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.
1880s English Antique Medieval Furniture
Paper
Mid-20th Century Italian Medieval Furniture
Brass
17th Century Italian Antique Medieval Furniture
Gold Leaf
19th Century Antique Medieval Furniture
Wood
16th Century German Antique Medieval Furniture
Wrought Iron
1880s English Antique Medieval Furniture
Paper
1960s Persian Vintage Medieval Furniture
Wool
Early 20th Century Medieval Furniture
Bronze
Mid-18th Century Dutch Antique Medieval Furniture
Wood
20th Century American Medieval Furniture
Glass, Wood, Paint
1880s English Antique Medieval Furniture
Paper
19th Century Antique Medieval Furniture
Copper
15th Century and Earlier English Antique Medieval Furniture
Metallic Thread
2010s Indian Medieval Furniture
Silk
20th Century Spanish Medieval Furniture
Iron, Wrought Iron
2010s Afghan Medieval Furniture
Wool
Mid-20th Century American Medieval Furniture
Metal
15th Century and Earlier French Antique Medieval Furniture
Walnut
1890s Antique Medieval Furniture
Mirror, Oak
18th Century German Antique Medieval Furniture
Oak
15th Century and Earlier Spanish Antique Medieval Furniture
Softwood
Mid-20th Century European Medieval Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century French Medieval Furniture
Wrought Iron
1940s Spanish Vintage Medieval Furniture
Wrought Iron
1920s Vintage Medieval Furniture
Oak
2010s Afghan Medieval Furniture
Wool
2010s Afghan Medieval Furniture
Wool
Mid-20th Century Medieval Furniture
Metal, Steel
Mid-19th Century European Antique Medieval Furniture
Wood
1880s English Antique Medieval Furniture
Paper
1880s English Antique Medieval Furniture
Paper
Mid-20th Century Greek Medieval Furniture
Ceramic
1820s English Antique Medieval Furniture
Wood
20th Century Spanish Medieval Furniture
Iron, Wrought Iron
1880s English Antique Medieval Furniture
Paper
1920s French Vintage Medieval Furniture
Crystal, Brass
15th Century and Earlier Dutch Antique Medieval Furniture
Wood
19th Century European Antique Medieval Furniture
Sterling Silver
1890s French Antique Medieval Furniture
Wood, Walnut
19th Century Antique Medieval Furniture
Oak
17th Century French Antique Medieval Furniture
Iron
2010s Indian Medieval Furniture
Silk
1960s Italian Vintage Medieval Furniture
Hardwood, Paint
Mid-20th Century Persian Medieval Furniture
Silk
Mid-20th Century Dutch Medieval Furniture
Plaster
Mid-19th Century French Antique Medieval Furniture
Bronze
1930s British Vintage Medieval Furniture
Wood
20th Century Spanish Medieval Furniture
Gold Leaf, Wrought Iron, Iron
1930s Italian Vintage Medieval Furniture
Oak
16th Century French Antique Medieval Furniture
Wood
1880s English Antique Medieval Furniture
Paper
20th Century American Medieval Furniture
Wool, Upholstery, Wood
2010s Afghan Medieval Furniture
Wool
1880s English Antique Medieval Furniture
Paper
2010s Indian Medieval Furniture
Silk
2010s Indian Medieval Furniture
Silk
1880s English Antique Medieval Furniture
Paper
19th Century Unknown Antique Medieval Furniture
Marble
1850s American Antique Medieval Furniture
Pine
Mid-20th Century French Medieval Furniture
Wool, Cotton