boiserie

American  

[bwah-zuh-ree] / bwɑ zəˈri /

noun

1. sculptured paneling, especially that of French architecture in the 18th century.

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Etymology

Origin of boiserie

1825–35; < French: wainscot, equivalent to bois wood + -erie -ery

Example Sentences

The setting inside the Fondazione Prada emphasised the inside/outside theme, with pink and white walls decked out with elegant boiserie and marble fireplaces, but also exposing brick construction beneath.

From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026

Although early on he had restored virtually every surface, including the parquetry floors and boiserie, the décor was relatively stark — at least for him — and done in shades of ivory and wheat.

From New York Times • Nov. 10, 2021

The handsome young aesthete was in his element at the French palace, watching in wonder as his mentor stripped away 19th-century red velvet wall coverings in order to revive the delicate ancien régime boiserie underneath.

From Architectural Digest • Apr. 7, 2015

The interiors retain much of their historic character, with handsome boiserie and decorative fire­places, while boasting such amenities as a screening room.

From Architectural Digest • Nov. 18, 2014

The door was opened at once, and she was taken through the quaint square hall into the master's own sitting-room, a richly sombre place of oak boiserie and old crimson silk.

From The Price of Things by Glyn, Elinor