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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.

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Style: Gustavian
Period: 19th Century
Painted Swedish Sideboard, circa 1880
Located in Washington, DC
A Swedish Gustavian pine sideboard server with traditional carved fluted diamond panel motif on both of the two doors. Tapered fluted feet. This Swedish Gustavian style sideboard, ...
Category

Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood

Pair of 19th century painted pine Swedish chest of drawers
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Pair of 19th century painted pine Swedish commodes circa 1880. Here we have 2 decorative chest of drawers from Sweden painted in the gustavian taste. Stepped rectangular top's and ...
Category

Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Pine

19th Century Swedish Painted Hall Bench, Trundle Bed
Located in Dallas, TX
19th century Swedish painted hall bench ~ trundle bed is the perfect selection for the active family! By day, a handsome, country style hall bench ~ by nig...
Category

1880s Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood

Pair of Swedish Gustavian Style 1870s Painted Chests with Two Fluted Drawers
Located in Atlanta, GA
A pair of Swedish Gustavian style painted wood chests from circa 1870 with two fluted drawers, fluted side posts, tapered legs and classical hardware. This exquisite pair of Swedish ...
Category

Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood

19th Century Swedish antique genuine small Gustavian table original paint
Located in Boden, SE
A fantastically pretty & elegant Gustavian table. It is easy to place & fits in any room. The Gustavian table comes from Umeå Västerbotten, Northern Sweden. It has been in an old V...
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Pine

19th Century Swedish Gustavian Painted Settee With Trundle
Located in Houston, US
This is a beautiful Swedish Gustavian settee with a pull out trundle. The settee was designed to provide stylish seating during the day and extra sleeping area at night. The mattress...
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Hardwood, Pine

Swedish Gustavian Style 1860s Gray Painted Three-Drawer Chest with Carved Drawer
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Swedish Gustavian style chest from circa 1860 with three drawers, light gray painted finish, reeded accents, dentil molding and tapered legs. Embrace the understated elegance of Sw...
Category

Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood

19th Century Blue-Grey Swedish Gustavian Side Table - Scandinavian Kitchen Table
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A blue-grey, antique Swedish Gustavian single center, kitchen table made of hand crafted painted Pinewood, in good condition. The Scandinavian side table is composed with one drawer,...
Category

Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Metal, Bronze

Pair of Swedish Gustavian Style Blue Painted Chest of Drawers
Located in Kastrup, DK
A pair of antique Swedish Gustavian style blue painted chest of three drawers, dating from the 19th century. Each chest features a black painted rectangular top with canted corners i...
Category

Mid-19th Century Albanian Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Pine

Antique Swedish Gustavian Style Chest of Drawers
Located in Kastrup, DK
Decorative Swedish Gustavian Style chest of drawers painted in dusty antique yellow, typical of the Scandinavian taste for light palettes...
Category

Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood, Pine

Antique Early 19th Century Gustavian Sofa / Bench, By a Swedish Cabinetmaker
Located in Odense, DK
A stunning antique late Gustavian sofa/bench, skillfully crafted by a talented Swedish cabinetmaker of the era. This exquisite piece showcases the hallmark elements of Gustavian desi...
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Pine

Mid 19th Century Gray Painted Swedish Drop Leaf Dining Table
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Faded gray painted drop leaf table Beautiful patina the height of Swedish style Gate legs fold to a narrow side table
Category

Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood, Paint

Blue Painted Bookcase Display Cabinet with Glass Doors, Denmark circa 1840
Located in Round Top, TX
Delightful blue painted pine bookcase with dentil molding along crown and traditional diamond details throughout. Lower drawers and attractive feet bring balance to this display cab...
Category

Mid-19th Century Danish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Glass, Pine, Paint

19th Century Swedish Gustavian Country Folk Art Cabinet dated 1830 originalpaint
Located in Boden, SE
19th Century Swedish antique Jämtskåp from Jämtland .The beautifully marbled crown in the lovely blue shade.The upper cabinet has reeded doors, and the lower part with the imitation ...
Category

1830s Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Pine

19th Century Swedish Neoclassical Whitewashed Pine Armoire
Located in Dallas, TX
19th Century Swedish Neoclassical Whitewashed Pine Armoire will command a stately presence in the room, but with a subtle elegance that enables it to blend with a wide variety of dec...
Category

Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Brass

Swedish Antique Mora Clock Folk Art Paint 1800s 230cm C Palmlöf Sala
Located in LONDON, GB
230cm rare early 1800s antique Swedish mora clock with carved detail in a folk art finish and detailed face with the makers name C Palmlöf of Sala marked on it and hand painted de...
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Pine

Gustavian Antique Painted Desk on Cabinet, Swedish or Danish circa 1820-40
Located in Shippensburg, PA
FINE GUSTAVIAN SECRETARY DESK OVER CABINET IN EARLY RUST AND BLUE PAINT Probably Swedish or Danish, circa first half of the 19th century Item # 403BAS18Q An very cool and quite rare...
Category

19th Century European Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Pine, Paint

Pair of 19th century Swedish painted faux marble top chest of drawers
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Pair of 19th century swedish painted faux marble top chest of drawers circa 1870. Hand painted top surface to simulate marble, stepped edge with dentil frieze detailing.  Canted cor...
Category

Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Pine, Paint

19th c . Swedish Gustavian Painted Stools Signed by Johannes Ericsson
Located in Wichita, KS
Beautifully carved pair of Swedish benches from the late Gustavian period, newly upholstered in linen with nailhead trim, circa 1830. Signed by Johannes Ericsson, 1803-1865, a chair ...
Category

19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Linen, Wood, Paint

19th Century Swedish Gustavian Drop-Leaf Table
Located in Bradenton, FL
19th Century Swedish painted drop-leaf table. Table features two large leaves that drop down when not needed, making this usable as a dining, sofa or hall table. When a dining table ...
Category

19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood

Antique Gustavian Style Chest, Swedish Genuine Country Black Pine with Drawers
Located in Kramfors, SE
Antique chest in gustavian style from Sweden. The chest is a genuine country furniture from around 1820 and has the classic straight shape of the period. Three functional drawers whe...
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Pine

Antique Swedish Gustavian White Painted Side Table With Drawer, circa 1860-80
Located in Round Top, TX
Antique Swedish Gustavian White Painted Side Table With Drawer. Tapered legs and horizontal fluted carving along single drawer. May also serve as nightstand. Restored, later professi...
Category

Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood, Paint

Swedish 19th century painted chest of drawers
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
19th century painted chest of drawers circa 1870. Substantial baroque revival Swedish chest of drawers.  Presented in later paint which is best described as a very light grey or a d...
Category

Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Oak, Pine, Paint

White Painted Gustavian Style Table Writing Desk With One Drawer, circa 1860-80
Located in Round Top, TX
Swedish Gustavian style table with single fluted drawer and tapered legs. Restored, later professionally painted in layered shades of white now distressed to add to the character and...
Category

Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood, Paint

Mid 19th century Swedish decorative column long case clock
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Mid 19th century swedish decorative column long case clock circa 1850. Beautiful long case clock from sweden. Made with a decorative fluted column which forms a demi lune shape. Clo...
Category

Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Pine

Pair of 19th Century Swedish Pedestal Tables
Located in Charleston, SC
A pair of charming pedestal tables with oval tops and turned bases supported by intricately carved scrolling legs in Gustavian style. Värmland, Sweden, circa 1850.
Category

Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood, Paint

Antique Country Gustavian Style Console Table, Northern Swedish Hand-Made Pine
Located in Kramfors, SE
Antique country console table in gustavian style from northern Sweden. The table is made around 1820 and has original light paint with genuine patina and distress. Made by hand in so...
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Pine

19th c. Swedish Gustavian Period Sofa Bench in Original Paint
Located in Wichita, KS
A long 19th c. Swedish sofa bench from the Gustavian period, hand-scraped to reveal the original paint, circa 1800. This beautiful sofa has been newly upholstered in linen and has un...
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Linen, Wood, Paint

Swedish Gustavian 19th Century Table
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A rustic Gustavian painted pine table from the 1820’s, Sweden. The waxed pine table top is removable and sits over its worn painted base. The base has many layers of paint and has re...
Category

19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood, Paint

Swedish Gustavian Side Table
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A petite Swedish Gustavian side table made during the mid 1800’s. This table has a worn painted blue frame featuring a plank top with pink painted flowers over a splayed pedestal bas...
Category

19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood, Paint

Pair of Blue Painted Chest of Three Drawers With Griffins, Sweden circa 1840-60
Located in Round Top, TX
A pair of elegant Gustavian pine chests of three drawers painted in soft blue and contrasting black top with pair of griffins highlighting the upper drawer. Canted fluted side posts ...
Category

Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Brass

Pair of White Painted Swedish Chest of Drawers, circa 1880
Located in Round Top, TX
A pair of Gustavian pine chest of drawers with Greek key motif carved in upper molding resting on fluted feet. The newer, professionally applied antique white custom painted finish i...
Category

Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Pine

Swedish Gustavian Neoclassical Settee
Located in Pasadena, CA
This is a beautifully elaborated c. 1800 Swedish Gustavian bench or settee. The bench retains its original painted surface which has acquired a superb natural patina over its 200 yea...
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Upholstery, Wood, Paint

swedish 19th Century Cabinet with Glass Fronted Doors
Located in Charleston, SC
19th century Swedish cabinet with glass fronted doors in late Gustavian style. Upper library section with molded cornice, four moveable shelves behind double glass doors. The lower c...
Category

Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Glass

Pair, White painted Gustavian Nightstands Side Tables, Sweden circa 1880-90
Located in Round Top, TX
Pair, small Swedish country Gustavian white painted nightstands or side tables standing on tapered legs. Applied floral carving accents the front along with dentil molding and diamon...
Category

Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Brass

Swedish Gustavian Period 1810s Gray Painted Mora Clock with Brown Accents
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Swedish Gustavian period painted wood Mora clock from circa 1810 with round head, gray painted finish with green and brown accents, carved waterleaf motifs and rustic character. Th...
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Enamel

Painted Gustavian Bench Raised upon Tapered Fluted Legs
Located in Houston, TX
Painted Gustavian bench raised upon tapered fluted legs. Newly covered in a tufted off-white seat cushion. Painted finish not original with some losses.
Category

Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Upholstery, Wood, Paint

Swedish Gustavian 19th Century Trumeau
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A Swedish Gustaian trumeau is tall and interesting. The top of the trumeau has a carved scene of Greek Mythology painted blue and gold with faux marbling. The mirror plate is origina...
Category

19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Brass

Antique Blue Painted Swedish Mora Grandfather Clock, circa 1820-1840
Located in Round Top, TX
Graceful curves create the attractive silhouette of this Swedish mora grandfather clock. Newer professionally applied blue layered finish (with slight white and green undertones), l...
Category

Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood, Paint

19th Century Swedish Gustavian Sideboard
Located in Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Unusual Gustavian sideboard with carved top. Below are six short and one long drawer with decorative star handles. Reeded doors opening to further storage.
Category

19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood

19th Century Swedish Painted Hall Bench
Located in Dallas, TX
19th century Swedish painted hall bench is a charming piece perfect for hallways, stairwell landings, or cozy room settings. The tailored lines crea...
Category

1890s Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Pine, Paint

Pair, Gustavian White Painted Chest of Drawers, Sweden circa 1860-80
Located in Round Top, TX
A pair of decorative Gustavian pine chest of drawers painted in shades of antique white with Greek key motif carved in upper top molding. Canted fluted side posts with upper carved ...
Category

Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Brass

Pair of Black Painted Gustavian Demilune Table Consoles
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Black Painted Gustavian Demilune Table Consoles, A Pair Impressive Pair of Black Swedish Half-Round Demi-Lune Tables with Brass Hardware. Put together this set makes a fantastic rou...
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Pine

Swedish 19th century painted breakfront chest of drawers
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Swedish 19th century painted breakfront chest of drawers circa 1880. Elegant and fine quality swedish painted commode.  Breakfront shaped top and block fronted drawer fronts. Stepp...
Category

Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Pine, Paint

Painted Gustavian Buffet with Reeded-Paneled Doors
Located in Houston, TX
Gustavian painted buffet with reeded-paneled doors circa 1810-1829. Late Gustavian period two-door buffet in white/very light blue-gray paint. Doors paneled in hand-carved reeding.
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Metal, Iron

19th Century Rare antique Northern Swedish pine Secretary clock desk country
Located in Boden, SE
19th Century Swedish Antique clock cabinet from Umeå Västerbotten ,Northern Sweden. . A good example of old ingenuity and compact living this piece combines three functions in one –...
Category

Early 1800s Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Pine

Antique Swedish Gustavian Neoclassical Painted Wooden Console Table
Located in Forney, TX
A stunning Swedish Gustavian period (1772-1809) console table. Hand-crafted in Sweden in the early 19th century, Louis XVI Neo-classical taste, the muted dark cream with pale green...
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Marble

Small Antique Bleached Gustavian Style Round Side Table. English, Circa 1850
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Fabulous small round table. Made from bleached tropical hardwood and fruitwood. Nicely figured top I particularly like its simplicity. I have chosen not to lacquer or wax the tab...
Category

1850s English Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood

Fine Set of Six 18th Century Gustavian Chairs
Located in Mjöhult, SE
Fine set of six Swedish 18th century Gustavian chairs in their original colour. ca 1790 Sweden.
Category

Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood

Fine Pair of Swedish 19th Century Gustavian Chairs
Located in Mjöhult, SE
Fine pair of Swedish early 19th century late Gustavian chairs in their original finish by master chair maker Melchior Lundberg (active in Stockholm 1795-1834) . Ca 1810 Stockholm, Sw...
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Pine

Swedish Gustavian Period Bench with Antique Linen
Located in Charleston, SC
Very rare. Swedish Gustavian period bench, circa 1800, finished on all three sides with Guilloché carvings on carved round fluted legs. Scraped to original cream /white finish and u...
Category

Early 1800s Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Linen, Wood, Paint

Painted Swedish Gustavian Style Secretary
Located in Houston, US
Really beautiful Swedish secretary with drop front, interior drawers, cubbies and a secret compartment. Two doors sit on two drawers on the top and there are two small drawers over t...
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Brass

Swedish Center Table, Stockholm 1860
Located in Charleston, SC
Swedish Gustavian style round center table with very richly carved apron, tapering carved legs and saltire strecher with central medallion in painted worn cream patina, Sweden, circa...
Category

Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood, Paint

C19th Century Swedish Long Case Clock with Gilded Decoration & 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

Pair of large Swedish Stools
Located in Salisbury, GB
A pair of large Swedish late gustavian stools in original pale paint finely carved to all four sides - drop in seats have been recovered in a hand embroidered flower sprigged pure li...
Category

Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Upholstery, Wood

Genuine Antique Swedish Black Country Gustavian Style Table with Drawers
Located in Kramfors, SE
Swedish antique country table in Gustavian style from northern Sweden made around 1820. The table is a genuine country furniture and has a frame in solid pine. The table is painted a...
Category

Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Pine

19th Century Swedish Painted Chest of Drawers
Located in Houston, TX
The 19th Century Swedish Painted Chest of Drawers is a charming piece of furniture that exudes timeless elegance and rustic charm. Painted in a creamy white hue, the chest of drawers...
Category

19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Wood, Paint

Early 19th Century Swedish Pale Grey Bench with Classic Decorative Detail
Located in London, GB
An early circa 19th century painted and upholstered Swedish bench in oak and beech. The bench would make an elegant and functional addition to the end of a bed. The bench is decorat...
Category

1810s Swedish Antique Gustavian Furniture

Materials

Beech, Oak

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.

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