Arts and Crafts Furniture
Emerging in reaction to industrialization and mass production, the Arts and Crafts movement celebrated handcrafted design as a part of daily life. The history of Arts and Crafts furniture has roots in 1860s England with an emphasis on natural motifs and simple flourishes like mosaics and carvings. This work is characterized by plain construction that showcases the hand of the artisan.
The earliest American Arts and Crafts furniture dates back to the start of the 20th century. Designers working in this style in the United States initially looked to ideas put forth by The Craftsman, a magazine published by Wisconsin native Gustav Stickley, a furniture maker and founder of the Craftsman style. Stickley’s furniture was practical and largely free of ornament. His Craftsman style drew on French Art Nouveau as well as the work he encountered on his travels in England. There, the leading designers of the Arts and Crafts movement included William Morris, who revived historical techniques such as embroidery and printed fabrics in his furnishings, and Charles Voysey, whose minimal approach was in contrast to the ornamentation favored in the Victorian era.
American Arts and Crafts work would come to involve a range of influences unified by an elevation of traditional craftsmanship. The furniture was often built from sturdy woods like oak and mahogany while featuring details such as inlaid metal, tooled leather and ceramic tiles. The style in the United States was led by Stickley, whose clean-lined chairs and benches showcased the grain of the wood, and furniture maker Charles Rohlfs, who was informed by international influences like East Asian and French Art Nouveau design.
Hubs in America included several utopian communities such as Rose Valley in Pennsylvania and the Byrdcliffe Arts and Crafts Colony in New York, where craftspeople made furniture that prioritized function over any decoration. Their work would influence designers and architects including Frank Lloyd Wright, who built some of the most elegant and iconic structures in the United States and likewise embraced a thoughtful use of materials in his furniture.
Find antique Arts and Crafts chairs, tables, cabinets and other authentic period furniture on 1stDibs.
1890s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Ash
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Bronze
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
21st Century and Contemporary French Arts and Crafts Furniture
Laminate, Paper
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century English Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Late 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
1920s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Pottery
Early 1900s British Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century English Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool
1960s Chinese Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Acrylic, Wood
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Bronze
Early 1900s American Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Iron
Mid-19th Century English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper, Iron
1920s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Ceramic, Pottery
Early 1900s Dutch Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Ebony, Oak, Pine
21st Century and Contemporary Belgian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Cement, Limestone, Brass
1890s Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Early 1900s American Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Leather, Oak
1930s English Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Pottery
19th Century Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Iron
Late 19th Century European Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Alabaster
Mid-20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Canvas
Mid-20th Century Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Mid-20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Antler
21st Century and Contemporary Turkish Arts and Crafts Furniture
Cedar
1930s Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Turkish Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
Early 1900s American Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
20th Century English Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper, Iron, Wrought Iron
1920s Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
1950s Hungarian Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Porcelain
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Silver, Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century Northern Irish Arts and Crafts Furniture
Wool
19th Century European Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Belgian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Limestone
1910s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Paper
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Furniture
Metal
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Aluminum, Copper
1980s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Fabric, Oak
Early 20th Century French Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper, Enamel
Early 1900s British Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass
1910s Swedish Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Mohair, Oak
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Copper
Early 1900s British Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Pewter
Mid-20th Century European Arts and Crafts Furniture
Metal
1990s American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Paper
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Oak
20th Century American Arts and Crafts Furniture
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Belgian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Limestone, Marble
21st Century and Contemporary Belgian Arts and Crafts Furniture
Brass, Sheet Metal
1960s Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Art Glass
1890s English Antique Arts and Crafts Furniture
Rush, Beech
1910s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Furniture
Fabric, Oak