Saturday Inspiration

Daniela at Aesthetic Oiseau posted yesterday on this incredible pagoda fireplace above. Wow. It is in the lobby of the Hotel Monaco in Portland. It reminds me of this pagoda door from a 2005 issue of House Beautiful. Do you think Danika at O'verlays/Gorgeous Shiny Things could fabricate something like this? Or perhaps Linda at Calling It Home? I love the contrast of the crisp white against the Chinese red walls - stunning.

Chinoiserie Fabric and Wallpaper at Great Prices

via Kelly Market

 People are always asking me where to find great Chinoiserie fabric and wallpaper that is affordable. Did you all know that the uber talented Danika Herrick of Gorgeous Shiny Things and O'verlays fame has an incredible collection of fabrics and wallpapers at Spoonflower that is Chinoiserie Chic mad and so well priced? We are talking trellis, zebras, pagodas, and Greek key in gorgeous colors. Find it all here. Fabrics start at $17.50 a yard. The cool thing with Spoonflower is that you can choose your fabric from various cottons, linen/cotton, cotton/silk, or even silk. These are also available as wallpaper, wall decals and some as gift wrap.

Shop here

Seeing Double

Have you thought of using a pair of side/end tables, stools, or even Chinese garden stools as a coffee table? You will end up with a look that is unique, versatile, and budget friendly. In the photo below, two white Ikea Lack side tables are used at a cost of $16.00. Lack tables come in lots of colors and can be made very Chinoiserie with O'verlays as shown below. Beautiful vintage end table pairs abound and can often be purchased very cheap at auction, on Craigslist, and the like. A great idea for the Chinoiserie living room or family room.

Ikea Lack side tables

Lack table with O'verlays

Lack table with O'verlays

Two Chinoiserie DIY Ideas

Above, if you find a great vintage Chinoiserie piece of furniture, why not paint it black and then paint the detailing in gold for a very luxe look. Below, stuck with ugly plain doors in your home? Dress them up instantly with Greek key panels from O'verlays.

Blue and White Suzani

Everyone loves blue bedrooms according to a poll by House Beautiful. This bedroom by Ashley Whittaker, from the September 2012 House Beautiful, combines Quadrille Suzani on the headboard and bed skirt, beautiful blue and white bedding, a glazed Chinese ceramic lamp, banded Roman shades, and lots of ice blue, my favorite blue. Has anybody seen a tutorial on creating a DIY mirrored chest using O'verlays?

Greek Key DIY

I saw this Greek key mantel on the Horchow website. I think this would be a great DIY project using Greek key panels from O'verlays. Anyone game?

CC's Top Ten Chinoiserie Pieces #7

Joe Nye

Greek key adds such a sophisticated, elegant, and graphic quality to any room that it requires a place in my Chinoiserie top ten. Check out my April Houzz Ideabook (link in my sidebar) for over 50 of my favorite Greek key ideas. I am so inspired by the O'verlays Greek key transformations that I have included a gallery below the vignettes by Joe Nye and Ruthie Sommers. These O'verlays have taken the DIY world by storm. They are a fabulous and budget friendly way to dress up a vintage or Ikea piece or even your walls or woodwork.

Ruthie Sommers

Work Space DIY

When I saw this Greek Key Double File Box in the new Horchow catalog for $450, it occurred to me how easy it would be to get some O'verlays in Greek key, pagoda, or fretwork designs and create your own Chinoiserie file cabinet for far less. Do you all remember this wonderful Mary McDonald Chinoiserie file cabinet DIY?

The Top Ten Chinoiserie Pieces #3

Number 3 in Elle Decor's article on The Top 10 Chinoiserie Pieces is this India Cove Lodge End Table by Ralph Lauren Home priced at $4,185. Yikes!!!!!  Here it is again just below in a room setting. A great piece, but a crazy price. I have shown below that photo some great vintage end table pairs from Circa Who starting at $250 for the pair. I like many of these as well or more. At the bottom is a $7.99 Ikea Lack Table that has been turned into a great Chinoiserie piece using the O'verlays kit for $39.99. So you can create that for about $50.