Dixie French Provincial Furniture
Mid-20th Century American French Provincial Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Mid-20th Century American French Provincial Night Stands
Brass
Mid-20th Century Unknown French Provincial Side Tables
Laminate, Hardwood, Paint
Mid-20th Century American French Provincial Beds and Bed Frames
Maple
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Late 20th Century American French Provincial Dining Room Chairs
Rush, Walnut, Paint
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Swedish Scandinavian Modern Wall Lights an...
Metal
2010s American Georgian Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Mahogany
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass, Bronze, Enamel, Nickel
Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Beds and Bed Frames
Fabric, Linen, Wood, Paint
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Benches
Fabric, Velvet, Lacquer, Wood
2010s American Regency Beds and Bed Frames
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century American Victorian Beds and Bed Frames
Iron
2010s American Table Lamps
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Country Beds and Bed Frames
Oak
Antique Early 1900s French Louis XV Beds and Bed Frames
Upholstery, Velvet, Wood
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Beds and Bed Frames
Cane, Walnut
20th Century American French Provincial Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Chestnut
Vintage 1970s Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Wood
Early 20th Century American Chippendale Beds and Bed Frames
Mahogany
Recent Sales
Vintage 1970s American French Provincial Night Stands
Wood
Mid-20th Century French Provincial Beds and Bed Frames
Cane, Hardwood
Mid-20th Century American French Provincial Dressers
Walnut
Vintage 1970s American French Provincial Dressers
Brass
A Close Look at french-provincial Furniture
Removed from the fashions of the court, French Provincial style developed in the provinces of the country, such as Provence, Normandy, the Loire Valley and Bordeaux. Dating to the 17th and 18th centuries, French Provincial furniture was not as ostentatious as the designs being produced for the royal palaces, but elegant S-shape cabriole legs and ornate carvings elevated the sturdy chairs, sofas, tables and bedroom furniture intended for everyday use.
Although it varies by region, antique French Provincial furniture is unified by solid construction and an artisanal attention to design. While this furniture often followed the metropolitan trends — including the Rococo or neoclassical aesthetics of Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI — since it was produced in the French countryside it was more subdued with nods to its rustic settings.
Local materials like fruitwoods, oak, beech and walnut were used to construct large French Provincial armoires for storage and comfortable armchairs with rush-woven seats. Wrought-iron elements and carvings like floral details and scallop patterns were common as ornamentation. Furniture was frequently painted white or other muted colors that coordinated with gilt and would acquire a patina of age over time. Other wood was just stained with vibrant fabric such as toile de Jouy, which sometimes depicted pastoral scenes, adding color as upholstery.
The style arrived in the United States after World War I, with soldiers returning home wanting furniture like what they had seen in the rural homes and castles of France. In Grand Rapids, Michigan, designer John Widdicomb split from his family business, the Widdicomb Furniture Company, and had been focusing on Louis XV– and French Provincial–style furnishings since the early 1900s. Other American manufacturers such as Baker, Drexel, Henredon and Thomasville also responded to demand. Today antique French Provincial pieces and reproductions continue to be popular.
Find a collection of antique French Provincial dining tables, seating, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.