Do you love Chinoiserie antiques and designs? You're in good company!

Antique Tole Peinte Cachepot

I have re-discovered my fascination with chinoiserie recently, and was inspired to design some gifts for the fall collection because of it, which I'll share at the end of this post. With a long history, the term chinoiserie comes from the French word chinois, meaning “Chinese”, or “after the Chinese taste”. It's European aesthetic inspired by Eastern design.

Delftware Makkum Fruit Drainer

Always at the height of style, and once the most trendy fashion for home and clothing of the aristocracy, Chinoiserie was the stuff dreams were made of in the 17th and 18th century.

Delftware Makkum Vase

Europeans were fascinated with Asian culture and traditions; that China was so far away, and they had almost no first-hand experience with the country or the people just added to the delicious mystique.They filled their homes with chinoiserie porcelains, decorative accents, fabrics and paintings.

Antique Chinoiserie Face Screens

Chinese products were brought to Europe aboard ships by the English, Dutch, and French, East India Companies. Once the Dutch East India Company began importing porcelain from China, all of Europe became enamored with the blue and white Chinese porcelains.

Tichelaar Delftware Bowl

Their decorative design elements of gardens, florals and landscapes were all the rage, and the Delft factories began to imitate the Chinese blue and white patterns.

Delftware Chinoiserie Plate

Imitating the exotic style of Asia, wealthy Europeans began wanting to own their own Asian accents. Even King Louis XV of France and Britain’s King George IV thought Chinoiserie blended well with the rococo style, and had an extensive collection.

Vintage Blue Willow Bowls

Another import from Asia by the East India Companies was tea. Drinking tea was the height of fashion for ladies of good taste and wealth, and it was originally quite expensive!

Vintage Blue Willow Tea Cup

Complete tea sets and plates for serving a fashionable tea in the beloved Chinoiserie patterns were de riguer for every lady of society's drawing room.

Antique Dutch Chinoiserie Faience Tea Bowl

The popularity of drinking tea helped boost the demand for all things chinoiserie even more. Aristocratic women were famous collectors of chinoiserie porcelain. Queen Mary, Queen Anne, Henrietta Howard, and the Duchess of Queensbury—well known style-setters in their day all had homes filled with chinoiserie porcelains,

Delft Hand Painted Chinoiserie Plate

Since rekindling my love of Blue & White, I've been so inspired by chinoiserie that I designed a few things for the l 'Automne Country French Collection. For all of us who adore the blue & white chinoiserie.

French Chinoiserie Wrapped Soap & Vintage Bowl

I "married" two hand wrapped French soaps in "amande" {almond} scent with a vintage Blue Willow bowl for your guest bathroom, and for you to give as a beautiful, thoughtful gift. The soap smells heavenly! But who would really want to unwrap them? This set of custom and exclusive tags is so beautiful!

Chinoiserie Gift Tags & Ribbon

I copied a length of blue and white antique chinoiserie fabric on heavy paper for the background, then added a print of the hand painted tops from two antique tea canisters. Layered in card stock paper, the shape on top is cut out by hand. Each set of 6 tags comes with a vintage wood spool of bright blue silky ribbon for you to tie the tags on a gift, around a napkin, a bottle of exceptional wine, or a beautiful bouquet. I think these are great fun, and hope that you love them too!

Chinoiserie Gift Tags & Ribbon

I used these on a table setting that I will share later this week, with the new Navy Linen Ruffled Tablecloths. Oh my! I couldn't believe our very favorite linen tablecloth now comes in blue. As in use it with everything blue & white blue. Yippee! Blue & White Chinoiserie, do you love it, or not?

à bientôt

Shop for the best in French Antiques, furniture with the patina of age, vintage accessories to delight you and your family & friends, and French Country utilitarian pieces. Treasures that make your home fresh, beautiful, inspirational and uniquely yours. Visit our shop FrenchGardenHouse.com