Wednesday, April 17, 2013

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.