A bit about me - I am a huge fan of Chinoiserie decor, including wall art, wallpaper and murals. So when I started seeing gorgeous modern Chinoiserie Style Art popping up in blogs and storyboards, I knew that I needed to find a DIY that was simple, elegant and beautiful to complete my dining room.
Chinoiserie as a decorative style, has been a popular choice since the 17th century. Today, as we peruse social media outlets and magazines, it‘s clear that this Asian inspired aesthetic is still a popular design choice that has stood the test of time. Though Chinoiserie in design lends itself beautifully to traditional interiors, these stunning bird and branch motifs are being increasingly incorporated into more modern spaces.
Now, Let’s talk wallpaper and murals. What is the difference between more traditional and contemporary Chinoiserie wallpaper patterns? Traditional Chinoiserie wallpaper and murals are very ornate and overloaded with bold colour, pattern, curvy lines and details. Classic Chinoiserie Wallpaper companies include Gracie, de Gourney and Fromental. Their luxurious panels are handpainted on silk, with a hefty price tag to boot. (Not in my budget, but gorgeous nonetheless.)
A more modern application of Chinoiserie styled wallpaper incorporates colourways that are more subdued or on trend and tends to be paired with more contemporary furnishings. Although there are more modern versions, trust me when I say that it is NOT easy to find Chinoiserie wall panels or wallpaper in the more subtle monochromatic palette of pale blues, which in my minds eye, was the look I was going for.
So herein began my journey to find gorgeous Chinoiserie wall art to suit a more modest budget and a modern classic dining room aesthetic.
My Inspiration
My first thought was of the framed silk wall coverings that I had found and fallen in love with from Collective Company Interiors.
These handpainted framed Chinoiserie Tryptych Panels had more updated monochromatic colourways and I thought might be it. could it really be that simple? The stunning panels checked all my boxes and leaned contemporary for an interior that didn’t want to read as traditional. However, as it turned out, with 8 foot ceilings, the 55” height of these panels were too large to sit overtop my chair rail which I didn’t want to remove. So the search continued...
My continued search for an alternative modern Chinoiserie Wall Art solution led me to Tempaper and Caitlin Wilson Designs.
Both had a beautiful selection of Chinoiserie patterned wallpaper in many unique, non- traditional colourways but I wasn’t finding any monochromatic options.
Along the way, I accessed blogs from At Home with Ashley and Em Henderson which were very thorough and informative, and summarized sourcing of Chinoiserie wallpaper and mural options but still no luck finding what I was looking for.
My journey ultimately led me to Cutting Edge Stencils. The wall stencil option was customizable and so it could be painted any colour I dreamed up to perfectly suit my vision for the room! Ah if I could bottle that feeling that happens when you spend hours, days, weeks on something and then you find the perfect answer and you're confident that it's it’s going to be great!
I also liked the price. Creating panelled moldings on my wall eliminated the added expense of custom framing. Bonus!
My Chinoiserie DIY
I was so excited to collab with Cutting Edge Stencils. They sent me a Chinoiserie Stencil. I elected my husband to build the 3 rectangular wainscot style panels which would house the Chinoiserie patterns. The measurements of the framed panels would have to be extremely precise (or a bit larger) for the stencils to be taped flush with the wall...no pressure! If you do this DIY, you may want to consider stenciling the wall first to eliminate any added stress!
Anyhow the cost of the picture frame molding was $40 and the labour was free (thanks to my handy hubby)! After the molding was installed, I painted the stencils and I am completely enamoured with the result!
Now this is definitely what I call a modern rendition of Chinoiserie Chic Wall Art - DIY Style!