Word of the Day

: January 15, 2014

chinoiserie

noun sheen-wah-zuh-REE

What It Means

: a style in art (as in decoration) reflecting Chinese qualities or motifs; also : an object or decoration in this style

chinoiserie in Context

We admired our host's daring taste in home décor, which combined spare modern elements with chinoiserie.

"Bamboo chairs vie with 19th-century lacquered armoires, nooks covered in chinoiserie toile and paisley-block prints exude irresistible coziness, and whimsical yet inviting rooms reflect a confluence of historical periods ranging from Rococo to Regency." - From an article by Lindsay Talbot in Harper's Bazaar, October 1, 2013

Did You Know?

In 1670, King Louis XIV had the Trianon de Porcelaine erected at Versailles. It was a small structure-a pleasure house built for the king's mistress-and it was decorated with chinoiserie and faced with faience tiles with a blue and white chinoiserie pattern. The building persists in history as the first major example of chinoiserie-the English word is borrowed straight from French, which based the word on "chinois," its word for "Chinese"-but the trend it began long outlasted the building itself, which was destroyed a mere 17 years later to make way for the Grand Trianon. Chinoiserie itself was popular throughout the 17th and 18th centuries and enjoyed a brief revival in the 1930s. And people still enjoy it today.