Swedish Gustavian Accessories
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Dressers
Pine
Early 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Footstools
Upholstery, Wood
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Demi-lune Tables
Pine
Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Demi-lune Tables
Pine
Antique 1820s Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Wood
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Children's Furniture
Pine
Early 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Platters and Serveware
Porcelain, Paint
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2010s Austrian Jugendstil Chandeliers and Pendants
Silk
2010s Scandinavian Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass, Bronze
2010s American Organic Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass
2010s American Flush Mount
Brass
Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps
Textile, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary French Brutalist Night Stands
Oak
2010s Italian Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Alabaster, Brass
2010s South African Minimalist Side Tables
Marble
Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Pine
21st Century and Contemporary Colombian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights a...
Brass
Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Benches
Pine
Antique 19th Century Italian Wardrobes and Armoires
Pine
Vintage 1940s French Chandeliers and Pendants
Tôle
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Cabinets
Metal, Chrome
Recent Sales
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Dining Room Tables
Pine
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Console Tables
Marble, Gold
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Side Tables
Wood
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Demi-lune Tables
Wood
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Demi-lune Tables
Wood
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Demi-lune Tables
Wood
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Demi-lune Tables
Wood
Early 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Dressers
Brass
Vintage 1930s Swedish Gustavian Urns
Wood
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Demi-lune Tables
Wood
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Settees
Burlap, Wood
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Wood
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Linen Presses
Wood
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Daybeds
Muslin, Paint, Upholstery, Wood
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks
Wood
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Daybeds
Pine, Upholstery
A Close Look at gustavian Furniture
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.