Chinoiserie Wallpaper Ideas: Cranes, Herons and Garden Scenes

Chinoiserie, the European fascination with Chinese and Japanese art that began in the 17th and 18th centuries, gave us some of the most loved wallpaper motifs: flying cranes, wading herons, blossoming branches and garden pavilions. Here is how to bring them into a modern home.

1. Pick the background colour first

The same crane drawing changes mood completely with the background:

• White or ivory – light and airy, perfect for Japandi and Scandinavian rooms. See the White Heron Chinoiserie.
• Sage green – fresh and botanical, lovely with natural wood and rattan. See the Green Heron Chinoiserie.
• Soft grey – calm and elegant for bedrooms. See the Grey Heron.
• Black – dramatic and luxurious, great in a dining room or powder room. See the Black Heron Chinoiserie.
• Pink – playful and romantic, for a dressing room or a child’s bedroom. See the Pink Heron.

2. One feature wall is enough

Large birds on a bold background are a statement. Put them on the wall people see first: behind the bed, behind the sofa, or at the end of a corridor.

3. Small rooms love big patterns

A powder room or a hallway wrapped in cranes feels like a jewel box. Pre-cut sheets of 27.5 × 39.4 in (70 × 100 cm) are easier to handle than rolls in tight spaces.

4. Match the materials

Chinoiserie loves natural textures: linen, rattan, brass, warm wood and blue-and-white ceramics.

5. Choose real paper

Traditional chinoiserie wallpapers were paper. Ours are real paper printed in Italy with water-based inks, hung with a plant-based paste and removable with hot water.

Not sure which colour? Order A3 samples from the design pages and compare them on your wall.