Skip to main content

Gustavian Furniture

GUSTAVIAN STYLE

With clean lines and muted colors, antique Gustavian furniture is understated and elegant. It represents a more restrained version of the transition from Rococo to neoclassicism that was happening in France under Louis XVI. The style developed under Swedish King Gustav III, who reigned from 1771 until his assassination in 1792, and his son Gustav IV, who ruled until 1809. Although Gustavian furniture is mostly used to refer to pale painted cabinets, commodes, armchairs and other items, it involved a range of influences.

Gustavian-style furniture was inspired by discoveries at Pompeii and Herculaneum as well as the grandeur of European palaces like Versailles, with local softwoods such as pine and birch. There was also an emphasis on natural light; crystal chandeliers and large mirrors played a role in radiating the fleeting daylight of winter, giving it a distinctive aesthetic.

Where earlier furniture was curvy and florid, this new era was more architectural, with tapered and fluted legs and rectangular and oval shapes. Luminous gilt contrasted with the palette of soft blues on upholstery and painted surfaces. Leading furniture builders included Gottlieb Iwersson, Louis Masreliez and Erik Öhrmark. The latter, a French-born Swedish decorator, designed the Sulla chair, a seat that was demonstrative of technical skill and precise craftsmanship and drew on Greek klismos chairs. Masreliez’s Sulla chair was made by Öhrmark and featured decorative ornamentation produced by Jean-Baptiste Masreliez, Louis’s younger brother.

While the wealthy had furniture carved with neoclassical details like scallops and rosettes, more affordable options were adorned with faux finishes that mimicked marble and stenciled patterns. The simple elegance of Gustavian furniture would have a long impact on Swedish design, informing the 20th-century appreciation for function and form. In the 1950s, IKEA mass-produced copies of a Gustavian commode designed by cabinetmaker Georg Haupt, who created pieces for the Royal Palace, making the furniture a fixture of everyday Swedish life.

Find a collection of antique Gustavian seating, tables, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.

to
138
919
563
1,430
32
26
199,506
113,969
43,741
33,611
16,390
12,295
10,843
10,808
9,949
9,003
7,255
6,759
6,445
6,406
6,154
5,868
4,931
3,785
318
787
325
58
102
144
20
12
10
18
20
36
45
16
6
5
2
1,356
522
520
274
264
1,392
1,283
1,235
39
33
1,488
1,475
1,478
8
2
2
2
2
Style: Gustavian
Dos Gallos Custom Coffee Table in Driftwood Finish
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Custom coffee table with fluted apron and carved legs. Can be made in oak, teak, walnut or mahogany in a variety of sizes and finishes. Shown here in teak, with a grey driftwood and ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood, Oak, Walnut

Traditional Bright 20th Century Turkish Runner
Located in New York, NY
Vintage Turkish Oushak runner with a medallion and border design on a bright red field. Measures: 3'5" x 6'5".
Category

20th Century Turkish Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wool

19th century Swedish Gustavian set of (4) painted dining chairs
Located in London, GB
Wonderful set of Swedish C19th white painted High back chairs. Their is a slight variance of height for (2) chairs. 93 cm / 98 cm Please note one seat is missing, they are ready for...
Category

Early 1800s Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Pine

Swedish Gustavian Style Gray Painted Three-Drawer Chest with Carved Panels
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Swedish Gustavian style three-drawer chest from the 19th century, with marbleized top, gray painted finish, reeded panels and fluted side posts. This 19th-century Swedish Gustavian...
Category

19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood

Painted Swedish Gustavian Style Drop Leaf Gate Leg Table
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Swedish Gustavian Style Painted Drop Leaf Table. This table is a marvel of ingenuity. Hand-crafted, it features two huge leaves that drop down out of the way when not needed, making ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary European Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Paint, Wood

Late 18th Century Swedish Pine Gustavian Country Table
Located in Kramfors, SE
Swedish gustavian table in the authentic country style made durning the late 1700s. The table is an unusual model with two floating drawers in the rim. The drawers are originally wit...
Category

Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Pine

Gustavian-Style Marquetry Cabinet
Located in New York, NY
A Swedish Gustavian-style marquetry inlaid chest. The rosewood and walnut veneered case having 3 drawers and a finely detailed marquetry inlay with penwork details, the square and ta...
Category

1940s Swedish Vintage Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Rosewood, Walnut

Pair of Pickled Wood Swedish Style Tub Chairs
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Pair of Gustavian style tub armchairs with painted finish showing natural wear, each arched and bowed channeled backrest carved with gadrooning and upholstered with Rococo-print line...
Category

20th Century Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Upholstery, Wood

19th Century Swedish Gustavian Drop Front Desk
Located in Chicago, IL
19th Century Swedish Gustavian hand painted drop top desk. Writing top H 31”
Category

19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood

Vintage Persian Isfahan Rug, Relaxed Refinement Meets Mediterranean Charm
Located in Dallas, TX
61251 Vintage Blue Persian Isfahan Rug, 08'02 x 11'07. ​Nestled in the heart of central Iran lies a haven of artistry and tradition: the captivating city of Isfahan. Here, amid whisp...
Category

Late 20th Century Persian Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wool

Narrow Dark Antique Red Oushak Runner
Located in New York, NY
Antique Turkish Oushak runner with multiple medallions on a dark red field, circa 1910. Measures: 2'5'' x 13'6''.
Category

20th Century Turkish Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wool

Pair, Antique Gray Painted Gustavian Arm Chairs, Sweden, circa 1880
Located in Round Top, TX
Pair, gray painted gustavian arm chairs. Turned fluted legs and decorative carving throughout, crowned with rosettes. Restored, stable. Any scrat...
Category

Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood, Paint

Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Side Table in Pine
Located in Kramfors, SE
Gustavian side table manufactured in northern Sweden, circa 1790. The table is in untouched original condition with original blue marbled paint. The painting technique imitates the s...
Category

Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Pine

Antique Swedish Blue and White Genuine Country Gustavian Style Side Table
Located in Kramfors, SE
Blue antique country table in Gustavian Style. The table has a very unusual and charming original paint in blue and white, which are rare colours...
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Pine

Four Vintage Louis XVI Style Dining Chairs
Located in Sheffield, MA
The four classic Louis XVI style dining chairs painted gold have fluted legs topped by squared rosettes, cane backs inset in ribbed frame...
Category

20th Century American Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Hemp, Wood

C19th Century Swedish long case clock with gilded decoration and original paint
Located in London, GB
Wonderful early C19th Swedish long case clock from kougsta in the Jamtland region in an area of natural beauty of central Sweden. The painted face is numbered simply and framed with ...
Category

Early 1800s Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Giltwood

Swedish 1860s Gustavian Style Painted Console Table with Carved Floral Décor
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Swedish Gustavian style painted wood console table from the mid 19th century, with carved apron, rosettes and fluted tapered legs. Created in Sweden during the third quarter of the...
Category

Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood

19th-20th Century Grey Swedish Gustavian Antique Tile Top Pine Sideboard, Table
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A light-grey, white antique Swedish Gustavian tile top console table with original blue tiles and two drawers. The sideboard is made of hand cra...
Category

Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Metal, Brass

18th Century Swedish Gustavian Pine Wall Glass Mirror - Antique Wall Décor
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A gold, antique Swedish Gustavian wall mirror made of handcrafted gilded Pinewood with its original mirrored glass, in good condition. The particularized carved Scandinavian wall déc...
Category

Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Mirror, Pine, Giltwood

Swedish Gustavian Style Chest Of Drawers
Located in Hollywood, FL
This is a unique Swedish Gustavian Style 3 drawer chest of drawers. its been restored and repainted with milk Paints "Oyster White"
Category

1890s Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood

19th C. Rococo Gustavian Ebonized and Partial Gilt Upholstered ArmChairs, Pair
Located in Germantown, MD
Pair of Rococo Gustavian / Swedish Arm Chairs for him and her. Light greenish. Measures 21"W x 22"D x 32H. Seat height is 17" and arm height is 23" and 22". Seat interior width 17"...
Category

Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Upholstery, Hardwood, Giltwood

Zabihi Collection Vintage Persian Bakhtiari Carpet
Located in New York, NY
Colorful Persian Bakhtiari carpet with traditional panel design. The weaver added colorful salvage to each side too giving it an added characteristic. 4'7'' x 7'2''
Category

20th Century Persian Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wool

19th Century Grey Danish Gustavian Set of Eight Scandinavian Dining Room Chairs
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An antique Danish set of six side chairs and two armchairs in a chalky grey finish made of hand crafted Pinewood, in good condition. The Scandinavian chairs have a rounded backrests and a centered floral decoration, possibly Denmark. The seats have been newly created in a cotton fabric with a Vichy checker pattern combining dark blue grey and light grey. Wear consistent with age and use, circa 1880, Scandinavia. Armchair 39" H x 23" W x 18.5" D; Seat 19...
Category

Late 19th Century Danish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Fabric, Cotton, Upholstery, Pine

Bar Cabinet Gustavian Style
Located in Hollywood, FL
This is a unique Gustavian style Bar Cabinet. its been restored and repainted with Milk Paints "Oyster White" 76 inches wide when open
Category

1950s Swedish Vintage Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood

Pair of 18th Century Swedish Candlesticks
Located in Greenwich, CT
Good pair of 18th Century Swedish baroque hand hammered brass candlesticks with removable drip pan over barleytwist shafts with central drip collar, standing on bulbous bases having ...
Category

18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Brass

A Pair of Second Gustavian-Style Barrel Back Chairs
Located in New York, NY
A pair of Swedish Second Gustavian-style barrel back chairs with hand-carved giltwood frame. The saber-form legs support arched back and apron with hand-carved and composition giltwo...
Category

1880s Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Giltwood

18th Century Swedish Gustavian Bench by Johan Lindgren
Located in Huntington, NY
A unique hourglass shaped Swedish Gustavian bench made by Stockholm master furniture maker, Johan Lindgren (active 1770-1800). His initials, ILG, can be found underneath. Frame is de...
Category

Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Linen, Wood, Paint

Pair of Faux Painted Swedish Demilune Tables
Located in Greenwich, CT
Fine pair of early 19th century Gustavian demilune console tables, the half round top with original sponged faux marble paint, over simulated mahogany painted apron and legs, the who...
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Pine, Paint

18th Century Swedish Gustavian Period Painted Buffet
Located in Dallas, TX
18th century Swedish Gustavian Period painted buffet will make a handsome addition to your collection, and a stylistic touch to your decor! Hand-crafted from indigenous old-growth pi...
Category

Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Brass

Vintage French Walnut Side Table with Black Marbled Tabletop, 1880s
Located in Miami, FL
Round sidetable or lamptable with black marbled tabletop in the style of Gustavian from around the year 1880.
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Walnut

Swedish 1880s Gustavian Style Painted Side Table with Three Reeded Drawers
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Swedish Gustavian style side table from the late 19th century, with three drawers, reeded motifs and tapering legs. Created in Sweden during the last quarter of the 19th century, t...
Category

Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood

19th Century Swedish Country Gustavian Tray Table
Located in Forney, TX
Pale, elegant simplicity and classic design, is how we would describe this large, subtly beautiful, hand carved and painted pine antique tray style table. Handcrafted in Sweden in the late 1800s, decorated in a muted gray-blue paint color, typical of traditional Nordic Swedish County home interiors; pale, light and airy atmospheres, which counteract the low levels of natural light, especially during Scandinavian winters. This substantially sized rustic table blends a comfortable warmth with a clean-lined minimalism—uniting in a way that is functional, unfussy, and timeless. The perfect choice for bridging contemporary and traditional styles. Versatile. Ideal for use as an interesting side or center table, accent table, standing writing desk, work table, wine tasting stand or dry bar drinks table...
Category

19th Century Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Pine, Paint

Pair of Gustavian Single Rose Carved Chairs with Carved Detailing
Located in Crowthorne, Surrey
A set of 2 gustavian rose carved chair with hand carved single rose detailing to the top of the chairs. Antique off-white aged paint finish. Solid b...
Category

1970s Swedish Vintage Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Birch

Swedish Gustavian Period 1810s Dove Gray Painted Sideboard with Diamond Motifs
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Swedish Gustavian period sideboard from circa 1810 with gray painted finish, carved diamond motifs, two doors and hidden drawers. This Swedish Gustavian period sideboard from aroun...
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood

19thc Gustavian Cut Cascading Crystal Wall Sconce
Located in Opa Locka, FL
19thc Gustavian Bronze Cut Crystal Cascading Waterfall Form Wall Sconce. This sconce is in its original unelectrified state.
Category

1850s Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Bronze

Pair of Swedish Armchairs
Located in New York, NY
Pair of Swedish armchairs. Vintage pair of Gustavian style painted open-arm chairs with neoclassical details; recovered in camel silk velvet with matching silk cotton piping; carved...
Category

20th Century European Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Velvet, Wood, Giltwood

Gustavian Console Table
Located in New York, NY
A 19th century Gustavian Console Table. Tall Gustavian Console Table with Faux painted Marble top having a marvelous speckled apron detail. Tall fluted turned narrow legs set to Pi...
Category

19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Pine

Gustavian, Louis XVI Style, Commode, Mahogany, Marble, Brass, Sweden, 1980s
Located in Manhasset, NY
Gustavian, Louis XVI Style, Commode, Mahogany, Marble, Brass, Sweden, 1980s Gustavian chest of drawers designed and produced in Sweden in the later half of the 20th century. This ex...
Category

1980s Swedish Vintage Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Marble, Brass

19th Century, Swedish Gustavian Style Drop Leaf Table
Located in Kramfors, SE
Drop leaf table in gustavian style made around 1810 in northern Sweden. The table is hand-made in Swedish pine and painted in a light grey tone. The paint is the original first layer...
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Pine

Dated 1831 Scandinavian Painted Step-Back Pine Cupboard with Initials R.K.S.
Located in New York, NY
This is a antique Scandinavian cupboard made in 1831 from pine wood. This cupboard has a step-back design where the upper section is set ...
Category

19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Pine, Paint

Swedish Gustavian Side Chairs w/New Linen Seats, 19th C.
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Swedish Gustavian pair of slatted back side chairs from the early 19th century. These antique chairs from Sweden have straight top rails and slatted backs. The lines are mostly cle...
Category

19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood, Linen

18th Century Swedish Gustavian Writing Table
Located in Kramfors, SE
Gustavian table from northern Sweden in untouched original condition. The table is from the years circa 1780-1790 with traces of thin paint on the frame and a white painted tabletop....
Category

Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Pine

Swedish Gustavian Style 1900 Painted Wood Armchairs with Carved Aprons
Located in Atlanta, GA
A pair of Swedish Gustavian style painted wood armchairs from the early 20th century, with scrolling arms, carved waterleaf and rosette motifs and fluted legs. Created in Sweden duri...
Category

Early 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Upholstery, Wood

Swedish Gustavian Style Side Chair - 20th
Located in Linkebeek, BE
Swedish Gustavian Style Side Chair - 20th Artist studio chair - Side chair Swedish Gustavian-style slatted-back chair, dating from the early 19th century. This antique Swedish chair ...
Category

20th Century Swedish Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood

19th Century Northern Swedish Gustavian Country Pine Side Table
Located in Kramfors, SE
Northern Swedish country side table in gustavian style made during the early 1800s. The table is in untouched original condition with the original faux paint. Made in pine with the o...
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Pine

Pair of Late Gustavian Candlesticks
Located in Ljungby, SE
A pair of late-Gustavian candlesticks made in Stockholm around 1800. The stems are made of glass columns with a porphyry-imitation paper on the inside. The fittings and light sockets...
Category

Early 1800s Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Carrara Marble, Bronze

Country Swedish Gustavian Center Table Painted by Ira Yeager
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Charming 19th century country Swedish center table or rent table finished in the Gustavian taste. The round drum form pedestal table features a painted case decorated with a bust of ...
Category

19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Brass

Swedish Gustavian Two-Light Giltwood Wall Scones
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Swedish Gustavian two-light giltwood wall scones.
Category

Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Mirror, Giltwood

Unusual Northern Swedish Gustavian Country Pine Table
Located in Kramfors, SE
Northern Swedish country pine table in gustavian style. The table is a rare example and has a large centered drawer and straight tapered legs with flutes. Hand made and in genuine un...
Category

Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Pine

Tall White Painted Trumeau Mirror with Greek Figures, Sweden circa 1900
Located in Round Top, TX
Tall decorative trumeau mirror with carved accents. Upper section portrays Greek figures against a blue painted background. The antique white painted finish is lightly distressed cre...
Category

Early 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Mirror, Wood, Paint

Gustavian 18th Century Giltwood Mirror with Gouaches
Located in Stockholm, SE
A fine gustavian gilt wood mirror with gouaches made in Stockholm c. 1790. Original gilding. The gouaches painted in the neoclassical pompeian style.
Category

1790s Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Mirror, Giltwood

Gustavian Grey Painted Four Poster Bed, US Queen
Located in Westwood, NJ
A Modern Gustavian Grey Painted Four Poster Bed. Queen Size. A wonderful combination of antique Gustavian design and modern details. The posters ar...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood

18th Century Swedish Gustavian Stickback Settee
Located in Huntington, NY
A stunning Swedish Gustavian stickback settee. Rectangular back with vertical leaf cut detailing on upper frame topped by round finials. Back and sides are carved with a unique arrow...
Category

Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Linen, Wood, Paint

19th Century Gustavian Writing Desk by Johan Oman
Located in New York, NY
A 19th century writing desk by Swedish Master Cabinet Maker Johan Öman (1789-1833) who worked for King Charles XIV. The desk having two drawers with ornate ...
Category

Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Brass

A Swedish Gustavian Walnut Upholstered Salon Chair With Inlay & Ceramic Castors
Located in Reading, Berkshire
An Antique Swedish Gustavian Designed Walnut Upholstered Salon Chair With Decorative Inlay & Ceramic Castors 1800s
Category

19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Walnut

Zeki Muren Distressed Vintage Turkish Sivas Rug
Located in Dallas, TX
50876 Zeki Muren Distressed Vintage Turkish Sivas Rug. Lovingly timeworn with Gustavian grace, this hand knotted wool distressed Turkish Sivas rug beautifully embodies a Swedish Far...
Category

Mid-20th Century Turkish Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wool

Early 20th Century Swedish Painted Grandfather Clock
Located in Houston, TX
The Early 20th Century Swedish Painted Grandfather Clock stands as a testament to the exquisite craftsmanship and timeless beauty of its era. Gilded and intricately carved around its...
Category

Early 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Glass, Wood, Paint

C1800s naive Swedish oil painting of a castle & lake scene
Located in London, GB
Charming naive/folk early 1800s Swedish framed oil painting of a castle viewed from across a lake where figures are boating and fishing. The canvas has been laid on board and later f...
Category

1790s Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Canvas

Pair of Swedish 1910s Painted Wood Armchairs with Carved Splats and Stretchers
Located in Atlanta, GA
A pair of Swedish painted wood armchairs from the early 20th century, with carved splats, serpentine arms and black fabric. Created in Sweden during the early years of the 20th centu...
Category

Early 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood, Fabric

2 Gustavian Style 3 Drawer Chest Of Drawers
Located in Hollywood, FL
This is an unusual set of 2 Gustavian Style 3 Drawer Chest Of Drawers. They have been restored and repainted with Milk Paints "Oyster White"
Category

1930s Swedish Vintage Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood

Gustavian furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Gustavian furniture for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage furniture created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include case pieces and storage cabinets, seating, tables and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, softwood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Gustavian furniture made in a specific country, there are Europe, Scandinavia, and Sweden pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original furniture, popular names associated with this style include Ephraim Stahl, Hendrix Allardyce, Hans-Agne Jakobsson, and Jonas Frisk. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for furniture differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $50 and tops out at $49,500 while the average work can sell for $4,473.

Recently Viewed

View All