As opposed to the styles that would follow from the other 18th-century French kings, Louis XV and Louis XVI, antique Louis XIV furniture is rigid and imposing. It expresses opulence — even its armchairs, with their upright backs, straight legs and lavish ornamentation, look like thrones. Authentic Louis XIV sofas, a then newly emerging iteration of seating, are fully upholstered and often feature decoratively carved frames of walnut, chestnut or oak.
When French King Louis XIV established his royal court at Versailles in 1682, he transformed what was once a hunting lodge into a palace that declared his wealth and power through its design. Until his death in 1715, he reigned with a spirit of excess and absolute political dominance. The “Sun King,” as he called himself, believed that France revolved around him as planets do the sun. Louis XIV adopted the sun as his emblem, decorating the grounds with symbols of the sun and Apollo, the Greek god of the sun. As he stated, “There is nothing that indicates more clearly the magnificence of great princes than their superb palaces and their precious furniture.” He was a child when he became king in 1643, only shaping his style after he became absolute monarch in 1661.
Reflecting trends in French Baroque art, Louis XIV furniture characteristics included exuberant decoration. There were gilded bronze details including shells, suns, grotesques, lions and classical references like acanthus leaves. The years of growth in the country’s manufacturing, such as the tapestries and cabinets made at Gobelins, led to design innovations. The commode replaced the chest as a storage device, with drawers and a surface that could double as a desk.
The materials were luxurious, such as the popular tortoiseshell veneer technique that leading cabinetmaker Pierre Golle used in his designs. André-Charles Boulle, who became royal cabinetmaker in 1672, was a masterful artist of marquetry, using inlays of ebony, exotic woods and mother-of-pearl.
Find a collection of antique Louis XIV bedroom furniture, chairs, tables and other pieces on 1stDibs.
$720Sale Price|20% Off
Antique Louis XIV Style Carved Walnut Tapestry Long Footstool C1890
Located in Big Flats, NY
Antique Louis XIV Style Carved Walnut Tapestry Long Footstool C1890. Measures - 7"H x 27.5"W x 12.5"D. This footstool is crafted in the Louis XIV style, featuring a beautifu...
Tapestry, Walnut
Small 17th Century French Provincial Louis XIV Footstool in Circassian Walnut
Located in Middleburg, VA
A rare gem of Louis XIV Provincial craftsmanship! This petite 17th-century footstool brings Old World elegance to a modern interior. Made in Provence around 1690, the piece is finely carved from richly patinated Circassian Walnut...
Metal, Brass
19th Century French, Louis XIV Painted Stool/Bench with Lion's Paw Feet
Located in Dallas, TX
19th Century French Louis XIV Painted Stool features tailored architecture and masculine adornment, plus an original painted finish that makes it more compatible with today's casual ...
Hardwood
$2,640Sale Price|20% Off
Early 18th Century French Louis XIV/Régence Carved Oak Stool or Tabouret
Located in Berlin, DE
Early 18th Century Louis XIV/Régence Carved Oak stool or Tabouret Square and upholstered seat resting on a shaped apron with c-scrolls, leafs and central shell motifs. The four legs are carved as square balusters decorated with flower garland carving and joined by a x-shaped stretcher with curvy braces and a central square with a paterae motif. Carved oak. Upholstered with modern gobelin fabric...
Oak
1890s French Louis XVI Footstool
Located in Tarrytown, NY
1890s Louis XVI carved wood footstool. Needs reupholstering.
Wood
19th Century French Louis XVI Walnut Six Leg Oval Footstool
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Charming 19th century French walnut footstool featuring an elongated oval form supported by six fluted legs. Made in the grand Louis XVI taste with neoclassical carved rosettes on th...
Brass
Mid-Century Plastic Stool or Footstool, 1970, Hungary
Located in Praha, CZ
- Good original condition. - New fabric. - Cleaned.
Fabric, Plastic
Gustavian Antique, Round Stool, Swedish Cabinetmaker, Late 18th Century
Located in Odense, DK
Such a beautiful rare and original gustavian stool, made in giltwood with horsehair upholstered seat. Made in by a Swedish cabinetmaker in the late 18th century. A great vintage o...
Giltwood
Exceptional and Rare 19th Century Irish X Framed Stool
Located in Dublin, IE
An exceptional and rare 19th century Irish oak stool, with beautifully rich patination and grain. The padded brass studded seat is of rectangular form ...
Brass
19th Century Biedermeier Footstool
Located in Darmstadt, DE
We present an authentic small Biedermeier footstool from around 1830. The piece features a solid walnut top resting on oak legs, displaying the w...
Oak, Walnut
$1,516Sale Price|20% Off
H 29 in W 29 in D 15 in
French Louis XVI Style Carved Walnut Petite Window Bench with Silk
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This French Louis XVI style petite window bench, crafted in carved walnut, exudes elegance and refinement, making it a charming addition to any room. The bench is designed with grace...
Silk, Cane, Walnut
$1,691 / set
H 18.31 in W 16.54 in D 16.54 in
Pair of Antique Victorian Hand Carved 19th Century Asethetic Movement Stools
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this stunning pair of Victorian late 19th century hand carved pine stools in the Aesthetic movement taste This stools are very decorative and we...
Pine
19th Century Oriental Carved Wood Stool
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A wonderfully stylish 19th century Oriental style stool, with pierced fretwork decoration to the frieze, stuff over upholstered seat, raised on classical carved cabriole legs with my...
Mahogany
$2,029
H 20.08 in W 29.14 in D 29.14 in
Fully Restored George III Style Hand Carved Bench Stool with Lion Hairy Paw Feet
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this fully restored absolutely sublime George III style vintage hand carved mahogany bench stool A very well presented hand carved stool, each leg starts at the top with a lions main then flows downwards with elegant cabriolet legs and finishes with Lions hairy paw feet The timber has all been stripped back, stained and French polished, its in perfect order This piece is designed as a large dressing table...
Upholstery, Hardwood
$1,500
H 8 in W 27.5 in D 12.5 in
19th Century French Louis XV Style Footstool with Six Carved Cabriole Legs
Located in Atlanta, GA
A French Louis XV style wooden footstool from the 19th century with six carved cabriole legs and upholstery. Indulge in the timeless elegance of the 19th-century French Louis XV styl...
Upholstery, Wood
$5,995 / set
H 17 in W 21.5 in D 14.5 in
Pair of Biedermeier Period 19th Century Walnut Stools with Carved Gilt Lion Paws
Located in Atlanta, GA
A pair of Austrian Biedermeier period walnut stools from the 19th century, with saber legs, carved giltwood lion paw feet and new custom linen upholstery. This pair of Austrian Biede...
Linen, Upholstery, Wood, Walnut
Sold
H 9.5 in W 13 in D 12.5 in
Antique French Louis XIV Style Tapestry Footstool with Gilt Metal Legs C1900
Located in Big Flats, NY
Antique French Louis XIV Style Tapestry Footstool with Gilt Metal Legs C1900. Measures - 9.5"H x 13"W x 12.5"D . This footstool is crafted in the Louis XIV style, featuring...
Tapestry
Antique French Louis XIV Oval Carved Walnut Footstool, circa 1900
Located in Big Flats, NY
An antique French Louis XIV footstool offers upholstered seat in oval form with floral carved frame having cabriole legs, c1900 Measures-...
Walnut
Antique French Walnut Os De Mouton Tabouret Stool, Early 1900s
Located in Dallas, TX
Hand-carved in walnut in France during the early 1900’s, this tabouret stool features os de mouton legs and stretcher. The very distinct shape of os de mouton furniture make it a popular addition for most interior design styles, as the subtle carvings and shapely legs exude elegance without being overpowering. The reupholstered cushion was done using a solid white cotton that offers a stark offset to the rich brown patination of the walnut wood. Beneath the fabric are four cabriole legs adorned with an acanthus leaf at the top and at the bottom. The bottom foliage has been carved on the facing of a volute scroll above small pad feet. All four legs as well as the sinuous H-stretcher have been sculpted with two shallow recessions that give the wood a fluted appearance. The arbalete shaped stretcher has a scalloped shell noix in the center that is nestled between the heads of two scrolls. A timeless piece of furniture, our walnut os de mouton tabouret...
Textile, Cotton, Upholstery, Wood, Walnut
Antique French Carved Oak "Os De Mouton" Tabouret Stool, circa 1900
Located in Dallas, TX
Easily recognized by its highly shaped legs and stretchers, os de mouton is an elegant style of carving that was first seen during the reign of Louis XIV. Although typically used for chair frames, it was not uncommon to find tabouret stools, such as this oak one from France (circa 1900), carved in the same manner. Four concave legs with scrolled feet are joined by an H-shaped stretcher with arbalete-like curves. The wood has a rich patina that is accentuated by a highly colored upholstery affixed with numerous iron nailheads. Golden and cream flowers with red, brown, green, and orange leaves can be seen amongst the gray and beige background arranged in a geometric pattern. Our os de mouton tabouret...
Metal
Antique French Louis XIV Style Carved Walnut Footstool, circa 1890
Located in Big Flats, NY
An antique French Louis XIV footstool offers upholstered seat over carved walnut base having shaped skirt and raised on cabriole legs, c1890...
Walnut, Upholstery
Sold
H 18 in W 22.5 in D 20.875 in
Period French Louis XIV Walnut Wood and Tapestry Os de Mouton Tabouret
Located in Dallas, TX
Os de mouton chairs were first produced by French menuisiers during the reign of Louis XIV. The highly shaped legs and stretchers had inherent beauty that reflected the use of prominent curves associated with furniture from this era. Our walnut and tapestry os de mouton tabouret...
Iron
Sold
H 13.75 in W 26.5 in D 13 in
Antique French Louis XIV Style Carved Walnut & Upholstered Ottoman 19th C
Located in Big Flats, NY
An antique French Louis XIV style ottoman offers upholstered attached cushion over walnut frame with shaped skirt raised on six cabriole legs having carved floral capitals and termin...
Walnut, Upholstery
19th Century French Walnut Wood Louis XIV Style Tabouret
Located in Dallas, TX
Hand-carved in the 1800’s in France, this walnut wood tabouret has Louis XIV style motifs. The stool has been professionally reupholstered with a nice white cotton fabric, held in place by large iron nailheads. Louis XIV style furniture...
Iron
Sold
H 20.5 in W 19.75 in D 16 in
Pair Italian Late Baroque Painted & Lacqured Pinewood Upholstered Benches
Located in Atlanta, GA
The rectangular upholstered seats resting atop turned legs joined by h-form stretchers and ending in raised bun feet.
Pine
Sold
H 10 in W 14.75 in D 12 in
Antique French Louis XIV Style Carved Needlepoint Footstool, Circa 1900
Located in Big Flats, NY
An antique French Louis XIV style footstool offers shaped foliate needlepoint seat over carved walnut frame with cabriole legs and scroll form feet, c1900 Measures: 10" H x 14.75"...
Upholstery, Wood
Sold
H 8.75 in W 49.75 in D 8.5 in
Antique French Louis XIV Long Kneeling Low Prayer Bench, Circa 1890
Located in Big Flats, NY
An antique French Louis XIV kneeling prayer bench offers upholstered cushion with brass tacks raised on carved mahogany cabriole legs terminating in scroll feet, c1890 Measures: 8...
Upholstery, Wood
Pair of Antique Louis XIV Style Walnut Benches
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Pair of antique Louis XIV style walnut benches, late 19th century. With trumpet shaped legs and X shaped stretcher bars.
Upholstery, Walnut