Introduction to Furniture

The story of furniture is really linked to the story of our civilization. All the way from Roman day beds to Louis XV armchairs, and from neoclassical desks to the post modern storage units, the furniture people have used in their homes has all the time reflected the fashion, aspirations and the current technology of the time.

Thomas Chippendale was a great furniture maker in the 18th century.

Being able to identify a piece of furniture requires an understanding of how it was made, from what it was made and for whom it was made. Most of the grand furniture we see today was made for the aristocrasy who really wanted to be a show off of their wealth.

By the mid 19th century furniture was much more affordable and people who were middle class could for the first time furnish their homes with the latest styles.

While furniture design has revolved a lot over time, certain forms, such as the klismos chair, have often been revived. Some styles also spread across continents: The excavasions  in Pompeii and Hurculaneum as an example, inspired French Empire furniture, the designs of Hepplewhite and Sheraton, and American Federal furniture.

The next blog coming tomorrow is about period styles.