Aubergine

Eggplant

 

You may already know that eggplant is a very healthy vegetable - all eggplant varieties are rich in chlorogenic acid, which is thought to be anti-cancer, as well as antimicrobial, antiviral, and anti-LDL (the “bad” cholesterol).

Besides the antioxidants, eggplant is also a great source of fiber, and it’s packed with vitamin B1 and copper. It’s also a good source of magnesium, potassium, vitamin B6, niacin, folate, and vitamin K. Eggplants also have lots of bioflavonoids, which help control high blood pressure and relieve stress, plus, the bioflavonoids and vitamin K can help prevent blood clots.

The Chinoiserie Sunroom

Melissa Rufty

 
This sunroom is stunning. Silver leaf chinoiserie wallpaper, a marble mantel, and a pair of bergère chairs in peridot from this vantage point.

Aubergine & Chinoiserie

Matthew Bees - House Beautiful

 The bedroom above by interior designer Matthew Bees is in a historic Charleston single in Charleston, South Carolina. My home in Alexandria is modeled after a Charleston single where the narrow side of the house faces the street.

I love the aubergine walls and ceiling paired with blue and white and lots of blue and white Chinese porcelain. I would love to use this color sometime in my home. Below are some other favorite aubergine rooms with Chinoiserie.

Mario Bautta

Celerie Kemble

Alex Papachristidis

Aubergine

Celerie Kemble - Veranda

I love aubergine rooms. My office was aubergine until I decided to change it for a One Room Challenge and lightened the deep purple to a pale lavender.

The collection of blue and white Chinese porcelain in this Celerie Kemble room really pops against the deep walls and floor. The console and mirror are antiques. The lamps are of course Christopher Spitzmiller. The sconces are Ralph Lauren Home. The pendants are Vaughan. The fabric on the chairs is Holland & Sherry.

More aubergine and Chinoiserie inspiration.

Ruthie Sommers

Mario Buatta

Mario Buatta

Alex Papachristidis

Foo Dogs & More

Alex Papachristidis

So many Chinoiserie favorites here - foo dogs, an elephant, a pagoda lantern, an orchid, a double gourd lamp, and a gilded faux bamboo coffee table. I love the aubergine walls, pink sofa, and leopard pillow. Lots of inspiration here.

Setting the Thanksgiving Table

Tory Burch

I love the idea of using the color aubergine or eggplant for setting the Thanksgiving table. Here it is combined with faux bamboo flatware and an Imari vase with flowers. These rich colors would also be perfect throughout the holidays.

Get the look -

45 piece bamboo flatware

Linen napkins in lilac - these can be monogrammed

Amethyst stemware

Great Exhibition tin plate

My favorite candle company - Creative Candles - in eggplant in every size and shape

Dragon napkins in purple

Pair of antique Imari vases

Antique English Imari plates

Vintage napkins monogrammed in aubergine

Dark Glossy Walls and Chinoiserie

Diamond Baratta

I am a huge fan of rooms that combine dark glossy walls and Chinoiserie. If you favor pastels in furniture and accessories like I do, everything really pops against dark painted walls. I am especially drawn to aubergine and Prussian blue. I love the room above - traditional, but fun. Here are more examples below, all by Mario Buatta.

Trending - The Color Purple - My New Houzz Ideabook

Charlotte Moss

I see the color purple as an emerging trend in interior design. No longer relegated to the rooms of tween girls, it is popping up in stunning dining rooms, living rooms, master bedrooms, and powder rooms as a modern and sophisticated choice. Purple ranges from very soft gray with a hint of purple, to lavender, lilac, amethyst, all the way to deep plums and aubergine. The combination with Chinoiserie is amazing - purple is especially wonderful with blue and white Chinese porcelain. I also love it with Chinese red and coral. Please check out my new Houzz Ideabook for more inspiration on this very chic duo. And thanks to Houzz for featuring my Ideabook on "Chinoiserie to Put You in the Pink" over the Labor Day weekend. You can find it here.

Suzanne Kasler

Katie Riddder

Audrey Curl

Amanda Nesbit

Kelli Ford and Kristen Fitzgibbons

Kimberly McCluskey

This new colorway lilac/purple/cream in China Seas Trellis Background is going to be a big hit -

More Aubergine

Ready to add one great piece in aubergine to that Chinoiserie room? These from Urban Outfitters will do the trick and are very well priced!

Chinoiserie Tablescape

This lovely Ruthie Sommers vignette is a great example of so many things we have looked at on Chinoiserie Chic-aubergine, Blanc de Chine, blue and white, and tablescapes. Perhaps it will inspire you. A couple of points to note-the aubergine was introduced with deep purple flowers-here hydrangeas. The collection of white porcelain is not all true Blanc de Chine. Ruthie has included white candlesticks and even some Lenox pieces.

(Photo via A Life More Fabulous)

Aubergine

Designers are focusing on aubergine and deep plum in fashion this fall, and I predict this color will have a jump in popularity in the home as well. Colors like aubergine may not leap to mind, yet are perfect in the Chinoiserie room. Aubergine actually has blue, red, green, and yellow in it, so any of these colors work well with it. In this Mario Buatta room above, the colors pop against the lacquered aubergine walls. The black and gold lacquer Chinoiserie secretary is such an elegant choice. Aubergine would work well with many Chinoiserie looks. Celadon fabrics or porcelains would be lovely with aubergine. I would love to use celadon silk taffeta curtains against aubergine walls. Blue and white Chinese porcelain would be wonderful against the dark walls. For a more modern Hollywood Regency look, pair the aubergine with crisp white trim and Blanc de Chine porcelains. If you are looking for a stunning aubergine paint, my favorite is Brinjal by Farrow & Ball.