A Foray Through French Country Furniture History

The French country style presents a different interpretation of the rustic look of the living spaces than the American country style. When talking about French country furniture, its basic characteristic is time, value and preciousness, more than the natural, unfinished touch. French country furniture redefines the space in the old aristocratic European houses, where all objects had a true meaning and were carefully handcrafted and selected.
 
All the country objects from today used to be modern items of the older times, as the authentic French country furniture is the collectable antique one, with high value and high price. Its roots are found in the middle Ages, when in the province of Burgundy, Ile de France and Tourraine, oak and walnut decorated by carving, were used to make chests and religious items for churches.

The renaissance ages brought the gothic style in attention, which was borrowed from Italians, as famous Italian architects were designing and sculpting in relief furniture in France, too. Cabinets took place of the chests and many cupboards with two or four doors were built. That is when motives inspired by antiquity appeared and figures began to be sculptured in relief. Under Lois XIII, the tables with many legs, the tall cupboards and full dressers were extremely structured. During the reign of Lois IV, ebony and precious woods were imported to Paris and during the king Lois the XVI the French furniture was rediscovered in the Central and Southern France, were new handcrafters started a more artistic style.

The 18th century was characterized by the regency style, by adding precious wood, geometrical design and bronze decor. The older naturalism was then transformed into stylized objects that were more practical and comfortable. The 18th century in French country furniture was characterized by the modern decor: the sunflower, the pomegranate, with trellis background and honeycomb design. At the beginning of the 20th century, simplicity was the main trend and polished wood, oak, ceruse, sycamore, stainless steel tubes, aluminum, parchment, plaster, straw, rattan were just some of the possibilities of the French style.

In the past centuries, all French country furniture pieces, like the famous barstools or coffee tables, were built manually and decorated meticulously, engraved and sculpted by crafters who were recognized by the society as being great artists. Their craft was constantly improving, as it was adopted by the most elegant palaces and estates among Europe. Still, French country furniture doesn't refer to a specific time in history, but it is more interpreted as a way of living, the one described in the French romanticist novels of the 19th century.