Friday From My Chinoiserie Home-Setting the Chinoiserie Table

Setting the Summer Chinoiserie Table

Setting a beautiful summer Chinoiserie table does not require Chinoiserie dinnerware, as this lovely example by Michelle Nussbaumer for Veranda above demonstrates. Use straw placemats, your white china, and add blue and white Chinoiserie accents like these Blue and White Qing Chinese Emperors I featured in my new Houzz Ideabook (click on the widget in my sidebar), or small ginger jars used with their lids and without as vases. The one below is available at Pearl River Mart.

Thomas Paul on Joss and Main

Joss & Main has these great blue and white melamine plates and platters by Thomas Paul. These are perfect for outdoor entertaining. I have a set and use them all summer for al fresco dining. Click this link to join if you haven't yet.

http://www.jossandmain.com/store/myinvite/4ln

Ikat Bowl

I just purchased one of these Nate Berkus Porcelain Ikat Bowls. At $29.99, I think it has great style. It's also quite large-10 1/2 inches, so it will make a statement wherever you put it. I especially love the gold pattern.

Cherry Blossoms

I love these hand-painted Cherry Blossom Glasses on sale for $10 at Jayson Home & Garden.

Jonathan Adler Elephants

If you love elephants as I do, some great new pieces from Jonathan Adler. I especially like the Darjeeling Teapot above.

Monogrammed Chinoiserie

One of my favorite followers emailed me about these gorgeous melamine Chinoiserie plates that are available personalized. Fabulous. Click here to find an online retailer or a retailer near you.

My Chinoiserie Luncheon

I will be hosting a little luncheon this week and did a test run of my table setting with my Home, James! chargers, Horchow bamboo flatware, Lunt New York Botanical Garden glasses, Horchow foo dog salt and pepper, and $2 each Wedgwood "Eastern Flowers" salad plates from my favorite thrift store. Click to enlarge.

Caspari Preppy Chinoiserie

Have you seen Dabny Lee's new line for Caspari? I especially love the Greek Key Moderne design, as you might have guessed from my blog design. Click here to see the entire selection of these preppy Chinoiserie paper products, perfect for al fresco summer dining.

Chinoiserie Plates from iomoi

These custom melamine plates from iomoi could not be more chic. They can be customized with your choice of text and font. What a perfect hostess gift, wedding gift, or special treat for yourself. I am a huge fan of melamine plates for al fresco dining in the summer and these are absolutely fabulous.

Joe Nye's Chinoiserie Flair

I have just finished reading interior designer Joe Nye's just released first book on entertaining entitled Flair and I loved it. Nye covers flowers, invitations, and table settings, much of it reflecting his love of Chinoiserie. The table settings are stunning. If you enjoy entertaining, Joe Nye's wonderful sense of style, and Chinoiserie, you too will love this book. My favorite ideas include:

1. Bamboo flatware

2. Pink carnations

3. Mixing new and vintage china

5. Mixing silver flatware

6. Colored glassware

7. Black candles

8. Chinoiserie tablecloths

9. Mixing high and low end pieces

10. Using inherited pieces with a modern touch

11. Chinoiserie galore!

Next week I will give you my high/low sources for these gorgeous looks, many from my own china closet as well as my own tips for setting a Chinoiserie table. Stay tuned!