Traditional Furniture in Europe

The French Rococo movement derived design elements from shells and s-scrolls.

European furniture tradition began with the Roman and Gothic eras. Then, each region began to realize its own influences on furniture design as well as influence others'. The classical Renaissance, for example, had common characteristics in every region, but each country then focused on different facets of Renaissance furniture design. English furniture design differed in particular, because of its isolation from the rest of Europe.

The Italian, French and German Renaissance

Renaissance design included the use of animals, the female form, ornate floral designs and classic designs. In Italy, this was detailed with cornucopias, images of women from the mythology and vases. French furniture was just as extravagant, but tended toward less mythological, dainty floral patterns and intricacies. German furniture had a heavier, more robust quality.

The English Renaissance through Jacobean Era

English Renaissance furniture, though similar to the Medieval style before it, was heavy and durable oak or another heavy wood. Little thought was given to comfort. Even the wealthy often ate on stools with perhaps little more than a seat cushion. Despite the large size of most Tudor furniture, innovations in joining methods did allow for furniture to be easier to move. Elizabethan England continued the Tudor style, but with more varieties due to a shift in housing layouts. Craftsmen then built higher-end furniture from walnut as well as oak, and there was a visible Italian influence. Jacobean furniture introduced long tables and veneered and painted furniture.

France's Louis XV Furniture Designs (French Rococo)

The French Rococo movement was a response to heavier furniture designs during the Baroque era. Characteristics included asymmetry, detailed nuances, and light and elegant qualities such as the scroll leg and cabriole foot, prevalent use of s- and c-scroll silhouettes and floral motifs. Smaller chairs and sofas illustrated the era's focus on comfort. Matching footstools, mirrors and other accent pieces became commonplace.

Britain's Baroque through Classical Movements

The Baroque period brought the increased use of walnut and mahogany in England. The William and Mary period introduced a more graceful and delicate style of furniture, and the Queen Anne period went further, with the common use of lacquering ball and claw feet and elaborate gesso design, an Italian gilding technique with elaborate carving. The Rococo era contributed designs characterized by heavy gilding and s-curved silhouettes. Where Rococo was light and playful, the following classic Regency period was heavy and serious, using plenty of brass work and sharply contrasting rosewood and zebrawood.

British Eclectic through Colonial Periods

Demand for furniture reproductions in the early Victorian era introduced an "eclectic" period. This trend toward mass-produced wares was somewhat countered in the late Victorian era with the Arts and Crafts movement, but the revival trend peaked during the following Edwardian era. Meanwhile, country craftsmen worked to create simple, rustic furniture, a style that is a large part of the British furniture tradition today. Colonial pieces added Indian and tropical influences.

References

• Furniture Styles: European Furniture
• Restorations: Furniture Styles, Brief History

Resources

• Arts on the Internet: A to Z Furniture Design, History and Famous Designers