Moorish Furniture
After the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula in the eighth century, Islamic Spain became a cultural mix of influences that shaped both private homes and religious spaces. Moorish design was the name given to this style, which evolved through the 15th century with vibrant tile work, horseshoe arches and lavish ornamentation, most visible at sites such as Granada’s Alhambra and the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba. Moorish furniture was often similarly ornate, and featured pieces inlaid with wood, ivory and bone.
When European designers began studying Moorish art and architecture in the early 19th century, it led to a Moorish Revival. Appropriating the style’s decorative flourishes and architectural elements, it promoted a romantic view of Islamic design. Travelers could bring home a memento of what they witnessed in the Middle East, a trend that aligned with a fad for themed interiors. Men’s smoking rooms arranged with ottomans, divans and settees and inlaid tables were especially popular, as were cafés where coffee was served amid bead curtains and colorful floor mats. (Handwoven rugs are a centerpiece of Moorish interiors.) Octagonal rooms with domed ceilings were created for wealthy homes, frequently with furnishings like pipe stands, filigree plasterwork and arched doorways. The horseshoe arch is an iconic attribute of Moorish architecture that, in addition to Spain, can be found in Sicily, Morocco and elsewhere.
Several late 19th to early 20th-century movements featured Moorish touches. The American and English Aesthetic Movement, for example, borrowed liberally from global decorating styles, as seen in furniture designed by Lockwood de Forest, a New York-born artist who mixed Eastern and Western forms. The visual vocabulary of Art Nouveau also references the elegant use of geometry in Moorish design, with Milanese Art Nouveau furniture designer Carlo Bugatti drawing inspiration from the style. The Arts and Crafts movement, which prized expressive yet simple design, incorporated Moorish influences; hand-painted furniture and tile work created by William De Morgan, a British designer and potter who made furnishings for the likes of Morris & Co., were informed by techniques from Moorish Spain.
Find a collection of Moorish lighting, decorative objects, folk art and more furniture on 1stDibs.
Mid-20th Century Spanish Moorish Furniture
Fruitwood
Late 19th Century English Antique Moorish Furniture
Glass, Walnut
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Bone, Wood
1970s Indian Vintage Moorish Furniture
Reclaimed Wood
Mid-20th Century American Moorish Furniture
Glass
Late 19th Century Syrian Antique Moorish Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century Spanish Moorish Furniture
Silk
2010s American Moorish Furniture
Wrought Iron
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Porcelain, Hardwood
Mid-20th Century American Moorish Furniture
Art Glass
1920s Spanish Vintage Moorish Furniture
Wood
20th Century Asian Moorish Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century Moorish Furniture
Bone, Wood
1890s Swedish Antique Moorish Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Terracotta
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Paper
1890s Italian Antique Moorish Furniture
Metal
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Multi-gemstone, Silver Plate
Late 19th Century Syrian Antique Moorish Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century Syrian Antique Moorish Furniture
Ormolu
1950s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Multi-gemstone, Metal, Wire
1950s Austrian Vintage Moorish Furniture
Bronze
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Metal
1950s Austrian Vintage Moorish Furniture
Bronze
20th Century Italian Moorish Furniture
Glass
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century Syrian Moorish Furniture
Brass, Copper
Mid-20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Fruitwood
Early 20th Century French Moorish Furniture
Glass
1940s Spanish Vintage Moorish Furniture
Brass
20th Century Syrian Moorish Furniture
Bone, Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Moorish Furniture
Wood, Lacquer
Early 20th Century Moorish Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
1940s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
Late 19th Century Omani Antique Moorish Furniture
Brass, Copper
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Bone, Mother-of-Pearl, Ebony, Walnut
Mid-20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Leather
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Metal
19th Century Unknown Antique Moorish Furniture
Fabric
Early 20th Century Turkish Moorish Furniture
Metallic Thread
1960s Vintage Moorish Furniture
Metal
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Metal
20th Century Moorish Furniture
Wood
20th Century Syrian Moorish Furniture
Wood
Late 20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Wood
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
1880s Syrian Antique Moorish Furniture
Bone, Mother-of-Pearl, Ebony, Walnut
Late 19th Century French Antique Moorish Furniture
Bronze
Late 19th Century Turkish Antique Moorish Furniture
Wool
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Shell, Wood
1920s Vintage Moorish Furniture
Wood
2010s Turkish Moorish Furniture
Wool
1940s Spanish Vintage Moorish Furniture
Brass
19th Century Antique Moorish Furniture
Bronze
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Metal