Chinese style in the interior

Nowadays, the fascination with Chinese interiors is caused by the manifestation of interest in the teachings of feng shui. The traditions of the Asian ethnic group, which have not changed for several millennia, are reflected in the original decoration of rooms, furniture design, textiles and decor. A modern apartment and house, club and restaurant will look great in this style.

China and European countries were linked by the Great Silk Road in ancient times. Thanks to the trade and caravan movement, there was an exchange of household items and applied art. The Chinese, closed on their traditions, calmly treated foreign novelties and actually did not borrow anything from everyday life, art, philosophical and religious values.

But Europe, accustomed to outlandish things that came from everywhere in the era of the great geographical discoveries, periodically suited the fashion for items of the ethnic group, including the Chinese.

Referring to the Asian theme in their interiors, the Europeans, through ignorance or ignorance, managed to mix two completely different styles - Rococo and Chinese. Chinoiserie is a product of such a reunion, it contains the following stylistic elements.

• Porcelain. Chinese porcelain immediately fell in love with Europeans, who used only rough clay products, metal and wooden utensils in everyday life. Even after the invention of European porcelain by the German alchemist J.F.Böttger in the 17th century, interest in refined Chinese sets, vases and figurines did not fade away.
• Pagodas. Their roofs are so unique that they are still the hallmark of Chinese architecture. In Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries, the fashion for tea ceremonies in the local style led to the appearance of tea houses, built in the form of exotic small pagodas. They could be found in the parks of Catherine the Great and on the territory of the estates of the secular nobility. In the interiors themselves, the theme of pagodas was often used in the form of images in paintings, carpets, embroidered pillows and bedspreads.
• Patterns. Europeans gladly introduced Chinese ornaments into their interiors, despite the fact that they were stereotyped, differed in small lines, and sometimes were replaced by several hieroglyphs. The development and artistic perception of Chinese patterns was hampered by thousands of years of traditions that keep this art form in a rigid framework.
• Textiles have confidently taken their place in the furnishings of the rooms. Everyone knows the finest Chinese silk, a dress made from it can be passed through a wedding ring. Fabrics were used for bedspreads, zoning screens, furniture upholstery, they were glued to walls instead of wallpaper.

Modern Chinese interiors used by Europeans represent the chinoiserie style, diluted with attempts at philosophical comprehension. Despite the seeming simplicity, it is not easy to design a room in the Chinese style. In addition to creating a visual image of the room, it must also receive a spiritual foundation, that is, take into account the recommendations of feng shui. This is a Taoist philosophical practice focused on a lifestyle leading to a future merger with Tao, the eternal Absolute.

The bottom line is faith in the divine currents of energy that permeate the Earth. Each nation has veiled them in its own way, the Chinese call it Qi. This energy unites people with the outer living and inanimate world.In order not to leave luck, health, well-being, it is necessary to correctly adjust the energy flows, otherwise they can destroy the stable life and future of a person (or family). Therefore, the interior must symbolically contain five elements - water, fire, earth, metal and wood, only then the situation will be complete and complete harmony will come.

The Chinese-style design is easy to distinguish from the interiors of other Asian countries, it has its own characteristic features. In China itself, until recently, the dwelling environment was formed taking into account the traditions developed over several millennia. This trend is easily recognizable due to the following characteristics.

• Exotic. Almost all furnishings, their unusual appearance, are unusual for the inhabitants of Europe and are of exotic interest.
• Ethnicity. The interior contains a number of objects and symbols typical for the Chinese people - hieroglyphs, dragons, bamboo, outlandish flowers, fans, sun umbrellas.
• Simplicity and naturalness. The design is built according to natural rules, harmony is felt in every thoughtful element.
• Minimalism. The Chinese-style rooms are not overcrowded, with little furniture and minimal decor.
• Energy. It is believed that the interior, drawn up according to the laws of feng shui, is literally permeated with positive energies that bring harmony and happiness.

Ethnic trends in all countries use natural materials in the decoration of rooms during renovations, and the Chinese style is no exception. It is characterized by the use of paper wallpaper, bamboo, wood, ceramics, mats, natural textiles. In addition to wallpaper, monochromatic painting or colored plaster is used for wall decoration. To emphasize the belonging of the interior to the Chinese theme, images of dragons, pagodas, Chinese women in national clothes are drawn on the walls. For the same purposes, you can choose the appropriate wallpaper.

The floor is often installed from natural stone, ceramic tiles or sand, gray, reddish timber. Comfort is created by simple thin carpets or mats. The ascetic understatement in the interior is fully compensated by the beautiful meaningful ceilings. They can be multi-level, compositional, with a lattice decorated with Chinese lanterns and unusual lamps.

For centuries, Europeans have been attracted by the exotic pieces of furniture in Chinese dwellings, assembled in the form of decorative slats and lattices. In the design of the room in the chinoiserie style, the Asian setting was also copied - furniture, windows, doors. The main feature of modern Chinese interiors is free space, which does not need a lot of furniture. Soft and hull structures are barely raised above the floor. Instead of chairs, you can see wide leather poufs no more than 20 cm high. For such babies, tables are set low, with a beautiful square table top and sofas around them to match. In such an environment, you feel closer to the earth, to the natural principle.

The material for furniture is chosen expensive - mahogany, or other dense types of wood, they are covered with multi-layer black varnish, decorated with carvings. Traditional wardrobes are trying to be masked to match the walls so as not to squeeze the space. Sliding wardrobes are also installed, which are also invisible in the room. In shaping the interior, preference is given to a chest of drawers, a curbstone, a console with small drawers.Situated against the wall, they do not take up much space.

The bedroom is dominated by a large low bed. In the hall, the central place is occupied by a table on tiny legs, around which there are sofas, undersized armchairs, and poufs-pillows. Bamboo material is introduced into the setting, from the pressed plates of which cabinets, tables and chairs are made, and beautiful wicker furniture is produced from thin stems. Ceilings and walls are decorated with bamboo.

In expensive interiors, pieces of furniture are decorated with skillful carvings depicting mythical dragons, sakura blossoms, peacocks, scenes of folk life. Gold hieroglyphs and small graceful patterns look amazing on black varnish. Folding screens and carved lightweight partitions play an important role in interior zoning.

In modern Chinese interiors, a classic chandelier is rarely found. Designers choose straight or round products that resemble national lanterns. Multi-tiered ceilings allow the square-shaped central part to be illuminated from the inside. A fragment of a wall or a partition often turns out to be the same luminous spot. There can be many light sources in a room, and they all have a soft, warm glow.

Textiles in the interior are represented by silk and other natural fabrics. There is an opinion that there should be no curtains in the Chinese style. But sometimes the feeling of insecurity makes you close your windows. In such cases, they are draped with beautiful curtain fabrics with a characteristic Chinese flavor. Roller or roman blinds, bamboo options are used.

Textiles decorated with ethnic embroidery are also present on bedspreads, pillows, ottomans, rigid portable screens and even walls instead of wallpaper. When it comes to accessories, there are tons of amazing items that make it easy to recognize the Chinese style. These include brightly painted paper umbrellas and fans, cute Chinese lanterns hanging all over the place, and an abundance of bamboo decor.

The design in the Chinese style is carried out and placed strictly according to Feng Shui. Despite the small amount of furniture, it cannot be called minimalism. The interior uses monochromatic but expressive colors - red, gold, black, brown, beige.

Attractiveness and comfort determine the design of the bedroom. It has squat natural wood furniture. An important place is occupied by a large but simple bed. In addition, the room may contain bedside tables, a small chest of drawers, and if historical time is emphasized, a chest covered with varnish and small ornaments is introduced into the setting.

In a modern interior, a spacious wardrobe is allowed, but at the same time it should not look bulky. It is disguised to match the color of the walls, decorated with bamboo lattice details, or photoprinted with the image of a Chinese landscape. Natural textiles with beautiful embroidery are used.

The room can be made in chinoiserie style, in traditional or modern Chinese style, each interior has its own characteristics. What they have in common is the use of low furniture and even saturated shades. In the halls, a rich red color is often used. The central place is occupied by a down-to-earth coffee table with a wide plane and an upholstered group of furniture.

The decor can contain a wall fan, paintings, panels, lanterns, vases. By the way, the latter are made not only of porcelain, vessels made of non-ferrous metal with colorful exotic painting covering the entire surface look amazing. Only by looking inside, you can understand what they are made of.

In the interior of the kitchen, the Chinese theme is easily denoted with several oriental-style lamps and traditional utensils.... Curtains and rugs are not provided in the design.

The bathroom is an important place for cleansing a person. In feng shui, during the construction of a house, a place is allocated for it in the northern part of it. You can hang a mirror on the door, the Chinese believe that it will not allow the penetration of negative energy. Ceramic tiles with a characteristic pattern can be used to indicate that a room belongs to the Chinese style.

The Chinese style attracts with its exoticism and flavor. Its beauty can be appreciated by examples of ready-made interiors.

• Red living room.

• Modern bedroom.

• Coloring the facades of the kitchen.

• Feng Shui bathroom.

For information on how to create a modern Chinese style in the interior of the living room, see the next video.