Faux Bois & Chinoiserie

Andrew Raquet

A common conundrum is what patterns combine well with Chinoiserie wallpaper and fabrics. A favorite of mine is faux bois (from the French for false wood). Its subtle organic quality makes it a perfect choice as shown in this gorgeous Chinoiserie dining room by Andrew Raquet with its Gracie wallpaper and Quadrille's faux bois - Alan Campbell's Meloire Reverse on the chairs. Here is another shot of this wonderful room.

Let's look at some other ways designers have combined the fanciful faux bois with the fanciful Chinoiserie.

Michael S. Smith - Chinoiserie wallpaper and pagodas with a faux bois table

Cecilie Starin Design - Chinese screen and a faux bois chair

Biggs Powell - faux bois mirror and a pair of Chinoiserie lamps

Kristen Panitch - House Beautiful - Chinoiserie wallpaper and faux bois mirror

Benjamin Dhong - House Beautiful - Cole & Son wallpaper Nuvole Storm and entwined dolphins mirror combined with a faux bois table

I was delighted to find this lovely Dransfield and Ross faux bois linen pillow at HomeGoods recently -

My Favorite Chinoiserie Dining Room

No matter how many dining rooms I see, this one by Andrew Raquet remains my favorite. He combines traditional Chinoiserie elements like Gracie hand painted Chinoiserie wallpaper, pagodas, foo dogs, and Greek key with unexpected choices like a striped rug and faux bois fabric on the chairs. "Faux bois," French for false wood, adds a subtle organic quality. The fabric is by Quadrille - Alan Campbell's Meloire Reverse. The wonderful soft palette he uses keeps all these elements in check.

We have now looked at my favorite Chinoiserie entryway, dining room, kitchen, powder room, work space, laundry room, dressing room, bathroom, and bedroom. All that is left is the living room and we will be ready for a wrap-up post combining them all.

Faux Bois

A common conundrum is what patterns combine well with Chinoiserie wallpaper and fabrics. A favorite of mine is faux bois (from the French for false wood). Its subtle organic quality makes it a perfect choice as shown in this gorgeous Chinoiserie dining room by Andrew Raquet with its Gracie wallpaper and Quadrille's faux bois - Alan Campbell's Meloire Reverse on the chairs. Here is a wonderful and very affordable choice - faux bois window panels from West Elm. These would be lovely by themselves or layered under curtains.

Setting the Chinoiserie Table - Pagodas

Meg Braff

Pagodas are a wonderful touch for the Chinoiserie dining room, but are hard to find and can cost a fortune. These blue and white ginger jar pagodas are available online and are very budget friendly. Don't delay - when I posted on them before they sold out their entire inventory and have just restocked them. They are lidded and would be fabulous used as vases as in yesterday's post. I am off to order a pair right now!

Andrew Raquet

Saturday Inspiration

In this lovely bedroom featured in Veranda, Andrew Raquet uses a favorite fabric of mine for the draperies, China Seas for Quadrille Lyford Background in Magenta on White. You may recall that my favorite Chinoiserie dining room is by Andrew Raquet where he used Alan Campbell for Quadrille Meloire Reverse.

Gray Chinoiserie

When we think about gray we most likely think of the whole Restoration Hardware/Belgian look which is hardly my style. Andrew Raquet shows in this stunning home featured in House Beautiful how gray can be drop dead glamorous with the addition of gold and silver and Chinoiserie. The show stopper is the pagoda and the silver tea leaf paper by Gracie in the dining room.

The Chinoiserie Showhouse

Entryway-Mary McDonald

After all of the hundreds of posts I have done featuring gorgeous Chinoiserie rooms, there are some that remain my absolute favorites. I thought it would be fun to show you my fantasy Chinoiserie showhouse, putting together some of those.

Living Room-Alessandra Branca

Corner banquette in the same living room

Dining Room-Andrew Raquet

Another view

Kitchen-Windsor Smith

Hall-Michelle Nussbaumer

Bedroom-Miles Redd

Bedroom-Miles Redd

Bedroom-Kendall Wilkinson

Bathroom-de Gournay

Bathroom-Paolo Moschino

Bathroom-Mary Watkins Wood

The Chinoiserie Dining Room

My favorite room in the September issue of House Beautiful is this gorgeous Chinoiserie dining room by Andrew Raquet. The show stopper is of course the four foot tall pagoda and the silver tea-leaf wallpaper by Gracie. Notice also the juxtaposition of the striped flat weave carpet and the wonderful faux-bois moire print on the chairs-Alan Campbell's Meloire Reverse. A wonderful pair of foo dogs grace the sideboard.