Medieval Tables
The Middle Ages in Europe followed the end of the Roman Empire, and in this time of change, which preceded the Renaissance, furniture was simple and utilitarian, with most homes having only the necessities like chests and benches. Much of medieval furniture, which was often made in oak or walnut, was built for the elite, particularly the emerging merchant class who owned multiple homes.
Life for many in the medieval era was unstable, and furniture was designed to be functional and portable. Peasants worked the fields for affluent landowners and didn’t have access to literature in the way that nobles and people of the church did (women less so than men). The furniture in their modest dwellings was typically limited to cookware and a handful of stools. Foldable chairs, while uncommon in homes of the early Middle Ages and emblematic of wealth, like all other furnishings of the time, allowed for easy transportation of a household. Trestle tables with detachable legs and collapsible beds were designed to be simply moved from place to place.
Medieval blanket chests were among the most important furniture objects and could further serve as tables or even beds. Some ancient traditions were carried forward to build this sturdy furniture, such as turnery. Although the furniture was minimally designed, embellishments like carvings added elegance to the heavy wood pieces. These details sometimes reflected trends in religious art like rose windows.
By the later Middle Ages, storage pieces like chests of drawers were often adorned with high relief carvings, such as geometric and floral motifs. By the 14th and 15th centuries, design had developed to include more involved pieces like cupboards and desks, while benches frequently doubled as chests with hinged seats. Beds also changed in this era from basic boards to four-post designs with large drapes to keep the sleeper warm. These beds and other medieval bedroom furniture were significant status symbols, passed down through families and used as places to conduct business and receive visitors.
Surviving examples of medieval furniture are very rare, yet its distinctive aesthetics influenced later styles like William and Mary and Arts and Crafts.
Find a collection of medieval seating, garden elements, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Late 19th Century French Antique Medieval Tables
Oak
19th Century English Antique Medieval Tables
Oak
1910s English Vintage Medieval Tables
Mahogany
2010s Italian Medieval Tables
Bronze, Brass
20th Century Spanish Medieval Tables
Iron, Wrought Iron
20th Century Spanish Medieval Tables
Iron, Wrought Iron, Metal
19th Century Antique Medieval Tables
Oak
20th Century Unknown Medieval Tables
Marble, Steel
2010s American Medieval Tables
Copper
20th Century Medieval Tables
Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique Medieval Tables
Walnut
18th Century French Antique Medieval Tables
Iron
1960s Italian Vintage Medieval Tables
Travertine, Marble, Brass, Bronze
17th Century Antique Medieval Tables
Oak
20th Century Spanish Medieval Tables
Iron, Wrought Iron
1960s Italian Vintage Medieval Tables
Hardwood, Paint
Early 19th Century Spanish Antique Medieval Tables
Oak
Early 20th Century Spanish Medieval Tables
Late 20th Century American Medieval Tables
Wrought Iron
Late 17th Century Belgian Antique Medieval Tables
Oak
Late 19th Century Antique Medieval Tables
Early 20th Century English Medieval Tables
Oak
15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Medieval Tables
Wrought Iron
1890s Antique Medieval Tables
Oak
18th Century European Antique Medieval Tables
Mirror, Walnut
16th Century French Antique Medieval Tables
Elm, Oak
17th Century French Antique Medieval Tables
Wood, Oak
1920s Vintage Medieval Tables
Walnut
19th Century English Antique Medieval Tables
Oak
Early 19th Century French Antique Medieval Tables
Gold Leaf
Mid-20th Century Saint Pierre and Miquelon Medieval Tables
Wrought Iron
1730s French Antique Medieval Tables
Limestone
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Medieval Tables
Stone, Marble
1920s English Vintage Medieval Tables
Glass, Wood
1840s English Antique Medieval Tables
Leather, Oak
1920s Vintage Medieval Tables
Oak
Late 20th Century American Medieval Tables
Marble, Iron
18th Century Antique Medieval Tables
Other
19th Century Antique Medieval Tables
Oak
Early 18th Century Swiss Antique Medieval Tables
Walnut
19th Century Antique Medieval Tables
Oak
Mid-20th Century European Medieval Tables
Iron
19th Century Antique Medieval Tables
Oak
19th Century Italian Antique Medieval Tables
Giltwood
Early 1600s Swiss Antique Medieval Tables
Walnut
1950s Vintage Medieval Tables
Iron
2010s American Medieval Tables
Wrought Iron