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
Wood
Mid-20th Century Mexican Moorish Furniture
Iron
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brocade, Silk
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Furniture
Glass
2010s American Moorish Furniture
Brass, Gold Leaf
Late 19th Century Indian Antique Moorish Furniture
Steel
16th Century Saudi Arabian Antique Moorish Furniture
Porcelain
16th Century Saudi Arabian Antique Moorish Furniture
Porcelain
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Wool
1890s Austrian Antique Moorish Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Furniture
Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Furniture
Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Wool
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Furniture
Glass
Mid-20th Century Italian Moorish Furniture
Glass
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Wool
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Furniture
Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Furniture
Glass
1950s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Wool
Mid-18th Century Persian Antique Moorish Furniture
Terracotta
1860s German Antique Moorish Furniture
Glass
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Silver Plate, Brass
19th Century Persian Antique Moorish Furniture
Metal, Brass
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Leather, Wood
Late 19th Century Spanish Antique Moorish Furniture
Ceramic, Pottery
1970s American Vintage Moorish Furniture
Ceramic
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Wood
1950s Italian Vintage Moorish Furniture
Metal
Early 1900s Moroccan Antique Moorish Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary American Moorish Furniture
Wood, Lacquer
Early 19th Century Asian Antique Moorish Furniture
Metal, Brass, Iron
Early 19th Century Southeast Asian Antique Moorish Furniture
Pewter
Early 20th Century Italian Moorish Furniture
Paper
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Algerian Moorish Furniture
Metal
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century English Moorish Furniture
Ceramic
Late 18th Century Spanish Antique Moorish Furniture
Copper
20th Century Thai Moorish Furniture
Metal
19th Century Asian Antique Moorish Furniture
Brass
20th Century Moorish Furniture
Walnut
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Moorish Furniture
Cotton, Linen
Late 19th Century French Antique Moorish Furniture
Ormolu, Bronze
Early 20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Metallic Thread
Mid-20th Century Moorish Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Wood
20th Century Moorish Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
1970s Zambian Vintage Moorish Furniture
Copper
1960s West Asian Vintage Moorish Furniture
Bone, Mother-of-Pearl, Velvet, Wood
Late 20th Century American Moorish Furniture
Wool
1970s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Metal, Silver Plate
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Wood
1970s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Brass
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Paper
20th Century American Moorish Furniture
Silk