Chinoiserie Straw
2010s German Chinoiserie Pillows and Throws
Silk
Antique 18th Century English George II Chairs
Wood
Recent Sales
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Antiquities
Glass, Silk, Straw
Vintage 1970s German Chinoiserie Porcelain
Porcelain
Antique Early 1900s French Chinoiserie Dining Room Chairs
Faux Bamboo, Wicker, Straw, Cane, Beech
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Animal Sculptures
Straw
People Also Browsed
Late 20th Century English Stone Sinks
Marble
Antique Late 17th Century German Baroque Armchairs
Tapestry, Walnut
Antique 1780s English Georgian Sofas
Upholstery, Giltwood
Antique 18th Century Sofas
Walnut
Antique 1860s French Napoleon III Settees
Damask, Rosewood
Antique Mid-18th Century Italian Louis XV Desks and Writing Tables
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary American Side Chairs
Lucite
Antique 19th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Giltwood
Mid-20th Century Art Deco Living Room Sets
Wood
Vintage 1920s Italian Art Deco Bedroom Sets
Bronze
Antique Mid-18th Century English Armchairs
Leather, Mahogany
Antique Late 19th Century Italian Secretaires
Hardwood
Antique Late 18th Century English George III Sofas
Mahogany
Antique Late 18th Century English Armchairs
Mahogany
Antique Late 18th Century French Directoire Bergere Chairs
Mahogany
Antique Early 19th Century French Directoire Dining Room Chairs
Wood
Chinoiserie Straw For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Chinoiserie Straw?
A Close Look at 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.
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