Arts and Crafts Furniture
Emerging in reaction to industrialization and mass production, the Arts and Crafts movement celebrated handcrafted design as a part of daily life. The history of Arts and Crafts furniture has roots in 1860s England with an emphasis on natural motifs and simple flourishes like mosaics and carvings. This work is characterized by plain construction that showcases the hand of the artisan.
The earliest American Arts and Crafts furniture dates back to the start of the 20th century. Designers working in this style in the United States initially looked to ideas put forth by The Craftsman, a magazine published by Wisconsin native Gustav Stickley, a furniture maker and founder of the Craftsman style. Stickley’s furniture was practical and largely free of ornament. His Craftsman style drew on French Art Nouveau as well as the work he encountered on his travels in England. There, the leading designers of the Arts and Crafts movement included William Morris, who revived historical techniques such as embroidery and printed fabrics in his furnishings, and Charles Voysey, whose minimal approach was in contrast to the ornamentation favored in the Victorian era.
American Arts and Crafts work would come to involve a range of influences unified by an elevation of traditional craftsmanship. The furniture was often built from sturdy woods like oak and mahogany while featuring details such as inlaid metal, tooled leather and ceramic tiles. The style in the United States was led by Stickley, whose clean-lined chairs and benches showcased the grain of the wood, and furniture maker Charles Rohlfs, who was informed by international influences like East Asian and French Art Nouveau design.
Hubs in America included several utopian communities such as Rose Valley in Pennsylvania and the Byrdcliffe Arts and Crafts Colony in New York, where craftspeople made furniture that prioritized function over any decoration. Their work would influence designers and architects including Frank Lloyd Wright, who built some of the most elegant and iconic structures in the United States and likewise embraced a thoughtful use of materials in his furniture.
Find antique Arts and Crafts chairs, tables, cabinets and other authentic period furniture on 1stDibs.
Early 20th Century Finnish Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wood
1930s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Ceramic
Late 19th Century French Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Acrylic, Beech, Lacquer
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Iron
Late 19th Century American Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Walnut
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Pottery
Late 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Cherry
19th Century Irish Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Stained Glass
Mid-20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Iron
1920s Dutch Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Late 20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
2010s Belgian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Poplar
1930s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Steel
2010s French Arts and Crafts Furniture
Straw, Walnut
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Upholstery, Oak
Late 19th Century Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Mirror, Mahogany
1980s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wood
1930s Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Glass
2010s American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Shell, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Cherry
Early 20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak, Glass
Late 19th Century Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Velvet, Hardwood
19th Century American Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
1920s French Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Metal, Brass
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Berlin Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Belgian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Marble, Brass
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Fabric, Oak
1910s Asian Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Silver
1910s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Ceramic, Pottery
1930s Danish Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Leather, Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Belgian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Plaster, Oak, Coating
1920s Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Bronze
Early 1900s American Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
1910s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass, Steel
20th Century Turkish Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool
Early 20th Century Danish Arts and Crafts Furniture
Sterling Silver
1920s French Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
1910s Italian Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Arts and Crafts Furniture
Metal
2010s Belgian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Poplar
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Walnut
1930s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
2010s French Arts and Crafts Furniture
Straw, Ebony
Early 20th Century Italian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
1920s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Mid-20th Century Nepalese Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool
Mid-20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century Pakistani Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool
Late 20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Glass, Oak
20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Metal
Early 1900s Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century American Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Bronze
Late 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Mahogany
1910s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
2010s Moroccan Arts and Crafts Furniture
Stone