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.
21st Century and Contemporary French French Provincial Furniture
Metal
1920s American Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Turkish French Provincial Furniture
Wool
Early 20th Century Danish French Provincial Furniture
Tin
1870s French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Furniture
Canvas, Wood, Paint
Early 1700s French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Wood
1960s American Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century American French Provincial Furniture
Glass, Wood
Early 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Sandstone
Mid-20th Century French French Provincial Furniture
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary French French Provincial Furniture
Cherry
Early 19th Century European Antique French Provincial Furniture
Fruitwood
1960s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Walnut
Early 1900s French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Faience
Mid-20th Century French French Provincial Furniture
Tin
18th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Cherry
1980s Chinese Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Wool
1950s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Ceramic, Mirror
1950s American Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Cherry, Giltwood, Lacquer
19th Century Antique French Provincial Furniture
Mirror
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century French French Provincial Furniture
Ceramic
20th Century American French Provincial Furniture
Pine
Mid-20th Century French French Provincial Furniture
Ceramic
Late 19th Century European Antique French Provincial Furniture
Faience
Mid-20th Century American French Provincial Furniture
Brass
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Rush, Wood
2010s American French Provincial Furniture
Iron
20th Century American French Provincial Furniture
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Asian French Provincial Furniture
Wood
1780s French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century French French Provincial Furniture
Walnut
2010s North American French Provincial Furniture
Linen
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Wool
Mid-20th Century French French Provincial Furniture
Brass
1930s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary French French Provincial Furniture
Paper
Early 20th Century French Provincial Furniture
Wood
18th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Wood, Walnut
Late 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Upholstery, Oak
1970s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Limestone
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese French Provincial Furniture
Wood
Mid-18th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Oak
1990s Chinese French Provincial Furniture
Wool
1910s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Zinc
Early 1900s French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Iron
1930s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Mercury Glass
Mid-20th Century American French Provincial Furniture
Brass
1980s Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Cotton
Mid-18th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Wood, Paper
1920s Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Walnut
20th Century Italian French Provincial Furniture
Faux Bamboo
21st Century and Contemporary French French Provincial Furniture
Linen, Wood
1890s French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Copper, Wrought Iron
Late 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Iron, Tin
Late 20th Century French French Provincial Furniture
Wool
2010s American French Provincial Furniture
Metal