The art of Chinoiserie
In the Coach House, you’ll find bespoke Chinoiserie wallpaper panels and a highly textured hand finished feature wall by London artist Diane Hill. We caught up with Diane on her recent return visit to Manor House, as she came along to extend the artwork for us. So we had a chat…
You’re known for your Chinoiserie art, how did you get into doing that?
I specialised in wallpaper design at uni and in my last year worked with Chinoiserie. It fascinated me from the very start; unusual in that the pattern never repeats. Around that time I got some work experience with a company in the UK that specialised in this style of art for interiors and then went on to work there for six years after uni. It was a dream job. The company flew me around the world to undertake touch-up work on existing art installations and I learnt so much there.
Where did you draw your inspiration from for the wedding wall in the coach house?
I worked with Sara, the owner here, who briefed me with a very clear idea of what she wanted. I created a moodboard for the Chinoiserie panels and the feel was to use a beautifully neutral palette that would seam nicely with weddings. The unusual thing here was that Sara wanted an antique look, which was achieved by carefully sanding sections of the painting. This ‘aged’ look gives a romantic feeling and brings depth and texture in a subtle way.
Tell me a little about the artwork you’re creating for the Manor House today?
I’m filling in a newly plastered part of the feature wall, to match in with artwork that I created a few years ago here. This wall was inspired by my sanded Chinoiserie panels and on this large scale piece I’m using paint and Polyfilla to create a bespoke textural finish in a gorgeously muted colour palette.
I understand sustainability is an important part of your work, can you tell me a little bit about that?
It’s so important to me that we care about the planet. I’m careful to have absolutely no unnecessary waste, so I only create my prints on demand rather than carry stock. My packaging choices are eco too, though at first I was unsure how wrapping a luxury art product in plain, recycled cardboard would be received, it was a conscious choice I’m glad I made.
Still one of our favourites parts of the building, Diane’s art in the Coach House makes a stunning impact and is loved by our wedding couples as a photographic backdrop on their big day.
