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.
1950s Italian Vintage Moorish Furniture
Metal
1950s Italian Vintage Moorish Furniture
Metal
1950s Italian Vintage Moorish Furniture
Metal
1950s Unknown Vintage Moorish Furniture
Silver
1950s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Multi-gemstone, Metal, Wire
1950s Austrian Vintage Moorish Furniture
Bronze
1950s Austrian Vintage Moorish Furniture
Bronze
1950s Italian Vintage Moorish Furniture
Metal
1950s Italian Vintage Moorish Furniture
Fruitwood
1950s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Wood
1950s Unknown Vintage Moorish Furniture
Brass, Wrought Iron
1950s African Vintage Moorish Furniture
Wool
1950s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Wool
1950s Italian Vintage Moorish Furniture
Pottery
1950s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Wool
1950s Vintage Moorish Furniture
Fruitwood
1950s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Brass
1950s Italian Vintage Moorish Furniture
Fruitwood
Mid-20th Century Italian Moorish Furniture
Crystal, Brass
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Bone, Walnut
1820s British Antique Moorish Furniture
Sterling Silver
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Wood
18th Century Scottish Antique Moorish Furniture
Silver, Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century Austrian Moorish Furniture
Bronze
Mid-20th Century German Moorish Furniture
Metal
1840s British Antique Moorish Furniture
Sterling Silver
19th Century English Antique Moorish Furniture
Silver, Sterling Silver
Early 2000s Asian Moorish Furniture
Teak, Lacquer, Wood, Mirror, Bone, Glass
1950s Italian Vintage Moorish Furniture
Aluminum, Copper
20th Century American Moorish Furniture
Sterling Silver
1950s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Brass, Copper
1950s Vintage Moorish Furniture
Brass
1950s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Wood
1950s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Mirror, Wood
1950s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Metal, Lead
1950s Syrian Vintage Moorish Furniture
Brass
1950s Turkish Vintage Moorish Furniture
Brass
1950s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Wood, Paint
1950s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Wood
1950s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Brass
1950s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Glass, Wood
1950s Unknown Vintage Moorish Furniture
Bone, Mother-of-Pearl, Wood