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.
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Fabric
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Metal
1970s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Fabric
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Fabric
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Ceramic
16th Century Emirian Antique Moorish Furniture
Porcelain
1930s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Wood
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Leather
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Moorish Furniture
Wood
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Iron
20th Century Moorish Furniture
Silk
20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Mirror, Wood
Late 20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Brocade, Braid
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Terracotta
20th Century Maghreb Moorish Furniture
Brass
Late 19th Century English Antique Moorish Furniture
Glass, Walnut
19th Century Unknown Antique Moorish Furniture
Fabric
Late 19th Century American Antique Moorish Furniture
Plaster
1920s Vintage Moorish Furniture
Late 19th Century Turkish Antique Moorish Furniture
Wool
Late 19th Century European Antique Moorish Furniture
Brass
1860s German Antique Moorish Furniture
Glass
1960s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Metal
Late 19th Century Syrian Antique Moorish Furniture
Ormolu
1990s Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Ceramic, Paint
1980s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Ceramic, Paint
Early 20th Century Moorish Furniture
Brass
1990s Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Fabric, Wool
Early 20th Century American Moorish Furniture
Brass
19th Century Spanish Antique Moorish Furniture
Mirror, Wood
16th Century Saudi Arabian Antique Moorish Furniture
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century Spanish Moorish Furniture
Brass
16th Century Saudi Arabian Antique Moorish Furniture
Porcelain
2010s American Moorish Furniture
Brass, Gold Leaf
21st Century and Contemporary Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Wool
Early 20th Century Moorish Furniture
Wool
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Earthenware
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Iron
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Fabric
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Fabric
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Wool
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
1860s French Antique Moorish Furniture
Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Moorish Furniture
Brass
Late 20th Century Unknown Moorish Furniture
Bronze
Late 19th Century Indian Antique Moorish Furniture
Ceramic
2010s Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Wool
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Metal
19th Century French Antique Moorish Furniture
Bronze