Lasting Appeal
"You can go for broke with rococo or extract elements, such as a simple modern coffee table in lacquered linen with a Chinese foot, and add a lantern," says designer Charlotte Moss. "That's the strength of chinoiserie -- it is adaptable. I use chinoiserie motifs for every client."

Over the years, the style and its trademarks -- narrative figures, graceful pagodas, and nimble foliage -- have exerted quite an influence. As trade placed Asian wares before Western eyes, the delicacy of these forms launched a powerful fascination. Through the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, chinoiserie resonated in the baroque, rococo, and Regency periods. In the 20th century, pioneers such as Frances Elkins and Billy Baldwin embraced it.

Today, designers use chinoiserie to inject lyrical spice into the rooms they create. "The beauty of chinoiserie is its highly opulent sense of the exotic. But the core elements are classic and timeless, making it possible to mix chinoiserie with all sorts of styles," says designer Kelly Wearstler. "The elaborate decoration and intricate patterns in chinoiserie can be reinterpreted in a modern way by injecting opulence into day-to-day living, without going over-the-top or eschewing practicality. It has the curious ability to transport you to another place."

Evolution of the Style
Carefree depictions of life in another land formed the roots of chinoiserie. Its popularity stands as part of a broad phenomenon. "Chinoiserie does not just apply to furniture. It has touched everything from porcelain to tapestries to architecture," says furniture designer Raymond Goins, whose studio is renowned for original chinoiserie and chinoiserie restorations. "The style is actually a Western creation, born of the need and demand for exotic products featuring motifs and images of the Orient."