Gustavian Painted Furniture
GUSTAVIAN STYLE
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.
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Style: Gustavian
Swedish Gustavian Mora Clock in Original Green Orange Colors, Early 19th Century
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Swedish antique mora clock dating from early/ 1800s featuring green paint with orange details that is painted on the body.
The clockwork is sold 'as is' and should be considered as...
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Painted Furniture
Materials
Pine
Gustavian Grey Painted 3 Drawer Dresser with Faux Marble Top, Sweden, 1850-1880
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Late 19th century grey painted chest of drawers, Swedish.
This 3 drawer dresser has a charming break front style, an amazing faux marble top and the original brass hardware.
Category
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Painted Furniture
Materials
Brass
Round Black Pedestal Dining Table, Sweden 1920
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Early Swedish 20th Century Pedestal Dining Table in Black Paint.
This round table has beautiful Gustavian ribbed details with a border going around the table edge.
Category
Early 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Painted Furniture
Materials
Pine
Scandinavian Paint Decorated Bookcase with Lower Cabinet
Located in Wiscasset, ME
Very rare and interesting paint decorated bookcase with cabinet below and shelves above. Early 19th century or late 18th. Original lock and key and early paint. A very useful proport...
Category
19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Painted Furniture
Materials
Wood
Swedish Gustavian Original Yellow Painted Nightstand or End Table
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
An early 19th century yellow original painted Swedish nightstand or side table with one drawer, liftable top and a door in the front. This Gustavian rural furniture's keeps totally the original paint, patina and the charming worn condition due to the use in the country social world of the so called "allmoge" folk. This little cabinet had place for a wooden or metal bowl under the lock, for washing hands and face in the morning and a water jug and glass...
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Painted Furniture
Materials
Wood
Black Painted Gustavian Chest of 3 Drawers, Sweden Early 19th Century
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Swedish Gustavian 1840s Black Painted and Carved Three-Drawer Chest With Faux Marble Top.
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Painted Furniture
Materials
Brass
Pair of Swedish Gustavian Painted Corner Armchairs
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Pair of Swedish 1810s-1830s corner chair scraped down to the original black paint. Seat are loose and be easily re-upholstered.
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Painted Furniture
Materials
Wood
Swedish 18th Century Gustavian Grey and Blue Display Cabinet
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Antique Swedish Glass-Top Cabinet Made in Two-parts.
The base has a set of 4 drawers and the top display cabinet has two glass doors that is pati...
Category
1770s Swedish Antique Gustavian Painted Furniture
Materials
Pine
Swedish Late 19th Century Faux Marble-Top Gustavian Style Chest of Drawers
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Swedish 19th century faux marble-top Gustavian style chest of drawers with brass hardware.
EUR 175 delivery to most areas of London UK, The Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden a...
Category
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Painted Furniture
Materials
Pine
18th Century Scandinavian Painted Baroque Chest of Drawers
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
19th century Scandinavian painted baroque chest of drawers
Fine quality solid oak chest of drawers, circa 1840.
The chest has 4-drawer and the ...
Category
Mid-18th Century Danish Antique Gustavian Painted Furniture
Materials
Oak
Swedish Black and Giltwood Hanging Planter, Gustavian Period Sweden, 1810
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Swedish black and giltwood ceiling hanging planter, Gustavian Period Sweden, 1810
The ceiling plater hangs with 3 black painted metal chains. The inside of the planter has a metal i...
Category
19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Painted Furniture
Materials
Wood
Early 19th Century Folk Art Floor Lamp, Denmark
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Black wooden Folk Art floor lamp. Tri-pod legs on a original triangular stand. Newly made into a electrified lamp, originally a large candlestick.
Category
19th Century Danish Antique Gustavian Painted Furniture
Materials
Wood
Dated 1831 Scandinavian Painted Step-Back Pine Cupboard with Initials R.K.S.
Located in New York, NY
This is a antique Scandinavian cupboard made in 1831 from pine wood. This cupboard has a step-back design where the upper section is set ...
Category
19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Painted Furniture
Materials
Pine, Paint
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19th Century Swedish Chest of Drawers Gustavian Style
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Classic Vintage Midcentury Scandinavian Danish Modern Rosewood Bookcase Cabinet
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H 35.44 in W 47.64 in D 11.82 in
Moroccan Moorish Pedestal Octagonal Red Table 1960s
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Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Country Rustic Folk Art Chair
Located in Boden, SE
Late 18th Century Swedish Country Folk Art Chair from Northern Sweden.
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Antique Arts Crafts Native American End Table 1910
Located in South Burlington, VT
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Grey Painted Marble-Top Chest of Drawers
Located in Sheffield, MA
A classic American five-drawer custom painted chest with five drawers with marble top. The chest of drawers or dresser, painted in a Swedish Gustavian grey has two top drawers and 3 ...
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18th Century Swedish Folk Art antique rustic Trunk /Chest
Located in Boden, SE
18th Century Swedish antique rustique Chest from Boden Norrbotten, Northern Sweden.
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Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Painted Furniture
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Previously Available Items
Antique Swedish Gustavian Folk Art Chair, Original Paint, Circa 1800
Located in Bristol, GB
ANTIQUE SWEDISH CHAIR
A decorative and characterful chair with simple lines, a solid back, a solid seat and double box stretchers.
Peg joined construction made of pine with layers o...
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Early 1800s Swedish Antique Gustavian Painted Furniture
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H 33.08 in W 16.15 in D 15.75 in
Swedish Gustavian Mora Clock in Original Paint
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
A Swedish antique Mora clock dating from ca 1800 in its original paint.
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Swedish Gustavian Original Painted 3 Drawers Dresser
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
An early 19th century original painted small Scandinavian chest of drawers from the region of Värmland in Sweden.
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Gustavian Style Painted 3 Drawer Dresser From Sweden
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
An early 20th century grey painted Scandinavian chest of drawers from Sweden.
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Black Gustavian Writing Desk with 5 Drawers, Sweden
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Swedish office writing desk in Gustavian black paint with five drawers, red leather embossed top and the original brass hardware.
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Swedish Gustavian Black Painted Writing Desk with 3 Drawers
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Swedish Gustavian ladies writing desk. Charming three drawer black painted desk with three drawers. Vintage embossed leather top and original brass hardware. Banded with Greek key pa...
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Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Painted Furniture
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Swedish 19th Century Oval Side Table
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Gustavian style rose painted oval table. The table is decorated with finely carved ornaments along the edge with leaves and a large acorn finial as a center piece.
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Pair of Swedish Light Blue Gustavian Chest of Drawers, Late 19th Century
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
A pair of light blue painted 3 drawer chests in Gustavian style with original brass hardware. The canted corners with bronze medallion hardware are typical of the Gustavian period.
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H 30.71 in W 31.5 in D 16.93 in
Black Gustavian Writing Desk With 3 Drawers, Sweden
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Swedish gustavian office writing desk in gustavian black paint with three drawers and the original brass hardware.
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Gustavian Blue Painted Chest of Drawers, Sweden Late 19th Century
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
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Pair of Swedish White Painted Gustavian Nightstands
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
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1930s Swedish Vintage Gustavian Painted Furniture
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Pair of Swedish 19th Century Painted Chest of Drawers
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Pair of Scandinavian 19th Century painted three-drawer commodes with brass hardware.
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Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Painted Furniture
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Pine
Gustavian painted furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Gustavian painted furniture for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Early 20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage painted furniture created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include folk art, case pieces and storage cabinets, tables and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, pine and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Gustavian painted furniture made in a specific country, there are Europe, Scandinavia, and Sweden pieces for sale on 1stDibs. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for painted furniture differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $990 and tops out at $11,500 while the average work can sell for $3,200.