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.
1980s French Vintage Chinoiserie Furniture
Bakelite
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Wool
Early 20th Century English Chinoiserie Furniture
Ironstone
2010s American Chinoiserie Furniture
Paper
Mid-20th Century Italian Chinoiserie Furniture
Poplar
Mid-20th Century Hong Kong Chinoiserie Furniture
Brass
2010s Asian Chinoiserie Furniture
Silk
2010s Asian Chinoiserie Furniture
Silk
Late 20th Century English Chinoiserie Furniture
Paper
20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Furniture
Wicker
1920s Austrian Vintage Chinoiserie Furniture
Brass
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Tôle
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Furniture
Wool
20th Century American Chinoiserie Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary British Chinoiserie Furniture
Paper
Mid-19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Ironstone
1960s Cambodian Vintage Chinoiserie Furniture
Brass
2010s Chinese Chinoiserie Furniture
Silk
Mid-20th Century English Chinoiserie Furniture
Chrome
21st Century and Contemporary British Chinoiserie Furniture
Paper
Early 20th Century English Chinoiserie Furniture
Ironstone
Early 2000s American Chinoiserie Furniture
Paper
1960s Italian Vintage Chinoiserie Furniture
Rosewood
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Chinoiserie Furniture
Silk
Early 19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Ironstone
1950s French Vintage Chinoiserie Furniture
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
Early 20th Century English Chinoiserie Furniture
Ironstone
1970s Vintage Chinoiserie Furniture
Faux Bamboo
20th Century English Chinoiserie Furniture
Upholstery
Mid-20th Century Chinoiserie Furniture
Brass
Early 2000s German Chinoiserie Furniture
Porcelain
Late 20th Century American Chinoiserie Furniture
Fabric, Upholstery, Bamboo
1960s French Vintage Chinoiserie Furniture
Gold, Enamel
20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Furniture
Wicker
Mid-20th Century Chinoiserie Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Furniture
Metal, Brass
1890s Chinese Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Satin
20th Century American Chinoiserie Furniture
Brass