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.
1980s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Faience
Late 20th Century American French Provincial Furniture
Paper
Late 20th Century Philippine French Provincial Furniture
Brass
Late 20th Century French French Provincial Furniture
Ceramic
1980s Italian Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Bamboo, Rattan
1970s Italian Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Rattan
Late 20th Century American French Provincial Furniture
Walnut, Burl
1980s American Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Oak, Paint
1980s Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Cotton
Late 20th Century North American French Provincial Furniture
Hardwood
Late 20th Century French Provincial Furniture
Marble, Iron, Metal
Late 20th Century French Provincial Furniture
Leather
1970s Unknown Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Wood
Late 20th Century English French Provincial Furniture
Paint, Paper
1980s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Enamel
Late 20th Century Unknown French Provincial Furniture
Mahogany
Late 20th Century East Asian French Provincial Furniture
Brass
1980s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Paper
Late 20th Century Indian French Provincial Furniture
Wool
1990s French Provincial Furniture
Leather, Fabric, Wood
Late 20th Century French Provincial Furniture
Crystal
Late 20th Century Italian French Provincial Furniture
Mirror, Wood, Paint
Late 20th Century American French Provincial Furniture
Brass
1980s Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Brass
Late 20th Century French French Provincial Furniture
Limestone
1970s American Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Brass
1980s Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Travertine, Marble
Late 20th Century American French Provincial Furniture
Paper
1970s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Paint, Canvas, Wood
Late 20th Century American French Provincial Furniture
Mahogany, Burl
1970s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Steel
Late 20th Century American French Provincial Furniture
Brass
Late 20th Century American French Provincial Furniture
Brass
Late 20th Century American French Provincial Furniture
Paper
1970s Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Oak
1980s Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Damask, Mahogany
1970s Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Wood, Cotton
Late 20th Century North American French Provincial Furniture
Brass
Late 20th Century French Provincial Furniture
Wood
1980s European Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Walnut
1980s American Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Upholstery, Fruitwood
Late 20th Century French French Provincial Furniture
Porcelain
1970s Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Stone, Iron
1980s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Paper
Late 20th Century French French Provincial Furniture
Porcelain
Late 20th Century American French Provincial Furniture
Oak
Late 20th Century American French Provincial Furniture
Brass
1980s Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Cotton, Wood
Late 20th Century French French Provincial Furniture
Porcelain
1970s Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Wood
1980s Chinese Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Wool
Late 20th Century North American French Provincial Furniture
Slate
Late 20th Century Italian French Provincial Furniture
Maple
1990s Italian French Provincial Furniture
Maple
Late 20th Century French French Provincial Furniture
Straw, Wood
1970s Unknown Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Giltwood
Late 20th Century American French Provincial Furniture
Brass
1980s American Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Brass