Ralph Lauren Provincial Mahogany
Late 20th Century Colombian Louis XV Night Stands
Brass
20th Century French French Provincial Side Tables
Brass
Antique 19th Century French French Provincial Serving Tables
Brass
People Also Browsed
20th Century British Georgian Night Stands
Hardwood
21st Century and Contemporary Art Deco Dining Room Chairs
Suede, Mahogany
2010s Austrian Jugendstil Chandeliers and Pendants
Silk
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Art Deco Dry Bars
Nickel
21st Century and Contemporary English Modern Armchairs
Leather
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Brass
Antique 1880s English High Victorian Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather, Oak
20th Century Demi-lune Tables
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Cupboards
Hardwood
Vintage 1940s European Louis XVI Console Tables
Walnut
20th Century English Victorian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Hardwood
Late 20th Century American Louis XV Night Stands
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Table Lamps
Porcelain
21st Century and Contemporary British Colonial Dining Room Chairs
Wicker, Rattan, Mahogany
Antique Early 1900s English Edwardian Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather, Oak
Vintage 1960s Mid-Century Modern Demi-lune Tables
Glass
Recent Sales
Late 20th Century Colombian French Provincial Beds and Bed Frames
Mahogany
Early 2000s American French Provincial Dining Room Tables
Mahogany
1990s American French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Mahogany
Early 2000s American French Provincial Dining Room Tables
Mahogany
20th Century French French Provincial Armchairs
Hardwood
20th Century French French Provincial Desks
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.