Jeanantoine Houdon

As opposed to the styles that would follow from the other 18th-century French kings, Louis XV and Louis XVI, antique Louis XIV furniture is rigid and imposing. It expresses opulence — even its armchairs, with their upright backs, straight legs and lavish ornamentation, look like thrones. Authentic Louis XIV sofas, a then newly emerging iteration of seating, are fully upholstered and often feature decoratively carved frames of walnut, chestnut or oak.

When French King Louis XIV established his royal court at Versailles in 1682, he transformed what was once a hunting lodge into a palace that declared his wealth and power through its design. Until his death in 1715, he reigned with a spirit of excess and absolute political dominance. The “Sun King,” as he called himself, believed that France revolved around him as planets do the sun. Louis XIV adopted the sun as his emblem, decorating the grounds with symbols of the sun and Apollo, the Greek god of the sun. As he stated, “There is nothing that indicates more clearly the magnificence of great princes than their superb palaces and their precious furniture.” He was a child when he became king in 1643, only shaping his style after he became absolute monarch in 1661.

Reflecting trends in French Baroque art, Louis XIV furniture characteristics included exuberant decoration. There were gilded bronze details including shells, suns, grotesques, lions and classical references like acanthus leaves. The years of growth in the country’s manufacturing, such as the tapestries and cabinets made at Gobelins, led to design innovations. The commode replaced the chest as a storage device, with drawers and a surface that could double as a desk.

The materials were luxurious, such as the popular tortoiseshell veneer technique that leading cabinetmaker Pierre Golle used in his designs. André-Charles Boulle, who became royal cabinetmaker in 1672, was a masterful artist of marquetry, using inlays of ebony, exotic woods and mother-of-pearl.

Find a collection of antique Louis XIV bedroom furniture, chairs, tables and other pieces on 1stDibs.

The presence of vintage and antique bust sculptures can add a necessary decorative layer to any interior. And just because a statue looks classical doesn't mean it has to be conventional.

A touch of whimsy, a dose of drama — a single bust can alter a room. And when placed in just the right spot, these statues can almost feel alive.

“They give humanity in a way that a more abstract sculpture can’t give,” says Los Angeles designer Timothy Corrigan, who loves pieces that beg to be touched. For a welcoming entry hall project in California, Corrigan selected an antique Persian rug and a bust that invites you to touch it. A collection of sculptures in wood, marble and brass complement the star of the show.

For Consort cofounder and creative director Mat Sanders, a bust doesn’t have to be pretty. “I most enjoy busts that are a little busted,” Sanders jokes — but choose something with a soul you can live with, as “sculpture representative of the human form carries with it an energy you will add to the space.”

The antique and vintage bust sculptures for sale on 1stDibs include Art Deco busts, mid-century modern busts and more.