Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Emerging in the 17th century, chinoiserie appropriated the aesthetics and imagery of popular East Asian design for European-made versions. Reflecting the exoticization of China, Japan and other countries in this era, the word directly translates from French to “Chinese-esque,” which reveals its shortcomings as a style of furniture and decor that often stereotypically and reductively mimics Asian culture rather than showcasing and paying tribute to its artistic traditions.
The enthusiastically decorative chinoiserie style was propelled by influential tastemakers including French King Louis XIV, whose Trianon de Porcelaine in 1670 was inspired by Chinese architecture. Expanded trade between the East and West led to a demand for porcelain, lacquer objects, silk and other goods, which further informed the fanciful furniture being crafted in Europe.
Artisans working in the chinoiserie style used materials and elements like pagoda shapes, bamboo, lacquer surfaces, bird and flower motifs and other interpretations of Asian design on pieces that were frequently set against vibrant wallcoverings. This whimsical approach yielded chinoiserie furniture that boasted dramatic flourishes drawing on the natural world and reflected the dominance of Rococo during the 18th century.
As chinoiserie was shaped by approximations of Asian design by European creators, it had regional variations, such as Chinese Chippendale in England where cabinets, chairs and tea tables had wooden fretwork designs and “japanned” surfaces intended to resemble lacquer work that was created in East Asia. In North America, furniture makers in Boston and New York integrated chinoiserie-painted scenes into Queen Anne furniture.
Antique chinoiserie furniture has continued to be fashionable, from its popularity with decorators of the Hollywood Regency era — James Mont, Tommi Parzinger, William Haines and Samuel Marx favored the style — to contemporary interior designers, although it brings with it a complex history.
Find a collection of chinoiserie bedroom furniture, cabinets, decorative objects and more on 1stDibs.
1960s Vintage Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Bamboo
20th Century Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Wood
20th Century Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Metal
Late 19th Century Asian Antique Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Wood
Mid-20th Century Hong Kong Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Brass
1920s Vintage Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Lacquer
19th Century German Antique Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Brass
1970s Vintage Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Metal
Mid-20th Century Hong Kong Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Brass
Late 19th Century Antique Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Bamboo, Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Metal, Tôle
Mid-19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Mahogany
Early 20th Century Asian Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Bamboo, Wood, Lacquer
Mid-20th Century Italian Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Tôle
20th Century Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Wood
19th Century Antique Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Metal
1920s Thai Vintage Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Wood, Glass
1840s English Antique Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century American Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Faux Bamboo
1950s Italian Vintage Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Metal
1920s Japanese Vintage Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Lacquer
19th Century British Antique Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Linen, Wood, Mahogany
20th Century Italian Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Wood
20th Century Italian Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Tôle
20th Century British Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Wood, Paint
1890s English Antique Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Tin
1840s English Antique Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Paper, Faux Bamboo
Late 20th Century Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Wood, Lacquer
Mid-19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Wood, Paper
2010s Vietnamese Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Brass
Early 19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Metal, Steel
20th Century English Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Faux Bamboo, Wood, Paper
1960s Italian Vintage Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Gold
1970s Vintage Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Metal
20th Century Unknown Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Metal
20th Century Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Tôle
20th Century Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Bamboo, Cane
Late 20th Century Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Faux Bamboo, Lacquer
Mid-19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Paper
20th Century Chinoiserie Tray Tables
Faux Bamboo