I am excited that I will be seeing Michael Smith at the Corcoran tonight. While I understand there will be few details about his most recent clients at 1600 Pennsylvania, I'm sure it will be a wonderful opportunity to see and hear one of our most celebrated and talented interior designers. As you can see from the covers of both his books, he is an avid devotee of Chinoiserie. What is interesting to note however, is that while many people associate Chinoiserie with a more feminine approach to decorating, his style is anything but. Most people connect Chinoiserie with designers like Charlotte Moss or Ruthie Sommers. Michael Smith has a very masculine style of design which more often than not includes Chinoiserie elements. A particular favorite of his is Chinese wallpaper in the dining room. "It's very addictive because the color, detail, romance, and intricacy are magical and entrancing in the daytime, and especially at night. It's theatrical and dimensional, and it's practical. A splash of wine, a dash of champagne, are never going to show among the beautiful details of the design." Ah, the practical side of Gracie! Look through these photos-you will get some ideas if you gravitate toward this very polished, serene, understated, and classic look.
1. Strong furniture with clean and classic lines
2. Use of black to ground and tone down the room
3. Vintage or Gracie Chinoiserie wallpaper, especially in the dining room and bedroom
4. Bold and oversized Chinoiserie pieces-Chinese screens, blue and white porcelain, painted black or red furniture, pagodas, and Budddhas
5. Antique Asian pieces
6. Repeating the same color in a room with gradations of light to dark
7. Mixing antiques and modern pieces
8. Don't be afraid of pattern-just keep it subtle and restrained
9. Keep colors muted-no bold, bright colors here
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