Swedish Gustavian Furniture
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Grandfather Clocks and Long...
Pine
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Chairs
Pine
Vintage 1950s Swedish Gustavian Corner Cupboards
Wood
Vintage 1950s Swedish Gustavian Corner Cupboards
Wood
Vintage 1950s Swedish Gustavian Corner Cupboards
Wood
Vintage 1930s Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Antique 1840s Swedish Gustavian Tables
Pine
Antique 1890s Swedish Gustavian Dining Room Tables
Wood
Vintage 1940s Swedish Gustavian Sideboards
Wood
Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Tables
Pine
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Tables
Pine
Mid-20th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Antique Early 1800s Swedish Gustavian Platters and Serveware
Pewter
Antique 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Chairs
Fruitwood
Early 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Buffets
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Benches
Pine
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Sideboards
Wood, Paint
Antique 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Corner Cupboards
Wood
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Side Tables
Wood
Antique 1820s Swedish Gustavian Chairs
Pine
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Buffets
Brass, Iron
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Console Tables
Pine
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Corner Cupboards
Pine
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Antique Early 1800s Swedish Gustavian Cabinets
Pine
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Footstools
Wood
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Iron
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Chairs
Pine
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Pine
Antique 1780s Swedish Gustavian Wall Mirrors
Wood
Vintage 1950s Swedish Gustavian Sideboards
Wood
Vintage 1930s Swedish Gustavian Side Chairs
Birch
Vintage 1950s Swedish Gustavian Sideboards
Wood
Vintage 1950s Swedish Gustavian Sideboards
Wood
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Shelves and Wall Cabinets
Pine
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Daybeds
Wood
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Buffets
Wood
Vintage 1910s Swedish Gustavian Side Tables
Pine
Antique 1780s Swedish Gustavian Pier Mirrors and Console Mirrors
Mahogany
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Cabinets
Brass
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Buffets
Pine
Antique 1820s Swedish Gustavian Chairs
Mahogany
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Benches
Linen, Wood, Paint
Antique 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Cabinets
Wood
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Corner Cupboards
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Tables
Pine
Early 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Armchairs
Linen, Wood, Paint
Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Chairs
Pine
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Benches
Upholstery, Wood, Paint
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Chairs
Pine
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Sideboards
Brass, Iron
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Side Chairs
Pine
Antique 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Early 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Chairs
Wood
Antique Early 1800s Swedish Gustavian Benches
Upholstery, Giltwood
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Armchairs
Leather, Wood
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Swedish Gustavian Furniture For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Swedish Gustavian Furniture?
A Close Look at Gustavian Furniture
With clean lines and muted colors, antique Gustavian furniture is understated and elegant. It represents a more restrained version of the transition from Rococo to neoclassicism that was happening in France under Louis XVI. The style developed under Swedish King Gustav III, who reigned from 1771 until his assassination in 1792, and his son Gustav IV, who ruled until 1809. Although Gustavian furniture is mostly used to refer to pale painted cabinets, commodes, armchairs and other items, it involved a range of influences.
Gustavian-style furniture was inspired by discoveries at Pompeii and Herculaneum as well as the grandeur of European palaces like Versailles, with local softwoods such as pine and birch. There was also an emphasis on natural light; crystal chandeliers and large mirrors played a role in radiating the fleeting daylight of winter, giving it a distinctive aesthetic.
Where earlier furniture was curvy and florid, this new era was more architectural, with tapered and fluted legs and rectangular and oval shapes. Luminous gilt contrasted with the palette of soft blues on upholstery and painted surfaces. Leading furniture builders included Gottlieb Iwersson, Louis Masreliez and Erik Öhrmark. The latter, a French-born Swedish decorator, designed the Sulla chair, a seat that was demonstrative of technical skill and precise craftsmanship and drew on Greek klismos chairs. Masreliez’s Sulla chair was made by Öhrmark and featured decorative ornamentation produced by Jean-Baptiste Masreliez, Louis’s younger brother.
While the wealthy had furniture carved with neoclassical details like scallops and rosettes, more affordable options were adorned with faux finishes that mimicked marble and stenciled patterns. The simple elegance of Gustavian furniture would have a long impact on Swedish design, informing the 20th-century appreciation for function and form. In the 1950s, IKEA mass-produced copies of a Gustavian commode designed by cabinetmaker Georg Haupt, who created pieces for the Royal Palace, making the furniture a fixture of everyday Swedish life.
Find a collection of antique Gustavian seating, tables, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 25, 2024The most famous Swedish furniture company is arguably IKEA. Founded in 1943, the company has grown to become one of the largest furniture manufacturers in the world. The brand has more than 450 stores located in more than 60 countries. Shop a range of IKEA furniture from some of the world's top sellers on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertSeptember 25, 2019
Danish and Swedish design share many tenets, including an emphasis on simplicity and functionality. Danish furniture generally expresses these ideas through new industrial technologies, while Swedish products are minimalist and stress clean lines.
- 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 7, 2024The name of the famous Swedish furniture store is IKEA. Ingvar Kamprad launched IKEA in 1943, and originally, it was strictly a mail-order furniture company. IKEA's first store opened in 1948 in Älmhult, Småland. Today, there are more than 450 stores located around the world. Shop a diverse assortment of vintage IKEA furniture on 1stDibs.








