Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Emerging in the 17th century, chinoiserie appropriated the aesthetics and imagery of popular East Asian design for European-made versions. Reflecting the exoticization of China, Japan and other countries in this era, the word directly translates from French to “Chinese-esque,” which reveals its shortcomings as a style of furniture and decor that often stereotypically and reductively mimics Asian culture rather than showcasing and paying tribute to its artistic traditions.
The enthusiastically decorative chinoiserie style was propelled by influential tastemakers including French King Louis XIV, whose Trianon de Porcelaine in 1670 was inspired by Chinese architecture. Expanded trade between the East and West led to a demand for porcelain, lacquer objects, silk and other goods, which further informed the fanciful furniture being crafted in Europe.
Artisans working in the chinoiserie style used materials and elements like pagoda shapes, bamboo, lacquer surfaces, bird and flower motifs and other interpretations of Asian design on pieces that were frequently set against vibrant wallcoverings. This whimsical approach yielded chinoiserie furniture that boasted dramatic flourishes drawing on the natural world and reflected the dominance of Rococo during the 18th century.
As chinoiserie was shaped by approximations of Asian design by European creators, it had regional variations, such as Chinese Chippendale in England where cabinets, chairs and tea tables had wooden fretwork designs and “japanned” surfaces intended to resemble lacquer work that was created in East Asia. In North America, furniture makers in Boston and New York integrated chinoiserie-painted scenes into Queen Anne furniture.
Antique chinoiserie furniture has continued to be fashionable, from its popularity with decorators of the Hollywood Regency era — James Mont, Tommi Parzinger, William Haines and Samuel Marx favored the style — to contemporary interior designers, although it brings with it a complex history.
Find a collection of chinoiserie bedroom furniture, cabinets, decorative objects and more on 1stDibs.
Mid-18th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Wood
20th Century English Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Bamboo
19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Glass, Wood
Late 18th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Brass, Gold Leaf
20th Century Southeast Asian Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Metal
Late 19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Wood
Late 18th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Walnut
1930s American Vintage Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Wood
Late 18th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Wood
Late 19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Glass, Mahogany
Early 1900s English Antique Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Mahogany
20th Century English Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Hardwood
Mid-20th Century Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Metal
Late 18th Century Danish Antique Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Pine
19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Iron
1890s Chinese Antique Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Bamboo, Lacquer
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Composition
1780s English Antique Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Oak
1880s English Antique Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Bamboo, Lacquer
1870s Swedish Antique Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Oak
Mid-18th Century American Antique Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Glass, Pine, Paint
Late 19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Bamboo, Glass
Late 20th Century North American Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Lacquer
Late 18th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Hardwood
1860s English Antique Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Bamboo
Early 20th Century Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
1930s Italian Vintage Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Wood, Giltwood
Late 19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
1950s Chinese Vintage Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
1920s Chinese Vintage Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Lacquer
19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Early 1900s French Antique Chinoiserie Corner Cupboards
Lacquer