The half century or so after 1760 is widely regarded as the zenith of English cabinet-making. During this period the closest harmony existed between the work of the architect and that of the furniture-maker, and the skill of the craftsman was at its highest. Many of England’s finest furniture designers were at work during this period, including Thomas Chippendale, Robert Adam, Thomas Sheraton and George Hepplewhite, with Robert Adam introducing the neo-classical style which became the style of the period. English furniture in the neo-classical style set a European fashion, and equalled in technique the best work of the great French cabinet-makers.

The outstanding wood of the period was mahogany imported from West Indies and Central America which gained prominence following the 1721 Act which abolished import duty on timbers grown in British plantations in America (including the West Indies). The period also saw several new forms of decoration and the revival of older ones, including marquetry, cane work and japanning.