Being passionate about Chinoiserie, and having access to some of the best estate sales in the country, I have the impossible task of deciding which items to keep, and how to incorporate them into the styling of my home.
Palm Beach style (at least the bungalow style) is chic because it doesn’t seem to be trying too hard. It’s really about a well-traveled collection (or collections) displayed casually – out in the open – not locked away in a cabinet. Life is about surrounding yourself with things you love. A home that is decorated this way will be a warm welcome to each person who passes through the door.
So, onto the collections…..
I have always wanted a piece of red Chinese furniture for my home in Virginia. I found this cabinet at an estate sale in Tampa and just love the pop of warm red color. Once we got it to Virginia, I had to figure out how to style the piece. I knew I wanted to hang the silk chinoiserie screen above it – but do I go blue and white or Rose Medallion….
It’s quite the dilemma – since I have a nice collection of both chinoiserie styles – so I styled it both ways and took some pictures. All of the pieces in these photos came from auctions, estate sales and flea markets (both here and abroad).
Up first: The Blue and White
That gold foo dog is carved out of a single piece of wood – amazing! Love the pop of gilding she adds to the vignette. Btw – I know it’s a “she” because she has her cub under her paw and another cub on her back. The male foos have a sphere under their paw – which symbolizes the universe.
The chinoiserie moon flask makes me smile and I just love that mini-garden stool – it’s a trinket box!
Couldn’t have a vignette without some black chinoiserie toleware! I’m a sucker for anything with a lion’s head handle and paw feet. And there is another female foo – she’s resin, I believe.
And now, for the Polychromatic Chinoiserie:
That vase with the boys as handles is just so unique and I love the shape and design of the Rose Medallion tea jar. Such a handsome Chinese porcelain man standing guard! Have to have a different painted toleware cachepot for this vignette. This one is on a platform!
Another handsome Chinese man standing guard. The colors on the temple jar are just amazing. That blanc de chine mother and baby quail will be finding their way into my fall décor for sure!
In the end, I’ve decided that I will change out seasonally – it’s Rose Medallion (polychromatic) for now! Mr. Single walked by the other day and said to me, “that red piece really looks great the way you have it styled” – Score!!
