Easy Chinoiserie DIY

I am not a big DIY type, probably because I am a perfectionist and prefer to hire experts to do things better than I can, but I do love easy DIY projects. I have collected several I would like to try myself and thought I would share some with you over the next few days. I love this vignette by Thomas Jayne with its gorgeous Gracie Chinoiserie wallpaper and the pale blue Parsons desk edged in gold. I found this great blue Parsons desk on Home Decorators Collection for $199. It is made of wood too! It also comes in a file cabinet and bookcase. I think the gold edging could be done with one of my beloved Krylon 18 Kt. Gold Leafing pens or gold paint and a tiny brush. Find the desk here.

Blue Coral & Chinoiserie

I bought a beautiful pair of antique coral engravings in a gorgeous turquoise blue a while back and finally decided to frame them for my "pagoda bedroom." I picked them up from the framers yesterday and I think they add a great summery vibe to this space. Here also are more lovely examples of combining blue and coral, a perfect combination with Chinoiserie.

Charleston Dining Room - Southern Chinoiserie

This Charleston dining room is a lovely example of "Southern Chinoiserie,"  a look that prevails in Alexandria, Virginia where I live. In this style dining room, crystal chandeliers, real Persian rugs, blue and white Chinese porcelain, and mahogany furniture are "required." The deep coral and turquoise blue of the Persian rug, the use of the dramatic Farrow & Ball wallpaper Lotus, the simple white curtains, and the oversized ginger jar make it "New Traditional" and keep it fresh.

Do you recall where we've seen Lotus wallpaper used before? In the NYC kitchen of Ryan Korban shown below, also with a large ginger jar. You can see how this pattern adds drama to any room. Another more modern approach used here is a single large ginger jar as opposed to a smaller pair. The Pink Pagoda has a lovely selection including large sizes that would make a real focal point.

Speaking of Mary McDonald

Mary McDonald has changed my all time favorite office from this above, to this below. What's the verdict? Prefer the blue before or the coral and gray redo? I'll bet you can guess my answer.