Empire Beds and Bed Frames
From 1804–15, Napoléon I reigned as the emperor of France, bringing the country into a new era of opulence after the fall of the monarchy and the tumultuous years of the French Revolution. He declared, “We must have very solid things, made to last 100 years.” Empire-style furniture followed suit, with imposing pieces constructed from mahogany and adorned with gilded ornaments. Expanding on the neoclassicism popularized in the previous century — such as in Louis XVI style — Empire style borrowed from the great civilizations of antiquity, from Egypt to Greece and Rome, to connect this nascent empire to the power of the past.
Napoléon I believed the production of fine furniture would reflect the stature of the republic, with his official architects Charles Percier and Pierre-François-Léonard Fontaine leading the way with their work on his residences.
Luxurious materials, symmetrical shapes and bold colors characterize antique Empire-style bedroom furniture, armchairs, cabinets and other structures, with frequent motifs including mythological creatures, geometric designs, acanthus leaves, eagles, bees (the imperial emblem) and swans, a favorite of Empress Joséphine.
Flat surfaces, like marble tabletops, were accented with decadent details, such as the bronze furniture mounts made by sculptor Pierre-Philippe Thomire for the French palaces. Martin-Guillaume Biennais, who worked as the imperial goldsmith, crafted intricate luxury objects that mixed wood, fine metal, mother-of-pearl and ivory. Ormolu — or elaborate bronze gilding — was essential to French design in the 18th and 19th centuries as a cornerstone of the neoclassical and Empire styles.
The style became popular abroad, influencing the American Empire style. Stately pieces carved with sprigs of olives by cabinetmaker Pierre-Antoine Bellange were acquired by American President James Monroe for the White House in 1817.
Find a collection of antique Empire tables, lighting, seating and other furniture on 1stDibs.
19th Century French Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Brass
Late 20th Century Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Wood
1810s European Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Metal
1830s French Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Mahogany, Walnut
19th Century French Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Mahogany
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Mahogany
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Bronze
Mid-20th Century French Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Fabric, Wood
Early 19th Century American Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Bronze
Early 20th Century Italian Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Walnut
2010s Italian Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Silver Leaf, Gold Leaf
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Walnut
1890s French Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Silk, Mahogany
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Metal
19th Century Unknown Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Walnut
19th Century French Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Bronze
Late 18th Century French Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Bronze
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Walnut
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Gold Leaf, Bronze
1820s American Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Cherry, Poplar
Late 20th Century French Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Rosewood
19th Century French Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Bronze, Gold Leaf
20th Century Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Brass, Steel
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Fruitwood
1870s French Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Oak
19th Century French Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Marble, Brass
19th Century European Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Wood, Mahogany
20th Century American Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Metal
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Giltwood
1990s American Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Silk, Upholstery, Wood
1860s French Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Rosewood
2010s Philippine Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Mahogany
2010s American Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Mahogany
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Bronze
2010s Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Mahogany
Late 20th Century Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Brass
Early 20th Century French Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Silk, Wood
Late 20th Century American Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Brass
Early 19th Century Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Brass, Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Wood
1810s Italian Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Cherry
19th Century French Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Metal, Brass
19th Century French Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Iron
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Walnut
19th Century French Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Walnut
1810s French Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Beds and Bed Frames
Bronze