Chinoiserie Center 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.
1820s Chinese Antique Chinoiserie Center Tables
Hardwood
19th Century European Antique Chinoiserie Center Tables
Marble
19th Century British Antique Chinoiserie Center Tables
Hardwood
Early 20th Century European Chinoiserie Center Tables
Lacquer
1880s European Antique Chinoiserie Center Tables
Wood, Lacquer
Late 19th Century Asian Antique Chinoiserie Center Tables
Wood, Giltwood
1890s French Antique Chinoiserie Center Tables
Bronze
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Chinoiserie Center Tables
Giltwood
Mid-20th Century Syrian Chinoiserie Center Tables
Mother-of-Pearl
20th Century Chinoiserie Center Tables
Wood
1830s British Antique Chinoiserie Center Tables
Mahogany
20th Century French Chinoiserie Center Tables
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Chinoiserie Center Tables
Formica, Walnut
Early 20th Century American Chinoiserie Center Tables
Walnut
Early 1900s Italian Antique Chinoiserie Center Tables
Goatskin, Walnut
19th Century Belgian Antique Chinoiserie Center Tables
Marble
19th Century Italian Antique Chinoiserie Center Tables
Walnut
1880s English Antique Chinoiserie Center Tables
Satinwood
20th Century Italian Chinoiserie Center Tables
Brass
Late 19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Center Tables
Wood
20th Century American Chinoiserie Center Tables
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Center Tables
Wood
Late 20th Century Philippine Chinoiserie Center Tables
Paint, Wood
Early 20th Century English Chinoiserie Center Tables
Wood, Paint
Mid-20th Century American Chinoiserie Center Tables
Wood, Lacquer
Late 18th Century Chinese Antique Chinoiserie Center Tables
Wood, Lacquer
1920s German Vintage Chinoiserie Center Tables
Marble
20th Century European Chinoiserie Center Tables
Giltwood, Lacquer, Paint
Mid-20th Century Unknown Chinoiserie Center Tables
Mother-of-Pearl, Walnut
19th Century British Antique Chinoiserie Center Tables
Wood, Lacquer
Mid-19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Center Tables
Softwood