Chinoiserie Sends Rooms on Flights of Fancy
Gilded, lacquered or delicately detailed, decor pieces with fanciful Chinese motifs convey an exotic, well-traveled spirit
Charmean Neithart
October 29, 2012
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the developing trade market within East Asia caused imaginative interpretations by Europeans of Chinese styles. Embellished stories of Chinese life manifested in the design of interiors, furniture, textiles, art, ceramics and gardens. The style featured "the exotic" translated with gilding and lacquering, blue and white ceramics, carvings and Asian motifs. Today we still see these details in beautiful antique pieces and thoughtful reproductions.
There are many ways to include chinoiserie in your design scheme. My favorite way is to pair this style with unexpected pieces, textures and colors. The result is luscious, layered detail and a well-traveled vibe that can be pulled off in traditional or transitional settings.
There are many ways to include chinoiserie in your design scheme. My favorite way is to pair this style with unexpected pieces, textures and colors. The result is luscious, layered detail and a well-traveled vibe that can be pulled off in traditional or transitional settings.
Coromandel screens were made in Northern China and central China during the Kangxi period (1661–1722). The screens featured incised black or brown lacquer with gold leaf that depicted scenes of Chinese life and landscapes. These pieces are breathtaking and have to be seen in person to fully appreciate the workmanship that went into them. For that reason, a perfect way to showcase one of these screens is to layer it behind a sofa, where guests can appreciate it as a glorious backdrop.
The art in this office is brilliantly contrasted against a vibrant red wall. French and English pieces are layered in for a global mix. Try Benjamin Moore's Ladybug Red 1322 for a similar color in your home.
This photo, one of my favorites on Houzz, shows a masterful mix of layers. The chinoiserie pieces (the nightstand and screen) complement a Syrian side table, a zebra rug and an antique English chaise. The success comes from the mixing of textures and the consistency of color, as well as the unique provenance of each piece.
This whimsical entry vignette features lamps made with antique roof tiles. Notice the rounded base where they use to sit as ornamentation on Chinese buildings. The Chinese bamboo table is further layered with Chinese-inspired footstools.
Tip: Look for tables 5 to 6 feet long and 33 to 35 inches high. These are perfect dimensions for tucking small footstools and ottomans underneath — a great way to hide electrical cords.
Tip: Look for tables 5 to 6 feet long and 33 to 35 inches high. These are perfect dimensions for tucking small footstools and ottomans underneath — a great way to hide electrical cords.
A beautiful black lacquered screen is shown in a semifolded fashion to conceal an architectural element in this city bedroom, enhancing its view.
This beautiful bedroom offers an excellent example of how to layer elements of chinoiserie. The details here start with the wallpaper as the base and include vintage Chinese portraits with a chinoiserie mirror, lamp and desk. All these pieces pair very well with English-style upholstered chairs.
F. Schumacher's Shantung Silhouette wallpaper creates a headboard illusion in this whimsical transitional guest bedroom. The chinoiserie wallpaper feels fresh because of its two-color palette, which tends to translate as transitional in style. Grosgrain ribbon simulates crown molding.
This European-inspired guest bedroom is bedazzled with metallic chinoiserie wallpaper. Inset within wall molding, the paper features a typical motif of cherry blossoms, birds and flowers. It's perfectly paired with antique French caned furniture so that the room exemplifies a European mix of styles.
This is what I call a "money piece," because it makes any room look like a million bucks. This beautifully adorned red lacquer bar cabinet is just as pretty open as it is closed. More contemporary and utilitarian, it brings a sassy glow to a library, a living room or guest quarters. Antique brass hardware punctuates the chinoiserie motif on the outside.
The striking overscale pattern of this DeGournay wallpaper is hand painted on silk. The colors are the perfect backdrop for the double-faced secretary in black and red. In an otherwise very traditional dining room, the scale of the wallpaper gives the room a transitional element.
Hand-painted wallpaper from Griffin and Wong, framed and hung as art, offers an inventive way to introduce a layer of chinoiserie to your walls. This can work in any room, and depending on the style of the frame can feel transitional or contemporary. Try a white lacquered flat frame for a modern look.
I would never want to come out of this guest bedroom, with its beautifully showcased chinoiserie secretary. These types of pieces commonly feature secret drawers and compartments for jewelry, money and documents.
The feeling of this room is casual, despite the detailed ornamentation of the vintage mirror. Try this look with a similar mirror and punchy wall color for a great layered look. Other items for wall display with a similar mirror could include plates and small pieces of art.
A powder room is a great room for wallpaper. These spaces tend to be small, and bold detail can be featured in small amounts. The walls here are bathed in metallic chinoiserie wallpaper, layered with sconces and a gorgeous bone mirror. The detail of the pattern can be appreciated up close in the tight quarters of this space.
Tip: Bold patterns can actually expand the walls of a small room.
Tip: Bold patterns can actually expand the walls of a small room.
This 18th-century secretary houses a unique collection of small busts. One of the hallmarks of an antique secretary such as this is the patina of the lacquer. The texture on these pieces has a subtle ripple; modern reproductions typically have a flat surface.
Do you love chinoiserie? Tell us how you use it in your decor.
Do you love chinoiserie? Tell us how you use it in your decor.
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Good article...I love adding bits of Chinoiserie to my designs...
@Janet O'Leary, Thank you for your comment. I allowed me to go back and review the article. I too love to add a bit of chinoiserie & Asian bends s to my decore.