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.
1990s French French Provincial Furniture
Porcelain
Late 20th Century American French Provincial Furniture
Rush, Walnut, Paint
Mid-20th Century French French Provincial Furniture
Cast Stone
21st Century and Contemporary French French Provincial Furniture
Cherry
1950s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century French Provincial Furniture
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Pine, Paint
1930s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Bronze
20th Century French French Provincial Furniture
Brass
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Cast Stone
1960s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Upholstery, Wood
Mid-20th Century French Provincial Furniture
Oak
Mid-20th Century Italian French Provincial Furniture
Bamboo
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Iron, Wrought Iron
Mid-20th Century Italian French Provincial Furniture
Bamboo
Late 19th Century Antique French Provincial Furniture
Iron
1930s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Terracotta
Mid-20th Century American French Provincial Furniture
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary North American French Provincial Furniture
Wood
1960s Italian Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Rattan
Late 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Cherry
Early 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Cherry
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Copper
Mid-20th Century French French Provincial Furniture
Concrete, Metal
21st Century and Contemporary French French Provincial Furniture
Oak
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Copper
19th Century Antique French Provincial Furniture
Fabric, Walnut
Late 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Wood
1920s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Brass
20th Century French French Provincial Furniture
Brass
Early 1700s French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Wood
1980s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Travertine
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Iron
Mid-20th Century French French Provincial Furniture
Crystal, Wrought Iron
Early 1900s French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Oak
1920s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Wood
19th Century Italian Antique French Provincial Furniture
Terracotta
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique French Provincial Furniture
Metal
1990s Chinese French Provincial Furniture
Wool
Late 20th Century French French Provincial Furniture
Tapestry, Wool
1810s French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Mirror, Hardwood
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Wood, Paint, Mirror
Mid-20th Century North American French Provincial Furniture
Cherry
Late 18th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Wood
Late 18th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Oak
Late 19th Century Belgian Antique French Provincial Furniture
Paper
1960s French Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Bamboo, Laminate
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Oak
Late 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Paper
Mid-19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Cherry
Mid-20th Century American French Provincial Furniture
Linen, Cane, Wood
20th Century French French Provincial Furniture
Ormolu
Late 18th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Iron
1970s Italian Vintage French Provincial Furniture
Art Glass, Murano Glass
1990s Chinese French Provincial Furniture
Wool
1990s Chinese French Provincial Furniture
Wool
Late 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Furniture
Rush, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese French Provincial Furniture
Wood