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.
Mid-20th Century North American French Provincial Furniture
Iron, Sheet Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Asian French Provincial Furniture
Wood
Mid-19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Pine
Late 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Linen
Late 20th Century Italian French Provincial Furniture
Pottery, Faience
Early 1900s Antique French Provincial Furniture
Bentwood
Late 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Iron, Tin
21st Century and Contemporary Asian French Provincial Furniture
Wood
20th Century French Provincial Furniture
Fabric, Hardwood
Late 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Ceramic, Pottery
1950s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Ceramic, Faience
19th Century European Antique French Provincial Furniture
Terracotta
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Cane, Paint, Wood
Mid-20th Century European French Provincial Furniture
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary European French Provincial Furniture
Stone
Late 20th Century French Provincial Furniture
Leather, Mahogany
Mid-20th Century French French Provincial Furniture
Bamboo
20th Century Italian French Provincial Furniture
Oak, Rush
1920s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Oak
20th Century American French Provincial Furniture
Wood
2010s Italian French Provincial Furniture
Alabaster
21st Century and Contemporary French Provincial Furniture
Cotton
20th Century French Provincial Furniture
Leather, Oak
Early 2000s French French Provincial Furniture
Velvet, Wood
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Oak
2010s Italian French Provincial Furniture
Alabaster
Late 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Crystal, Metal, Brass, Bronze, Gold Leaf
19th Century Antique French Provincial Furniture
Chestnut
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Furniture
Ceramic, Pottery
2010s American French Provincial Furniture
Limestone
19th Century European Antique French Provincial Furniture
Terracotta
19th Century Antique French Provincial Furniture
Brass
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Iron
1970s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Cherry
Late 20th Century French Provincial Furniture
Marble, Bronze
2010s Italian French Provincial Furniture
Alabaster
1970s Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Oak
Mid-19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Walnut
Late 18th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Oak
1880s Antique French Provincial Furniture
Blown Glass, Hardwood
21st Century and Contemporary French French Provincial Furniture
Paper
Early 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Cherry
Early 2000s American French Provincial Furniture
Metal
1990s French Provincial Furniture
Leather, Sheepskin
20th Century French French Provincial Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century French Provincial Furniture
Cane, Walnut
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Blown Glass
Late 20th Century French Provincial Furniture
Brass
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Porcelain, Cherry
Mid-20th Century French French Provincial Furniture
Faience
Late 18th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Cherry
Early 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Oak
1920s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Rush, Oak
20th Century French French Provincial Furniture
Porcelain
19th Century Antique French Provincial Furniture
Marble
20th Century Brazilian French Provincial Furniture
Rosewood
1860s Antique French Provincial Furniture
Oak
20th Century Brazilian French Provincial Furniture
Rosewood