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.
Mid-20th Century Italian Moorish Furniture
Brass, Nickel
Late 19th Century English Antique Moorish Furniture
Brass
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Mirror
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Glass, Wood
Early 20th Century Spanish Moorish Furniture
Brass
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Ceramic
1880s French Antique Moorish Furniture
Bone
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Furniture
Glass
Early 20th Century Austrian Moorish Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Cotton
Mid-20th Century German Moorish Furniture
Enamel, Tin
1870s French Antique Moorish Furniture
Ceramic, Faience
1890s Austrian Antique Moorish Furniture
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Furniture
Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Furniture
Glass
1880s French Antique Moorish Furniture
Silver, Enamel
Late 19th Century Asian Antique Moorish Furniture
Suede, Walnut
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Furniture
Glass
Late 19th Century Spanish Antique Moorish Furniture
Plaster, Wood
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Furniture
Glass
1960s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Velvet
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Furniture
Glass
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Pottery
Mid-20th Century English Moorish Furniture
Ceramic
19th Century Asian Antique Moorish Furniture
Brass
1950s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Wool
21st Century and Contemporary American Moorish Furniture
Wood, Lacquer
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Metal
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
19th Century Syrian Antique Moorish Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century Moorish Furniture
Composition, Bronze
19th Century Turkish Antique Moorish Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century Southeast Asian Moorish Furniture
Brass
1890s Moroccan Antique Moorish Furniture
Ceramic
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brocade
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Furniture
Glass
1920s British Vintage Moorish Furniture
Paper
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Bone, Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique Moorish Furniture
Ormolu, Bronze
Mid-20th Century Mexican Moorish Furniture
Tin
1960s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Brass
Mid-19th Century Moroccan Antique Moorish Furniture
Brass
1950s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Brass
20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Silver Plate, Brass
1950s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Wool
Early 20th Century Asian Moorish Furniture
Metal
1930s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Leather, Wood
20th Century Turkish Moorish Furniture
Mohair
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Hardwood
1970s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
1950s Italian Vintage Moorish Furniture
Metal
1960s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Gold, Metallic Thread
1930s Unknown Vintage Moorish Furniture
Tin, Copper
Mid-20th Century Turkish Moorish Furniture
Wool, Cotton
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Wood
1930s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Brass
19th Century Moroccan Antique Moorish Furniture
Brass