Homespun Things...Chinoiserie Chic on the Cheap...

 

I'm obsessed with all things pink, gold and Chinoiserie.

 

It all started with a little bedroom makeover. But when I began assembling all of my favourite things, there was a definite theme emerging.

 

Some call this Hollywood Regency, some call it Palm Beach, some refer to it as Eclectic, and to many... it's Chinoiserie.

 

Chinoiserie is a European take on Chinese décor, and I think it's always been a love of mine. I just didn't realise it was a 'thing'.

 

So here I've found a Chinese knot doona cover for next to nix. That's getting upcycled into cushions. This fabric will be viewed on the diagonal, to resemble the trellis pattern that is so common in this décor.

 

See here....

 

 

...and here...

 

...you just have to know what you're looking for...

 

This little plastic frame had all the lovely faux bamboo and Chinese inspired elements for me to snap it up at just $3.

 

It's just been painted pink and given a much loved family photo to look after.

 

 

Note also my new Cyclamen plants. Bought on markdown at the supermarket as they'd finished their first flush of flowering and were looking a little dowdy. $5 each, thankyou very much. These need a prettier pot, but never fear...I am on the hunt!

 

A pair of Art Deco-Mid Century Modern Cranes, were discovered for $8. Many thought I should leave them powder blue....

 

 

...but my heart hankered for pink...

 

...they've dried now, and been treated to necklaces of black and gold tassels. See that pic further down. I'm so happy with them.

 

Pretty glamorous.

 

Speaking of glamorous, it only took me a nanosecond to scrounge a polystyrene ball and some skewers from my craft cabinet to cobble together a Spiny Coral in metallic gold....

Inspiration here...

 

 

Hmmm.....I think I need more skewers...lol!

 

 

With all that pink abounding, Husband asked with a raised eyebrow whether we were incorporating any more Husbandly elements into this Chinoiserie Thing...

 

This Robert Allen fabric was just what the Husband ordered...toning nicely with the watercolour above our bed. This will become cushions, bolsters and upholstery for an ottoman...

I haven't found a bamboo mirror to paint yet, but you know me. I will...

 

Look! Hot pink! It's a thing in Chinoiserie. Honest. Along with Greek Key trims, ginger jars, tassels, pagodas, bamboo, and metallic finishes. Heaven.

 

Check out these lamps. Yummy right? I can't bring myself to have pink lampshades though. That's a bit TOO much pink.

 



 

My lamps here...they were $6 for the PAIR people...

 

 

...here's those Art Deco crane figurines before...note the photo frame in turquoise too (now pink)...

 

 

… and here they are after...glossy pink and lovely, looking glam with black and gold tassels...

 

 

...those lamps...they're getting a Greek Key trim on the bottom of the shades. Like this...

 

 

...here..see…

 

 

 

The desk is an ever changing vignette just now. But I'm edging ever closer to a final fit.

 

Note my fab ottoman. They're all over Pinterest as Loom ottoman. I bought this beauty for $5, twenty years ago, and never finished restoring it. Now is the time. It's going to be gold with my Robert Allen fabric on top and that big, fat tassel remaining in place.

 

I'm having fun.

 

Total spend so far? $175-ish.

 

Husband is happy. I'm happy.

 

What was your last big makeover?

 

Homespun Things....nesting and nurturing...

 

Life has been busy at the Mimi Household.

 

We built a fire pit at the request of First Born Son. He wanted a gathering around an open fire for his 40th birthday. We obliged. A fun time had by all.

 

Gluten free custard filled profiteroles were on offer in lieu of a birthday cake. Topped with chocolate ganache and strawberry slivers, they were a huge hit!

 

 

Best son number two, asked for a cake that had 'something with coffee' for his birthday a few days earlier.

 

I challenged myself with this Gateau Opera. It was a mission. Five layers of vanilla cake (gluten free of course), soaked in coffee, sandwiched with coffee cream and chocolate ganache, then topped with more chocolate ganache and crumbled Flake chocolate and edible gold.

 

 

It's a bit like a Tiramisu, but BETTER. Very much worthwhile!

 

Birthdays done and dusted, we moved into Spring cleaning mode here.

 

First task on the list was to reassess our bedroom which is a bit of a mish-mash of styles and eras, that has evolved over the years.

 

Research suggested to me, that we were already hovering on the edge of a Hollywood Regency-Chinoiserie Chic look, so some culling and redistributing and painting and polishing is going on here, to crystallise that idea.

 

Crystal, tassels, overblown roses...

 

 

...equestrian details, antique books...

 

 

Chinese knots and embroidery on abundant cushions...

 

 ...more tassels...

 

 

Lavish smocking or trellis details.

 

Little Buddhas got the golden treatment. Husband received these for Fathers Day last year, but they were black and most of their detailing was being missed.

 

I donned gloves, squeezed gold acrylic paint into my hand and smoothed it all over them, rubbing it into the pretty details.

 

And look!

 

Transformed!

 

This pic on Pinterest..

 

 

...reminded me that I had the very same stool, about to be repurposed in the garden. I rescued it.

 

It will get a new velvet seat...although with a white cat in the household now, I may live to regret that decision! Perhaps a white velvet seat with fuschia piping is the solution!

 

Speaking of fuschia, I love the pop of fuschia and bright pink in these pictures...

 

I'm not sure that Husband is ready for all-out pink though.

 

Little touches might be nice...

Thinking about pink, led me to purchase this ginger jar for $5 at one of my favourite charity stores...Orson & Blake if you please, so $60-ish retail...

 



 

...not quite Hermes...

 

 

..but with the addition of some hand painted gold embellishment, not too shabby!

 

 

Of course this little gem has been hiding at the back of my kitchen cupboard while crystal and silver vases got the preferential treatment.

 

No more!

 

 

Thankyou to my friend Jane, who suggested cutting Cordyline leaves for this one...

 

...look at that pretty little pagoda shaped detail at the top of the neck of my lamp...

 

 

Here's those little Hear no Evil, See no Evil, Speak no Evil Buddhas again. The golden treatment has done wonders for their good looks.

So what else can I paint now?

 

Have paint, will renovate...

 



Not these little Asian inspired bookends in granite...no-no-no.

 

I've just rescued them. They were husbands until he got some musical note inspired ones and relegated these to doorstops. Goodness!

 



 

Bookends they are once more...

 

 

...with a nod to Chinoiserie Moderne Chartreuse (green), and Fuschia (pink) in the book spines...

 

Here's that real deal full-on pink that I don't think Husband will EVER be ready for...

 

 

….although I have snuck in some vintage Crane statuettes that haven't led to an objection...what is it about Men that resists change??

 

I think these little cranes will get the gloss treatment as seen below.

 

Or maybe metallic.

 

Decisions, decisions.

 

Meanwhile, Daughter was about to discard this Bamboo Whatnot Shelf, having grown out of her Teen Boho bedroom.

 

 I grabbed it. It needs a cleanup and a small repair.

 

But perhaps this will be my nod to fuschia or chartreuse.

 

Or maybe I'll just leave it au naturel with some spray clear gloss, and use piping on my cushions as seen here...

 

 

For sure something will get this not-quite-silver-not-quite-gold treatment...

 

 

And whilst this quilt cover covered in Chinese inspired knots and this little plastic frame aren't perfect, they'll get renewed and repurposed too.

 

Did I tell you about the Swallows on my mixer yet?

 

That's a post for another day...

 

 

Meanwhile, look at this pretty Chinoiserie inspired vignette.

 

I love it.

 

What's your favourite decorating style?