An Eastern affair

You might choose a glossy lacquered box possibly in red (considered a lucky colour in Chinese culture), a highly- decorated ginger jar, or maybe a playful touch like a colourful parasol. However, if your passion becomes more serious - and this style is highly addictive - you could embrace hand-decorated, dark wood furniture or paper your walls in beautiful floral prints such as Cherry Blossom.

The look is termed Chinoiserie - an art form where furniture and accessories are patterned in the style of the detailed embellishments and complex decoration of Chinese designs, and you will find the genuine article taking centre stage in upmarket interiors shops but also appearing in the chain stores. Jemma Page, founder and partner of Orchid, a specialist in Chinese antiques and stylish accessories, is just one expert who forecasts that the style will find a place in our hearts. She says: "Western interiors have drawn influence from the East for many years but the new look that's emerging this Spring and Summer is much more about combining the best of both worlds - for a laid-back yet fairly European feel. "Modern interiors have moved away from a total 'look' - with rooms dominated by one style. Now people are seeking to stamp their own personalities on their interior schemes. The new Chinoiserie trend is much more pared back approach, which is about combining sleek, simple contemporary lines with statement pieces, such as an old antique with a story behind it. It's an approach that shouts 'worldwide chic'." It won't be difficult to be inspired. The focus is all on China this year with the Olympic games in Beijing in August, and an exhibition, China Design Now, at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London (March 15 to July 13) which will showcase the work of the nation's designers in all fields including furniture and interior products and architecture. Liberty's store in London will also have an array of Chinese products, from March 15, which will make it a hot source for those who discover a yen for the style. Jemma points out that it's easy to create the look. "Perhaps start with your favourite mementoes from your travels or a colourful collection of souvenirs, and display them on a dark wood console table or sideboard. Mix some shocking pink silk cushions with a dramatic dark teak table and offset the look with white walls. You could make a statement with a decorative piece, that is painted with floral designs or scenes from Chinese life. "Don't be afraid to mix textures and colours as long as they are generally within the same colour theme. The symmetry - pairing tables, chairs or even ornaments - gives a sense of order and harmony. It conjures a restful, calming atmosphere which will appeal to those who want their rooms to be an escape from the stresses and strains of everyday life." Bamboo - perhaps as a screen - and stone and other natural materials provide the basis for a soothing colour palette of brown, grey and green, and the effect will be brought to life by soft floral patterns and colours incorporated in decorative pottery and embellished textiles. Why not celebrate the Chinese New Year - with February 7 the start of the 15-day festival - by adding a touch of the East to your home. There's no need to get your passport out and travel far afield to find Eastern treasure. Just follow our guide to creating it and the best sources.

DRAGON'S DEN 8Genuine Chinese antique furniture can come at a hefty price tag, but there's a wealth of reproduction furniture that would satisfy the discerning, without breaking the bank. For visual inspiration as well as good quality choice visit stores like Liberty, the General Trading Company, or Andrew Martin in London.

There are many other companies which specialise in Eastern-style furniture and broadly the choice divides into those which have the signature hand-painted details of Chinese scenes or florals, those with high gloss, or lacquered surfaces, and those which have the spirit of the style in their elegant good looks.

Lombok is an excellent source for the latter. Its Canton range is particularly attractive. A dark wood Canton cross-back dining chair, £115, a glass-topped Chinese coffee tables, £425. Accessorise with its splendidly-intricate, wooden birdcage, £60.

Orchid's exclusive Mandarin collection, sourced from the East, is a clever blend of pieces that can perfectly suit today's rooms while still being totally authentic. Its Mandarin trunk, embellished with a traditional ornate lock - is an excellent example. It comes in white - ideal for our contemporary palette - or in classic black or brown. A dark- wood, traditional, high-gloss chest would be a handsome addition to a room. Both £360.

OKA is a well-established source for chic furniture with an Eastern twist, and its hand-painted, highly-decorative, Manchu bureau could be a statement piece in a living room or the focal point for a tranquil study.

EASTERN DREAMS Tranquility, harmony and a sense of calm is essential in a bedroom, and and it is easy to make an Eastern dream a reality with bedroom ranges that echo Eastern chic.

Hammonds has an Eastern inspired Verve bedroom range in dark sable oak which is sleek and handsome, and starts from £3,000. A glossy lacquer finish is the most glamorous element of the style, and Sharps Metropolitan bedroom furniture is stunning in Ivory hi-gloss finish, with a dark highland oak frame. Prices start from £1,800.

Truly emulate the look of an Emperor's bedchamber with And So To Bed's lavishly carved and decorated Mandalay range. Bed (5 ft) £1,995, bedside table £399.

Embellishments and complex decoration of Chinese designs, and you will find the genuine article taking centre stage in upmarket interiors shops but also appearing in the chain stores.

Jemma Page, founder and partner of Orchid, a specialist in Chinese antiques and stylish accessories, is just one expert who forecasts that the style will find a place in our hearts.

She said: "Western interiors have drawn influence from the East for many years but the new look that's emerging this spring and summer is much more about combining the best of both worlds - for a laid-back yet fairly European feel.

"Modern interiors have moved away from a total look' - with rooms dominated by one style. Now people are seeking to stamp their own personalities on their interior schemes. The new Chinoiserie trend is much more pared back approach, which is about combining sleek, simple contemporary lines with statement pieces, such as an old antique with a story behind it. It is an approach that shouts worldwide chic'."

It won't be difficult to be inspired. The focus is all on China this year with the Olympic games in Beijing in August, and an exhibition, China Design Now, at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London (until July 13) which will showcase the work of the nation's designers in all fields, including furniture and interior products and architecture.

Liberty's store in London will also have an array of Chinese products, which will make it a hot source for those who discover a yen for the style.

Jemma points out that it is easy to create the look.

"Perhaps start with your favourite mementoes from your travels or a colourful collection of souvenirs, and display them on a dark wood console table or sideboard. Mix some shocking pink silk cushions with a dramatic dark teak table and offset the look with white walls. You could make a statement with a decorative piece, that is painted with floral designs or scenes from Chinese life.

"Don't be afraid to mix textures and colours as long as they are generally within the same colour theme. The symmetry - pairing tables, chairs or even ornaments - gives a sense of order and harmony. It conjures a restful, calming atmosphere which will appeal to those who want their rooms to be an escape from the stresses and strains of everyday life."

Bamboo - perhaps as a screen - and stone and other natural materials provide the basis for a soothing colour palette of brown, grey and green, and the effect will be brought to life by soft floral patterns and colours incorporated in decorative pottery and embellished textiles.

GREAT WALLS 8Colour symbolism has always been extremely important to the Chinese. Black represents the will to gain wisdom, red a desire to express oneself, yellow symbolises the earth, white is the colour of purity and green is a symbol for plants and springtime.

Echoing those shades in wall decoration, and furnishings, is one of the simplest ways to reflect this style. Decorative papers and fabrics are highly popular for this year's homes, so there is a wealth of choice.

John Lewis has truly embraced Chinoiserie. Look for its appropriately named Tea Garden (above) or Osaka wallpapers , £15 a roll. Its Hokkaido fabric, £16 a metre, is a clever blend of modern and traditional with a circles and cherry blossom design in soft greens and blues.

Marks & Spencer's new Spring wallpaper collection, available online, has seductively pretty floral designs, as does Linda Barker's range for Graham & Brown. Her Floral Flourish, in rich red and grey or a cream colourway could be ideal for a feature wall. It costs £17.99 a roll.

An interesting alternative is Fired Earth's newly-launched Chinoiserie tile range. These hand-decorated tiles are inspired by the Chinoiserie wallpaper patterns of the early 19th century and they could be a stunning way of interpreting the style in a bathroom or kitchen. Tiles come in panels of four, six and 12 and cost £115 for a four-tile panel.

DRESSING THE TABLES 8 Sleek, dark-wood tables and settings which rely on excellent design for their beauty are the keynote of this style.

Dress the table appropriately with Jasper Conran's Chinoiserie chinaware for Wedgwood (below). It comes in a soft green or a green and white colourway. A charger plate, £80, Espresso cup, £20, and saucer £17.

John Lewis has glossy bamboo bowls, £12 each and a traditional-style bamboo tea pot, £25. Debenhams vibrant red Chinese Closet set of four place mats is £15 and matching coasters, £7.

EASTERN TOUCHES 8One or two ornate accessories could either be the finishing touch for an Eastern scheme or a way of flirting with the style.

Get the genuine article, both modern and traditional, by shopping at the V&A Museum shop in London while its China Design Now exhibition is on, as it will showcase an excellent range of homeware products.

It has decorated enamel ware, combining symbolic Peoples' Army imagery with that of the 2008 Olympics; tin canister, £11, and plate, £14. Items can be pre-ordered at the shop or online from March.

Pick Chinese signature bloom cherry blossom for homeware. Virgin Vie At Home has a Mandalay collection with homeware decorated in the flower; vase, £22.50, and cushion, £12. Its three pink Orchid wall canvasses are £27.50.

Explore John Lewis and you won't be able to resist a classic accessory, a decorative ginger jar, £30, a 'lucky' red keramica Onion vase, from £25, or a Cherry Blossom cushion from £20.

Have fun with a parasol. John Lewis has them for £20 and Habitat, £19.