Chinoiserie Wallpaper, Printed or Painted by Hand?

Chinoiserie wallpaper comes in three forms. Printed rolls repeat a pattern and are the most affordable. Hand painted wallpaper panels are made in a studio and hung like paper, with each sheet different. A hand painted wall mural is painted straight onto your wall, so the branches, birds and blossom are drawn to fit that room and nothing repeats. Which is right depends on how much the room matters to you, how long you plan to stay, and whether you want something nobody else has.

What chinoiserie is

Chinoiserie is the European taste for Chinese motifs and techniques, which grew as Chinese goods reached Europe through trade. In wallpaper it usually means one of a few familiar subjects. Flowering trees with birds and butterflies among the branches, known as bird and flower designs. Landscapes with pavilions, bridges and water. Scenes of daily life, such as the growing and packing of tea. The style mixes real Chinese painting traditions with a European idea of what China looked like, which is part of its charm.

Chinese painted wallpaper in British houses

According to the V&A, the first Chinese wallpapers went on sale in London in the late seventeenth century, and the fashion lasted for more than a century. They were not rolls with a repeat. They came as sets of sheets, each different, that a skilled paper hanger joined into a continuous scene running around the room.

The National Trust looks after the largest collection of historic Chinese wallpapers on permanent public display in the world, across eighteen of its houses, and they show how the craft developed.

• Felbrigg Hall, Norfolk. The Chinese wallpaper was hung in 1752 by a London paper hanger, John Scrutton. Its outlines were woodblock printed in China and the colours added by hand, and the sheets are more than two metres tall. Scrutton cut around the trees and plants so the scenery runs on without a break.
• Saltram, Devon. Saltram has four different types of Chinese wallpaper, probably put up in the 1750s or 1760s. One shows the making of tea, with figures picking leaves and packing crates.
• Blickling Hall, Norfolk. A painted landscape paper from around 1760 repeats four almost identical landscape sequences.
• Nostell, Yorkshire. Thomas Chippendale did not only supply the furniture. He also sourced and hung the Chinese wallpaper.

From the late 1750s, fully hand painted papers took over from printed ones. Several painters worked on each sheet, each specialising in one part, such as architecture, rockwork, foliage or figures. English and French makers soon produced cheaper imitations, and early copies often fell back on a repeating pattern, which is exactly what the Chinese originals avoided.

Printed rolls, hand painted panels or a mural on the wall

Printed chinoiserie wallpaper

Printed rolls are the most affordable route and quick to hang. The design repeats down the roll, so you will see the same bird or branch appear at regular intervals, and the colours sit flat on the surface. For a cloakroom or a short term home they can look very pretty.

Hand painted panels

Hand painted panels follow the historic method. Each panel is painted in a studio, usually on paper or silk, and then hung in order to build a continuous scene. They have the depth and variation of real brushwork, but the design is planned on flat sheets away from the room, and seams and fixed panel widths have to be worked around doors, windows and chimney breasts.

A chinoiserie mural painted on the wall

A mural is painted by hand, on site, directly onto the wall. The composition is drawn to the room itself, so a branch can curl around a doorway, a bird can perch above a light switch, and the main tree can sit exactly where your eye lands as you walk in. There are no seams and no repeat. This is how Zavoré works. Our painters create chinoiserie murals by hand in your home, along with florals, landscapes and scenes, and we can seal a mural in a busy area such as a hallway or dining room so it can be wiped. You can see more on our murals page.

Gold leaf, silver leaf and grasscloth grounds

The background colour changes the whole mood of chinoiserie. A soft green, blue or cream ground feels light and garden like. A gold leaf ground glows in lamplight and gives an evening room real warmth. Silver leaf is cooler and quieter, and suits greys, blues and pale woods. Grasscloth adds a woven texture behind the painting, which softens it and makes it feel more relaxed.

Zavoré can paint chinoiserie straight onto the wall, or onto a gold leaf, silver leaf or grasscloth background, so the ground and the painting are designed together.

Where chinoiserie suits best

• Dining rooms. The traditional home of chinoiserie. A painted scene all the way round gives guests something to look at, and a gold ground is lovely by candlelight.
• Bedrooms. Soft colours and bird and flower designs make a calm backdrop, and a single painted wall behind the bed works well.
• Cloakrooms and powder rooms. A small room is the perfect place to be bold, with painting on every wall.
• Hallways and stairs. Tall trees can climb with the stair, which a repeating roll cannot do. Sealing helps the paint survive passing hands and bags.

If you are planning a wider scheme, our feature wall ideas and our guide to trompe l'oeil show other painted and plaster finishes that sit well beside chinoiserie.

Questions we get asked

Is chinoiserie wallpaper always hand painted?

No. Most chinoiserie wallpaper sold today is printed. Hand painted panels and murals painted on the wall are the hand made options, and each piece is different.

Can a chinoiserie mural go on just one wall?

Yes. Many people choose one wall, such as behind a bed or a dining table. Painting on site means the design can stop neatly at a corner or carry on round the room.

Will a painted mural survive in a busy hallway?

Zavoré can seal murals in busy areas so they can be gently wiped. Ask us about this when you plan the design.

Do you paint murals outside the Midlands?

Yes. Zavoré works across the UK, including London, Birmingham and Manchester.

Where to go next. See how we work on our hand painted murals page, explore our feature wall ideas, or get in touch to talk about a chinoiserie mural for your home. You can also call or WhatsApp 07592 929191, or email support@zavore.co.uk.