Traveling around Uzbekistan in every teahouse, in any Uzbek courtyard, you will certainly be offered to stay on a trestle bed (Topchan). The Uzbek trestle bed is always decorated with many beddings (kurpachas) and decorative pillows. The trestle bed is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. Topchan is a piece of furniture that came to us from the East. In Arab countries, trestle beds are quite common and, moreover, the place where the trestle bed is located considered a special one almost holy. The trestle bed can have different sizes however the entrance as a rule should be only one. Usually a small table is set on the trestle bed for eating. Its height is about 30-40 cm. This table is called “Joza”. It got its name thanks to Chinese language – “Jose” from Chinese language means table. The design of the trestle bed itself does not have strictly defined standard sizes. As a rule, trestle beds are made according to individual sizes, however in general the height may range from 45 to 75 cm, with the height of the backs from 40 to 60 cm. This furniture item can be installed both in the dining room as well as the living room which is decorated in oriental style. It will also be very convenient to put a trestle bed in a courtyard under the canopy or in the garden house.
Kurpacha is a quilted mattress which carries out several functions at once. You can sit on it while eating at a low table, as well as cover the trestle bed for relaxation and convenience. In Uzbekistan, kurpachas are made all around republic which is associated with the huge demand for it. However, the best and most famous kuropachas are sewn by craftsmen of the Ferghana Valley. Kurpacha most often has size of 0.75 m x 3.60 m, however, its patterns, fabrics used in production and the color can be varied. The front side of kurpacha is usually made of khan-atlas, pan-velvet or plush, which adds a pleasant softness to the finished product. The inner side is made of cotton fabric and cotton wool serves as filler. Cotton wool for kurpacha is pre-whipped to uniformity and therefore the finished product is light and mobile – it is very easy to fold and move it from place to place. As an average, five to ten kilograms of cotton are consumed per kurpacha. Kurpacha is an integral part of everyday life for the peoples of Central Asia.
