Medieval Furniture
The Middle Ages in Europe followed the end of the Roman Empire, and in this time of change, which preceded the Renaissance, furniture was simple and utilitarian, with most homes having only the necessities like chests and benches. Much of medieval furniture, which was often made in oak or walnut, was built for the elite, particularly the emerging merchant class who owned multiple homes.
Life for many in the medieval era was unstable, and furniture was designed to be functional and portable. Peasants worked the fields for affluent landowners and didn’t have access to literature in the way that nobles and people of the church did (women less so than men). The furniture in their modest dwellings was typically limited to cookware and a handful of stools. Foldable chairs, while uncommon in homes of the early Middle Ages and emblematic of wealth, like all other furnishings of the time, allowed for easy transportation of a household. Trestle tables with detachable legs and collapsible beds were designed to be simply moved from place to place.
Medieval blanket chests were among the most important furniture objects and could further serve as tables or even beds. Some ancient traditions were carried forward to build this sturdy furniture, such as turnery. Although the furniture was minimally designed, embellishments like carvings added elegance to the heavy wood pieces. These details sometimes reflected trends in religious art like rose windows.
By the later Middle Ages, storage pieces like chests of drawers were often adorned with high relief carvings, such as geometric and floral motifs. By the 14th and 15th centuries, design had developed to include more involved pieces like cupboards and desks, while benches frequently doubled as chests with hinged seats. Beds also changed in this era from basic boards to four-post designs with large drapes to keep the sleeper warm. These beds and other medieval bedroom furniture were significant status symbols, passed down through families and used as places to conduct business and receive visitors.
Surviving examples of medieval furniture are very rare, yet its distinctive aesthetics influenced later styles like William and Mary and Arts and Crafts.
Find a collection of medieval seating, garden elements, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Late 19th Century French Antique Medieval Furniture
Wrought Iron
Mid-20th Century French Medieval Furniture
Wool, Cotton, Linen
17th Century French Antique Medieval Furniture
Wood
2010s Indian Medieval Furniture
Wool
Mid-20th Century French Medieval Furniture
Wool, Cotton
1960s Persian Vintage Medieval Furniture
Wool
16th Century Dutch Antique Medieval Furniture
Terracotta
2010s Afghan Medieval Furniture
Wool
2010s Afghan Medieval Furniture
Wool
2010s Indian Medieval Furniture
Wool
2010s Afghan Medieval Furniture
Wool
Mid-19th Century Antique Medieval Furniture
Oak
20th Century English Medieval Furniture
Iron
15th Century and Earlier European Antique Medieval Furniture
Oak
Mid-20th Century Spanish Medieval Furniture
Iron
1920s Italian Vintage Medieval Furniture
Blown Glass
15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Medieval Furniture
Granite
19th Century French Antique Medieval Furniture
Leather, Oak
Early 19th Century Antique Medieval Furniture
Wrought Iron
Mid-19th Century French Antique Medieval Furniture
Wrought Iron
Late 19th Century French Antique Medieval Furniture
Brass
15th Century and Earlier Belgian Antique Medieval Furniture
Oak
2010s Indian Medieval Furniture
Silk
21st Century and Contemporary English Medieval Furniture
Limestone
2010s Indian Medieval Furniture
Silk
2010s Persian Medieval Furniture
Wool
2010s Persian Medieval Furniture
Wool
2010s Indian Medieval Furniture
Silk
19th Century Italian Antique Medieval Furniture
Oak
2010s Indian Medieval Furniture
Wool
2010s Afghan Medieval Furniture
Wool
1840s English Antique Medieval Furniture
Silver Plate
2010s Indian Medieval Furniture
Silk
2010s Indian Medieval Furniture
Wool
19th Century Antique Medieval Furniture
Oak
2010s Indian Medieval Furniture
Wool
1950s European Vintage Medieval Furniture
Oak
19th Century English Antique Medieval Furniture
Stone
20th Century Medieval Furniture
Wood
2010s Afghan Medieval Furniture
Wool
16th Century Swiss Antique Medieval Furniture
Pine
2010s Indian Medieval Furniture
Wool
2010s Afghan Medieval Furniture
Wool
2010s Indian Medieval Furniture
Silk
2010s Afghan Medieval Furniture
Wool
21st Century and Contemporary American Medieval Furniture
Iron
2010s Afghan Medieval Furniture
Wool
2010s Indian Medieval Furniture
Wool
19th Century Antique Medieval Furniture
Oak
2010s Indian Medieval Furniture
Wool
1920s American Vintage Medieval Furniture
Wrought Iron
2010s Indian Medieval Furniture
Wool
Mid-20th Century Spanish Medieval Furniture
Wrought Iron, Iron
1950s European Vintage Medieval Furniture
Oak
2010s Afghan Medieval Furniture
Wool
17th Century Italian Antique Medieval Furniture
Bronze
2010s Afghan Medieval Furniture
Wool
1960s Persian Vintage Medieval Furniture
Wool
2010s Afghan Medieval Furniture
Wool
Mid-20th Century French Medieval Furniture
Wool, Cotton, Linen