Moorish Furniture
After the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula in the eighth century, Islamic Spain became a cultural mix of influences that shaped both private homes and religious spaces. Moorish design was the name given to this style, which evolved through the 15th century with vibrant tile work, horseshoe arches and lavish ornamentation, most visible at sites such as Granada’s Alhambra and the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba. Moorish furniture was often similarly ornate, and featured pieces inlaid with wood, ivory and bone.
When European designers began studying Moorish art and architecture in the early 19th century, it led to a Moorish Revival. Appropriating the style’s decorative flourishes and architectural elements, it promoted a romantic view of Islamic design. Travelers could bring home a memento of what they witnessed in the Middle East, a trend that aligned with a fad for themed interiors. Men’s smoking rooms arranged with ottomans, divans and settees and inlaid tables were especially popular, as were cafés where coffee was served amid bead curtains and colorful floor mats. (Handwoven rugs are a centerpiece of Moorish interiors.) Octagonal rooms with domed ceilings were created for wealthy homes, frequently with furnishings like pipe stands, filigree plasterwork and arched doorways. The horseshoe arch is an iconic attribute of Moorish architecture that, in addition to Spain, can be found in Sicily, Morocco and elsewhere.
Several late 19th to early 20th-century movements featured Moorish touches. The American and English Aesthetic Movement, for example, borrowed liberally from global decorating styles, as seen in furniture designed by Lockwood de Forest, a New York-born artist who mixed Eastern and Western forms. The visual vocabulary of Art Nouveau also references the elegant use of geometry in Moorish design, with Milanese Art Nouveau furniture designer Carlo Bugatti drawing inspiration from the style. The Arts and Crafts movement, which prized expressive yet simple design, incorporated Moorish influences; hand-painted furniture and tile work created by William De Morgan, a British designer and potter who made furnishings for the likes of Morris & Co., were informed by techniques from Moorish Spain.
Find a collection of Moorish lighting, decorative objects, folk art and more furniture on 1stDibs.
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Metal
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Metal
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Metal
20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Fabric
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Metal
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Metal
Early 20th Century Turkish Moorish Furniture
Shell, Wood
Early 20th Century Turkish Moorish Furniture
Shell, Wood
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Leather
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Metal
Late 20th Century Moorish Furniture
Porcelain
1990s Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Leather
Early 20th Century Syrian Moorish Furniture
Hardwood, Birdseye Maple, Ebony, Walnut
Early 20th Century British Moorish Furniture
Wood, Leather
20th Century Turkish Moorish Furniture
Shell, Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
1930s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Leather, Wood
Early 20th Century American Moorish Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
Late 19th Century Hungarian Antique Moorish Furniture
Earthenware
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Metal, Silver Plate, Brass
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Leather
Mid-20th Century Lebanese Moorish Furniture
Bone, Shell, Abalone, Fruitwood
1980s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Metal
20th Century Moorish Furniture
Mohair
1970s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Goatskin, Leather, Wool, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary American Moorish Furniture
Metal
20th Century Moorish Furniture
Bone, Mother-of-Pearl, Hardwood, Ebony, Rosewood, Tulipwood
Mid-20th Century Turkish Moorish Furniture
Fruitwood
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century French Moorish Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl
Late 19th Century Syrian Antique Moorish Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Hardwood, Fabric
Late 19th Century Antique Moorish Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century Maghreb Antique Moorish Furniture
Bone, Wood
Late 19th Century Maghreb Antique Moorish Furniture
Wood, Bone
19th Century English Antique Moorish Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
1980s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Wood, Fruitwood
Late 20th Century Moorish Furniture
Ceramic, Wood, Paint
1970s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Moorish Furniture
Softwood
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Metal
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Terracotta
1970s West Asian Vintage Moorish Furniture
Enamel
Early 20th Century Turkish Moorish Furniture
Leather
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Ebony, Mahogany, Walnut
1960s West Asian Vintage Moorish Furniture
Bone, Mother-of-Pearl, Velvet, Wood
Late 20th Century Unknown Moorish Furniture
Bronze
1860s Moroccan Antique Moorish Furniture
Copper
20th Century Asian Moorish Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Bone, Wood
Early 20th Century Syrian Moorish Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century French Moorish Furniture
Crystal, Brass
Early 19th Century Syrian Antique Moorish Furniture
Metal
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Hardwood, Ebony, Mahogany, Walnut
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century American Moorish Furniture
Metal
Mid-20th Century Italian Moorish Furniture
Glass
Late 19th Century American Antique Moorish Furniture
Plaster