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.
Mid-20th Century French French Provincial Furniture
Silver Plate
1960s European Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century French Provincial Furniture
Mirror, Hardwood
1940s Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Cotton, Walnut
1930s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Glass
Mid-20th Century European French Provincial Furniture
Mirror, Wicker
Mid-20th Century French Provincial Furniture
Wood
1950s American Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Upholstery, Cherry
1960s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Ceramic
1930s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Metal
1930s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Crystal, Metal
1940s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Crystal
1950s American Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Brass
1930s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Crystal, Metal
1960s American Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century French French Provincial Furniture
Ceramic
1960s American Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Brass
1930s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Mirror, Wood
Mid-20th Century French French Provincial Furniture
Stoneware
1950s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Ceramic
1940s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Oak
1960s Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Rush, Wood
Mid-20th Century American French Provincial Furniture
Hardwood, Mahogany
1930s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
1930s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Metal, Silver Leaf
1930s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
1930s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
Mid-20th Century Italian French Provincial Furniture
Bamboo, Wicker, Rattan
1960s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Ceramic
1960s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Earthenware
1930s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Crystal, Metal
1960s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Ceramic
1960s Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Rosewood
1950s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Brass
1950s Unknown Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Brass, Iron
1930s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Crystal, Metal
Mid-20th Century American French Provincial Furniture
Upholstery, Velvet, Hardwood, Giltwood, Paint
1930s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Crystal, Metal
1930s Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Glass
Mid-20th Century French Provincial Furniture
Marble
1930s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Bronze
1960s American Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Brass
1960s American Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Linen, Hardwood
1950s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Stoneware, Wool
1930s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Crystal, Metal, Silver Plate
1960s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Concrete
1930s Italian Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Mirror
1930s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Crystal, Metal
Mid-20th Century American French Provincial Furniture
Brass
1960s Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Marble
1930s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Metal
1960s American Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Mirror, Cherry
1930s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Crystal, Metal
1930s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Crystal, Brass
1930s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Metal
1930s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Metal
1930s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Crystal, Silver Leaf, Metal
1930s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Bronze