French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Removed from the fashions of the court, French Provincial style developed in the provinces of the country, such as Provence, Normandy, the Loire Valley and Bordeaux. Dating to the 17th and 18th centuries, French Provincial furniture was not as ostentatious as the designs being produced for the royal palaces, but elegant S-shape cabriole legs and ornate carvings elevated the sturdy chairs, sofas, tables and bedroom furniture intended for everyday use.
Although it varies by region, antique French Provincial furniture is unified by solid construction and an artisanal attention to design. While this furniture often followed the metropolitan trends — including the Rococo or neoclassical aesthetics of Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI — since it was produced in the French countryside it was more subdued with nods to its rustic settings.
Local materials like fruitwoods, oak, beech and walnut were used to construct large French Provincial armoires for storage and comfortable armchairs with rush-woven seats. Wrought-iron elements and carvings like floral details and scallop patterns were common as ornamentation. Furniture was frequently painted white or other muted colors that coordinated with gilt and would acquire a patina of age over time. Other wood was just stained with vibrant fabric such as toile de Jouy, which sometimes depicted pastoral scenes, adding color as upholstery.
The style arrived in the United States after World War I, with soldiers returning home wanting furniture like what they had seen in the rural homes and castles of France. In Grand Rapids, Michigan, designer John Widdicomb split from his family business, the Widdicomb Furniture Company, and had been focusing on Louis XV– and French Provincial–style furnishings since the early 1900s. Other American manufacturers such as Baker, Drexel, Henredon and Thomasville also responded to demand. Today antique French Provincial pieces and reproductions continue to be popular.
Find a collection of antique French Provincial dining tables, seating, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Mid-20th Century North American French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Cherry
20th Century American French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Wood
20th Century American French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Wood
1960s American Vintage French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Brass
Early 1900s French Antique French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Brass
1960s American Vintage French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Brass
1960s American Vintage French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Brass
20th Century French French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Brass
1960s American Vintage French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Brass
1960s American Vintage French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Brass
Early 1900s French Antique French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Faux Bamboo, Mirror, Birdseye Maple
Early 1900s French Antique French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Mirror, Birdseye Maple, Cherry
20th Century French French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Metal
20th Century French French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Wood
1940s French Vintage French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Oak
1970s Italian Vintage French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Rattan
Late 20th Century American French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Walnut
20th Century French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Wood
Late 20th Century American French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Metal
Late 20th Century French French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Glass, Wood, Oak
19th Century Antique French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Pine
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Mirror, Pine, Beech
20th Century French French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Brass
Mid-20th Century American French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Chrome
Late 18th Century French Antique French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Fruitwood
Mid-19th Century Hungarian Antique French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Pine, Paint
Late 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Walnut
Early 19th Century German Antique French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Wood, Paint
Late 19th Century Scottish Antique French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Walnut, Hardwood, Paper
Early 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Wood, Pine
Early 20th Century Hungarian French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Pine
20th Century French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Wood
20th Century French French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Oak
1960s American Vintage French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Brass
Late 20th Century American French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Brass
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Oak
1940s Hungarian Vintage French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Brass
1960s American Vintage French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Brass
20th Century French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Wood
Late 20th Century American French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Brass
Mid-20th Century French French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Burl
Early 20th Century Hungarian French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Pine
Late 20th Century American French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires
Brass