British Colonial Cane Bed
Vintage 1980s Philippine British Colonial Beds and Bed Frames
Faux Bamboo, Cane
Recent Sales
Late 20th Century British British Colonial Beds and Bed Frames
Cane, Teak
20th Century English Beds and Bed Frames
Mahogany, Cane
20th Century English British Colonial Beds and Bed Frames
Cane, Teak
Antique 19th Century Caribbean British Colonial Chaise Longues
Early 20th Century Singaporean British Colonial Magazine Racks and Stands
Bamboo, Cane, Rattan, Bentwood
Vintage 1970s Unknown British Colonial Beds and Bed Frames
Bamboo, Cane
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Vintage 1980s Philippine British Colonial Floor Mirrors and Full-Length ...
Faux Bamboo, Cane
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Ormolu
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Walnut
Antique Mid-17th Century French Rustic Flooring
Limestone
Antique 18th Century Italian Rococo Sofas
Walnut
Early 20th Century English Charles II Settees
Tapestry, Velvet
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Other Beds and Bed Frames
Wood
A Close Look at British-colonial Furniture
Typically made of mahogany, teak or bamboo and featuring a range of fabrics and prints with botanical patterns, antique British Colonial furniture and decor varies as it involved local materials and techniques and spanned centuries of design styles.
As the British Empire expanded from the 16th to the 20th century, its conquest and control of colonies around the world bolstered its wealth through the extraction of resources. Including colonies in the Americas, Africa, Asia and Australasia, this spread of often violent subjugation imposed British culture, language and faith on Indigenous peoples. The design of homes was included in this expression of imperial power, with government officials, merchants and military officers creating homes mimicking the luxuries they were used to in England.
Local artisans were commissioned to replicate British designs, resulting in versions of Regency, Chippendale, Sheraton and other styles of furniture being crafted from mahogany, rosewood, ebony and teakwood as opposed to beech and oak, which were more common in Europe. Whereas the colonial furniture for the Portuguese and Dutch regularly had motifs of indigenous flora and fauna, the British tended to want more exact reproductions of their home country’s designs.
To escape the summer heat in places such as India and the Caribbean, British colonizers relocated to airy houses in the hills or plantations, leading to foldable chairs and collapsible desks in the style of military campaign furniture. Rather than upholstery as they might have in Europe, chairs and sofas in the British Colonial style had rattan and cane seating for these higher temperature climates. The contrast between the light textiles and the dark colors of the sturdy furniture became a defining aesthetic of British Colonial interiors.
Find a collection of antique British Colonial outdoor furniture, seating, bedroom furniture, decorative objects and other items on 1stDibs.