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Its An Eastern Affair
THE POWER OF THE EAST IS GOING TO BE FELT IN FASHIONABLE ROOMS THIS YEAR, WHICH SHOULD ALL HAVE A FEW TOUCHES OF CHINOISERIE. WE FIND ITEMS FULL OF EASTERN PROMISE.
You may be totally loyal to your current interior style and comfortable with it, but its time for an affair - or at least a mild flirtation.
The East should be the object of your desires, and capturing the essence of its elegant, harmonious look - particularly from China - is essential this year for a fashion-conscious home.
You might choose a glossy lacquered box possibly in red (considered a lucky colour in Chinese culture), a highly- decorated ginger jar, or maybe a playful touch like a colourful parasol. However, if your passion becomes more serious - and this style is highly addictive - you could embrace hand-decorated, dark wood furniture or paper your walls in beautiful floral prints such as Cherry Blossom.
The look is termed Chinoiserie - an art form where furniture and accessories are patterned in the style of the detailed embellishments and complex decoration of Chinese designs, and you will find the genuine article taking centre stage in upmarket interiors shops but also appearing in the chain stores.
Jemma Page, founder and partner of Orchid, a specialist in Chinese antiques and stylish accessories, is just one expert who forecasts that the style will find a place in our hearts.
She says: Western interiors have drawn influence from the East for many years but the new look thats emerging this Spring and Summer is much more about combining the best of both worlds - for a laid-back yet fairly European feel.
Modern interiors have moved away from a total look - with rooms dominated by one style. Now people are seeking to stamp their own personalities on their interior schemes. The new Chinoiserie trend is much more pared back approach, which is about combining sleek, simple contemporary lines with statement pieces, such as an old antique with a story behind it. Its an approach that shouts worldwide chic.
Jemma points out that its easy to create the look. Perhaps start with your favourite mementoes from your travels or a colourful collection of souvenirs, and display them on a dark wood console table or sideboard. Mix some shocking pink silk cushions with a dramatic dark teak table and offset the look with white walls. You could make a statement with a decorative piece, that is painted with floral designs or scenes from
Chinese life.
Dont be afraid to mix textures and colours as long as they are generally within the same colour theme. The symmetry - pairing tables, chairs or even ornaments - gives a sense of order and harmony. It conjures a restful, calming atmosphere which will appeal to those who want their rooms to be an escape from the stresses and strains of
everyday life.
Bamboo - perhaps as a screen - and stone and other natural materials provide the basis for a soothing colour palette of brown, grey and green, and the effect will be brought to life by soft floral patterns and colours incorporated in decorative pottery and embellished textiles.
Why not celebrate the Chinese New Year - with February 7 the start of the 15-day festival - by adding a touch of the East to your home. Theres no need to get your passport out and travel far afield to find Eastern treasure. Just follow our guide to creating it and the best sources.
:: EASTERN WALLS
Colour symbolism has always been extremely important to the Chinese. Black represents the will to gain wisdom, red a desire to express oneself, yellow symbolises the earth, white is the colour of purity and green is a symbol for plants and Springtime. Echoing those shades in wall decoration, and furnishings, is one of the simplest ways to effect this style.
Marks & Spencers new Spring wallpaper collection, available online, has seductively pretty floral designs, as does Linda Barkers range for Graham & Brown. Her Floral Flourish, in rich red and grey or a cream colourway could be ideal for a feature wall. Its £17.99 a roll.
An interesting alternative is Fired Earths newly-launched Chinoiserie tile range. These hand-decorated tiles are inspired by the Chinoiserie wallpaper patterns of the early 19th century and they could be a stunning way of interpreting the style in a bathroom or kitchen. Tiles come in panels of four, six and twelve and cost £115 for a
four-tile panel.
:: EASTERN TOUCHES
One or two ornate accessories could either be the finishing touch for an Eastern scheme or a way of flirting with the style.
Get the genuine article, both modern and traditional, by shopping at the V&A Museum shop in London while its China Design Now exhibition is on, as it will showcase an excellent range of homeware products.
It has decorated enamel ware, combining symbolic Peoples Army imagery with that of the 2008 Olympics; tin canister, £11, and plate, £14. Items can be pre-ordered at the shop or online from March.
Pick Chinese signature bloom cherry blossom for homeware. Virgin Vie At Home has a Mandalay collection with homeware decorated in the flower; vase, £22.50, and cushion, £12. Its three pink Orchid wall canvasses are
£27.50.
Explore John Lewis and you wont be able to resist a classic accessory, a decorative Ginger Jar, £30, a lucky red keramica Onion vase, from £25, or a Cherry Blossom cushion from £20. |
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