Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
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.
Mid-20th Century Spanish Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Fruitwood
20th Century Moroccan Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Leather
Late 20th Century Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Porcelain
20th Century Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Mohair
Mid-20th Century Turkish Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Fruitwood
20th Century Spanish Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
1980s Vintage Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
1990s North American Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
Mid-19th Century African Antique Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Bone, Wood
20th Century Moroccan Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Wrought Iron
20th Century Indian Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Fabric
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Bone, Mother-of-Pearl, Ebony, Mahogany
1890s Italian Antique Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Moroccan Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
Early 20th Century Spanish Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Cotton, Silk
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
Late 19th Century Syrian Antique Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Ormolu
Late 20th Century Indian Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Leather, Wood
Mid-20th Century Indian Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Leather
19th Century Unknown Antique Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Fabric
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Velvet
Late 20th Century French Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
19th Century Moroccan Antique Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
Mid-20th Century Syrian Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Brass
Late 20th Century Italian Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Velvet
Late 20th Century Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Velvet
Late 20th Century Italian Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Velvet
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Bone
Late 20th Century French Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
Late 20th Century Indian Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Silk
21st Century and Contemporary American Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
Late 20th Century Turkish Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Metallic Thread
20th Century Turkish Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Mohair
Late 20th Century Indian Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Fabric
Late 19th Century Indian Antique Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Bronze
Late 20th Century Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Linen, Velvet
Mid-20th Century Indian Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Cotton
Late 20th Century Egyptian Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
Early 20th Century Austrian Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Bronze
Late 20th Century Indian Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Cotton, Silk
Late 20th Century American Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
1960s Moroccan Vintage Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Velvet
20th Century Indian Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Fabric
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
Early 20th Century Tunisian Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Bone, Wood, Mother-of-Pearl, Abalone, Shell
Early 2000s Moroccan Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Fabric, Damask, Satin, Velvet
20th Century Indian Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Silk, Damask, Fabric
19th Century Moroccan Antique Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Brass, Iron
20th Century Indian Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Fabric
20th Century Indian Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Fabric
20th Century Indian Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Fabric
1970s American Vintage Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Ceramic
2010s Italian Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Cotton, Mirror
Mid-20th Century Lebanese Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
20th Century Turkish Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Paper
21st Century and Contemporary American Moorish More Furniture and Collectibles
Fabric