Monday, April 13, 2020

Chinoiserie Gone Wrong

Speechless

There is so much to like about this dining room - navy blue grasscloth on the walls, the distressed Chinese Chippendale chairs, a dramatic brass pineapple chandelier, elegant tray ceiling and millwork, a classic table and sideboard.

I love the piece of art - Hunt Slonem from his cockatoos series.

But the styling is frankly horrible. All my eyes go to are those hideous gargantuan vegetables, those ugly lamps, and that awful vase. Get rid of all of it including all that little ditsy stuff on the sideboard. It's frankly hard to believe how ugly it is. It almost seems like a joke. BTW, I did find those veggies online and they run about $4,500 for the two. I looked at their dimensions, and it leaves diners about 8 - 10 inches of space at most.

Let's use a pair of either of these instead on the sideboard -

Bunny Williams

Or these -

Arteriors

I would leave the sideboard very simple so as to not block or distract from the piece of art by this important contemporary artist.

Love it? Hate it? Thoughts?

18 comments:

  1. This room feels lifeless without any pizzazz! All of the colors are too muted, IMO. I do not care for the distressed chairs. What about a bright color to enliven the space?
    I love the Bunny Williams lamps you suggest to replace the existing lamps and agree about the hideous vegetables and the busy sideboard. I would add an accent color and some flowers or live plant materials.

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    1. You are so right. A beautiful orchid or a potted palm would add some life as would some color. Thank you.

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  2. That was $4500 wasted! How ugly they are. Love the room and the painting but the accessories are plainly awful. I like the Arteriors lamp and a pair would be perfect. But please get the ugly veggies out of there asap!!!!!

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    1. Money and taste are not the same thing. I do think this is a great example of how accessories can make or break a room. Glad you agree!

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  3. I agree the accessories are ugly but what stands out to me is the Franken-lantern. It looks like a traditional lantern is going through mitosis and then decided to pop some pineapple parts on top. None of is makes sense. Visually too heavy and, I don't know, just horrible. This room could be pretty with a more appropriate chandelier and properly thought out accessories.

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    1. Your take on the chandelier is very interesting. It does overwhelm the room, I agree.

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  4. Yikes! I hate everything in that room.....
    But the base of that Bunny Williams lamp is GORGEOUS!

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    1. The lamp is even prettier in person - a favorite of mine.

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  5. I love anything of Hunt Slonem's, and I like the brass light fixture, but to me, it seems to heavy for this space, and yes, the vegetables on the table are ghastly! (Sorry.) The room as a whole, has a coldness about it. Everything is very unappealing.

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    1. I agree, it is cold. But I would kill for that painting.

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  6. The island light fixture used over a dining room table is tragic. Nuff said...

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  7. The peppers don't bother me as much as the lamps and other ugly things on the buffet table do! But the distressing on the chairs is awful—look how each chair has the exact same markings. That could work on one chair, but to see them all lined up like uniformed soldiers, yuk.

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    1. A really good point about the distressing - that's distressing - LOL.

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  8. I agree to remove the buffet accessories and only pair of lamps, I would use the pair of Arterior instead. I see it as an Eclectic design and for that reason a traditional tablescape would not be striking. I believe the unique fruit make a statement and pop of color with the exception of being so costly.

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  9. There was a good start. I love the grasscloth, the alcove with tasteful mouldings, and a great shade of white paint. The cockatoo painting is the charismatic and witty element. I don't know why they thought they needed the ridiculous giant yellow bellpepper. If you put a giant vegetable sculpture in the kitchen or dining room it's kitsch. It's just the kind of thing someone with no sense of humor or imagination buys because they think it makes them look clever. I would buy the vase on the sideboard-so I could smash it in the parking lot. I loved the observation of the distressed chairs. At first I liked them until it was pointed out that they are all distressed the exact same way. Beth, thank you for helping us all to look with a designer's eye.

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  10. The styling is just awful. Those lamps and that heinous urn thing. Eek.

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