Swedish Gustavian Furniture
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Chairs
Linen, Wood, Paint
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Lounge Chairs
Fabric, Wood
Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Benches
Pine, Paint
Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Corner Cupboards
Pine
Vintage 1970s Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Vintage 1930s Swedish Gustavian Sideboards
Wood
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Chairs
Fabric, Wood, Paint
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Footstools
Linen, Wood, Paint
Vintage 1940s Swedish Gustavian Sideboards
Wood
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Wood
Antique 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Chairs
Pine
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Sofas
Pine
Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Grandfather Clocks and Longca...
Wood
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Desks and Writing Tables
Pine
Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Benches
Pine
Antique 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Cabinets
Pine
20th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Paint
Antique 1820s Swedish Gustavian Sofas
Pine
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Sofas
Pine, Paint
Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Console Tables
Wood, Paint
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Wall Mirrors
Mirror, Giltwood
20th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Side Tables
Pine
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Side Tables
Pine
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Buffets
Pine
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Chairs
Wood, Linen
Early 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Benches
Wood
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Tables
Pine
Antique 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Armchairs
Textile, Wood
Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Side Tables
Pine
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Cupboards
Pine, Paint
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Demi-lune Tables
Mahogany
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Center Tables
Brass
Early 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Dining Room Chairs
Fabric, Wood, Paint
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Side Tables
Wood, Paint
Vintage 1930s Swedish Gustavian Wall Clocks
Wood
Antique 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Wall Mirrors
Mirror, Wood
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Benches
Linen, Wood, Paint
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Buffets
Brass
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Sofas
Pine
Antique Early 1900s Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Chairs
Fabric, Wood, Paint
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Platters and Serveware
Pewter
Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Buffets
Wood
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Console Tables
Pine
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Wall Mirrors
Mirror, Wood
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Daybeds
Upholstery, Pine
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Buffets
Pine
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Tables
Pine
Mid-20th Century Swedish Gustavian Armchairs
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Console Tables
Wood
Antique 1890s Swedish Gustavian Candlesticks
Pewter
Antique Early 1800s Swedish Gustavian Chairs
Wood
Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Cabinets
Oak, Pine
Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Footstools
Linen, Wood, Paint
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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.








