With Christmas almost upon us we’re busy thumbing through our favourite glossy home magazines and looking towards key interior designers for their decorative guidance on how to bring an elegant touch of Chinese charm to our festive décor themes throughout the home.
So with this in mind, we thought, who better to speak with than Wendy Morrison, whose unique style is totally inspired by nature, maximalism and of course Chinoiserie!
Completely obsessing over all things Christmas, oriental art and of course blue and white ceramics, we were keen to catch up with one of our favourite stylists and find why she loves Chinese design so much and what top tips she has to share for those looking to bring a flurry of oriental opulence to their homes over the festive period...
- Where does your love of Chinoiserie style art come from?
Probably for my love of Asian mythology and beautiful things, I always find it the richest and most beautiful of interiors, there is so much depth through layering and always a story to find.
- What choice décor pieces would you recommend introducing to inject a feel of your exquisite and distinctive style?
Obviously a lovely vase is a good accessible starting point along with a rather nice hand embroidered or hand painted screen. A screen or room divider, as well as being impactful, it is also portable and can move around the house and hide unsightly corners and plug points.
|
And, whatever your Christmas look, we think that Blues and white ceramics can be easily introduced to an array of décor themes; opposite we show how our Large Blue and White Oval Planter can be incorporated to showcase seasonal floral displays into a room’s design… here we’ve chosen a white hydrangea to complement the print on the plant pot, but you could also use a red poinsettia or even a min Christmas tree, decorated with gold and red accents. |
|
- How would you look to incorporate traditional ‘blue & white’ Chinese art into a festive décor scheme?
Due its rich nature in pattern and colour this would be easily incorporated into an eclectic scheme, personally I like to add to existing décor with lights, candles and foliage, where a blue and white vase could already be easily sitting within the scheme, you could perhaps add willow stems and berries to your vase to make it feel more festive. Also blue and white chinoiserie also naturally lends itself to a beautiful fresh dining scape... oh what fun.
- What in your home makes you happy?
Obviously family, happiest probably sitting around the dining table or around the fire. Interior wise I find great joy in creating beautiful little vignettes that make me smile, naturally these would be around focal points like the fire and the dining table, candles and flowers are great ways of creating these special little places where you can sit and contemplate.
| If you’re not one for going over-the-top at this time of the year, by simply grouping a number of oriental ceramics together with a pop of festive colour; we’ve placed a Ardisia Crenata - Coral Berry in one of our stunning Bird of Paradise Planter in order to create a wonderfully subtle and elegant nod to Christmas. And if required, to inject a further flourish of festiveness, we would look to tie a pretty ribbon bow around the neck of the |
 |
- What would you like to find waiting for you under the Christmas tree?
I regard myself as a very fortunate person, I have a beautiful family, a wonderful work life and friends…….but naturally I do love a gift, I have spied a rather lovely coat from Charlotte Simone and I might just gift myself a little Choose Love necklace I have been meaning to treat myself too for a while.
It was so nice chatting with Wendy on the ‘how to’s’ of decorating oriental style, and not just for Christmas... we were in firm agreement with her that it’s the perfect opportunity to switch a room around, add a little flamboyance and trying mixing and matching your tastes to create a daring look, which may just taking you into to a 2023 with a fantastic new outlook.