Gustavian Style Painted Black Upholstered Bench

With clean lines and muted colors, antique Gustavian furniture is understated and elegant. It represents a more restrained version of the transition from Rococo to neoclassicism that was happening in France under Louis XVI. The style developed under Swedish King Gustav III, who reigned from 1771 until his assassination in 1792, and his son Gustav IV, who ruled until 1809. Although Gustavian furniture is mostly used to refer to pale painted cabinets, commodes, armchairs and other items, it involved a range of influences.

Gustavian-style furniture was inspired by discoveries at Pompeii and Herculaneum as well as the grandeur of European palaces like Versailles, with local softwoods such as pine and birch. There was also an emphasis on natural light; crystal chandeliers and large mirrors played a role in radiating the fleeting daylight of winter, giving it a distinctive aesthetic.

Where earlier furniture was curvy and florid, this new era was more architectural, with tapered and fluted legs and rectangular and oval shapes. Luminous gilt contrasted with the palette of soft blues on upholstery and painted surfaces. Leading furniture builders included Gottlieb Iwersson, Louis Masreliez and Erik Öhrmark. The latter, a French-born Swedish decorator, designed the Sulla chair, a seat that was demonstrative of technical skill and precise craftsmanship and drew on Greek klismos chairs. Masreliez’s Sulla chair was made by Öhrmark and featured decorative ornamentation produced by Jean-Baptiste Masreliez, Louis’s younger brother.

While the wealthy had furniture carved with neoclassical details like scallops and rosettes, more affordable options were adorned with faux finishes that mimicked marble and stenciled patterns. The simple elegance of Gustavian furniture would have a long impact on Swedish design, informing the 20th-century appreciation for function and form. In the 1950s, IKEA mass-produced copies of a Gustavian commode designed by cabinetmaker Georg Haupt, who created pieces for the Royal Palace, making the furniture a fixture of everyday Swedish life.

Find a collection of antique Gustavian seating, tables, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.

Don’t underestimate a good bench — antique and vintage benches are storage pieces, stylish accents and statement-making additional seating.

Today, benches are a great option to maximize seating in your house and outdoor space. The perfect option to create a warm, welcoming atmosphere in foyers and entryways, benches can also transform dining areas, making it possible to host a hungry family with limited space. Whether you’re sprucing up your entertaining with upholstered Empire-style benches or adding more options to a dining room that’s seen a farmhouse makeover, this humble furnishing has only become more versatile over the years. Designers have recognized the demand for a good bench, crafting the convenient seating alternative from a range of materials, including wood, iron and even concrete.

Mid-century modern benches from George Nakashima, Charlotte Perriand and the pared-down Platform bench by George Nelson for Herman Miller are classics of innovation, but maybe you’re looking for an unconventional design approach to your home's seating. Opt for something totally outside the box — an antique pine church-pew bench paired with a vintage wool throw and stationed under the mounted coatrack in your mudroom is a distinctive touch.

For your outdoor oasis, a wrought-iron patio bench is the obvious choice but not the only option. An enclosed back patio would do well to inherit a rattan bench with cushions, but it can be susceptible to weathering and should be covered or moved indoors when not in use.

Whatever your seating arrangement needs are, find vintage, new and antique benches for every space on 1stDibs.