It seems as if Buddha is watching from lots of places these days. Gold, stone, clay and even porcelain renderings of the spiritual symbol can be seen peering from bookcases, anchoring gardens and offering peace to dining rooms.

The prevalence of Buddha is one example of the steady influence of Asian interior design. With styles as diverse as the countries, languages and people, the Asian design aesthetic is enjoying a resurgence.

“With the world getting smaller, there is a global and intercultural influence that we find in music and the arts, and certainly in home decor,” says Gil Williams, the owner of MacroSun International, an Asian decor boutique in St. Louis. “The Indian and Chinese influences are growing in the world, and it is nice that those cultures and traditions are getting attention.”

Asia is vast, extending from China and Korea to Indonesia and is home to two-thirds of the world’s population. It’s only logical that Asia would continue to influence the design world.

Williams says that Americans have become more aware and welcoming of other cultures. “People are much more open to using Asian images and symbols,” he says. “You don’t have to be a practicing Buddhist to have an image of Buddha or Lakshmi, the goddess of fortune.”

Growing market

It isn’t only the global point of view. American companies that once produced furniture in the United States are moving production to China and Vietnam. According to the International Trade Administration, China imports accounted for nearly $12 billion in household furniture and accessories in 2005.

“Thirty or 40 years ago you were hard-pressed to find a lot of Asian decor,” says Philip Hu, the associate curator for Asian art at the St. Louis Art Museum. “Now, companies like ABC Carpet & Home, and Neiman Marcus, the online catalogs, and even the lower-end retailers like Ikea and Bed, Bath & Beyond are stocking a lot more Asian merchandise. People just have so many more visual reference points.”

Hu says Asian goods are especially affordable, but beauty is the main reason for the high interest in Asian aesthetic.

“Things from Asia are incredibly beautiful. Ming (dynasty) furniture blends well with things from the 19th century. And there is often a use of natural material that blends very well with contemporary furnishings. It’s the visual attractiveness that makes people pay attention.”

Williams says that beauty is evident in the rich colors and the high-quality craftsmanship of Asian goods. “The use of primary color is very inspiring,” he says. “In the Tibetan tradition, there is a lot of blue, white, red, green and yellow. Because of the organic dyes, colors have a power and a richness that is elegant and understated.

“Then, there is a lot of interest in the wood carvings of Bali or India, which are unparalleled anywhere in the world. It is such a lovely style with beautiful teak and mahogany.”

Modernists often are attracted to some styles of Asian design because of an emphasis on simplicity with platform beds, screens and a neutral color palette with splashes of red and gold. The straight lines and minimalism are essential in contemporary decor.

“This kind of design clarifies the clutter,” says Sunamita Lim, the author of “Chinese Style: Living With Beauty and Prosperity” (Gibbs Smith Publisher, $39.95, October). “The influence is from Japan where space is at a premium. It’s a style that forces you to edit.”

‘Touch of the exotic’

Traditionalists, however, might be more attracted to chinoiserie style, featuring furniture with graceful cabriole legs and claw feet, hand-painted cabinetry with black lacquered finishes, or china patterns with real and interpreted scenes of Asian countryside.

“A touch of the Orient is a touch of the exotic,” Lim says. “Even George and Martha Washington recognized the beauty of Chinese blue and white pottery and had pieces of it at Mount Vernon.”

Because of common materials such as bamboo and silk, goods from different Asian countries can be used together. Tapestries from India work well with headboards from Korea, which can be accented by celadon pottery from Thailand, then anchored by an Angi mountain rug from China.

But Asian furniture and accessories shouldn’t be arranged capriciously. Feng shui guides that became popular in the mid-90s have mainstreamed the ancient concept of qi (pronounced chee), the positive and negative energy moving throughout living space. Though some design professionals argue that feng shui is just common sense, Lim says placement that maximizes positive energy is paramount in Asian design.

Clean space

“When you have negative energy flowing through your surroundings, you are chasing away peace and prosperity, which will adversely affect your life,” she says. To keep a sense of balance, Lim says, every home needs an “area of connection.”

“It can be a study or a shelf that welcomes the blessings of the universe. It could be a floral arrangement, Buddha, Christ, or even a souvenir that brings back beautiful memories.” In Japan, this space is called tokonoma, a clean area in a home that usually has seasonal flowers, and is said to bring out inner wealth.

Scenes of nature and wildlife and religious images, including Buddha and pagodas, are said to maintain balance and harmony.

Oahn Le Ngo, an interior designer from O’Fallon, Ill., combines Eastern silks and tapestries, and woods such as bamboo, with classic French lines. “I like to use a lot of masculine and feminine touches – that’s the balance, the yin and yang that is so important in Asian design,” she says.

Lim says: “There is something about Asian decor that allows you to be transported. If you think about it, we surround ourselves with drapes and screens and things that engage our senses, so that when we come home, it is like being transported all over again.”

Asian design 101

The styles of Asia are beautiful and diverse, and many mix well with Western furniture and each other.

China: With its highly detailed embellishments, chinoiserie is filled with images of nature, dragons and pagodas on pottery, wall hangings and furniture.

Japan: Shoji screens and platform beds show off sleek, modern lines that are enhanced by subdued color palettes in grays and greens.

Thailand: Thai design balances the ancient craftsmanship of gold-leafed Buddhas and crisp celadon pottery with the pared-down simplicity of rattan furnishings.

India: Handmade tapestries made in northern India are available in vibrant reds and blues and can transition from the back of a sofa to a loft wall.

Indonesia: Tropical influences include heavy use of mahogany and teak, often called Bali style. Gil Williams of MacroSun International calls Indonesian woodcarvings “unparalleled anywhere in the world.”

Korea: Wood chests called Tansu, typically with brass accents, work well as nightstands, while the stair-stepped versions add interest to living rooms.

Eastern expressions

Asian prints, statues, pillows and other home accessories are easy to incorporate in your existing decor. The style is simple but adds a sleek, modern element.

In Asia, gongs were originally used to protect against evil spirits. Today, in China, gongs symbolize prosperity and mark social status. In Japan, gongs can be heard in temples and theaters and at folk festivals. This gong from Marshalls features a display stand and would make a lovely accent piece.

This porcelain dinnerware collection offers a variety of red coral designs, bringing richness to any setting. The complete set (all from

ZGallerie, www.zgallerie.com) features a red coral mug, soup bowl, salad plate, dinner plate and porcelain charger. Consider the red coral accent piece for tabletop decorating. One place setting with red coral costs $76.05.

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