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.
$1,628Sale Price|20% Off
Antique Moroccan Occasional Table with Carved Wood & Brass Inlay
Located in Reading, Berkshire
A highly decorative early 20th century Middle Eastern / Moroccan occasional table, richly carved throughout and embellished with repetitive brass inlay. The circular top is worked w...
Brass
Moroccan Moorish Copper Tray Table with Wooden Folding Base
Located in Barcelona, ES
Large Moroccan antique copper tray table with wooden Syrian folding base. The removable round copper top has a hand-hammered decoration with...
Copper
Spanish Moorish Hexagonal Wooden Table or Stand, 1950s
Located in Barcelona, ES
Superb Moorish style marquetry side table or Taboret with hexagonal top. Spain, Andalusia, 1950s. Hexagonal end table with exquisite work of marquetry inlay of walnut, ebony, root w...
Wood, Acrylic
$792Sale Price / set|49% Off
Indo Persian Hand-crafted Brass And Hardwood Occasional Tea Table
Located in Reading, Berkshire
Indo Persian Hand-crafted Brass And Hardwood Occasional Tea Table with a Highly Ornamental Decorative Tray Can Be Lifted Off The Frame, And Used Separately. With Repetitive Geomet...
Brass
$2,087Sale Price / set|20% Off
A Middle Eastern Ebonised Tea Table With Removable Brass Decorative Tray
Located in Reading, Berkshire
A Middle Eastern Antique Ebonised Tea Table With Removable Brass Decorative Pie Crust Edged Tray Top And Beautiful Inlay Full Height 51cm Base Width 41cm Brass Tray Diameter 58cm
Brass
Hand-Crafted 19th Century Hardwood Tea Table Decorated With Etched Brass Tray
Located in Reading, Berkshire
19th Century Brass And Hardwood Tea Table Decorated With Decorative Engraving from the Middle East. Tray Can Be Lifted Off The Frame, And Used Separately. With Repetitive Geometric...
Brass
$2,011Sale Price|20% Off
A Liberty of London Style Eastern Decorative Tea Table With Removable Tray
Located in Reading, Berkshire
A Traditional Liberty of London Style Hand Crafted Middle Eastern Folding Tea Table With Removable Brass Circular Tray, Decorated With A Etched Repeating Pattern To Base.
Brass
Pink Lacquer Tea Table - Custom MLB Design
Located in West Hollywood, CA
MLB Pink lacquered side table, custom designed by Martyn Lawrence Bullard Inspired by the silhouette of the Moroccan Tea Table
Wood, Lacquer
$5,250
H 19 in W 17.5 in D 17.5 in
Moroccan Moorish Style 1920s Table with Hexagonal Top and Polychrome Décor
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Moroccan Moorish style drinks table from the early 20th century, with painted geometric motifs, hexagonal top, polychrome décor and carved flaming motifs. Created in Morocco during...
Wood
Pair of 1970 moorish style hexagonal side tables
Located in Dallas, TX
As found, with slight veneer loss, this pair of tables could easily be restored and lacquered to add a unique touch to your room. We offer expert custom restoration services.
Wood, Paint
$720Sale Price|77% Off
H 24 in Dm 30.5 in
Mughal Empire Antique Brass Tray Table with Wooden Folding Stand
Located in Douglas Manor, NY
3-480 Mughal Empire antique brass tray with later date carved wooden folding stand. Brass top is decorated with repousse foliate and floral motif. Tray...
Brass
Liberty & Co. English Moorish Revival Carved Oak Hexagonal Table
Located in Troy, MI
A striking hexagonal occasional table in carved oak, its top bordered with a foliate carved motif surrounding a plain center panel. The apron is fitted with six legs, each face carve...
Oak
19th Century rococo revival Swedish birch tea table
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
19th century rococo revival Swedish birch tea table circa 1890. Elegant and beautiful quality Swedish folding tea table made in birch. Shaped top surface which twists and opens out...
Birch
Brass, Copper and Iron Folding Galleried Tray Table
Located in Germantown, MD
Copper and iron folding tray table with brass gallery Measures 20"D x 27"H and 32H when folded. Good vintage condition. W6052622.
Copper, Iron
Moroccan Moorish Copper Tray Table with Hand-Carved Folding Base
Located in SOTTEVILLE-LÈS-ROUEN, FR
An exceptional Moorish Moroccan folding tray table, featuring a beautifully hand-hammered round copper top resting on an intricately hand-c...
Brass
$2,107Sale Price|55% Off
H 29.93 in W 39.38 in D 22.84 in
French Art Deco Card Table with Walnut and Maple Inlays, 1940
Located in Traversetolo, IT
Elegant Art Deco card table in walnut, the top has inlays and opens like a book, insides in maple with an inlaid wind rose.
Maple, Walnut
Moorish Islamic Brass Tray Table, Handcrafted in Spain, 1920s Design
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Antique Islamic Moorish Spain brass repousse tray table on folding wooden carved teak legs. Moorish Islamic Brass tray Side Table Spain circa 1920s. The...
Brass
19th Century English Rosewood Game Table
Located in High Point, NC
A fine 19th century rosewood game table from England. The curved front has a hand beaded edge and wonderfully grained as well. The table top is constructed ingeniously to fold open a...
Rosewood
Moorish Inlaid Six-Legged Folding Side Table and Brass Tray Top.
Located in Vero Beach, FL
Moorish Inlaid Six-Legged Folding Side Table and Brass Tray Top. The inlay work makes this folding tray an exceptional handmade side table. A hand carved turned wood base of 6 legs ...
Brass
Louis XV Side Table, 18th Century
Located in Doylestown, PA
An 18th century leather-top side or card table circa 1780 in oak, with a dark green leather top with brass nail details, two small drawers in the scalloped apron on slender cabriole ...
Oak
Vintage 1930's Olivewood, Mother of Pearl & Bone Moroccan Tea Table
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Vintage 1930s Olivewood, Mother-of-Pearl & Bone Moroccan Tea Table A beautifully handcrafted Moroccan tea table dating to the 1930s, featuring intricate geometric inlay in mother-of...
Softwood
Sold
H 20.48 in W 10.24 in D 10.24 in
Antique Moorish Hardwood Two Tier Side Table With Decorative Parquetry Details
Located in Reading, Berkshire
Early 20th Century Moorish Hardwood Two Tier Side Table With Parquetry Decorative Detailing A Well Executed Example With A Beautiful Repetitive Mosaic Inlay Throughout. Ideal for ...
Wood, Hardwood
Sold
H 24.22 in Dm 16.82 in
Stunning Antique Middle Eastern Octagonal Parquetry Table With Repetitive Inlay
Located in Reading, Berkshire
Stunning Antique Early 20th Century Moorish Syrian Octagonal Parquetry Table Circa 1900 A Well Executed Example With Beautiful Repetitive Mosaic Inlay Throughout, Featuring Oyster S...
Wood, Bone
Vintage Olivewood, Mother of Pearl, and Bone Moroccan Tea Table
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Vintage Moroccan tea table. Olive wood in laid with mother of pearl, ebony, and camel bone . Circa 1930
Mother-of-Pearl, Softwood
Moorish Gaming Table
Located in Tetbury, England
Mahogany with ebony and bone decoration. The envelope folding top with orgreen baize below, single drawer, X frame stretcher. circa 1900.
Bone, Mahogany
Sold
H 22.84 in W 24.02 in D 12.6 in
Boho Chic Style Syrian 20th Century Artesian Inlaid Veneer Games Table
Located in London, GB
A fine marquetry, micro mosaic inlayed games table made in Syria around the turn of the 19th and early 20th Century. Complete with felt card table, c...
Bone, Hardwood
Fine Moorish Middle Eastern Arabesque Mosaic Games Table
Located in Forney, TX
A most impressive vintage Moorish Middle Eastern inlaid gaming table with additional games boards and accessories. Property from the magnificent Estate of Phyllis McGuire. Outstanding, very rare and hard to find, an exquisite work of functional art, featuring very fine quality Islamic craftsmanship, exceptionally executed, the handcrafted table having a rectangular hinged lid flip-top profusely inlaid with intricate micro-mosaic geometric and asymmetric marquetry panels of various exotics including brilliant mother of pearl and precious woods. The swivel top rotates to reveal an open interior storage compartment for game pieces, backgammon surface fitted with removable hinged lid box that opens to similarly inlaid interior with checkers board surface with reversible baize green felt cards table surface. Additional portable traveling hinged decorative box with chess board and backgammon game boards with open interior game piece storage. Includes scarce large 1.5" Crisloid bakelite backgammon checkers dice set as well as a vintage Lebanese...
Mother-of-Pearl, Hardwood
Moroccan Moorish Inlaid Hexagonal Table or Stand
Located in Barcelona, ES
Superb Moroccan Moorish marquetry inlay side table or Taboret with hexagonal top. Morocco, 19th century. Hexagonal end table with exquisite work of marquetry inlay of walnut, ebony, ...
Wood, Fruitwood, Mahogany, Walnut, Burl
Moroccan Brass Tray Table on Folding Stand
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Large Moroccan polished brass tray table on black bamboo folding base, could be use as a coffee table or card table, this is how they use them in Morocco, Syria, India, Egypt and in the Middle East to serve food or tea. The tray is hand hammered with calligraphy writing and floral designs. Great for outdoor use as well.This large Persian tray table...
Brass
Moroccan Octagonal Hand-Painted Cream Color Side Table
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Moroccan colorful hand-painted side table with Moorish design. Very decorative cream background with multicolored floral and geometric designs. Very fine Moorish artwork on an octa...
Wood