Chinoiserwhat?

The word of the day today is chinoiserie.  Believe it or not, I can spell that word correctly on the first try, even though it takes me at least two tries to spell ‘believe’ right.  But anyway, if you are unfamiliar with the term, don’t worry.  We’re about to get familiar.  Chinoiserie is basically a style of furniture (or anything really) that is influenced by Chinese artistry.  It can be a super-ornate lacquered hutch inlaid with heavily detailed still-life scenes, or a simple bamboo-style table.

It’s not hard to come by, you just have to know what you’re looking for.  You could easily snag yourself some at your local thrift-store, and then impress your friends and influence your neighbors by casually name-dropping the term like it ain’t no thang.  (Just be sure to pronounce it right: shin-wha-zur-ee)

Jenny found her cute little chinoiserie-style table at Goodwill for $12, and updated it with white paint and a mirrored top.  See more at Days of Chalk and Chocolate.

And Better After reader Jenny saved this chair from pea-green plaid misery, and recovered it instead with a beautiful chinoiserie fabric that is much more in keeping with its bamboo bones. Such a luxe look in gold too!  Great job ladies.