Brackets of Chinoiserie

The current April issue of House Beautiful is quite spectacular, in no small part due to another wonderful apartment by Miles Redd (the top three photos) entitled Color Confidence. In contrast, perhaps we could start calling that whole Restoration Hardware/Belgian look Color Paranoia? I especially like the dining room in the top photo with its collection of celadon vases on plaster brackets. Below are other wonderful versions of Chinoiserie collections-Blanc de Chine and blue and white porcelain on brackets.

Kevin Sharkey

Robert Goodwin

Mary Watkins Wood

My files

Displaying Collections

Brackets are an incredibly effective way of displaying a collection of Chinoiserie porcelain. In the bedroom above, Mary Watkins Wood used brackets to bring order to a large collection of blue and white ginger jars. The three key points are that the collection needs to go together-all blanc de Chine, all celadon, or all blue and white, for example. Second, the brackets need to be all the same color-say all white or all gold if not all the same style. Third, play around with a pleasing layout-symmetrical seems to work best.

Jonathan Berger

Kevin Sharkey

Robert Goodwin

Phoebe Howard

The Blanc de Chine Foil

What is the perfect backdrop for your Chinoiserie collection of Blanc de Chine? Would you go dark? White? A pattern? Perhaps a dramatic color? For much more on using Blanc de Chine in your home, click here.

Dark-Benjamin Moore Iron Mountain by Robert Goodwin

Dark-Farrow & Ball Mahogany via Style Court

White on light-Mary McDonald

White on white-Kevin Sharkey's office-Martha Stewart VP

White on white-Phoebe Howard

Against a patterned screen-Ruthie Sommers

A patterned wallpaper-Ruthie Sommers

Navy and white-The Well Appointed House

Peach and white-The Well Appointed House