There is rare surviving furniture from ancient Greece, yet this classical style has informed design for centuries. Interiors of houses in antiquity were minimal, with much of a room’s color coming from frescoes on the walls and mosaics on the floors. Classical Greek furniture was sparing but finely crafted and influenced by Egyptian furniture design through Mediterranean trade.
Furnishings of the period were usually made from local wood like cypress, cedar, oak and willow from ancient Greece’s plentiful forests, although some pieces were carved from marble, such as a 300–200 B.C. throne with lion legs and a curved back now at the Getty Villa. Comfort and clean lines characterized designs during the Classical era, the symmetry and thoughtful proportions reflecting the architecture of Greek temples.
Some pieces of ancient Greek furniture were simple, rectangular platforms like the klinē, a multipurpose ancestor of today’s couches or daybeds that held cushions stuffed with wool, dry grass or down. These structures were used for both sleeping and dining, which wealthy Greeks did while reclining. At night, oil lamps illuminated rooms that frequently surrounded a garden courtyard.
Most of what scholars have learned about Greek furniture design owes to its representations in art like vases and stelae. The portable diphros stool, with its backless design and four turned legs, was one of the more common types of seating in daily Greek life — it appears as such for the gods on the Parthenon frieze. Stools without backs have been found in early Roman tombs, while benches were also common Greek seating furniture created for use in theaters. In houses of the Hellenistic period, benches seemingly functioned as tables, too.
Some designs evolved through adaptations by the Romans, including the klismos chair. After prominent archaeological excavations at Pompeii and Herculaneum, the klismos chair — with its four saber legs and the elegant curves that define its back — was a source of inspiration for aesthetics in eras ranging from 18th-century neoclassicism to 20th-century Art Deco.
Find a collection of Classical Greek decorative objects, wall decorations and building and garden elements on 1stDibs.
$6,400Sale Price|20% Off
maitland smith dollhouse entertainment/ bar cabinet
Located in Waxahachie, TX
Monumental Maitland Smith Dollhouse bar/ entertainment center/ blanket cabinet. 2 pieces, dollhouse cabinet and table. 2 drawers in the table. Lion drawer...
Wood
$1,848Sale Price|20% Off
H 12 in W 12 in D 9.5 in
Maitland Smith Stacked Books Box Drawer Cabinet Tessellated Stone & Brass 1992
Located in Toronto, CA
A sculptural Maitland-Smith tessellated stone cabinet designed in the form of a stack of books, dating to 1992 and produced in the Philippines. This highly decorative yet functional ...
Limestone, Travertine, Marble, Belgian Black Marble
$1,800
H 27.75 in W 82.5 in D 16.5 in
Teak Stereo Record Expandable 2 pc. Entertainment Cabinet and Desk Denmark (A)
By Viborg Stolefabrik
Located in Cincinnati, OH
An expandable stereo record cabinet with one door having an adjustable shelve, 3 record slots and an open storage area with one adjustable shelve for your stereo equipment. The other...
Teak
Modern 51" LP Storage Media Console Entertainment Cabinet
Located in Nyack, NY
The Aero 51" LP media console provides a place for your turntable, audio components, and up to 120 of your favorite albums. Our Aero cabinets feature ...
Wood, Hardwood, Maple, Walnut
Maitland-Smith Lift-Top Corner Cabinet/ Bar
Located in Bridgeport, CT
A handsome Maitland-Smith corner cabinet in richly figured mahogany. With curved top consisting of a double flip-top opening hinged to reveal storage. The exterior of the body showca...
Brass
$6,790 / item
H 34.5 in W 51 in D 20 in
Modern 51" LP Storage Media Console Entertainment Cabinet with Drawer
Located in Nyack, NY
The AERO 51" provides a place for your turntable, audio components, 130 CDs or 72 DVDs, and up to 120 of your favourite albums. Our AERO cabinets feature an exclusive LP swivel bin t...
Wood, Hardwood, Maple, Walnut
$4,295
H 82 in W 75 in D 23 in
Scandinavian Modern Teak Lighted Bookcase Display or Entertainment Cabinet
Located in Topeka, KS
Magnificent vintage Scandinavian Modern teak lighted bookcase, display or entertainment cabinet composed of 3 separate sections, 2 sides each with 5 adjustable shelves & 1 fixed ...
Metal
Fine Maitland-Smith Georgian Display Cabinet
Located in Bridgeport, CT
A 20th century Maitland-Smith display cabinet with Georgian style, expertly constructed with figured light, medium, and dark brown veneers for a stately appearance. Features a fluted...
Brass
Maitland Smith Apothecary Cabinet, Tooled Leather Wrapped Case
Located in Toledo, OH
This beautiful Maitland Smith apothecary cabinet with 34 drawers is wrapped in tooled leather. The drawers fronts are made from burled walnut and are adorned with copper tone pulls i...
Leather, Wood, Walnut
Modern LP Media Console Entertainment Cabinet
Located in Nyack, NY
The AERO 76.5" media console provides a place for your turntable, a/v components, and up to 240 of your favorite records. Our AERO cabinets feature an exclusive LP Swivel Bin that uses our proprietary dual pivot hinge to protect records when closed and display them when open. Each piece is handcrafted out of domestically-sourced hardwoods in the tradition of fine-furniture. Whether you are an audiophile who wants integrated album storage in an audio rack or just need a beautiful entertainment cabinet...
Wood, Hardwood, Maple, Walnut
$1,440Sale Price|20% Off
H 78 in W 48 in D 24.5 in
Vintage Stickley Arts & Crafts Oak & Hammered Copper Entertainment Cabinet
Located in Big Flats, NY
Vintage Stickley Arts & Crafts Mission Oak Entertainment Cabinet With Hammered Copper Hardware Signed 20thC Measures - 78" x 48" x 24 1/2" A Stickley Arts & Crafts Mission Oak ente...
Oak
Modern LP Media Console Entertainment Cabinet with Drawers
Located in Nyack, NY
The AERO 76.5" media console with drawers provides a place for your turntable, a/v components, 260 CDs or 144 DVDs, and up to 120 of your favorite records. Our AERO cabinets feature ...
Wood, Hardwood, Maple, Walnut
$1,152Sale Price|53% Off
H 93 in W 47 in D 22 in
Maitland Smith Asian Chippendale Bamboo Wicker Wardrobe Armoire Bar Cabinet
Located in Lake Worth, FL
For FULL item description click on More Details Below. Shipping Quote Information The shipping quote stated in the listing was from 1st Dibs and they normally set all the costs and ...
Faux Bamboo, Wicker, Wood
Sold
H 36 in W 42 in D 14.5 in
Romweber Neoclassical Pantheon Form Carved Walnut and Burl Wood Sideboard
Located in South Bend, IN
A rare and unique classical Greek or Roman style sideboard or console table By Jim Peed for Romweber USA, Late 20th Century Carved walnut in u...
Walnut, Burl
Sold
H 49.75 in W 31.75 in D 15.25 in
Antique Greco Classical American Empire Acanthus Carved Mahogany Bookcase, c1920
Located in Big Flats, NY
An antique American Empire bookcase with Classical Greco influence offers mahogany construction having single glass door with lattice facing and flanked by heavily carved acanthus co...
Mahogany
Sold
H 37.25 in W 28 in D 28 in
Large Maitland Smith Walnut, Burl, & Specimen Marble Wine Cask, Faux Book, 20th
Located in Big Flats, NY
An oversized wine cask by Maitland Smith offers specimen marble top over walnut and burl case having double door with tooled and gilt leather faux library book facing opening to cell...
Marble
Sold
H 18 in W 35.5 in L 18 in
Pair Maitland Smith Flame Mahogany Serpentine, Banded & Paw Foot Servers, 20th C
Located in Big Flats, NY
A matching pair of commode servers by Maitland Smith offers flame mahogany construction in serpentine form and having two upper drawers over lower double door cabinet, raised on carv...
Serpentine
Sold
H 68.5 in W 56.25 in D 22.75 in
Classical Carved Mahogany Oversized Serpentine China Cabinet, Circa 1900
Located in Big Flats, NY
An antique Classical and large china cabinet offers mahogany construction in serpentine form having single curved glass door opening to shelved and...
Mahogany
Vintage Pair of Karges Carved Mahogany Commodes, 20th Century
Located in Big Flats, NY
A vintage matching pair of commodes by Karges Furniture offers mahogany construction each with tow long drawers having carved foliate facing flanked by inverted bellflowers and raise...
Metal
Antique French Classical Mahogany and Marble Cellarettes, circa 1830
Located in Big Flats, NY
An antique pair of French Classical cellarettes offer cylindrical form with inset marble top and lower single door cabinets opening to shelved interiors, circa 1840 Measures: 28.2...
Marble
Sold
H 27 in W 16 in D 16 in
Vintage Round Slate Top Mahogany Pedestal Classical Column Cabinet Storage Stand
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage round slate top mahogany pedestal classical column cabinet storage stand. Item features a round slate top, black painted details, beautiful wood grain, 1 swing door, 1 wooden...
Slate
Pair of Figural Classical Cherub Composite Wall Shelves, 20th Century
Located in Big Flats, NY
A pair of vintage figural composite wall shelves offer shelf over classical cherubs with foliate elements, 20th century Measures: 12" H x 13.5" W x 8" D.
Composition
19th Century French Decorated Cabinet
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
A 19th century French decorated cabinet, circa 1830. The long drawer with doors below adorned with classical decoration of arrows and laurel wreaths...
Brass
Sold
H 11.25 in W 12.25 in D 11.25 in
Pair of Oversized Classical Antique French Parcel Gilt Figural Wall Sconces
Located in Big Flats, NY
A pair of oversized figural French wall sconces offer chalk ware construction each having parcel-gilt sculpture of Archangel Michael, 20th century ***DELIVERY NOTICE – Due to COVID-...
Plaster
Sold
H 33.5 in W 17 in L 33.5 in
Vintage French Classical Mahogany and Bronze Figural 4-Drawer End Cabinets
Located in Big Flats, NY
A vintage pair of French Classical end stands offer mahogany construction with four drawer cabinets having ebonized banding and flanking Corinthian column supports with cast acanthus...
Bronze