You can have your Asian inspiration without the wallpaper.

I don’t think wallpaper is going to work there, maybe a large artwork something modern and happy/ colourful or smaller artworks hang like a gallery wall .

I think it will be gorgeous when you find the one you love. I would probably frame it like a panel so doesn’t look odd ending.

Chelsea House has beautiful chinoiserie panels. Perigold carries some I believe. Here are just a few.

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The wallpaper is difficult because it's not easy to start and stop it. I like the panels suggested or the Asian artifacts. Hard to complete with that rug that is so very prominent.

Thank you all for your comments. Just to clarify, I'm not going for Asian influences. We already have items in our house to honour my heritage (British born) and DH's (Native American). It's difficult enough blending those two without adding a third ethnic group ;-) .

The wall in question has a full height 90 degree turn on the left side (entry closet is on perpendicular wall) and a small 1" return to the kitchen cabinets on the right side so wall paper could easily be started/stopped. Unless I'm missing something (highly probable)?

I think that you have all helped to answer the part of the original question as to whether the chinoiserie is too traditional - it is. So what would lean more transitional rather than traditional?

Thank you, lynartist and hollybar, for those lovely chinoiserie panel suggestions. They are gorgeous!

Transitional is tough as it's not super descriptive. We all can imagine a quintessential modern style. And we all can imagine a quintessential traditional style. Transitional is sort of a grey nebulous between/combining the two. You already have a great eye for traditional; it might help us help you if you tell us why you want to lean more towards transitional. Is it more neutral colors? Simpler lines? What interior photos have you come across that you love? Wallpaper (to me) feels pretty traditional, so I'm not sure adding it would pull your space more to the contemporary regardless of the pattern. Hanging an overscale Piet Mondrian print would certainly do that - but I'm prettttty sure that's not the most elegant solution :)

Good questions, arch13. I prefer clean simple lines - like the shaker style cabinets. I also like the quality of what is now disparagingly called "brown furniture". I would like to have my spaces less fussy and dark. For example, these are the bar stool and sofa styles (but not the sofa colour) I've been considering...

As to colours, I particularly like white/off white and darker woods together.

Edit - I just realised that some of my idea books - great room, dining room, etc - were set to private. I've now made these public.

These are a couple of more modern type wall paper

Are you planning on replacing any of the current "brown" as you move toward a less dark & less traditional space? I am not suggesting getting rid of all of it but honestly,I just don't see how using so much of it will ever get you where you are aiming. Difficult dilemma, hope others chime in.

Hollybar, I’m currently planning on replacing the counter stools in the kitchen, the chairs in the DR and most, if not all, of the great room furniture, including the brass lamps. I had actual planned on replacing the great room furniture a while ago ... and then daughter needed $ help, needed to work on outside projects, etc, etc. You know how it goes.

Most of the “brown” is solid cherry or mahogany, so I have not been able to bring myself to paint any of it. I would rather replace it.

Your traditional furniture is very nice. Do you still like it? If you are tired of it I would suggest taking it to a high-end consignment store or furniture auction and selling it all as a set rather than breaking it up. Can you move the rug to a bedroom? Then you can start fresh. If you don't want to do that, I would suggest the chinoiserie panels or the large urns and blue and white decor to liven up the room.

Doubtful that I would paint any of your "brown",either. Not always against painting,just can't do it myself to pieces that are perfect. (although I confess to having some mismatched,dinged up cherry bookcases lacquered)

Have you decided on new dining chairs? Those,alone,will make a huge difference. & make it easier to imagine that wallpapered wall ;-) Sometimes the jigsaw puzzle aspect of decorating fascinates me....especially when one part of the puzzle, like new dining chairs,opens up a world (Pandora's Box) of creative possibility.

This is more of the direction I'm thinking of...keep the rug, table, sideboard but lighten up the rest. The chairs would be more of a parsons style chair but without the skirt - I'm not sure what the correct term is for that.

And this is the other side of the dining area....

Do these look better? These chairs are from the kitchen table set I used to have in the previous house - when I had an eating area and formal dining room. I'm not sure why I hadn't thought of using these with this table. The seat is about an 1" higher than the current chairs and they have a different style leg.

A tiny bit off topic, but this week’s episode of Bravo’s Best Room Wins focuses on transitional design - lots of good eye candy and inspiration. It’s worth finding it on demand if you’re looking for ideas for beautiful transitional spaces.

Transitional? Greek Key Modern will work perfectly.

Darn, we get Bravo but our content must be different in Canada - more Killing Eve, The Handmaid's Tale, CSI - no Best Room Wins or any other decorating show.

Order one roll each of a peel and stick wallpaper; maybe 3 or 4 different patterns. Some places have samples, also; don't know about you but I need to see something larger than 12" x 12" in an open space area like yours. You can put a big piece, little piece, combo pieces, whatever ;-) on the wall and see what makes you happiest. Peel and stick wallpaper - great invention !

edenchild, you have a lovely home as I am certain you know. I’m thinking your taste has changed since you purchased your Queen Anne furnishings? It is true that you can mix traditional with more modern but it becomes impossibly difficult to mix “period furnishings”

of a single genre such as QA with other styles. QA specifically is most difficult! Chippendale pieces are more mixable as for instance the straight legged Chippendale chair which is now being referred to as Chinoiserie piece (eyes rolling). The long and short of it is if you want to mix a traditional style with more modern or transitional pieces you will need to sell Queen Anne buffets, chairs and opt for really traditional pieces rather than specific period pieces. The chippendale style is easiest to update because it doesn’t have the “C” curves and cabriole legs of the QA style. I would recommend beginning with the table. You may have the ball and claw table if you change out the chairs and matching buffets. Lots of talented designers here will get you started. I just don’t want to trade on the idea you have an easy fix with new chairs and wallpaper.

GO WALLPAPER! I'll even double down and suggest Flavor Paper - which has some great plays on toile that definitely require a double take. If that's too much - Barbara Hulanicki did a great line for Graham & Brown that's super tasteful (<--it's on sale right now too!)

Hope that helps,

-frank

Pretty room! What about a colored grass cloth or simple texture?

I think wallpaper on that wall will look too busy with your other details like the patterned rug and beautiful ceiling. Since the rug and dining set is very traditional, look for something more streamlined and modern for the wall. I would look for a large piece of art or a beautifully framed mirror for the space, which would reflect the view out your windows.

Another that didn’t post last time

I just finished wallpapering my bedroom and baths with Chinoiserie wallpaper. I had fallen in love with De Gournay papers but the price was gaspingly expensive and so I found a fabulous source on Etsy - it's a Chinese factory which will do any design you want. The price wasn't cheap but about 20% of what De Gournay would have charged.

If you look at the galley photos on the De Gournay site or otherwise google, there are lots of ways to use Chinoiserie paper as accents that don't look like a Georgian country home - I was just checking out what would have been authentic paper in the 1832 sets of Gentleman Jack which had some gorgeous stuff.

My bedroom and baths took inspiration from Hollywood Regency; Art Deco, Arts & Crafts so aren't traditionally "traditional" anyway :-).

Karen Paul, thank you so much for your explanation. That makes sense and helps me understand why I’m having such trouble with this.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><md>Frank, Molly, Helen and calidesign, thanks for your comments. I like the idea of adding texture with wallpaper. I think I may need to change some of the furniture first before I can decide on art or wallpaper. I thought this would be a simple change

edenchild, I just happened to notice your dining table legs are also Queen Annesque. Thought they were ball and claw. Do you want to remain with your rug’s colors...red and blue? Do you yet know what your plans are for the adjacent room? You mentioned an eventual redo of that room as well.

Chairs such as these can easily be recovered in a more modern fabric. The lines are simple...very much a classic (the key word here) and are highly adaptable. This sideboard wants to be a Hepplewhite piece and yet it carries the Queen Anne hardware. This would work with your QA table and make for a more traditional rather than period look. These few changes make a big difference when attempting to change things up. You can draw outside the box with color. For instance this Oriental style rug in an unabashedly bright blue, raises the energy considerably. This may not be your taste but you get the process behind such a pick.

I just went into EA as they have many transitional styles. I copied some arm chairs that would work toward a good transition.

Notice we have either a tapered or straight leg with these and one with a back curvature and a back splat which is so wildly adaptable. It wants to be on the order of Empire styling with that back and the splay of the back legs.

..

So here are a few pieces to get you started to a more transitional look. We can use the off-white upholstered EA chair and reiterate the straight lines (legs) with a mixed media buffet/table, also reflecting your off-white chair fabric. Now you can use a wood table to reflect the finish of the chairs.
This one just happens to have clean lines with tapered legs...a simple version of traditional.

I found for $675 on Etsy this painted sideboard outfitted with gorgeous updated hardware. Playing around, here is another look.

Karen Paul, thank you for all the time, thought and effort that you have put into this. Forgive me if I am wrong but it seems that you are suggesting that the only way forward is to replace the table, chairs, sideboard and rug .... in other words, everything? That seems drastic.

To answer one of your questions, the rug absolutely stays. My DH and I purchased it on a trip to Turkey and I still like it.

Did you look at the chair replacement I made above? It’s similar in style to one of the chairs you suggested (only without arms) and has the major advantage of already being in the house.

Re the great room - I posted a photo of the style of sofa I am looking at for that room. I haven’t picked anything else for there because I have to find a sofa fabric that works with the oriental rug in there (and resists golden retriever hair!). I will probably go with metal/glass tables but that’s as far as my thinking goes to this point.

edenchild, I didn’t see the chair until you just now mentioned it! It’s a great option with the straight legs and upholstery. It is certainly a viable start. I did visit your ideabook and think you have a handle on what I’m saying. The Baker chairs with round table is the right track. In fact, I have that X back chair in one of my bedrooms and I love it! You don’t have to get rid of everything. I was just mostly playing around with pieces.

Yes QA may be a bit more difficult to incorporate in your quest to be more eclectic; but I don’t think it’s impossible. You obviously have taken great care with this furniture and it is in wonderful shape. If you switch the chairs at the head of the table it may help to create a less formal look. I would look for chairs with a bit of curve to the leg though. I don’t think the cream chairs you currently have are exactly right, not enough detail nor height. I might want to change the sideboard to something a bit less matchup.

Oops!

OP, why not use the white chairs you have as (at least) placers? It will help to get your eye adjusted and heck,you may even decide on a different direction for around the table. I also think you should consider starting at the great room and work back toward kitchen. Once that area becomes more casual and "light",it may be easier to gauge how much (and where) QA stays.

BTW, I very much like your rug and your very beautiful table! I don’t have a problem with traditional furniture; adding a few other elements to the mix can make it interesting!

Ooooh, I like those chairs, Lynartist. Question - does it make more sense to change the 2 end chairs versus the 4 side chairs? Just seems like there would be more impact from the 4 rather than the 2 but I’m a very linear thinker, so what do I know? Obviously that’s why I’m here.

Hollybar, your suggestions are good. I will change out the side chairs for now while I consider replacing the other pieces. I’ll post a new picture in the morning when there’s more light.

BTW, I forgot to mention how much I liked your jigsaw puzzle analogy. That’s exactly how I feel - but with no finished picture to guide me.

It makes more sense to me to keep your four chairs. The two chairs at the head of the table can be different and still looks cohesive to me. Having them be a bit larger and taller has impact also.

If you mean the wall behind the buffet, you might paint it a color found in the rug -- cranberry, navy, or the rose pink. I believe these colors would warm up the space considerably.

I also have 2 of these small (they are only 21” wide across the top) wing chairs that I could have recovered for the ends. Are these still too QA-ish?

Does the small wing chair have the same seated height as your 4 chairs? Is the pitch of the back conducive to eating?

And that’s why you are good at what you do and I’m not, Karen. I hadn’t thought to look at those measurements. I will do so and report back.

They are very nice but.... I think your falling back into that very traditional bent again.As Karen says , they will most likely not be comfortable to sit on at the table though.

If the height is ok and you do want to use them make sure the seat cushion is firm enough. The upholsterer can do that. They will most likely be a tad deep so adding back pillows can help with that.

Ok, so I moved the other fabric chairs into the DR this morning. I’m going to take your advice, Karen Paul, Lynartist and Hollybar, and live with them for a while before I do anything further in the DR. I will concentrate on the Great Room, but the weather is improving so I need to get some gardening done first.