The Penthouse, History

Yet, it is the distinct East Asian decorative influences which make it truly captivating, as you will see in many newspapers covering the exhibit during the mid-century: 

Even our own beloved Kirby Hall makes meniton:

In a Life Magazine collected by , she explains some of the early markers that saw the development of a style that would become Chinoiserie. 

This movement was named the Chinoiserie style, a 17th century European decorative style which gained popularity throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. The design aspects of this style were often a romanticized interpretation of Asian culture, art, and architecture—namly of China, but also Japan and Southeast Asia.

It never achieved an accurate or true representation however, only ever representing a Western fantasy of what Eastern culture was through the imports they were captivated by: such as porcelain or silk.