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.
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Bone, Abalone, Walnut
Late 19th Century French Antique Moorish Furniture
Enamel
Early 20th Century Turkish Moorish Furniture
Copper, Tin
1890s Swedish Antique Moorish Furniture
Brass
19th Century Antique Moorish Furniture
Brass, Copper
Late 19th Century Maghreb Antique Moorish Furniture
Wood, Bone
Mid-20th Century Asian Moorish Furniture
Brass
Late 19th Century Moroccan Antique Moorish Furniture
Cedar
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Furniture
Glass
Early 20th Century Moorish Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Moorish Furniture
Gold, Foil
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Mirror, Wood
Mid-20th Century Turkish Moorish Furniture
Wool, Cotton
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Bone, Ebony, Walnut
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century Spanish Moorish Furniture
Fruitwood
Mid-18th Century Persian Antique Moorish Furniture
Terracotta
Early 20th Century French Moorish Furniture
Brass, Steel
19th Century Antique Moorish Furniture
Brass
1950s African Vintage Moorish Furniture
Wool
Late 19th Century Indian Antique Moorish Furniture
Metal, Brass
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Metal
Mid-19th Century Turkish Antique Moorish Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
Late 19th Century Antique Moorish Furniture
Wood
1960s West Asian Vintage Moorish Furniture
Enamel
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Mirror, Wood
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Wood
20th Century Moorish Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Furniture
Glass
Mid-20th Century Mexican Moorish Furniture
Iron
Late 19th Century French Antique Moorish Furniture
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Metal, Silver Plate, Brass
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Ceramic
20th Century Turkish Moorish Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Spanish Moorish Furniture
Fruitwood
Mid-20th Century American Moorish Furniture
Metal
17th Century Spanish Antique Moorish Furniture
Ceramic
16th Century Saudi Arabian Antique Moorish Furniture
Porcelain
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Furniture
Glass
Mid-20th Century Moorish Furniture
Wood
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Mirror, Wood
Early 1900s Indian Antique Moorish Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Hardwood
16th Century Saudi Arabian Antique Moorish Furniture
Porcelain
19th Century Antique Moorish Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Moorish Furniture
Glass
19th Century Antique Moorish Furniture
Metal
Mid-20th Century Lebanese Moorish Furniture
Fruitwood
Mid-20th Century Moorish Furniture
Brass
Late 19th Century Omani Antique Moorish Furniture
Brass, Copper
Early 20th Century Austrian Moorish Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
16th Century Saudi Arabian Antique Moorish Furniture
Porcelain
16th Century Saudi Arabian Antique Moorish Furniture
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century American Moorish Furniture
Metal
1970s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Metal, Silver Plate
16th Century Saudi Arabian Antique Moorish Furniture
Porcelain
16th Century Saudi Arabian Antique Moorish Furniture
Porcelain
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
16th Century Saudi Arabian Antique Moorish Furniture
Porcelain
Late 19th Century German Antique Moorish Furniture
Gold