Chinoiserie....

("Yunnan" Brunschwig & Fils. Inc.)

I have always had a love affair with all things chinoise. Leaning  towards the blue and white palette of asian motifs, I was attracted to the "Yunnan" fabric on first sight....  Pagoda by Royal Limoges, Asian Toile by American Atelier, antique tiles of blue and white all live in my home and make me happy.

With that said, red is the more traditional hue associated with chinoiserie. For years , as I would enter the city of Paris from Charles de Gaulle airport, I would  pass this marvelous pagoda. A pagoda in Paris ! Even in my jet lagged mind, I made mental notes to find my way back to it.

The (Gallery C.T. Loo & Cie )Pagoda is a marvelous example of the traditional red hue associated with chinoiserie. To Buddhists,  red was associated with dieties  and  celebrations  and was used on pagodas as a religious reference. This structure was built in 1926 by architect Fernand Bloch. 

This post is dedicated to many of my favorite artist's and interior decorator's infatuation with all things chinoiserie....in any color!

This interior was created by Gerald Vann Underwood for a showcase home in Atlanta, Georgia. I love the delicate bamboo border at the bottom of the wall . The top border has moorish influence and would not be uncommon to mix with the asian theme. 

This incredible entry is from the New York home of Howard Slatkin. These photos  were taken by Pieter Estersohn  and are from the article  by Cynthia Frank - House & Garden  Sept. 1999. 

The entry is a combination of the mural View of Hindoustan and newer work on the opposite wall to mimic the original work.

This is such a wonderful example of what chinoiserie should look like! Done by the fabulous Michael J. Dute'.  To quote him, his work is like "entering a dream world, It's like living inside a painting". 

Influenced by Michael and the work of Graham Rust, I was hired to create a traditional red chinoiserie environment for a powder room this past year.  This was a dream job! I actually got paid for this!

Each wall is a different scene using traditional elements such as cherry trees, pagodas and bamboo.

This mural was done by Marty Joseph for clients in Dallas, Texas.  The scale of the mural is perfect for this powder room.

You can't say chinoiserie without thinking of Tony Duquette. This is just one example from the wonderful book by the same title. Pagodas were prominent in many projects by Duquette.   Tony had a wonderful garden with pagodas of wood, antlers, and other found objects. 

Hopefully, this post will make you consider your environment. Consider mixing styles , things that make you happy, souvenirs from trips. Your home should be your life story!