty in any color.
What is Faux Bamboo Furniture Made Of?
Typically, vintage faux bamboo furniture legs consist of solid wood, carefully crafted into round shapes using a lathe.
The knuckles are there to mimic the knuckles on natural bamboo.
Most faux bamboo dresser tops are Formica/laminate. The laminate is a wonderful, hard surface that’s practically indestructible; hence, they use it for flooring.
Quick Note – Many people are concerned about paint adhesion to Formica because it’s very smooth and shiny. I have detailed a post about laminate tops here, but long story short, laminate is an excellent surface that takes paint well if adequately prepped.
The smaller, thinner bamboo detail on the drawer and door fronts is made of plastic-like composite material, or it can also be made of wood.
The most popular brands of faux bamboo furniture are Dixie Aloha, Henry Link Bali Hai, Thomasville, and Stanley. Numerous other brands and replicas were produced during the 1960s and 1970s, resulting in an endless array of variations for the vintage faux bamboo you may encounter. Numerous other brands and replicas were produced during the 1960s and 1970s, resulting in an infinite number of variations of vintage faux bamboo that you will encounter.
Original Paint Finish
Most vintage faux bamboo furniture pieces have a coating of paint/primer-like material that is yellow, green, or brown. There are splatters of brown paint to imitate (again) natural bamboo.
Whatever this paint is, it has done a fantastic job of covering the grain of the wood underneath. This makes faux bamboo furniture easy to paint. We love painting vintage faux bamboo because we are not fighting heavy oak or mahogany grain that is unsightly under high gloss lacquer. Of course, the style is charming and looks fabulous in high gloss lacquer.
Our Faux Bamboo Favorites
Henry Link (Bali Hai) and Thomasville and Stanley make our favorite vintage furniture. These vintage pieces are well-made with dovetail joints and solid construction. Check out a small sample of these pretty faux bamboo pieces that we have painted over the years.
I am personally not a fan of vintage Broyhill faux bamboo. It does not have dovetail joints. It feels a bit plastic-y and hence feels inferior in quality. I’m sure it’s still better than mass-made garbage new furniture, but I usually stay away from it because Henry Link and Thomasville pieces are readily available.
Over the years, we have painted thousands of faux bamboo pieces. Be sure to check them out on our social media to get inspired.
I have a vintage bamboo small dresser, two small night stands and a high boy. I can’t find the double dresser. Have any idea where to look? Live north of Chicago. Or I could sell them. Here they aren’t as popular.
I am currently not buying, but you can try to find the matching dresser on eBay or Etsy. Marketplace or Craigslist are the cheapest sources to find vintage furniture.
How can you tell the difference between Stanley and broyhill? And is there another maker? I have my parents’ full 6-piece set. The feet are not curved out like the one pictured, nor is there metal anywhere, but everything else is the same.