Moorish Furniture
After the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula in the eighth century, Islamic Spain became a cultural mix of influences that shaped both private homes and religious spaces. Moorish design was the name given to this style, which evolved through the 15th century with vibrant tile work, horseshoe arches and lavish ornamentation, most visible at sites such as Granada’s Alhambra and the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba. Moorish furniture was often similarly ornate, and featured pieces inlaid with wood, ivory and bone.
When European designers began studying Moorish art and architecture in the early 19th century, it led to a Moorish Revival. Appropriating the style’s decorative flourishes and architectural elements, it promoted a romantic view of Islamic design. Travelers could bring home a memento of what they witnessed in the Middle East, a trend that aligned with a fad for themed interiors. Men’s smoking rooms arranged with ottomans, divans and settees and inlaid tables were especially popular, as were cafés where coffee was served amid bead curtains and colorful floor mats. (Handwoven rugs are a centerpiece of Moorish interiors.) Octagonal rooms with domed ceilings were created for wealthy homes, frequently with furnishings like pipe stands, filigree plasterwork and arched doorways. The horseshoe arch is an iconic attribute of Moorish architecture that, in addition to Spain, can be found in Sicily, Morocco and elsewhere.
Several late 19th to early 20th-century movements featured Moorish touches. The American and English Aesthetic Movement, for example, borrowed liberally from global decorating styles, as seen in furniture designed by Lockwood de Forest, a New York-born artist who mixed Eastern and Western forms. The visual vocabulary of Art Nouveau also references the elegant use of geometry in Moorish design, with Milanese Art Nouveau furniture designer Carlo Bugatti drawing inspiration from the style. The Arts and Crafts movement, which prized expressive yet simple design, incorporated Moorish influences; hand-painted furniture and tile work created by William De Morgan, a British designer and potter who made furnishings for the likes of Morris & Co., were informed by techniques from Moorish Spain.
Find a collection of Moorish lighting, decorative objects, folk art and more furniture on 1stDibs.
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Wood
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Wool
Mid-20th Century Asian Moorish Furniture
Wood
1830s English Antique Moorish Furniture
Paper
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century Moorish Furniture
Brass
Late 19th Century Asian Antique Moorish Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass, Bronze
1960s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Metallic Thread, Gold
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Mirror, Wood, Paint
Mid-20th Century Lebanese Moorish Furniture
Fruitwood, Shell, Mother-of-Pearl
20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Fabric
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Moorish Furniture
Brass
Early 2000s Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Fabric, Damask, Satin, Velvet
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Mirror, Wood, Paint
Late 20th Century Turkish Moorish Furniture
Wool, Cotton
Mid-20th Century Lebanese Moorish Furniture
Shell, Mother-of-Pearl, Fruitwood
20th Century Italian Moorish Furniture
Glass
20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Fabric
20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Silk, Damask, Fabric
20th Century Lebanese Moorish Furniture
Wood
19th Century Egyptian Antique Moorish Furniture
Brass
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Metal
Early 20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Brass
20th Century French Moorish Furniture
Canvas
20th Century French Moorish Furniture
Glass
19th Century Moroccan Antique Moorish Furniture
Wood, Cedar
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Metal
19th Century Moroccan Antique Moorish Furniture
Brass, Iron
1980s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Metal
1960s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Gold, Metallic Thread
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Stone
Early 20th Century Moorish Furniture
Composition, Bronze
19th Century Turkish Antique Moorish Furniture
Metal, Brass, Copper
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Metal, Brass
1980s Spanish Vintage Moorish Furniture
Brass
Early 19th Century Asian Antique Moorish Furniture
Brass
20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Fabric
19th Century Asian Antique Moorish Furniture
Copper
Mid-20th Century Lebanese Moorish Furniture
Bone, Horn, Wood
20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Fabric
Late 20th Century American Moorish Furniture
Brass, Iron, Copper
Mid-20th Century Asian Moorish Furniture
Shell, Mother-of-Pearl
19th Century Egyptian Antique Moorish Furniture
Brass
16th Century Portuguese Antique Moorish Furniture
Wool
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Hardwood
20th Century Turkish Moorish Furniture
Paper
2010s American Moorish Furniture
Resin
Early 20th Century Austrian Moorish Furniture
Bronze
20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Fabric
1950s Unknown Vintage Moorish Furniture
Brass, Wrought Iron
19th Century Egyptian Antique Moorish Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Metallic Thread
1970s American Vintage Moorish Furniture
Ceramic
Late 19th Century Asian Antique Moorish Furniture
Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Moorish Furniture
Pottery, Terracotta
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
Mid-19th Century Asian Antique Moorish Furniture
Copper