Folk Art Jelly Cupboard
Recent Sales
Antique 19th Century American Painted Furniture
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century American Folk Art Cabinets
Pine
Antique 19th Century American Country Painted Furniture
Wood
American Painted Furniture
Antique 19th Century American Painted Furniture
Antique 19th Century American Painted Furniture
Antique Early 19th Century American Folk Art Cupboards
Pine
Antique Late 19th Century Folk Art Cabinets
Pine, Paint
Finding the Right Painted-furniture for You
Vintage, new and antique painted furniture enhances a room through patterns, blocks of color and ornamental flourishes. Decorating furniture with paint was especially prominent in the 18th and 19th centuries in the United States when folk artists used chairs, chests, tables and cupboards as their canvases. Although a later trend involved stripping antique pieces of their paint, early American homes were vivid with furniture painted in an array of colors.
The practice of painting furniture has a rich heritage, with remnants of pigment identified on a 12th-century painted chair from Sweden. It has come in and out of fashion over time — in the design of 17th-century Mannerist furniture, paint was lightly used to enhance carved ornamentation, and painted furniture gained popularity with designers working in the chinoiserie style, as 18th-century European artisans mimicked Chinese lacquer in furniture motifs. In France in the 18th century, furniture was lavishly painted or gilded in gold.
Now painted furniture is popular for pieces that are both utilitarian and works of art. A color from a pattern can inform the whole design of a room, or, as bold and saturated tones are in vogue, a vibrantly adorned piece can be a bold focal point. Muted palettes can contribute to an air of calm for a study or bedroom while bright reds, yellows or blues can enliven a dining room or living room.
On 1stDibs, find a variety of vintage, new and antique painted furniture to match any space or taste.
Read More
A Giant Wedding Cake Has Us Looking at Portuguese Tiles in a New Light
At Waddesdon Manor, artist Joana Vasconcelos has installed a three-tiered patisserie inspired by the narrative tile work of her homeland. We take a look at the cake sculpture and how Portuguese tiles have been used in architecture from the 17th century to today.
Why Jules Chéret Was the King of the Modern Poster
The streets of fin-de-siècle Paris were set aglow with colorful poster ads, thanks to the printing techniques invented by Jules Chéret. Now, the Milwaukee Art Museum is celebrating this undersung talent in America's first solo show dedicated his exuberant works.
Why the American Flag Has Had So Many Different Star Patterns
Expert Jeff Bridgman explains the history and meaning behind the twinkling constellations that have graced Old Glory.
Peggy Guggenheim Loved Modernism, but She Also Collected Tribal Art
The iconoclastic style setter displayed African and Oceanic art, as well as works by indigenous peoples of the Americas, alongside pieces by such major modernists as Pablo Picasso and Jackson Pollock.
The 13-Star American Flag Had More Variations Than You’d Think
Perfect for July 4th weekend, a new show at Philadelphia's Museum of the American Revolution displays an array of antique red, white and blue flags.
Tramp Art, America’s Most Misunderstood Art Form, Is Trending in Interiors
Designers are beginning to see this enigmatic form of folk art in a whole new light.