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.
Zabihi Collection Mid-20th Century Turkish Anatolian Neutral Throw Rug
Located in New York, NY
mid-20th-century tribal square Turkish mini rug Details rug no. 30937 size 2' 2" x 2' 3" (66 x 69 cm
Wool
Zabihi Collection Early-20th Century Turkish Anatolian Neutral Large Square Rug
Located in New York, NY
an early 20th Century Square Turkish Anatolian Rug Details rug no. j2484 size 11' 9" x 13' (358 x 396 cm)
Wool
$1,580Sale Price|20% Off
Zeki Muren Distressed Vintage Turkish Sivas Rug with Shabby Chic Cottage Style
Located in Dallas, TX
51153 Zeki Muren Distressed Vintage Turkish Sivas Rug with Shabby Chic Cottage Style. Lovingly timeworn with cottage charm and Gustavian grace, this hand knotted wool distressed Turk...
Wool
$2,320Sale Price|20% Off
Zeki Muren Distressed Vintage Turkish Sivas Rug
Located in Dallas, TX
50876 Zeki Muren Distressed Vintage Turkish Sivas Rug. Lovingly timeworn with Gustavian grace, this hand knotted wool distressed Turkish Sivas rug beautifully embodies a Swedish Far...
Wool
Zabihi Collection Turkish Anatolian Room Size Rug
Located in New York, NY
a Mid 20th Century Anatolian room size Rug Details rug no. j3540 size 8' 3" x 11' 3" (251 x 343 cm)
Wool
Zabihi Collection Turkish Mini Anatolian Rug
Located in New York, NY
mid century Turkish Anatolian rug with accents in pistachio Details rug no. y1888 size 1' 6" x 3' 7" (46 x 109 cm)
Wool
Zabihi Collection Neutral Turkish Yastik Rug
Located in New York, NY
A vintage Anatolian Turkish Yastik rug mat Measures: 1'6” x 3'2”
Wool
Zabihi Collection Narrow Dark Raspberry Antique Oushak Runner, 2'5'' x 13'6''
Located in New York, NY
an Antique Turkish Oushak runner with multiple medallions on a dark red field, circa 1910. Measures: 2'5'' x 13'6''.
Wool
Traditional Bright 20th Century Turkish Runner
Located in New York, NY
Vintage Turkish Oushak runner with a medallion and border design on a bright red field. Measures: 3'5" x 6'5".
Wool
Muted Vintage Turkish Sivas Rug, Timeless Style Meets Gustavian Grace
Located in Dallas, TX
52976 Muted Vintage Turkish Sivas Rug, 09'00 x 12'08. Timeless style meets Gustavian grace in this hand knotted vintage Turkish Sivas rug. The intricate botanical design and soft pas...
Wool
Zabihi Collection Red Bohemian Vintage Oushak Runner
Located in New York, NY
Vintage Turkish Oushak runner with three medallions on a bright red field. Measures: 3' x 10'9''.
Wool
Zabihi Collection Mid-20th Century Turkish Anatolian Throw Rug
Located in New York, NY
a mid-20th-century square turkish anatolian mini rug Details rug no. j3833 size 1' 5" x 1' 8" (43 x 51 cm)
Wool
Zabihi Collection Mid-20th Century Green Turkish Anatolian Throw Rug
Located in New York, NY
A vintage Anatolian Turkish Yastik square mini rug in predominantly green Measures: 1'7'' x 1'8'' Item # 31312
Wool
Zabihi Collection Mid-20th Century Turkish Anatolian Throw Rug
Located in New York, NY
A vintage Anatolian Turkish Yastik square mini rug Measures: 1'7'' x 1'8'' Item # 31061
Wool
Zabihi Collection Vintage Red Turkish Accent Size Runner
Located in New York, NY
One of a kind vintage Turkish runner with a all-over borderless design with running circles on a sweet red ground. 4'8'' x 9'10''
Wool
Zabihi Collection Antique Red Turkish Runner, 3'9'' x 12'2'', circa 1930
Located in New York, NY
One of a kind vintage Turkish runner with an encased plain design on a red field. 3'9'' x 12'2''
Wool
$1,887Sale Price|20% Off
Distressed Vintage Turkish Sivas Rug with Swedish Cottage Gustavian Style
By Zeki Müren
Located in Dallas, TX
52573 Zeki Muren Distressed Vintage Turkish Sivas rug with Swedish cottage Gustavian style. Whimsy and rusticity collide in this hand knotted wool dist...
Wool
$10,000Sale Price|20% Off
Distressed Vintage Turkish Sivas Rug with Modern Rustic Cotswold Cottage Style
Located in Dallas, TX
51292 Distressed Vintage Turkish Sivas Rug with Modern Rustic Cotswold Cottage Style 08'00 x 12'05. With its soft, subtle hues and cozy simplicity, ...
Wool
Galerie Shabab Collection Mid-20th Century Turkish Anatolian Square Carpet
Located in New York, NY
This Mid-20th century Turkish Anatolian small square room-size carpet presents a bold, decorative composition arranged in two vertical columns of four large arch-shaped panels. Each ...
Wool
Vintage Zeki Müren Rug with a Modern Design in Earth Tones
By Zeki Müren
Located in Atlanta, GA
Vintage Zeki Müren Rug with a Modern Design. Measures: 3'7 x 6'6. Vintage Mid-Century Zeki Müren Rug in excellent condition. Rug # EN-960, This ...
Wool
Zabihi Collection Eclectic Turkish Deco Zeki Muren Rug
By Zeki Müren
Located in New York, NY
a mid 20th Century Turkish Deco Rug in browns and peach Details rug no. j4585 size 6' 8" x 9' 5" (203 x 287 cm) Zeki Muren was a famous Turkish musician back in the middle of the 2...
Wool
Early 20th Century Turkish Anatolian Flatweave Kilim Rug
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
Early 20th Century Turkish flat weave Kilim rug from Central Anatolia. Circa 1920.
Wool
$20,500
W 130 in L 152 in
Galerie Shabab Collection Mid-20th Century Turkish Anatolian Room Size Carpet
Located in New York, NY
A Wool pile with symmetric knots on a wool foundation. The soft brown field, significantly abrashed, is notched at the sides, top, and bottom in darker browns, with a matching centra...
Wool
Vintage Distresssed Zeki Müren Rug with Geometric Patterns Rug & Kilim
Located in Long Island City, NY
Hand-knotted in wool circa 1960-1970, this 4x6 vintage rug is believed to hail from the exemplary Turkish artist Zeki Müren—a new addition to Rug & Kilim’s Mid-Century Pasha Collecti...
Wool
$29,500
W 156 in L 132 in
Galerie Shabab Collection Mid-20th Century Turkish Anatolian Room Size Carpet
Located in New York, NY
This Mid-20th century Turkish Anatolian room-size carpet presents a softly geometric composition in a restrained palette of camel, sand, ivory, and warm beige. Three large stepped me...
Wool
$18,375
W 157 in L 118 in
Galerie Shabab Collection Mid-20th Century Turkish Anatolian Room Size Carpet
Located in New York, NY
This Mid-20th century Turkish Anatolian room-size carpet presents a distinctive twin-panel composition in a restrained palette of warm brown, taupe, ivory, soft pink, and charcoal. E...
Wool
$25,500
W 151 in L 139 in
Galerie Shabab Collection Mid-20th Century Turkish Anatolian Room Size Carpet
Located in New York, NY
This Mid-20th century Turkish Anatolian room-size carpet presents a vibrant, highly structured composition across a richly variegated crimson-red field. Six large compartmented motif...
Wool
Distressed Antique Turkish Oushak Rug
Located in New York, NY
An antique Turkish Oushak rug from the early 20th century with a distressed appeal, but in strong and durable condition. Measures: 2' 8" x 3' 9"
Wool
Galerie Shabab Collection Mid-20th Century Turkish Anatolian Throw Rug
Located in New York, NY
This mid-20th-century Turkish Anatolian throw rug presents a geometric composition built from small checkerboard blocks arranged into concentric diamond forms. The upper section cent...
Wool
Galerie Shabab Collection Mid-20th Century Turkish Anatolian Square Carpet
Located in New York, NY
This Mid-20th century Turkish Anatolian square room-size carpet presents a disciplined allover composition in warm golden ochre, camel, ivory, and soft brown. The central field is de...
Wool
Zabihi Collection Neutral Lavender Turkish Throw Rug
Located in New York, NY
a Soft Lavender toned mid 20th century turkish rug mat Details rug no. y1705 size 1' 7" x 2' 10" (48 x 86 cm)
Wool
Zabihi Collection Antique Turkish Mini Sampler Rug
Located in New York, NY
an early 20th Century Antique Turkish Sampler Mini Size Rug Details rug no. j4362 size 1' 2" x 2' 2" (36 x 66 cm)
Wool
Zabihi Collection 19th century Turkish Yastik Rug
Located in New York, NY
a late 19th century Turkish Yastik Rug Measures: 1'5” x 2'9”
Wool
Zabihi Collection Turkish Mini Anatolian Rug
Located in New York, NY
A vintage Anatolian Turkish Yastik rug mat Measures: 1'6” x 3'3”
Wool
Zabihi Collection Turkish Yastik Rug
Located in New York, NY
A vintage Anatolian Turkish Yastik rug mat Measures: 1'5” x 3'11”
Wool
Vintage Persian Isfahan Rug, Relaxed Refinement Meets Mediterranean Charm
Located in Dallas, TX
61251 Vintage Blue Persian Isfahan Rug, 08'02 x 11'07. Nestled in the heart of central Iran lies a haven of artistry and tradition: the captivating city of Isfahan. Here, amid whisp...
Wool
Zabihi Collection Turkish Yastik Rug
Located in New York, NY
An early 20th-century Turkish Yastik Antique Rug Measures: 1'7” x 3'3”.
Wool
Lime Green Bright Red 20th Century Turkish Runner
Located in New York, NY
Vintage Turkish Oushak runner in bright red and lime green Measures: 2'11" x 5'9".
Wool
Soft Red Turkish Anatolian Intermediate Room Size Rug
Located in New York, NY
One of a kind vintage Turkish Anatolian Rug with a formal design on a soft red field, accents in khaki, soft green, brown, bright blue. Measures: 6'5'' x 9'4''.
Wool
Colorful Oushak Turkish Rug with Modern Style
Located in Dallas, TX
53455 Modern Oushak Turkish Rug, 10'03 x 12'04. Blending elements from the modern world with a calming coastal color palette, this hand knotted wool Turkish Oushak rug is poised to ...
Wool
Distressed Vintage Persian Hamadan Rug with Gustavian Style
Located in Dallas, TX
53090, distressed vintage Persian Hamadan rug with Gustavian style. Lovingly timeworn with Gustavian grace, this hand knotted wool distressed vintage Persian Hamadan rug displays nos...
Wool
Funky Tribal Turkish 20th Century Mat Rug
Located in New York, NY
A vintage Anatolian Turkish Yastik rug mat with a chocolate brown border, cotton accents in green, pink, red, yellow and purple-blue Measures: 1'5” x 2'7”.
Wool