Provincial Sleigh Bed
1990s American French Provincial Beds and Bed Frames
Silk, Upholstery, Wood
Late 20th Century American French Provincial Beds and Bed Frames
Wood, Paint
People Also Browsed
Antique 18th Century Swedish Neoclassical Beds and Bed Frames
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary American Beds and Bed Frames
Hardwood
Antique 19th Century French Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Mahogany
20th Century American American Classical Bookcases
Hardwood
Antique 1890s French Art Nouveau Daybeds
Iron
2010s British Beds and Bed Frames
Brass, Steel
Antique 1880s Victorian Beds and Bed Frames
Brass, Iron
Antique 1890s French Beds and Bed Frames
Upholstery
20th Century American Art Deco Footstools
Leather, Hardwood
Vintage 1980s American Baroque Beds and Bed Frames
Bronze, Wrought Iron
Antique 1720s Spanish Baroque Beds and Bed Frames
Giltwood, Paint
2010s British Louis XVI Sofas
Beech
20th Century European Chesterfield Sofas
Leather, Hardwood
21st Century and Contemporary English Louis XVI Console Tables
Gold Leaf
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese French Provincial Beds and Bed ...
Wood
Antique 1730s European Baroque Beds and Bed Frames
Paint
Recent Sales
Late 20th Century Colombian French Provincial Beds and Bed Frames
Mahogany
Antique Late 19th Century French French Provincial Beds and Bed Frames
Late 20th Century Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Giltwood
Late 20th Century Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Hardwood, Paint
Antique 19th Century French Provincial Children's Furniture
Pine
Antique 19th Century French French Provincial Daybeds
Fabric, Beech
Antique 1830s French French Provincial Beds and Bed Frames
Walnut
Late 20th Century French French Provincial Beds and Bed Frames
Upholstery, Wood
20th Century French French Provincial Beds and Bed Frames
Late 20th Century French French Provincial Decorative Boxes
Porcelain
A Close Look at 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.