Chinoiserie Patio and Garden 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.
Late 20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Porcelain
20th Century Hong Kong Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Ceramic, Paint
Mid-20th Century Unknown Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Terracotta
Late 20th Century North American Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Bamboo
20th Century Hong Kong Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Ceramic, Paint
Mid-20th Century American Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Reed, Wood, Rattan
Mid-20th Century American Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Rattan, Reed, Wood
1950s Vintage Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Ceramic
1950s Vintage Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Ceramic
20th Century Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Porcelain
1990s Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Ceramic
20th Century Southeast Asian Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Marble, Stone
Late 20th Century Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century American Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Ceramic, Paint
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Bamboo
20th Century American Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Cane, Rattan, Wood
20th Century Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Ceramic
20th Century Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century American Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
2010s Spanish Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Iron
1970s Vintage Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Ceramic
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Porcelain, Paint
Mid-20th Century Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Chenille
20th Century American Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Teak
Late 20th Century Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century American Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Wicker
Mid-20th Century African Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Bamboo, Rattan, Wood
1980s Italian Vintage Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Ceramic
Early 20th Century French Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Concrete
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Porcelain
Late 20th Century North American Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century French Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Aluminum
1950s Vintage Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century English Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Pottery
1870s English Antique Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Ceramic
1960s French Vintage Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century American Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Cane, Rattan
Early 20th Century Southeast Asian Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Ceramic, Paint
Mid-20th Century Vietnamese Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Terracotta
1960s French Vintage Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Ceramic
1960s French Vintage Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Ceramic
1960s French Vintage Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Ceramic
20th Century Southeast Asian Chinoiserie Patio and Garden Furniture
Ceramic, Paint