Chinoiserie Cabinets
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.
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinoiserie Cabinets
Wood
19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Cabinets
Wood
19th Century European Antique Chinoiserie Cabinets
Wood
Mid-20th Century Chinoiserie Cabinets
Brass
1970s American Vintage Chinoiserie Cabinets
Lacquer
19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Cabinets
Wood
20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Cabinets
Wood
Mid-20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Cabinets
Lacquer
Mid-20th Century Chinoiserie Cabinets
Glass, Wood
1890s Chinese Antique Chinoiserie Cabinets
Wood, Lacquer
20th Century American Chinoiserie Cabinets
Brass
Mid-19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Cabinets
Wood
Mid-20th Century Asian Chinoiserie Cabinets
Bamboo
1970s American Vintage Chinoiserie Cabinets
Walnut
19th Century Chinese Antique Chinoiserie Cabinets
Brass
1960s American Vintage Chinoiserie Cabinets
Lacquer
20th Century Chinoiserie Cabinets
Glass, Wood
Mid-20th Century Thai Chinoiserie Cabinets
Bronze
1880s European Antique Chinoiserie Cabinets
Wood, Lacquer
1920s English Vintage Chinoiserie Cabinets
Rattan, Glass, Paint
1970s Vintage Chinoiserie Cabinets
Faux Bamboo, Wicker, Wood
Mid-20th Century North American Chinoiserie Cabinets
Wood
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chinoiserie Cabinets
Wood
Mid-20th Century Chinoiserie Cabinets
Glass, Mahogany
Late 19th Century Dutch Antique Chinoiserie Cabinets
Brass
20th Century Chinese Chinoiserie Cabinets
Wood
Late 18th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Cabinets
Wood
Early 1900s Antique Chinoiserie Cabinets
Lacquer
Mid-20th Century Unknown Chinoiserie Cabinets
Glass, Wood
19th Century French Antique Chinoiserie Cabinets
Metal
Late 20th Century North American Chinoiserie Cabinets
Velvet, Paint
1960s Vintage Chinoiserie Cabinets
Lacquer
Early 1900s Chinese Antique Chinoiserie Cabinets
Wood
19th Century Italian Antique Chinoiserie Cabinets
Giltwood, Lacquer, Paint
19th Century English Antique Chinoiserie Cabinets
Wood
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Chinoiserie Cabinets
Hardwood
20th Century English Chinoiserie Cabinets
Glass, Giltwood, Lacquer
Late 20th Century Unknown Chinoiserie Cabinets
Mother-of-Pearl, Glass, Hardwood
Early 1900s Asian Antique Chinoiserie Cabinets
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary British Chinoiserie Cabinets
Silk, Wood
1930s Asian Vintage Chinoiserie Cabinets
Brass