There is a tremendous abundance of home decor styles today, oriental being one of the newest to gain a popular following. Oriental decor has not been popular in the mainstream for very long, but it is arguably gaining popularity faster than any other home decor style has in a long, long time. Just what exactly is oriental home decor? It is important to first define clearly what oriental style is – and what it is not.
Authentic or Clich ?
The most important distinction in determining whether something is an authentic oriental item, or whether it came from a tourist shop in Chinatown, is how Zen it is. Real oriental home decor is understated as a rule. Home decor from a tourist shop in Chinatown may decorate your home as well.
But is it oriental? The short answer is no. Items from tourist shops are generally everything but understated, and are marketed to appeal to shoppers looking for keepsake items and souvenirs. It does not appeal to a consumer who is leafing through an interior designer s portfolio, searching for pages that focus on oriental home decor.
Defining Authentic
Decoration that is authentically oriental is usually quite understated. On the one hand, it can involve only color, pattern and the occasional symbol that makes it oriental, such as very detailed flowers or nature scenes. However, oriental home decor does not have to be plain to be authentic. It does have to be absolutely beautiful, and it must be Zen . It cannot be frantic, and it cannot loudly proclaim its oriental qualities. The most beautiful and authentic oriental home decor would not even be identified as oriental by most people.
The simplest examples of oriental home decor, although they are not always identified as oriental, are vases with birds or flowers on them. Apart from what is depicted on such a vase, you will also notice that, most oriental vases are much smaller in size than their western counterparts are.
In addition to vases, there is a multitude of fine china available from Japan that many people use as home decor instead of as dinnerware. Noritake is perhaps the most well-known example; Noritake plates with birds or even with a simple gold rim adorn the walls of many homes that could be showcased for their oriental home decor.
The key to effective oriental home decor is simple; think understated, think balanced and think beautiful. With these three elements in mind you can transform any room into one that is enhanced by oriental home decor.
Keywords: Home Improvement, Home Decor