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
Metallic Thread
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Metal
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Metal
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Metal
Mid-19th Century Moroccan Antique Moorish Furniture
Iron
Mid-20th Century Moorish Furniture
Fruitwood
20th Century American Moorish Furniture
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Leather
Mid-18th Century Turkish Antique Moorish Furniture
Copper, Tin
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Wood
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century Asian Antique Moorish Furniture
Suede, Walnut
16th Century Saudi Arabian Antique Moorish Furniture
Porcelain
Early 20th Century French Moorish Furniture
Brass, Steel
Mid-20th Century Italian Moorish Furniture
Brass, Nickel
16th Century Saudi Arabian Antique Moorish Furniture
Porcelain
Late 19th Century Antique Moorish Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century Moorish Furniture
Shell, Wood
Mid-20th Century American Moorish Furniture
Metal
Late 19th Century Spanish Antique Moorish Furniture
Glass, Plaster, Wood, Paint
1860s Italian Antique Moorish Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century Asian Moorish Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century Austrian Moorish Furniture
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Moorish Furniture
Bone, Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
20th Century British Moorish Furniture
Marble, Carrara Marble, Chrome
2010s American Moorish Furniture
Brass, Gold Leaf
20th Century French Moorish Furniture
Glass
1890s Antique Moorish Furniture
Bronze
19th Century Indian Antique Moorish Furniture
Bronze, Copper, Tin
1960s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Brass, Wrought Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Furniture
Glass
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
Early 1900s Austrian Antique Moorish Furniture
Bronze
1890s Swedish Antique Moorish Furniture
Brass
Mid-19th Century Moroccan Antique Moorish Furniture
Wood, Bone
Late 19th Century Omani Antique Moorish Furniture
Brass, Copper
Late 19th Century Asian Antique Moorish Furniture
Silver, Brass, Copper
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Ceramic
Early 20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Cotton
Mid-20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Metal
2010s American Moorish Furniture
Resin
Late 19th Century Maghreb Antique Moorish Furniture
Wood, Bone
1870s French Antique Moorish Furniture
Ceramic, Faience
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Moorish Furniture
Metal
20th Century Moorish Furniture
Wood
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Ceramic
19th Century Austrian Antique Moorish Furniture
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Fruitwood
Early 19th Century Southeast Asian Antique Moorish Furniture
Pewter
Mid-20th Century Egyptian Moorish Furniture
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Furniture
Metal, Iron
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Mirror, Wood
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Moorish Furniture
Gold Plate
Mid-20th Century Unknown Moorish Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century Moorish Furniture
Brass
1950s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Wool
Early 20th Century Spanish Moorish Furniture
Brass