The Chinoiserie Entryway

Melissa Rufty

This stunning entryway was in the New Orleans show house Southern Style Now - sponsored by Traditional Home. The wonderful Chinoiserie fretwork console takes center stage. A very eclectic mix here.

Sunday Inspiration - The Chinoiserie Bedroom

This bedroom by Melissa Rufty (or rather a portion of the bedroom - I would love to see it all!) is so chic and fun. I love the Scalamandre Balwin Bamboo wallpaper, the tufted headboard, the white linens with black Greek key fretwork, the red and white striped bolster and roman shade, and the pelmet and curtains in Perroquet by Nina Campbell.

Saturday Inspiration - The Chinoiserie Kitchen

This Wednesday will be the reveal on the One Room Challenge of my Chinoiserie Chic kitchen. I included this kitchen and breakfast room by Melissa Rufty in yesterday's post, but I love this so much I wanted to revisit it. The white cabinets, dark wood floors, marble countertops, and pale blue/gray walls are all gorgeous. But check out those counters stools with the pink croc leather with nailhead trim, the Parsons chairs slipcovered in a wonderful Chinoiserie fabric (anyone know what it is?), and that fabulous chandelier. Pink, high end Chinoiserie fabrics, and a glam chandelier are three elements I have included in my kitchen too.

Melissa Rufty of MMR Interiors

If someone were to ask me to name my very favorite interior designers, Melissa Rufty's name would without question be on my list. An interior designer based in New Orleans, MMR Interiors exemplifies my favorite style - a modern take on classic Southern design. I live in an absolutely gorgeous neighborhood  - Belle Haven, in Virginia just outside of DC, a historic neighborhood with beautiful older homes, many of them dating back to the twenties. The new breed of homeowners here exemplifies this modern Southern style - mixing antique and modern pieces in a look that is classic, yet today.


Melissa's approach is relaxed, elegant, sophisticated, chic, modern, classic, layered, and comfortable, with a wonderful use of color and accessories. If you look through these photos from her portfolio, you will see her love of Chinoiserie everywhere. It may be as subtle as a potted orchid or a calligraphy brush, or as bold as hand painted Chinoiserie wallpaper or a Chinoiserie toile fabric, but it is there.

Melissa Rufty-The Chinoiserie Nursery

Interior designer Melissa Rufty was so sweet to share with me one of her first rooms ever-a nursery for Jane Scott Hodges, founder of Leontine Linens. Note the faux bamboo rocker, the Chinese Chippendale chandelier, the framed Chinoiserie prints, the Chinese parasol attached to the crib, and, of course, the Chinoiserie monogram. Quite spectacular-click the photo to enlarge it.

Melissa Rufty Chinoiserie

From The October 2010 issue of House Beautiful, I love this girl's bedroom by the wonderful interior designer Melissa Rufty, with her very clever use of gold faux bamboo end tables with colorful storage underneath. You are never too young for Chinoiserie!

Children's Chinoiserie

Interior design for the nursery and child's room is finally coming into its own. People have at long last realized that children's rooms can reflect the style and quality of the rest of your home, but still be age appropriate. With its joyful and whimsical nature, Chinoiserie style is a natural. Pagodas, Chinoiserie toiles and wallpapers, faux bamboo chandeliers, singerie, monkeys, and elephants are all examples of Chinoiserie elements that will work perfectly. We will start with a look at some lovely examples by interior designers followed by some of my favorite sources. Above is a wonderful girl's bedroom by Ruthie Sommers.

Ruthie Sommers

Melissa Rufty

Jonathan Adler

Massucco Warner Miller

Barrie Benson

Art by Paige Gemmel of Henri Paige Designs

Art by Harrison Howard

Quadrille and China Seas for Quadrille fabric and wallpaper

Thibaut fabric and wallpaper

Fromental wallpaper

Furnishings from The Well Appointed House