Dixie Chinoiserie
Vintage 1970s American Hollywood Regency Cabinets
Brass
Recent Sales
Vintage 1970s Chinoiserie Beds and Bed Frames
Faux Bamboo
Vintage 1980s American Chinoiserie Dressers
Brass
Vintage 1970s Chinoiserie Bedroom Sets
Brass
Vintage 1970s American Chinoiserie Wall Mirrors
Faux Bamboo, Wood, Paint
Late 20th Century American Chinoiserie Bookcases
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Chinoiserie Dressers
Brass
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Vintage 1970s Italian Bohemian Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass
2010s Philippine Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Shell
2010s American Table Lamps
Brass
Vintage 1960s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak
Vintage 1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass
Antique 19th Century Rustic Demi-lune Tables
Pine
Vintage 1930s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Cabinets
Iron
2010s Italian Console Tables
Bamboo
Antique Early 19th Century English Georgian Windsor Chairs
Yew
Vintage 1960s Scandinavian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
Metal
Late 20th Century Rustic Decorative Baskets
Bamboo, Wicker, Rattan
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Stools
Oak
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Mirrors
Metal
2010s Italian Side Tables
Leather, Bamboo
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Mirrors
Bamboo, Straw
A Close Look at Chinoiserie Furniture
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.
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