Monday, June 1, 2020

Chinoiserie Gone Wrong

Trying Too Hard?

I do not get the styling of this table. The more I look at it, the odder it is. First, that blue and white ginger jar looks ridiculous on top of that ugly pedestal. Why is it up there? And why is the blue and white rose bowl nestled up against the pedestal instead of centered on the books? And that green and white pair of cachepots on the left is sad and ugly - they look cheesy to begin with and one has preserved boxwood and the other is knocked over and has something spilling out of it. What and why?

Elevating that poor ginger jar makes the arrangement taller than the art. It all looks like there has been a minor earthquake and the rose bowl moved and the cachepot fell over and the ginger jar miraculously survived. And that arrangement is ugly to boot. Let's take the ginger jar off the pedestal and fill it with beautiful flowers. Get rid of the cachepots - there is enough going on with that small table. And center the rose bowl. Done. No, not quite - get rid of the tacky bench. Moreover, that piece of art is somewhat hidden by the arrangement, but it looks very washed out and nondescript. This whole vignette is really bad.

Below let's look at a very similar table styled beautifully by Mark Sikes. Now this is how it is done!


13 comments:

  1. At first glance I thought it was okay. Definitely trying to hard. Take the jar of branches off the riser, center the small bowl and remove the tipped over pot. Then it would be fine. I personally don't like the look of anything tipped over with something "flowing" out of it. Looks silly and contrived. Have a great day, Beth! Cathy

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    1. I agree with all your points - silly and contrived is a good way to put it.

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  2. At least there's not a mirror hanging over the table to double the wacky table-scape styling.

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  3. It looks like we interrupted someone moving in to their new house.It's the only explanation for the bench in the middle of nowhere. "We haven't told the movers where to put that yet."

    What is the color scheme? Is it blue and white with a touch of green or green and white with a touch of blue. I agree with the points you made. When I see asymmetrical arrangements all i want to do is "balance" them. They crossed the line from casual and unstudied to crazy.

    Thank You for providing the Mark Sikes image. Even though there are no pairs it has balance and harmony. And you could set the mail down on the table and not upset the whole apple cart.

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    1. In my book, Mark Sikes can do no wrong. He is brilliant.

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  4. The one ginger jar with appropriate flowers or leaves is enough for the small table...less is more (Jerry Brown 1970s)

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  5. It seems the bowl is actually the lid to the ginger jar. Not that it matters. Still terrible. In every way.

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    Replies
    1. You are so right! That might be even weirder, but you have a great eye. Thanks.

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    2. I am catching up with a fellow designer from my old firm and he said that first picture "Made My Teeth Hurt." LOL I think it looks like someone's "Friend" is good at design. Not a fan of that.

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  6. My guess is that the ginger gar is elevated in order to cover more of that boring "art".

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