The Middle Ages in Europe followed the end of the Roman Empire, and in this time of change, which preceded the Renaissance, furniture was simple and utilitarian, with most homes having only the necessities like chests and benches. Much of medieval furniture, which was often made in oak or walnut, was built for the elite, particularly the emerging merchant class who owned multiple homes.
Life for many in the medieval era was unstable, and furniture was designed to be functional and portable. Peasants worked the fields for affluent landowners and didn’t have access to literature in the way that nobles and people of the church did (women less so than men). The furniture in their modest dwellings was typically limited to cookware and a handful of stools. Foldable chairs, while uncommon in homes of the early Middle Ages and emblematic of wealth, like all other furnishings of the time, allowed for easy transportation of a household. Trestle tables with detachable legs and collapsible beds were designed to be simply moved from place to place.
Medieval blanket chests were among the most important furniture objects and could further serve as tables or even beds. Some ancient traditions were carried forward to build this sturdy furniture, such as turnery. Although the furniture was minimally designed, embellishments like carvings added elegance to the heavy wood pieces. These details sometimes reflected trends in religious art like rose windows.
By the later Middle Ages, storage pieces like chests of drawers were often adorned with high relief carvings, such as geometric and floral motifs. By the 14th and 15th centuries, design had developed to include more involved pieces like cupboards and desks, while benches frequently doubled as chests with hinged seats. Beds also changed in this era from basic boards to four-post designs with large drapes to keep the sleeper warm. These beds and other medieval bedroom furniture were significant status symbols, passed down through families and used as places to conduct business and receive visitors.
Surviving examples of medieval furniture are very rare, yet its distinctive aesthetics influenced later styles like William and Mary and Arts and Crafts.
Find a collection of medieval seating, garden elements, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
$960Sale Price|20% Off
Antique Gothic Oak & Brass Communion Shelf 19thC
Located in Big Flats, NY
Antique Gothic Oak and Scrolled Brass Communion Shelf 19thC Measures- 35.5''H x 24.25''W x 15.25''D This antique Gothic-style communion shelf from the 19th century is crafted from oa...
Brass
Victorian Carved Oak Wall Hanging Display Cabinet, Gothic Style, 1860
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Victorian carved oak wall hanging display cabinet This is a very large piece, it has 2 individual cupboards in the one piece. The c...
Oak
$1,386
H 20.08 in W 15.75 in D 8.47 in
Antique 19th Century Neoclassical Wall Cabinet / Small Cabinet Carved Oak
Located in Ijzendijke, NL
Lovely antique 19th century Neoclassical wall cabinet / small cabinet Germany 1880. This German Grunderzeit cabinet is made from hand carved oak & is richly decorated. A true display of craftsmanship & quality. This cabinet has 2 doors and comes with a working lock & key. Its interior has 2 oak shelves. The cabinet has a very nice old restoration to the right side dating from the 1940s. A piece of furniture history with the right antique charm...
Brass
$2,516
H 24 in W 11.3 in D 6.1 in
Antique Fine Handcarved Oak Gothic Revival Wall Shrine / Chapel for Statuette
Located in Lisse, NL
Rare and good condition, Gothic-art shrine for standing or wall-hanging. This handsome and decorative, Gothic wall shrine is completely hand-crafted out of solid oak and it will look awesome, no matter where you decide to mount or place her. It must have taken its creator quite a few days to first draw this intricate design on paper and then hand carve the entire piece out of solid oak. The Gothic Style elements are deeply handcarved in both doors and they make this shrine highly decorative and an absolute joy to own and look at. This cabinet chapel (or chapel cabinet) comes with its brass lock in perfect working order and also with its original gothic style key. The handgrip is in fact a Gothic trefoil symbol (for the trinity). What also makes this piece extra attractive is the Gothic church window-like frame behind the doors. It is among the finest we have seen to date and on top of that this antique also has a beautiful and rich patina. By the way, the bronze Mary statuette is not included in our price. Finally, thanks to the hook in the back, mounting this antique chapel...
Brass
19th Century Swedish Folk Art Wall Hanging Cabinet
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
A Swedish country Gustavian period hanging cabinet in pine featuring one door and interior shelves. Usable in a kitchen environment or by the entree of a house, to keep keys and smal...
Pine
$2,300
H 37.5 in W 33.5 in D 11 in
Antique English Plate Rack Wall Shelf Hanging Wall Decor Carved Oak 19th C
Located in Tyler, TX
CHARMING Antique English Oak Hanging Wall Shelf Plate Rack~~19th Century The perfect decorative accent piece for displaying your favorite Imari, Majolica, Staffordshire or other an...
Oak
$3,276
H 35.5 in W 18.5 in D 9.3 in
Architectural Gothic Revival Oak Wall Cabinet with Heraldic Carving
Located in Lisse, NL
Stunning and top quality carved Gothic cabinet from the late 1800s. An exceptionally refined wall-mounted cabinet in richly patinated oak, executed in a late 19th-century Gothic Rev...
Brass
$1,171 / item
H 15.75 in W 48.82 in D 7.88 in
Libra Shelf 120, Minimalist Round Shaped Wall Shelf in oak and black metal
Located in Milan, Lombardy
A Minimalist shape with a strong aesthetic. Made of solid oak oiled and supported by a iron stirrup. Inside the wooden shelf, a metal flat bar fixed to the support structure is hidde...
Metal
Pair of 19th Century Marquetry Italian Wall Vitrines
Located in Houston, TX
Handsome pair of 19th century Italian wall vitrines. Each petite cabinet features beautiful marquetry, bronze ormolu, glass door and single shelf.
Wood
$1,550
H 17.75 in W 37.5 in D 4.75 in
Dutch Carved Oak Angel Cherub Head Wall Mounted Plate Display Rack Shelf
Located in Clifton Forge, VA
This is the sweetest carved oak plate display rack with a beautiful cherub face surrounded by intricate wings in the center bottom and circles on either end and center of the slats w...
Oak
$4,447
H 35 in W 22.1 in D 7.5 in
Antique Medieval Gothic Style, Oak Hanging Wall Cabinet with Church Windows
Located in Lisse, NL
Rare gothic revival wall cabinet with carved church-window doors France or Northern Europe, late 19th century. This exceptional and highly decorative Gothic Revival wall cabinet dat...
Brass
KITA LIVING Shelf No: 1 - Oak Mist
By İsmail Dağlı, Gökhan Eryaman
Located in Bomonti, TR
An open, wall-mounted shelf designed for the storage and display of everyday objects. Crafted from raw aluminum plate and solid oak brackets, its simplistic design and utilitarian lo...
Aluminum
$1,867Sale Price|20% Off
H 25.99 in W 16.15 in D 7.88 in
Antique Arts and Crafts Hand Carved Small Wall Cabinet European Oak Brass, 1900s
Located in Ijzendijke, NL
Antique arts and crafts hand carved small wall cabinet wood brass 1900s Gorgeous antique wall cabinet from the 1900s. Gorgeous lines in solid oak...
Brass
$1,170Sale Price|20% Off
H 53.94 in W 27.96 in D 10.63 in
Antique Italian Etagere in Walnut with Mahoganywood Inlay
Located in Casteren, NL
A delicate Italian étagère with four shelves on turned columns with finials on top. The étagère is made in walnut and has intricate inlaid designs in mahogany that is also called int...
Mahogany, Walnut
Solid Wooden Gothic Style Wall Shelf
Located in Redding, CT
Solid Wooden Gothic Style Wall Shelf. Perfect wall shelf for a bathroom or small hallway. Three shelf structure for plenty of display. Shelf depth is 5".
Wood
Sold
H 61 in W 54 in D 15 in
Folk Carved Church Wall Altar or Reliquary with Gothic Spires in Old White Paint
Located in Milford, NH
A wonderful folk carved church wall altar or reliquary with gothic spires in old white paint, and a central arched door opening to a storage compartment w...
Wood
Sold
H 48 in W 9.5 in L 48 in
Carved Oakwood Mythical Fantasy Style Hanging Bookshelf Plate Holder with Satyr
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Carved oakwood mythical fantasy style wall hanging bookshelf plate holder with satyr. Item features 13 slots, carved satyr character with grapevines,...
Oak
19th Century Gothic Wrought Iron Hand-Painted Wall Shelf from Chapel
Located in Dallas, TX
19th century Gothic wrought iron hand-painted wall shelf is a remarkable artifact obtained from a private chapel in Europe. Exhibiting amazing artistry in its wrought iron expressing...
Wrought Iron
English 19th Century Corner Cabinet
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Corner cabinet having a beveled mirror concealing a storage shelf, delicate crown form brass hinges, baluster form gallery and scalloped apron. In good condition.
Sold
H 37 in W 14.5 in D 9 in
19th Century French Gothic Walnut Wall Vitrine~Curio Cabinet with Sconce Support
Located in Dallas, TX
19th century French Gothic wall vitrine or curio cabinet with sconce makes the perfect display case for wall-mounting a small to medium-sized sta...
Walnut
Gothic-Style English Wooden Wall Shelf with Hooks, circa 1890
Located in Houston, TX
Antique English hand-carved wooden wall shelf/ peg rail, circa 1890. Features decorative cut-out brackets on the sides and pointed arches along the b...
Wood
Immaculate Conception Display
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Very large escaparate, saint display, with glass door. Original paint and inscription: "Soy La Immaculada Concepcion" (I am the immaculate conception...
Wood, Paint, Glass