Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Top Ten Chinoiserie Wallpapers #5


One of the most beautiful Chinoiserie wallpapers is Scalamadre's Shanghai. Based on period paintings of Cathay, its look is classic, traditional, elegant, old money. This large scale seven color Chinoiserie toile is very dramatic, eliminating the need for any art on the walls whatsoever.


Shanghai would be my first choice for an entryway, as shown below in the apartment of Merrill Hanley. This apartment was designed by Keith Irvine and featured in Domino Magazine.


Below is the dining room of Meg Braff wallpapered in Scalamandre Shanghai. The wonderful Chinese red paint she used is Farrow & Ball Blazer. The brass sunburst mirror, Chinese Chippendale chairs, and beaded chandelier are modern pieces, giving the room a youthful and preppy feel. Pictures are from House Beautiful.



For more information on this classic and sophisticated wallpaper, click here.




14 comments:

  1. Each one of these is more exquisite than the last!!! Can't wait until the next one!

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  2. It's a wonderful pattern. The pavilion in the lower right-hand corner in your top image is based on a chinoiserie pavilion that actually existed at Bonnelles in France and was put up in about 1780. It is illustrated on pp. 120-121 of the 'Chinoiseries' book by Dams and Zega.

    The original source of the image is a black and white print, and Scalamandre have copied Dams's and Zega's speculative colour scheme for the pavilion. So rather than being based on a Chinese original, the wallpaper is based on a modern reinterpretation of an eighteenth-century French interpretation of a Chinese original. Now that's chinoiserie for you!

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  3. Hi Beth, I want to use Shanghai on a piece of furniture..I wish I could buy half a roll!

    Love all of these, gorgeous!

    thanks for posting, I'm off to eBay to see if I'm lucky!

    xx
    Kit

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  4. Gorgeous pattern. The details are so fun and interesting.

    I want to know how Chic Provence is going to use a piece on furniture...that's going to be equally interesting.

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  5. Vickie-Glad you're enjoying the series.

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  6. Emile-Absolutely fascinating. Thanks so much for this.

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  7. Kit-You want to use wallpaper on a piece of furniture or the fabric?

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  8. A Refocused Life-I was wondering the same thing.

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  9. I'm so glad you featured these wallpapers; I'm looking for the perfect one to accentuate my MBa water closet. You always know best! xo kitty

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  10. Kitty-More to come-you are sure to find one you love.

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