Acoma Water
Late 19th Century More Art
Earthenware
Antique Early 1900s American Native American Native American Objects
Other
Antique 1890s American Native American Ceramics
Earthenware
1990s Native American Paintings
Paint, Paper
Late 20th Century American Native American Native American Objects
Other
People Also Browsed
Antique 1880s American Native American Native American Objects
Beads
Late 20th Century Native American Vases
Pottery
Early 20th Century American Native American Decorative Baskets
Other
Antique Late 19th Century American Navajo Rugs
Wool
Antique Early 1900s German Rococo Centerpieces
Porcelain
Antique Mid-19th Century German Rococo Porcelain
Porcelain
Late 20th Century German Baroque Porcelain
Porcelain
Antique 1860s German Rococo Centerpieces
Porcelain
Early 20th Century Native American Native American Objects
Cedar
Antique 1870s German Rococo Centerpieces
Porcelain
Early 20th Century German Baroque Porcelain
Porcelain
Early 20th Century American Native American Native American Objects
Pottery
Early 20th Century Native American Objects
Clay
1980s Abstract Expressionist Abstract Prints
Aquatint, Etching, Intaglio
Mid-20th Century American Native American Native American Objects
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary South Asian Navajo Indian Rugs
Wool
Recent Sales
20th Century American Native American Ceramics
Ceramic
Antique 19th Century American Native American Native American Objects
Clay, Earthenware
20th Century American Pottery
Pottery
Antique 19th Century American Native American Ceramics
Earthenware
Vintage 1930s American Native American Native American Objects
A Close Look at native-american Furniture
Native American broadly describes any Indigenous people in North America and encompasses hundreds of tribes and groups, all with distinct cultures. Native American–style furniture and decor likewise varies widely, from pieces created by Indigenous people to those appropriated by non-native designers.
Indigenous furniture’s rich heritage includes the bentwood boxes of the Northwest Coast carved from cedar for storing household or ceremonial objects. Generations of Native American people have made baskets for holding household items, with those in the Northeast using sweetgrass and those in the Southeast using pine needles and wicker. Artisans in the Plateau region wove watertight pieces like cradles from plant materials. Although these objects were intricately made, they were usually utilitarian rather than decorative.
The colonization of North America and the removal of Indigenous people from their lands led to the suppression of these practices. Many styles that used Native American motifs — such as Southwestern style, which was heavily influenced by the geometric patterns of Navajo textiles — have historically not involved Indigenous creators and, instead, have taken their traditions without their tribal context.
When decorating a home with Native American–style furniture, it is important to do so respectfully, by understanding the origins of motifs and objects and examining who profits from their sale. There are now Indigenous-led companies, such as Cherokee designer Cray Bauxmont-Flynn’s Amatoya and Totem House Design, promoting Indigenous work in furniture and home decor. Supporting Indigenous artists and artisans is essential to confronting the still pervasive issue of cultural appropriation in design.
Find a collection of Native American living room furniture, folk art, rugs and carpets, decorative objects and other items on 1stDibs.