INTERIOR INSPIRATION
BY KATE KINGSTON
Kate Kingston, Managing Director of Kingston Shaw, an award winning
interior design company with offices on the Wirral, London and Dubai,
shares with us the latest trends for creating the perfect home.
CHINOISERIE
This is a much loved decorative style in
Western art, furniture, and architecture,
especially in the 18th century, characterised
by the use of Chinese motifs and techniques.
It has never gone away, however, at the
present time the style is having a wonderful
moment. Chinoiserie can elevate a room or
a scheme to new levels if used correctly but
could look more like a Chinese restaurant in
the 80’s if overused or badly interpreted.
misunderstandings, Europeans nevertheless
held Asian art and culture in high regard.
Wanting to imitate these far-flung styles,
Europeans began producing their own takes
on East Asian artefacts, which paired well
with the lavishly embellished rococo designs
in vogue at the time. Monarchs and the
aristocracy were especially fond of chinoiserie,
and it made appearances in the palaces of Louis
XV of France and King George IV of England.
Tea was another of the era’s Asian imports. As
traders began importing teas to Europe, the
beverage grew in popularity. The culture and
tradition of drinking tea, which encouraged
an appropriately elaborate mise-en-scène
complete with tea sets, tea tables, tea chests,
and the like, only helped bolster the demand
for all things chinoiserie.
The term chinoiserie, which comes from the
French word chinois, or “Chinese,” denotes
that chinoiserie did not, in fact, come
directly from Asia but is instead a European
interpretation of Asian culture and decorative
arts. The style originated in the 17th century,
in tandem with Europe’s flourishing trade with
China and other countries of East Asia.
Asia Cabinet from
www.turnballandthomas.co.uk
Wallpaper, www.beut.co.uk
Here are some of our favourite ideas and items
to be used if you want to bring a sense of
eastern style to your home.
Plant pot, www.oka.com
Europeans had long been intrigued by what
they viewed as “exotic” Asian cultures; as
few Europeans had travelled to Asia, they
knew little about the region. While this led
to more than a few misinterpretations and
58 wirrallife.com
Shower Curtain, www.redbubble.com
Lamp base, www.johnlewis.com