A furniture restorer is starting his own cultural revolution with the opening of a shop in Brighton.

Darrell Walsh has linked up with a family-run furniture business in China and is importing antiques from the Qing dynasty.

Tables and wedding cabinets are proving a big hit with customers at his shop, Redwood in George Street.

Mr Walsh planned the venture for more than two years.

He said: "Fortunately, I was able to rely on help from friends in Shanghai to get things started at the other end. I can't speak Chinese so I was quite helpless without them.

"I went out to China to find out about procedures and customs and meet some of the people I would be dealing with.

"There was a fairly steep learning curve for me to get the business up and running. Not just learning about how to run a business, but also finding out as much as possible about China in the 17th and 18th Centuries.

"I have to pay suppliers in dollars so I need to keep an eye on the US, Chinese and British economies. It's surprising what you need to know when you run your own business."

Mr Walsh has had an interest in China and its history for a long time and studied furniture design and making at the London College of Furniture.

He said: "I worked and saved hard for a long time to have my own business and now I feel very lucky to be able to combine furniture and China, two of my favourite subjects, into my business."

The Qing dynasty covers 1644 to 1911. Its styles influenced fashion and tastes in the UK in the early 19th Century. One of the most famous examples is the interior of Brighton Pavilion.

He said: "China is becoming much more open to businesses now. Only 15 years ago there would have been no chance of setting up a business like this. Even now there are a number of difficulties to overcome.

"Customs has to approve the export of each piece. It is not just a matter of going out there and buying antiques and shipping them back here.

"The antiques come from various provinces in China and I picked them for their distinctive style and craftsmanship.

"All the pieces are painstakingly restored by a family business in Zhejiang province. Strict attention is paid to detail and reclaimed timber is used whenever possible.

"All the antiques are officially authenticated and were chosen for their looks and affordability. I have not chosen the really exotic rosewood furniture made for the palaces of the royal family that sells for thousands but I've gone for country pieces that still have the style and quality.

"Not understanding the language was a major stumbling block and while I was out there I felt very lonely. I only saw two other Westerners during my whole trip. It was important I went, otherwise I would have had to rely on brochures and other people's descriptions and could have ended up with something I didn't want."

Mr Walsh previously worked for a year on a conservation project on the Victorian town hall in Melbourne, Australia.