This weekend
my dear friend Maureen
and I were out antiquing.
She was looking for antique
English bamboo pieces.
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cocohouseandcompany.com |
They are so wonderful!
I wanted to pull up and post
a brief history on bamboo furniture,
but the history is very long and tedious
and I didn't want to bore you with the details,
So here is a Cliff Notes version
of the history of bamboo furniture.
The first pieces date back to early
China in the 1500's.
There are also examples appearing
throughout the Far East and India
dating from the 1600's.
But let's fast forward
to the turn of the nineteenth century --
to the early 1800's in England -- and to the
British East India Company that was formed
by European investors to carry on trade with
the East, Southeast Asia and India.
As a result, chinoiserie goods such as silk, bamboo,
lacquered decor and porcelain became
extremely popular in the United Kingdom.
Which brings us next to the Royal Pavilion at Brighton.
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Royal Pavilion at Brighton |
Brighton Pavilion was built as a seaside residence for George IV (1762-1830)
who was a huge fan of chinoiserie style. Though rooted in Chinese design, chinoiserie is a product of the imagination of the Europeans designers.
It was an artistic representation of all that was strange and unique to the Europeans about the Far East. The pavilion's interiors were heavily influenced with Chinese and Indian fashion -- with Mughal and Islamic architectural elements. It was a prime example of exoticism -- a shocking alternative to the classic mainstream taste of Regency style of the time.
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Spectacular at dusk. |
Here are some photos
of a few details at the Royal Pavilion.
(Now that I have seen the photos, I am dying to visit there!
Please comment and tell me if you
have had the pleasure of visiting this place, ok?)
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The Pavilion then. |
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The Pavilion now. |
So on to the main reason for the post....
to take a peek at some of the lovely
pieces out there that you can put in your home
to capture a little bit
of English style.
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1stdibs.com |
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Pinterest |
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1stdibs.com |
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cocohouseandcompany.com |
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supply.com |
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1stdib.com |
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Pinterest |
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1stdibs.com |
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Barclay Butera for Traditional Home |
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Pinterest |
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1stdibs.com |
Does this make you want to
put a little bamboo in your home too?
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Traditional Home |