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
Metal
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Metal
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Metal
1980s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Brass
1980s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Brass
1990s Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Leather
Late 20th Century American Moorish Furniture
Wrought Iron
1990s Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
1980s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Metal
1980s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Wood, Fruitwood
1970s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Wood, Wool, Leather, Goatskin
Late 20th Century Moorish Furniture
Ceramic, Wood, Paint
1970s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Brass
1970s West Asian Vintage Moorish Furniture
Enamel
Late 20th Century Unknown Moorish Furniture
Bronze
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Terracotta
1980s Vintage Moorish Furniture
Brass
Late 20th Century Moorish Furniture
Porcelain
1990s North American Moorish Furniture
Paper
Late 20th Century Philippine Moorish Furniture
Brass, Bronze
1980s Vintage Moorish Furniture
Paper
Late 20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Wood
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Glass
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Cement
Late 20th Century Persian Moorish Furniture
Wool
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Glass
1970s Italian Vintage Moorish Furniture
Cane, Rattan
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Ceramic
Late 20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Wood, Mirror, Mother-of-Pearl
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Glass
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Cement
1970s Zambian Vintage Moorish Furniture
Copper
1980s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Brass
1980s Italian Vintage Moorish Furniture
Art Glass
Late 20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Wood
Late 20th Century Moorish Furniture
Cement
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Cement
1970s Indian Vintage Moorish Furniture
Reclaimed Wood
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Paper
Late 20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Wood
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Metal
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Shell, Wood
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Metal
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Cement
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Cement
Late 20th Century Moorish Furniture
Cement
Late 20th Century French Moorish Furniture
Paper
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Concrete
Late 20th Century Moorish Furniture
Fabric
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Concrete
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Cement
Late 20th Century Asian Moorish Furniture
Wood
1990s Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
Late 20th Century Moorish Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
Late 20th Century North American Moorish Furniture
Velvet, Ebony
1990s Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Textile
Late 20th Century Moorish Furniture
Velvet