Moorish Furniture
After the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula in the eighth century, Islamic Spain became a cultural mix of influences that shaped both private homes and religious spaces. Moorish design was the name given to this style, which evolved through the 15th century with vibrant tile work, horseshoe arches and lavish ornamentation, most visible at sites such as Granada’s Alhambra and the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba. Moorish furniture was often similarly ornate, and featured pieces inlaid with wood, ivory and bone.
When European designers began studying Moorish art and architecture in the early 19th century, it led to a Moorish Revival. Appropriating the style’s decorative flourishes and architectural elements, it promoted a romantic view of Islamic design. Travelers could bring home a memento of what they witnessed in the Middle East, a trend that aligned with a fad for themed interiors. Men’s smoking rooms arranged with ottomans, divans and settees and inlaid tables were especially popular, as were cafés where coffee was served amid bead curtains and colorful floor mats. (Handwoven rugs are a centerpiece of Moorish interiors.) Octagonal rooms with domed ceilings were created for wealthy homes, frequently with furnishings like pipe stands, filigree plasterwork and arched doorways. The horseshoe arch is an iconic attribute of Moorish architecture that, in addition to Spain, can be found in Sicily, Morocco and elsewhere.
Several late 19th to early 20th-century movements featured Moorish touches. The American and English Aesthetic Movement, for example, borrowed liberally from global decorating styles, as seen in furniture designed by Lockwood de Forest, a New York-born artist who mixed Eastern and Western forms. The visual vocabulary of Art Nouveau also references the elegant use of geometry in Moorish design, with Milanese Art Nouveau furniture designer Carlo Bugatti drawing inspiration from the style. The Arts and Crafts movement, which prized expressive yet simple design, incorporated Moorish influences; hand-painted furniture and tile work created by William De Morgan, a British designer and potter who made furnishings for the likes of Morris & Co., were informed by techniques from Moorish Spain.
Find a collection of Moorish lighting, decorative objects, folk art and more furniture on 1stDibs.
19th Century French Antique Moorish Furniture
Walnut
1890s Spanish Antique Moorish Furniture
Canvas, Giltwood
20th Century Moorish Furniture
Mohair
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Furniture
Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Furniture
Glass
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Wood, Paint
1920s British Vintage Moorish Furniture
Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Furniture
Glass
20th Century Moorish Furniture
Bone, Mirror, Wood, Walnut
1930s British Vintage Moorish Furniture
Paper
1930s British Vintage Moorish Furniture
Paper
1840s German Antique Moorish Furniture
Paper
19th Century Persian Antique Moorish Furniture
Metal, Silver, Copper
1930s British Vintage Moorish Furniture
Paper
Early 20th Century Austrian Moorish Furniture
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Teak
Late 19th Century German Antique Moorish Furniture
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Walnut
Late 19th Century Moroccan Antique Moorish Furniture
Brass
Mid-19th Century Indian Antique Moorish Furniture
Wood
Early 19th Century Persian Antique Moorish Furniture
Metal, Copper, Tin
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Metal
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Copper
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
Early 1900s Indian Antique Moorish Furniture
Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Furniture
Glass
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Hardwood
21st Century and Contemporary French Moorish Furniture
Pine, Paint
1890s African Antique Moorish Furniture
Copper
1960s Turkish Vintage Moorish Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Hardwood
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Mirror, Wood
19th Century Unknown Antique Moorish Furniture
Brass
20th Century Spanish Moorish Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Moorish Furniture
Agate, Metal
2010s American Moorish Furniture
Wrought Iron, Steel
1970s Unknown Vintage Moorish Furniture
Onyx, Marble
20th Century Spanish Moorish Furniture
Wood, Acrylic
Late 19th Century Moroccan Antique Moorish Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
Late 19th Century Moroccan Antique Moorish Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century European Antique Moorish Furniture
Wrought Iron
20th Century Syrian Moorish Furniture
Bone, Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
20th Century Syrian Moorish Furniture
Wood
20th Century Moorish Furniture
Wood
19th Century Zanzibari Antique Moorish Furniture
Brass
20th Century Asian Moorish Furniture
Wood
1890s Antique Moorish Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century Italian Moorish Furniture
Paper
Late 19th Century Moroccan Antique Moorish Furniture
Mahogany
19th Century Indian Antique Moorish Furniture
Brass
20th Century Asian Moorish Furniture
Bone, Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
1990s Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Leather
Mid-20th Century German Moorish Furniture
Enamel, Tin
20th Century Italian Moorish Furniture
Crystal, Carrara Marble, Brass
20th Century Asian Moorish Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Multi-gemstone, Metal
Early 20th Century French Moorish Furniture
Fabric
1970s Indian Vintage Moorish Furniture
Reclaimed Wood
1960s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Brass
19th Century English Antique Moorish Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
Early 20th Century French Moorish Furniture
Fabric
17th Century Spanish Antique Moorish Furniture
Wrought Iron, Brass
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
1890s English Antique Moorish Furniture
Walnut
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Walnut
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Bone, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Moorish Furniture
Bone, Wood
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Ceramic
Late 19th Century Turkish Antique Moorish Furniture
Metal, Copper
20th Century Moorish Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
19th Century Asian Antique Moorish Furniture
Brass