Medieval Furniture
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.
Late 19th Century French Antique Medieval Furniture
Metal
15th Century and Earlier French Antique Medieval Furniture
Stone
Late 19th Century French Antique Medieval Furniture
Iron
15th Century and Earlier Antique Medieval Furniture
Bronze
15th Century and Earlier Antique Medieval Furniture
Gold
1920s Italian Vintage Medieval Furniture
Marble, Bronze
20th Century European Medieval Furniture
Wrought Iron, Metal
Mid-20th Century American Medieval Furniture
Metal
15th Century and Earlier Antique Medieval Furniture
Gold
1890s English Antique Medieval Furniture
Leather, Paper
Early 17th Century Italian Antique Medieval Furniture
Stone
15th Century and Earlier Unknown Antique Medieval Furniture
Hardwood, Paint
Late 18th Century Spanish Antique Medieval Furniture
Brass, Copper
17th Century French Antique Medieval Furniture
Wrought Iron
Mid-20th Century French Medieval Furniture
Wrought Iron
19th Century European Antique Medieval Furniture
Sterling Silver
15th Century and Earlier Antique Medieval Furniture
Gold
19th Century Antique Medieval Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century French Medieval Furniture
Metal, Tin
1840s English Antique Medieval Furniture
Leather, Oak
Early 20th Century British Medieval Furniture
Bronze
19th Century Antique Medieval Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century European Medieval Furniture
Brass
19th Century French Antique Medieval Furniture
Wood, Walnut
19th Century Antique Medieval Furniture
Bronze
18th Century Antique Medieval Furniture
Oak
1960s French Vintage Medieval Furniture
Stone, Cast Stone, Cement
Late 19th Century French Antique Medieval Furniture
Walnut
15th Century and Earlier Spanish Antique Medieval Furniture
Alabaster
19th Century English Antique Medieval Furniture
Wrought Iron
Mid-20th Century German Medieval Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary American Medieval Furniture
Metal, Iron, Wrought Iron
19th Century English Antique Medieval Furniture
Brass
Mid-19th Century French Antique Medieval Furniture
Wrought Iron
1940s Italian Vintage Medieval Furniture
Iron
1950s French Vintage Medieval Furniture
Wrought Iron
Mid-19th Century French Antique Medieval Furniture
Terracotta
1870s British Antique Medieval Furniture
Oak
Late 19th Century Antique Medieval Furniture
Wood, Oak
Early 20th Century British Medieval Furniture
Resin, Pine
Mid-20th Century French Medieval Furniture
Marble
Late 19th Century European Antique Medieval Furniture
Iron
19th Century English Antique Medieval Furniture
Stone
20th Century Medieval Furniture
Leather, Glass, Wood
Early 19th Century Antique Medieval Furniture
Pine
1880s French Antique Medieval Furniture
Bronze
15th Century and Earlier European Antique Medieval Furniture
Oak
Mid-20th Century American Medieval Furniture
Iron, Wrought Iron
1950s French Vintage Medieval Furniture
Wrought Iron
15th Century and Earlier French Antique Medieval Furniture
Parchment Paper
1920s French Vintage Medieval Furniture
Terracotta
Mid-19th Century Antique Medieval Furniture
Bronze
Early 1900s Antique Medieval Furniture
Wrought Iron
1730s French Antique Medieval Furniture
Limestone
20th Century European Medieval Furniture
Bronze
17th Century German Antique Medieval Furniture
Oak
Late 19th Century American Antique Medieval Furniture
Bronze
1960s Persian Vintage Medieval Furniture
Wool