The French certainly had their own flair when it came to decorating their homes with quality and stylish furniture. As it continues to create a mark in the world of antiques, antique French furniture has only gained more and more prominence not just in modern France, but with the rest of the world.
Antique furniture is well loved for the class and elegance they provide to any room. Antique French furniture is highly regarded not only for its beauty and historical significance, but also for the high quality of workmanship.
Here are a few things that you should know about French antique furniture:
1. They are among the most in-demand styles of antique furniture
Often garnering a high level of interest and price at auctions and sales, antique French furniture pieces are among the top furniture styles that collectors and buyers all around the world look for. Because of their style and quality, antique French furniture pieces such as those on Antiques on Old Plank Road have become quite popular and desired.
2. They are made of high quality materials and craftsmanship
French furniture started as simple and practical, with benches and chests made of thick and heavy wood to discourage theft. It only evolved upwards from there, with later furniture pieces being made with functionality and style in mind. Intricate carvings and attention to detail are only some of the well-known characteristics of high quality French antique furniture.
3. Some antique French furniture pieces date back to the 10th Century
While most antique pieces available today may come post-Renaissance, antique French furniture actually dates back to the 10th Century, when furniture was made for practical use. Gothic styles only developed from then on, gaining popularity and reaching its peak during the 13th and 14thCenturies.
4. Antique French furniture styles have influenced other styles
The lavish and sophisticated French furniture made in metropolitan France, known as Parisian furniture, has made a mark as being one of the mainstream designs of Europe’s decorative arts. Antique French furniture has influenced those in Sweden and Spain—even extending its influence to as far as Russia.
5. Standard furniture terms feature French words
Marquetry, demilune, bergère, ormolu, and Récamier are only some of the dozens of French words that have found their way into interior design terminology.
6. French antique furniture ranges in style from simple and traditional, to lavish and sophisticated.
While antique French furniture pieces are usually classified according to the period during which they were made, the countryside usually produced pieces that were more traditional with simple styles and designs. These differed from the products from metropolitan Paris, which were often luxurious and elaborate in design. This makes French antique furniture perfect for any taste.
7. They are often classified by the reign during which certain styles were prevalent.
Louis XIII refers to furniture made after the Renaissance, and featured massive, solid pieces with a more opulent design and geometric carvings. The baroque style of furniture is also known as Louis XIV, and captured the excesses of the period.
8. Antique French furniture pieces are easy to work with.
They can be incorporated into modern and traditional homes as they can be simple enough not to demand much attention, but still bring out a sense of style and charm that modern furniture cannot provide.
9. Cabriole legs and carvings are just some of the prominent characteristics of French antique furniture.
Cabriole legs made its debut during the period of French Regency, but they don’t single-handedly define French furniture. Depending on the period, you’d be able to find furniture pieces with complex heavy cornice, asymmetry, elaborate carvings, and bun feet.
The French certainly had their own flair when it came to decorating their homes with quality and stylish furniture. As it continues to create a mark in the world of antiques, antique French furniture has only gained more and more prominence not just in modern France, but with the rest of the world.
