THE JOURNAL
January 2022
In celebration of Chinese New Year, we've curated the best Chinese-inspired home accessories to help you see in the year of the tiger in style.
Chinese Money Plant
To give it its botanical name Pilea Peperomioides has thick spoon-shaped leaves and is easy to maintain as it can grow in artificial as well as natural light. It's believed a money plant in your home helps remove financial obstacles and brings prosperity and good luck.
Pilea £12.59 from Crocus
Nara Planter £58
RegencyTray £64
Hand-painted Chinoiserie
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Chinoiserie derives from the French word for Chinese, ‘chinois’, and has been a feature of British homes since the beginning of the 17th Century.
Travelling the world was out of reach of the general population but, thanks to a global network of trade routes, the British became fascinated with the goods being brought back and, it soon became fashionable to imitate the fanciful designs of Chinese art and lacquerware.
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Channelling a traditional chinoiserie design, our hand-painted Regency Tray features a whimsical, oriental garden pattern. Perfect for a serving a few drinks, catching keys and wallets in the hallway or, decoratively, propped up on a shelf. Functional and beautiful.
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Pomelo and Basil Candles
The Chinese New Year festival comes to a climax on 15 February with the Yuan Xiao or lantern festival - celebrating reunion and reconciliation.
To celebrate, we’re launching a new range of candles which will be available later this month.
The first, is Pomelo and Basil. The Pomelo is native to Asia and is the largest of the citrus fruits. Like grapefruit but, with more delicate, floral notes, it’s in season for Chinese New Year and symbolises family unity. We’ve cut the Pomelo with the subtle, spicy tones of Basil to create an uplifting scent – perfect for dark and chilly February nights.
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But, whatever you do, don't try giving a candle as a gift this Lunar New Year. Chinese tradition preserves candles for remembrance so, these are just for you.
Imperial Lion Bookends
Buying or reading books on New Year’s Day is considered back luck as the Chinese word for book is similar to the word for lose so, it’s time to tidy your books away until after New Year.
Our Imperial Lion Bookends are inspired by the traditional statues you find protecting Chinese imperial palaces and places of worship. Hand-painted in the Jiangxi province of China, these guardian’s will keep your book collection safe until the celebrations are over.
Ai Weiwei – Liberty of Doubt, Kettle's Yard 12 Feb- 19 June
Okay, so we’ve cheated with this one it's not an accessory but, it is the hottest ticket in town.
If you’ve enjoyed our first, four style solutions and you’re looking for further inspiration (and, to ease our tetraphobia – the fear of the number four which is considered unlucky in Chinese culture) our fifth and final recommendation is Ai Weiwei’s upcoming solo exhibition, which opens at Cambridge’s Kettle’s Yard during the Lunar New Year.
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The exhibition by the artist, activist and former Cambridge resident explores the links between the contemporary world and traditional Chinese culture. It’s one of Harper Bazaar’s must-see exhibitions for 2022.
