Moorish Stools
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 French Moorish Stools
Mother-of-Pearl
1930s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Stools
Leather, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary American Moorish Stools
Softwood
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Stools
Leather, Pine
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Moorish Stools
Iron
2010s North American Moorish Stools
Stone
Late 20th Century Moorish Stools
Fabric
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Stools
Stone
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Stools
Fabric
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Stools
Leather
20th Century American Moorish Stools
Fabric
Mid-20th Century French Moorish Stools
Oak
20th Century American Moorish Stools
Fabric
20th Century African Moorish Stools
Mother-of-Pearl, Rope, Wood
Mid-20th Century American Moorish Stools
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Moorish Stools
Hardwood
Mid-20th Century French Moorish Stools
Pine
Mid-20th Century French Moorish Stools
Oak
1960s Spanish Vintage Moorish Stools
Wood
1950s Danish Vintage Moorish Stools
Leather, Oak
1990s Vietnamese Moorish Stools
Leather, Wood
1970s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Stools
Goatskin, Wood, Wool, Leather
21st Century and Contemporary Philippine Moorish Stools
Wood
Early 20th Century British Moorish Stools
Hardwood
1950s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Stools
Wood
Early 20th Century Indian Moorish Stools
Upholstery, Ebony
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Stools
Wood
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Stools
Hardwood
1930s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Stools
Brass
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Stools
Satinwood, Walnut
1990s Moroccan Moorish Stools
Leather
20th Century Turkish Moorish Stools
Wicker
1950s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Stools
Fabric, Wood
1990s Turkish Moorish Stools
Fabric
1950s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Stools
Bone, Mother-of-Pearl, Wool, Walnut