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.
1960s French Vintage Chinoiserie Furniture
Metal, Brass, Enamel
1960s American Vintage Chinoiserie Furniture
Mirror, Wood
Late 19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Oak
Mid-19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Pottery
Late 20th Century Chinoiserie Furniture
Porcelain
Late 20th Century American Chinoiserie Furniture
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary English Chinoiserie Furniture
Silk, Velvet
Early 20th Century American Chinoiserie Furniture
Cast Stone
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Furniture
Agate, Soapstone
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Furniture
Wool
Mid-20th Century Asian Chinoiserie Furniture
Ceramic
21st Century and Contemporary British Chinoiserie Furniture
Paper
Early 20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Furniture
Paper
Mid-20th Century Turkish Chinoiserie Furniture
Wool, Cotton
Late 18th Century Dutch Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Earthenware, Delft, Faience
Early 20th Century Japanese Chinoiserie Furniture
Wood
20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Furniture
Metal
Mid-20th Century Asian Chinoiserie Furniture
Bamboo, Wicker
1970s Italian Vintage Chinoiserie Furniture
Mirror, Walnut
Early 20th Century Chinoiserie Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Ironstone
Late 20th Century Hong Kong Chinoiserie Furniture
Wood, Lacquer
1960s Italian Vintage Chinoiserie Furniture
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Chinoiserie Furniture
Mirror, Resin, Lacquer
1970s American Vintage Chinoiserie Furniture
Faux Bamboo, Wood, Lacquer
Early 19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Ironstone
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Furniture
Pottery
Mid-18th Century Dutch Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Faience, Pottery, Earthenware, Delft
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Furniture
Rosewood
1970s Unknown Vintage Chinoiserie Furniture
Fabric, Paper
Mid-20th Century Chinoiserie Furniture
Brass
Early 19th Century Dutch Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Earthenware, Delft, Faience
20th Century English Chinoiserie Furniture
Ceramic, Paint
1980s Vintage Chinoiserie Furniture
Cotton
Early 19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Porcelain
Early 19th Century Dutch Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Earthenware, Delft, Faience
Late 19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Pottery
Early 19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Ironstone
Late 20th Century Chinoiserie Furniture
Porcelain, Wood, Paint
20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Furniture
Ceramic
Early 19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Ironstone
Late 19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Ironstone
Late 18th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Earthenware
Late 20th Century American Chinoiserie Furniture
Wood, Lacquer
Mid-20th Century Italian Chinoiserie Furniture
Poplar
Mid-20th Century Unknown Chinoiserie Furniture
Rattan
1970s European Vintage Chinoiserie Furniture
Mirror
1850s English Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Ceramic, Ironstone
Early 20th Century English Chinoiserie Furniture
Earthenware
19th Century Dutch Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Faience
1880s English Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Ceramic, Pottery, Stoneware
Mid-19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Ironstone
2010s Indonesian Chinoiserie Furniture
Wool
20th Century Danish Chinoiserie Furniture
Porcelain
Early 19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Porcelain
Early 19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Porcelain
Early 19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Earthenware
Early 19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Earthenware
1970s American Vintage Chinoiserie Furniture
Wood
Early 19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Furniture
Earthenware