British Colonial Shelves
Typically made of mahogany, teak or bamboo and featuring a range of fabrics and prints with botanical patterns, antique British Colonial furniture and decor varies as it involved local materials and techniques and spanned centuries of design styles.
As the British Empire expanded from the 16th to the 20th century, its conquest and control of colonies around the world bolstered its wealth through the extraction of resources. Including colonies in the Americas, Africa, Asia and Australasia, this spread of often violent subjugation imposed British culture, language and faith on Indigenous peoples. The design of homes was included in this expression of imperial power, with government officials, merchants and military officers creating homes mimicking the luxuries they were used to in England.
Local artisans were commissioned to replicate British designs, resulting in versions of Regency, Chippendale, Sheraton and other styles of furniture being crafted from mahogany, rosewood, ebony and teakwood as opposed to beech and oak, which were more common in Europe. Whereas the colonial furniture for the Portuguese and Dutch regularly had motifs of indigenous flora and fauna, the British tended to want more exact reproductions of their home country’s designs.
To escape the summer heat in places such as India and the Caribbean, British colonizers relocated to airy houses in the hills or plantations, leading to foldable chairs and collapsible desks in the style of military campaign furniture. Rather than upholstery as they might have in Europe, chairs and sofas in the British Colonial style had rattan and cane seating for these higher temperature climates. The contrast between the light textiles and the dark colors of the sturdy furniture became a defining aesthetic of British Colonial interiors.
Find a collection of antique British Colonial outdoor furniture, seating, bedroom furniture, decorative objects and other items on 1stDibs.
Late 20th Century American British Colonial Shelves
Grasscloth, Faux Bamboo, Glass
Early 1900s British Indian Ocean Territory Antique British Colonial Shelves
Teak
1890s English Antique British Colonial Shelves
Sycamore
1850s Antique British Colonial Shelves
Stained Glass, Walnut
Late 18th Century Antique British Colonial Shelves
Teak
20th Century English British Colonial Shelves
Elm, Walnut
1850s English Antique British Colonial Shelves
Other
20th Century English British Colonial Shelves
Bamboo, Pine
Early 19th Century English Antique British Colonial Shelves
Mahogany
2010s Italian British Colonial Shelves
Wood, Walnut
2010s Italian British Colonial Shelves
Wood, Walnut
19th Century English Antique British Colonial Shelves
Mahogany
1970s American Vintage British Colonial Shelves
Metal
19th Century French Antique British Colonial Shelves
Wood
1960s Danish Vintage British Colonial Shelves
Teak
20th Century Spanish British Colonial Shelves
Wood, Pine
1970s Unknown Vintage British Colonial Shelves
Bamboo, Cane
1980s Indonesian Vintage British Colonial Shelves
Wood
Early 20th Century British Colonial Shelves
Teak
Mid-20th Century British Colonial Shelves
Mahogany
19th Century British Antique British Colonial Shelves
Bamboo, Lacquer
1980s Vintage British Colonial Shelves
Leather, Hardwood
20th Century American British Colonial Shelves
Cane, Walnut
19th Century English Antique British Colonial Shelves
Mahogany
Early 20th Century British Colonial Shelves
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century British Colonial Shelves
Mahogany, Rosewood
Late 19th Century English Antique British Colonial Shelves
Brass
19th Century English Antique British Colonial Shelves
Mahogany
20th Century American British Colonial Shelves
Faux Bamboo