French Provincial Chaise Longues
Removed from the fashions of the court, French Provincial style developed in the provinces of the country, such as Provence, Normandy, the Loire Valley and Bordeaux. Dating to the 17th and 18th centuries, French Provincial furniture was not as ostentatious as the designs being produced for the royal palaces, but elegant S-shape cabriole legs and ornate carvings elevated the sturdy chairs, sofas, tables and bedroom furniture intended for everyday use.
Although it varies by region, antique French Provincial furniture is unified by solid construction and an artisanal attention to design. While this furniture often followed the metropolitan trends — including the Rococo or neoclassical aesthetics of Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI — since it was produced in the French countryside it was more subdued with nods to its rustic settings.
Local materials like fruitwoods, oak, beech and walnut were used to construct large French Provincial armoires for storage and comfortable armchairs with rush-woven seats. Wrought-iron elements and carvings like floral details and scallop patterns were common as ornamentation. Furniture was frequently painted white or other muted colors that coordinated with gilt and would acquire a patina of age over time. Other wood was just stained with vibrant fabric such as toile de Jouy, which sometimes depicted pastoral scenes, adding color as upholstery.
The style arrived in the United States after World War I, with soldiers returning home wanting furniture like what they had seen in the rural homes and castles of France. In Grand Rapids, Michigan, designer John Widdicomb split from his family business, the Widdicomb Furniture Company, and had been focusing on Louis XV– and French Provincial–style furnishings since the early 1900s. Other American manufacturers such as Baker, Drexel, Henredon and Thomasville also responded to demand. Today antique French Provincial pieces and reproductions continue to be popular.
Find a collection of antique French Provincial dining tables, seating, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Late 20th Century French Provincial Chaise Longues
Upholstery, Hardwood
1960s American Vintage French Provincial Chaise Longues
Upholstery, Walnut
1960s American Vintage French Provincial Chaise Longues
Upholstery, Walnut
Early 2000s French French Provincial Chaise Longues
Brass, Steel
Late 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Chaise Longues
Linen, Wood
1990s French Provincial Chaise Longues
Upholstery, Hardwood
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish French Provincial Chaise Longues
Jute, Fabric, Cane, Wood, Trimming
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish French Provincial Chaise Longues
Fabric, Jute, Wood, Trimming
Mid-20th Century French French Provincial Chaise Longues
Metal
Mid-20th Century French French Provincial Chaise Longues
Cane, Wood
Mid-19th Century French Antique French Provincial Chaise Longues
Rattan, Wood
1950s American Vintage French Provincial Chaise Longues
Gold Leaf
Late 20th Century French Provincial Chaise Longues
Metal
1960s American Vintage French Provincial Chaise Longues
Aluminum
1960s Italian Vintage French Provincial Chaise Longues
Textile, Wood
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Chaise Longues
Fabric, Wood
Late 20th Century American French Provincial Chaise Longues
Wool, Wood
Mid-20th Century American French Provincial Chaise Longues
Cotton
19th Century English Antique French Provincial Chaise Longues
Leather
1970s American Vintage French Provincial Chaise Longues
Fabric
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Chaise Longues
Cane, Wood, Paint
1960s American Vintage French Provincial Chaise Longues
Hide, Alpaca, Upholstery, Walnut
1950s American Vintage French Provincial Chaise Longues
Wood
Mid-20th Century American French Provincial Chaise Longues
Wood
1950s American Vintage French Provincial Chaise Longues
Gold Leaf
Late 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Chaise Longues
Steel
Mid-20th Century French Provincial Chaise Longues
Cotton, Wood
1970s American Vintage French Provincial Chaise Longues
Walnut
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Chaise Longues
Cane, Walnut
20th Century American French Provincial Chaise Longues
Leather, Walnut
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Chaise Longues
Rush, Fruitwood
1880s French Antique French Provincial Chaise Longues
Giltwood, Linen, Foam, Walnut, Feathers
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Chaise Longues
Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Chaise Longues
Wood, Fabric, Upholstery
1970s Vintage French Provincial Chaise Longues
Upholstery
Mid-20th Century American French Provincial Chaise Longues
Linen, Wood