Medieval Lighting
The Middle Ages in Europe followed the end of the Roman Empire, and in this time of change, which preceded the Renaissance, furniture was simple and utilitarian, with most homes having only the necessities like chests and benches. Much of medieval furniture, which was often made in oak or walnut, was built for the elite, particularly the emerging merchant class who owned multiple homes.
Life for many in the medieval era was unstable, and furniture was designed to be functional and portable. Peasants worked the fields for affluent landowners and didn’t have access to literature in the way that nobles and people of the church did (women less so than men). The furniture in their modest dwellings was typically limited to cookware and a handful of stools. Foldable chairs, while uncommon in homes of the early Middle Ages and emblematic of wealth, like all other furnishings of the time, allowed for easy transportation of a household. Trestle tables with detachable legs and collapsible beds were designed to be simply moved from place to place.
Medieval blanket chests were among the most important furniture objects and could further serve as tables or even beds. Some ancient traditions were carried forward to build this sturdy furniture, such as turnery. Although the furniture was minimally designed, embellishments like carvings added elegance to the heavy wood pieces. These details sometimes reflected trends in religious art like rose windows.
By the later Middle Ages, storage pieces like chests of drawers were often adorned with high relief carvings, such as geometric and floral motifs. By the 14th and 15th centuries, design had developed to include more involved pieces like cupboards and desks, while benches frequently doubled as chests with hinged seats. Beds also changed in this era from basic boards to four-post designs with large drapes to keep the sleeper warm. These beds and other medieval bedroom furniture were significant status symbols, passed down through families and used as places to conduct business and receive visitors.
Surviving examples of medieval furniture are very rare, yet its distinctive aesthetics influenced later styles like William and Mary and Arts and Crafts.
Find a collection of medieval seating, garden elements, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Medieval Lighting
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Medieval Lighting
Wrought Iron, Metal
1840s American Antique Medieval Lighting
Bronze
Mid-20th Century French Medieval Lighting
Brass, Steel
1940s French Vintage Medieval Lighting
Wrought Iron
Early 20th Century French Medieval Lighting
Wrought Iron
Late 18th Century Antique Medieval Lighting
Bronze
Early 1900s French Antique Medieval Lighting
Crystal, Wrought Iron
Early 20th Century Unknown Medieval Lighting
Milk Glass
15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Medieval Lighting
Wrought Iron
Late 19th Century Antique Medieval Lighting
Wrought Iron
Late 18th Century European Antique Medieval Lighting
Bronze
1920s American Vintage Medieval Lighting
Bronze
Early 20th Century Spanish Medieval Lighting
Iron
Early 20th Century American Medieval Lighting
Bronze, Wrought Iron
Early 1900s Antique Medieval Lighting
Iron
1980s Italian Vintage Medieval Lighting
Brass, Bronze
Mid-20th Century American Medieval Lighting
Metal
Early 1900s American Antique Medieval Lighting
Bronze
Early 1900s Italian Antique Medieval Lighting
Brass, Bronze
1940s American Vintage Medieval Lighting
Metal
1950s French Vintage Medieval Lighting
Iron, Wrought Iron
1950s French Vintage Medieval Lighting
Wrought Iron
1960s French Vintage Medieval Lighting
Metal, Iron, Wrought Iron
Late 19th Century French Antique Medieval Lighting
Wrought Iron
1960s Czech Vintage Medieval Lighting
Brass
Late 20th Century Medieval Lighting
Iron
Late 19th Century French Antique Medieval Lighting
Iron
Late 19th Century French Antique Medieval Lighting
Brass, Bronze
1950s French Vintage Medieval Lighting
Wrought Iron
Late 19th Century French Antique Medieval Lighting
Iron
Early 20th Century American Medieval Lighting
Brass, Iron
1960s Vintage Medieval Lighting
Iron
20th Century French Medieval Lighting
Bronze
1950s American Vintage Medieval Lighting
Steel, Brass
1970s American Vintage Medieval Lighting
Ceramic
20th Century Medieval Lighting
Metal
1980s Italian Vintage Medieval Lighting
Brass, Wrought Iron
Late 19th Century French Antique Medieval Lighting
Iron
Early 20th Century Medieval Lighting
Iron
Mid-19th Century French Antique Medieval Lighting
Iron
Early 18th Century French Antique Medieval Lighting
Wrought Iron
15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Medieval Lighting
Fabric, Wood
Late 20th Century American Medieval Lighting
Iron
Late 19th Century French Antique Medieval Lighting
Iron
1950s French Vintage Medieval Lighting
Brass
19th Century Italian Antique Medieval Lighting
Wood
1970s European Vintage Medieval Lighting
Porcelain
21st Century and Contemporary Medieval Lighting
Steel
Mid-19th Century French Antique Medieval Lighting
Silver
20th Century Medieval Lighting
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Unknown Medieval Lighting
Cement, Stone, Brass
Mid-20th Century French Medieval Lighting
19th Century French Antique Medieval Lighting
Iron
Mid-19th Century French Antique Medieval Lighting
Glass, Wood
Mid-19th Century French Antique Medieval Lighting
Iron
1950s European Vintage Medieval Lighting
Wrought Iron
Early 20th Century French Medieval Lighting
Beech, Glass