French provincial antique furniture is one of the most popular and notable antique furniture styles. These furniture pieces are so named because the style emerged in the provincial area of France like Provence, Orleans and Blois.ical designs and longevity. While the French furniture used to be manufactured in the cities used to feature elaborate and intricate designing and even gold plated embellishments, the furniture pieces designed in the countrysides featured simple shapes and rustic designs. Although these furniture pieces are heavily influenced by the French furniture designed for the elites and Italian furniture, French provincial style furniture pieces are still the most popular among common people and find more use in the lives of common people due to their affordable prices. Mentioned below are some of the most notable features of French antique provincial furniture pieces you should look for before buying one for your house or office.
Timber
French provincial furniture pieces mainly used timber which was readily available in the countryside. Since these furniture pieces were designed for the middle and lower middle class people who could not afford costly imported timber, French provincial style furniture pieces are available in only certain timber types like oak, Mahogany, walnut and apple. These woods were readily available in the nearby forests and hence the local furniture makers used these to create the provincial furniture.
Functional design
Despite being influenced by the furniture of the rich and Italian furniture, the French provincial furniture were not meant for decoration purposes only. Since people who used these furniture pieces heavily used these for storage purposes and were also pretty rough in their usage approach. This is the reason why provincial furniture pieces depicted spacious storage furniture and solid designs. These furniture pieces were generally hugely sized so as to maximize the storage space.
Cabriole legs
This is one of the most common and notable features of French provincial antique furniture, despite not unique to this style of furniture. Cabriole legs made its first appearance in furniture from the reign of King Louis XV. Furniture makers who mainly dealt with provincial furniture adopted this style and incorporated it into their furniture. Cabriole legs are commonly found in tables, cupboards, side tables, dressers, ottomans and bombes. These legs are different from normal legs in the way that they are carved. While the top part of the leg remains carved towards the outside, the lower part comes down by getting carved in inner side.
Timber
French provincial furniture pieces mainly used timber which was readily available in the countryside. Since these furniture pieces were designed for the middle and lower middle class people who could not afford costly imported timber, French provincial style furniture pieces are available in only certain timber types like oak, Mahogany, walnut and apple. These woods were readily available in the nearby forests and hence the local furniture makers used these to create the provincial furniture.
Functional design
Despite being influenced by the furniture of the rich and Italian furniture, the French provincial furniture were not meant for decoration purposes only. Since people who used these furniture pieces heavily used these for storage purposes and were also pretty rough in their usage approach. This is the reason why provincial furniture pieces depicted spacious storage furniture and solid designs. These furniture pieces were generally hugely sized so as to maximize the storage space.
Cabriole legs
This is one of the most common and notable features of French provincial antique furniture, despite not unique to this style of furniture. Cabriole legs made its first appearance in furniture from the reign of King Louis XV. Furniture makers who mainly dealt with provincial furniture adopted this style and incorporated it into their furniture. Cabriole legs are commonly found in tables, cupboards, side tables, dressers, ottomans and bombes. These legs are different from normal legs in the way that they are carved. While the top part of the leg remains carved towards the outside, the lower part comes down by getting carved in inner side.
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