Furniture styling has been a mark of wealth and luxury for centuries, from the Jacobean era of the 1600s through the Scandinian contemporary design of the 1900s. Here’s an overview of historical kinds of furniture styles — and key characteristics of these traditional furniture styles, many of which were influenced by classical furniture styles.
Jacobean (1600–1690): The Jacobean style was borne out of the English Early Renaissance. Jacobean furniture is characterized by straight lines, ornate carvings, and dark finish.
William and Mary (1690–1735): William and Mary style furniture was popular in the late 17th and early 18th century and is characterized by Dutch and Chinese influences, trumpet turned legs, Spanish ball feet, and Oriental lacquer work.
Queen Anne (1700–1755): Queen Anne style furniture emerged during the reign of William III of England. It is characterized by cabriole legs, pad or drake feet, fiddle-backed chairs, and bat-wing-shaped drawer pulls.
Pennsylvania Dutch (1720–1830): Pennsylvania Dutch is an American furniture style with Germanic influences. It is characterized by utilitarian simplicity and colorful folk painting on cases.
Louis XVI (1760–1789): This style was designed for Marie Antionette during the French Revolution and influenced by Neoclassical design. Louis XVI furniture is characterized by Greco-Roman influence, straight lines, classical motifs like fluting, and richly carved details.
Chippendale (1750–1790): This style was created by a cabinet-maker in London named Thomas Chippendale. It can be classified into Gothic, French, and Chinese influences and the Queen Anne style. Chippendale furniture is characterized by cabriole legs, ball and claw feet, and broken pediment scroll top on tall cases.
Hepplewhite (1765-1800): Hepplewhite furniture is named after London designer George Hepplewhite and was popular in the early beginnings of the United States. Hepplewhite furniture is characterized by its Neoclassical influence, delicate appearance, tapered legs, and contrasting veneers and inlay.
Sheraton (1780–1820): The Sheraton style is named after English designer George Sheraton, whose work overlaps with Hepplewhite. Sheraton furniture is characterized by an almost severe simplicity, straight lines, contrasting veneers, and sometimes tapered legs.
Federal (1780–1820): Federal furniture is a combination of the Hepplewhite and Sheraton styles. It is known for its gracefully straight lines, contrasting veneers, neoclassical motifs, and ornamentation.
American Empire (1800–1840): This is a French-inspired furniture style that was popular in the US during the late 19th century. It is known for classical ornamentation, course carvings, and dark finishes.
Victorian (1840–1910): Named after Queen Victoria, this was the furniture style of the English Victorian period. Created during the industrial revolution, Victorian furniture was the first style to be manufactured. Victorian furniture is characterized by a Romantic influence, hey proportions, dark finishes, and elaborate ornamentation.
Arts and Craft (1880–1910): Influenced by the ideas of artist William Morris, Arts and Craft was the style of the Arts and Craft movement, which sought to recapture the craftsmanship found in pre-industrial guilds. Arts and Craft furniture is characterized by a simple, utilitarian design.
Art Deco (1910–1939): Unlike the Arts and Craft style, Art Deco styles of furniture celebrated design excess. Originating in France shortly before WWI, Art Deco furniture is characterized by bold, vibrant colors, geometric shapes, shiny metal surfaces, exotic wood or ivory inlays, and geometric shapes with sweeping, angular lines.