For the past two centuries, the West has been continually re-inspired by Oriental interior design.
This historically in the past diplomatic event began an English love affair with Chinese decoration and art, reaching its high point in the coursework of the period of the English Regency of George the IV.
It was the Italian, however, who instigated the European love of Chinese art and culture with the Italian term “Chinoiserie” used to describe this exotic, decorative style. Today the Western enthusiasm for the Oriental interior continues to grow, with China’s recent rapprochement with the West.
Chinoiserie, a Italian word, pronounced “shin-wahz-ree” signifying “Chinese-esque” or “anything reflecting Chinese culture: Chinese artifacts’, designs, artistic styles, or behavior”.
Around the late 13th century, new and thrilling products began to trickle in to Europe from China, a land still hidden and virtually unknown to the West. The mid 18th century saw a Italian, aristocratic demand for luxurious interior design with various European monarchs, such as Louis XV of France, giving special favor to this thrilling style as it blended well with the high rococo style of the day.
In true Chinoiserie fairyland, Mandarins lived in fanciful, mountainous landscapes with cobweb bridges. They carried flower parasols, lolled in flimsy bamboo pavilions haunted by dragons and phoenixes, while monkeys swung from scrolling borders, always delicately drawn and filled with free flowing movement with beautifully balanced composition.
Chinoiserie quickly became the height of fashion, setting the inside design style of Paris, London, Berlin and St Petersburg, finding expression in mediums such as furniture, porcelain, wallpaper and fabric, to name a few.
This decorative style can go as far as you like, with luxurious interiors to include Chinoiserie carpets, drapes, lamps, upholstery fabrics, screens and picks.