For some, the phrase “rustic style” suggests a house like “La Pitchoune,” the late chef Julia Child’s cottage in Provence, with its exposed wooden beams and well-worn antique furniture. For others, rustic furnishings and decor prompt images of a place like the Lake Placid Lodge in Upstate New York, with its stone fireplaces and knotty pine paneling. Indeed, rustic furniture design takes many forms: twig furniture, a plank trestle table, a hand-stitched quilt, a chandelier made of deer antlers.
The rustic style originated in the late 1800s in England, where it was heavily influenced by Romanticism. By the 20th century, it had spread to the United States, adopted by wealthy New Yorkers and the National Park Service alike. Although there are many categories of rustic furniture, one of the most popular and familiar manifestations of the style is Adirondack furniture and the low-slung 1903 Thomas Lee Adirondack chair.
Rustic design is perhaps mostly about texture and humble materials: hand-hewn reclaimed wood, woven rush seating, wrought iron, coarse stone and weathered metal. As a decor, it exudes warmth and honesty, while a single piece of countrified design adds an intriguing visual counterpoint in a sleek, modern environment.
Easily identifiable by its rough textures, earthy colors and natural materials, rustic wares help bring the beauty of the outdoors inside.
As you can see on 1stDibs, vintage rustic chairs, dining tables and other pieces of rustic furniture offer endless inspiration.
Jean Touret & The Artisans of Marolles Pair of Candle Sconces, France circa 1960
By Atelier Marolles, Jean Touret
Located in New York, NY
Stamped: Marolles Jean Touret moved to Pezay, a rural area near Marolles, in 1946. While there, he became highly conscious of the uncertainty that Industrial development would bri...
Oak
$1,550 / set
Vintage Boho Carved Wood Candle Sconces - A Pair
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Add striking, sculptural elegance to your walls with this dramatic pair of Vintage Boho Carved Wood Candle Sconces. Towering at over three feet tall, these statement sconces feature ...
Metal
$1,140 / item
Elephant Candlestick in cast bronze - handmade
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Handcrafted two-arm candelabra in cast bronze, featuring small sculpted motifs of an elephant and acacia tree in a verdigris patina. These decorative elements were individually wax m...
Bronze
$1,790 / item
Bronze Rhino Candelabra
Located in Pretoria, Gauteng
Rhino Sculpture Candelabra, handcrafted in cast bronze with brown patina with small Rhino, Acacia tree and leaf motif. I model these decorative features in wax by hand before casting, making every candelabra a true original as no mold is made. Using the lost wax method, I sculpt, cast, chase, and finish each piece myself, blending natural motifs with refined craftsmanship. The result is a distinctive, sculptural candelabra that stands out as a statement piece - both functional and artistic. Patinas may vary. All candelabras are unique and made to order by hand. Candles not provided. Similar bronze single and double candle sticks in different sizes & motifs on request. Cost on application. Can also be made in pairs. Functional art: Combining art, design and functionality, all furniture and lighting...
Bronze
Circular Rustic Iron "Pique-Cierge", France, 19th Century
Located in Isle Sur La Sorgue, Vaucluse
Charming rustic circular wrought-iron tripod "pique-cierge" (candle-holder). Traces of ancient brown paint.