Timeless Intuitive Decor: Chinoiserie

Chinoiserie is capturing attention again even though it's been around since the mid 17th century.  You may not recognize its name but you've seen it in stores and homes and instantly know what I'm talking about when you see a picture like the one above.

The design is a European interpretation intended to capture the harmony of Asian style depicting nature and people enjoying music, art, architecture and beautiful garden scenery.

Chinoiserie like all styles have their heyday and then decline but when they are a true classic, they return again and again.  Chinoiserie was very popular in the 18th century, with Thomas Chippendale drawing attention to it by decorating his cabinets and furniture with the design.

It rose to popularity again in the 1920s and here we are a hundred years later and it's on the rise yet again.  

In many homes throughout the ages, there's always been a piece or two of chinoiserie pottery or some form of it in elegant classic homes and there probably always will be.  We think of it as pottery, but it's also seen in wallpaper, art, and displayed in furniture and décor including bedding, pillows and other textiles.  I'm even seeing it on coasters now and dishtowels.

In my work as an Intuitive Interior Decorator, I help people take a new look at their home in order to create a fresh design that is in harmony with their current lifestyle.

Part of this process is to tune into their energy and see what they are creating with their thoughts, emotions, wishes and dreams.

It's very interesting work for me as an Intuitive Decorator as the state of your home reflects the state of your life, what you love, what you are missing and how life in general is working for you. 

During this process, I review the décor in my client's home to see if it's helping and assisting with their goals or if it has become stagnant and is weighing them down.  If the home has become too cluttered, we go through items to see what still feels right in the home.  As an intuitive, I feel the energy and aura of each piece of home décor. I help to gather the items that are of a positive energy and feel and we display them in order to create new energy and purpose.

Recently while working with a client, we explored one of her rooms that had become filled with items over time. The room was rich with color, but it had become a bit crowded with items where you couldn't truly appreciate the beautiful classic décor she had collected over the years.  As we uncovered the variety of décor throughout her home, I discovered she had a wonderful collection of chinoiserie pottery.  We then decided to gather all of the pieces together to display on her bookcases in her living room where they could be enjoyed and appreciated as a collection.  We followed through with her love of blue and white by adding some Mackenzie Childs royal blue check pillows onto her sofa.

Here's her collection now prominently displayed:

Chinoiserie is most often recognized in this classic timeless blue and white pottery, but if you look closely, you'll see she has some very interesting pieces, including a jar in a coral orange color on one of the shelves there from Frontgate.

Now that you know its name, you'll recognize chinoiserie in homes and resorts in the future and you might enjoy adding some pieces in your home. Blue and white is very on trend for 2020 and a piece or two added in your home adds a bit of classic luxurious feel to your home.

Here's a closer view of some of her beautiful chinoiserie collection:

While we gathered most of her Chinoiserie collection on the bookcase, we continued the look around her room, including this chinoiserie pot here holding an orchid, which we placed on her gorgeous new Hooker Furniture Sorella sideboard that we added into the room from Perigold.

This gorgeous sideboard is located on the other end of the living room across from the fireplace and bookcases. The chinoiserie balances the blue and white from one end of the room to the other, along with her Japanese garden stool.  We also worked in her love of traditional French country, with her lamps, pillows and other décor.  The colorful artwork continues her love of lemon yellow throughout the room while giving the room a fresh modern look and appeal.

Her home is a wonderful display of traditional European style with the chinoiserie, French Country and then moving into a Tuscan feel in her dining room.  While going through her wonderful collection, her grandmother appeared to me in spirit with a message for my client, which further added to the charm and sentiment of her collection.

But Kala, you ask, I Love This, But What if Traditional Isn't My Style?

Can I still display Chinoiserie in my home? 

Classic designs like the one for my client in the DC area here are timeless and hold their appeal over time.  Many of us enjoy this look but like to try other styles over time. I love chinoiserie and appreciate the style very much, but the current look in my home has very little blue in it. I'm currently in love with green at the moment and as an Intuitive Interior Decorator, you can imagine that my home and style changes often, and you would be correct!

One style that stays consistent with me though, is my love of NeoClassical style and you'll see that pop up over and over no matter what else I change in my home. A piece or two of it always finds its way back into my home.

I'm loving chinoiserie right now as well, but I've found a different way to incorporate it into my home, that includes a bit of neoclassic flair, which well, makes me swoon with interior decor joy!  As I mentioned in an earlier post, I recently sold my home and am currently renting, so my options for paint and wallpaper are limited right now, so I depend upon artwork and décor to create the mood and feel in my new home.

With this in mind, I'm decorating with these gorgeous chinoiserie wall hangings. I have three of them and they are incredible.

Here's a photo of one of my wall hangings, look at how they depict an incredible scene, incorporating all of the styles I mentioned, art, architecture, people and gardens, communicating through the drawings.  This is a very different way to display chinoiserie, but equally as effective.   You can find this piece on Horchow.

Whether you love the traditional blue and white pottery, or décor like my wall hangings, chinoiserie is a wonderful way to add an instant luxurious, timeless style to your home.

Why do I think you should add some chinoiserie to your home you ask? 

As an Intuitive Interior Decorator, the designs represented in chinoiserie awaken the senses and stimulate a connection and appreciation of the beautiful designs in nature and in sacred geometry which is represented in flowers, plants and natural settings, and in wonderful works of art and architecture. Adding this design in your home will enhance your creativity, while filling you with a sense of calm and connection to the natural world around you.

Ok, so have you discovered a newfound appreciation for chinoiserie? Let's explore some ideas to incorporate a lot of it or a little for your home!

I mentioned the beautiful coral color chinoiserie from Frontgate.

Ballard Designs has a stunning collection on blue and white chinoiserie right now.

Perigold has some incredible chinoiserie fabric available, including a brilliant orange.

I also enjoy the clean modern lines and direction some chinoiserie is taking, many pieces found on Perigold and I love the modern dragon interpretation too.

If you just want to add a small piece, a jar or vase does the trick as seen here on Perigold or even add it to coastal decor.

Or Go All Out with this stunning Accent Chest on Perigold.

Wayfair has a classic ginger jar chinoiserie lamp that works for any room or desk.

I love this pink and blue chinoiserie wall hanging, can see this in a little girls room, so darling.

 Don't forget placemats and more placemats and dishes from World Market.

Chinoiserie cocktail picks on Horchow and Chinoiserie ice bucket from Ballard Designs.

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Wishing you a lifetime of happy decorating, filled with love, joy, hope and of course, great style!

*~Kala~*

#frontgate #ballarddesigns #wayfair #perigold #hookerfurniture #horchow