French Provincial Furniture
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.
2010s American French Provincial Furniture
Iron
Early 2000s French French Provincial Furniture
Bronze
2010s Italian French Provincial Furniture
Pine
Early 2000s French Provincial Furniture
Cedar
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese French Provincial Furniture
Wood
Early 2000s French French Provincial Furniture
Brass, Steel
2010s German French Provincial Furniture
Crystal, Brass
Early 2000s French French Provincial Furniture
Bronze
2010s Spanish French Provincial Furniture
Iron
2010s Indian French Provincial Furniture
Wool, Bamboo
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese French Provincial Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary American French Provincial Furniture
Fabric, Hardwood
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese French Provincial Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese French Provincial Furniture
Wood
2010s Indian French Provincial Furniture
Wool
21st Century and Contemporary French French Provincial Furniture
Glass
Early 2000s French Provincial Furniture
Mohair
2010s Spanish French Provincial Furniture
Marble, Iron, Brass
2010s French French Provincial Furniture
Brass
2010s French French Provincial Furniture
Brass
2010s North American French Provincial Furniture
Linen
2010s French French Provincial Furniture
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary French French Provincial Furniture
Silk, Velvet, Paint
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese French Provincial Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese French Provincial Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese French Provincial Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary North American French Provincial Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary French French Provincial Furniture
Zinc
21st Century and Contemporary European French Provincial Furniture
Copper
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese French Provincial Furniture
Wood
Early 2000s American French Provincial Furniture
Marble
2010s North American French Provincial Furniture
Linen
Early 2000s North American French Provincial Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary French Provincial Furniture
Fabric, Cane, Wood
2010s American French Provincial Furniture
Wrought Iron
21st Century and Contemporary French French Provincial Furniture
Paper
21st Century and Contemporary French French Provincial Furniture
Crystal
Early 2000s French Provincial Furniture
Brass
Early 2000s French French Provincial Furniture
Wool
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese French Provincial Furniture
Wood
Early 2000s French French Provincial Furniture
Wool
2010s Spanish French Provincial Furniture
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Asian French Provincial Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Asian French Provincial Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown French Provincial Furniture
Murano Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese French Provincial Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Asian French Provincial Furniture
Wood
Early 2000s French French Provincial Furniture
Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Asian French Provincial Furniture
Wood
2010s American French Provincial Furniture
Concrete, Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Asian French Provincial Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary European French Provincial Furniture
Copper
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese French Provincial Furniture
Wood
2010s North American French Provincial Furniture
Linen
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese French Provincial Furniture
Wood
Early 2000s American French Provincial Furniture
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese French Provincial Furniture
Wood
Early 2000s American French Provincial Furniture
Walnut