Add Oriental Touches to Your Home

Give your Interior Décor that exotic Touch with Asian Accessories

Nov 22, 2007

Heavy or light oriental features can give a mysterious yet vitalizing air to your winter home.

Old Eastern philosophy depicted as ‘yin-yang’ can work wonders in home décor. When enhancing your home with touches from the Orient, always keep in mind the principles of balance (yin-yang): dark is matched with light, soft is brought to life with vibrant. Orientals pride themselves as being good hosts, and their homes usually reflect this philosophy.

Colors

Oriental colors hint of such exotic materials as porcelain, jade and silk. To begin, select a soft white or ivory paint for the walls. Balance with dark-colored wood (like rosewood). Add dashes of vibrancy with royal Red or Yellow. Then balance this with Green – highly favored because of its elegance. A blue-green that looks like jade is gorgeous. Strong colors like Chinese Blue only work if you are confident you can balance it with something softer.

“Persians were the greatest decorative artists of any time…the Chinese come very close to them, their reputation depends largely on the wonderful colors they used.”[1]

Lighting

Special lighting can be created with paper lanterns. Choose rounded, organic shapes such as those reminiscent of lotus flowers and water lilies, for a meditative air. Mirrors have to be placed strategically, according to Feng Shui experts [2]. They enlarge a narrow corridor or fill a blank wall, but can also push you out of the space if not careful. Asians place ‘bagua’ mirrors on their front doors to keep out street energy.

‘Bite-Size’ Your Accessories

Like a typical Oriental meal portion, size is of utmost importance. Delicate and petite items are best. Low tables and tiny chairs, pillows and footstools – all these give your guests an immediate feeling of restfulness and a hint of pampering to come.

Waving Cat – Maneki Neko (see picture below)

A modern addition to the Oriental decor, the Waving Cat is placed at the entrance to homes, shops and office reception areas. The philosophy is simple: the Cat waves good fortune into your premises. You can buy these Cats in ceramic or plastic, they are very adorable and come in different colors.

Textures to Enrich Surroundings

Look for accessories that use jade or agate to add richness. Rosewood furniture is sometimes inlaid with mother-of-pearl. Lacquered boxes, folding screens and embroidered curtains are all conspicuously Eastern and if used, should be subtle or else be the focal point of your room.

Calligraphy & Couplets

Add drama with Chinese calligraphy. Minimalists love a single Chinese character on a square sheet of paper. Did you know the Chinese character ‘Fu’(fortune) is hung upside down in Chinese homes? The Chinese believe that a call for fortune should face the sky (heavens). Chinese couplets are a more unusual choice. The best time to get these is during the Chinese New Year. Couplets should be vertically positioned side by side, usually on a door. When buying them remember they should come as two lines of phrase (photo below).

Of Bonsai & Bamboo

Plants are a beautiful way to add Green to your home and the element of Wood. Most people know of Bonsai, but what about Lucky Bamboo? This special bamboo plant is made of little bamboo shoots all twisted up to give a happy yet artistic effect. What’s more, it is supposed to bring you luck! Tangerine Trees and Money Tree Plants are favorites with Asians. Those with a poetic disposition should try Pussy Willow – perfect for the winter but also very Japanese.

Orientalize Your Kitchen

If you are aiming for a complete look, invest in Oriental cutlery, such as a beautiful tea set. An unusual teapot, such as a Yi Xing teapot (picture below), known for keeping the flavor of tea long after brewing, can leave a lasting impression on your guests. These days you can find lacquered chopsticks in satin cloth sets. Chopstick rests (hashioki) are a posh option. Or go for simple white bone china bowls, spoons and mugs.

Exotic Animals

Dragon symbols immediately add the element Fire to your house. Just be sure not to overdo it. If you have a study table made of dark wood, a jade Dragon would sit beautifully on it. The Phoenix is another overlooked symbol of union and regrowth. In recent years Koi fish have become very popular in Asia and are looked upon as lucky. For an idea of what animal to use, simply look at the Chinese zodiac for inspiration.

Year of the Rat

2007 is the Year of the (golden) Pig and there is endless supply of Pig paraphernalia. How then can home décor welcome 2008, the Year of the Rat? Rats are known to be house-proud, their favorite color is light blue and they love acquiring things. Which means that to keep up with the spirit of the Year of the Rat, collecting oriental knick-knacks is all the more worthwhile for the New Year!

Sources

If you love Asian home decor, and want something more Southeast Asian, you may want to look at teak root furniture.

The copyright of the article Add Oriental Touches to Your Home in Interior Decorating is owned by Lynette S.K. Webster. Permission to republish Add Oriental Touches to Your Home in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.