Interior Design and Beautiful Things
Of the many things I am drawn to, in love with, can’t get enough of, chinoiserie has to be one of the most potent. Chinoiserie, pronounced SHēnˌwäz(ə)ˈrē,ˌSHēnˈwäzərē, is the imitation and interpretation of Chinese motifs and techniques in Western art, furniture, and architecture, especially in the 18th-19th century. The sheer volume of information about the style defies belief, and I’ve found that you either love it like crazy or you don’t.
Several months ago I wrote a post about Restoration Hardware’s ad campaign and how much I hated it. So now I need to backtrack a bit. Having now been in to RH to see the pieces individually, in all of their Belgian-Axel Vervoodt-inspired glory, I am totally in love. Axel is one of my biggest design inspirations. He has a style that verges on really spare, but is full of warmth, like a super-comfy weekend cottage. All of his designs have an organic bent, as if they just occurred on their own and were always meant to be there.
