One of the many things the French people are famous for is l'art de vivre. From fine wine to fine furniture, from the Eiffel Tower to the fields of Provence, the people of France surround themselves with art and furniture that spans hundreds of years of impeccable style. They appreciate the finest things in life.

When identifying age old French furniture, there's much to learn. For starters, what is it that actually distinguishes a period piece from a style piece? While price is probably the most telling factor, it's really a matter of who was ruling France and when. The style of each king differentiated his reign from the others, and the periods in French furniture design follow the time periods associated directly with the reign of a particular king, politician or military leader.
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There is much overlapping of styles, and the difference from one king's style to another is usually only a matter of a few degrees of decadence, with a couple of transitional styles thrown in between for good measure. When a piece is actually crafted during a particular king's reign, Louis XIV for example, it's identified as a Louis XIV buffet or a period buffet. A period piece will often have the stamp of a known ébéniste and will be more valuable than a piece having the style motifs typical of the Louis XIV period, yet made at a time after the Sun King's reign, which is referred to as a buffet in the style of Louis XIV or a Louis XIV style buffet.
 

For nearly two centuries, the House of Bourbon ruled the courts of France and its worlds of fashion and decor. The "Fab Four," Louis XIII, XIV, XV, and XVI, had a huge influence on the arts and design, not only in France, but all of Europe.

Each King Louis had his own signature style of furnishings and decorative arts that defined his time and made its mark on the rest of the world. These four famous kings introduced French society to music, art, fashion and furnishings — in a big way. Louis XV style is the epitome of French furniture at its finest. The period is regarded by many as the Golden Age of French furniture, a period of grand creativity, influenced by scandal and royal mistresses like Madame de Pompadour and Madame du Barry. Comfort was all the rage in the 18th century and Louis XV style was designed for the comfort and glorification of beautiful women. 

With the execution of Louis XVI and the French Revolution of 1789, French furniture lost its position of dominance, making the early 19th century the last great period in French furniture making.

Learn how to identify the styles you love best by following Louis on a trip through time as we examine the various French furniture periods and the primary characteristics and motifs of design for each.

Renaissance (1500-1610)

The French Renaissance was the cultural and artistic movement in France between the 15th and early 17th centuries. In the late 15th century, the French invasion of Italy under the reign of Louis XII brought the French into contact with the goods, paintings, furniture, and the creative spirit of the Italian Renaissance, with the initial artistic changes in France often carried out by Italian and Flemish artists. The French Renaissance came into its own when Francis I, a patron of the arts, took the throne in 1515. After a treasure trove of Greek and Roman antiquities were unearthed, an interest in classicism was ignited. In response, French craftsman created furniture with deeply carved and ornate designs that reflected the Roman sensibility.

Furniture often depicted mythological or biblical themes, having ornamentation inspired by Michelangelo and Raphael. The buffet, known as the Henri II buffet (after the French king who reigned from 1547 to 1559), is the most characteristic furniture type and was crafted to resemble small buildings with windows, panels, columns, and balustrades similar to Roman and Greek architecture. It underwent a revival at the end of the 19th century and was mass produced between 1860 and 1900. Tables took on finer lines and carving, cabinets and dressers replaced chests and cupboards. Clocks, mirrors, and screens became more commonplace. 

Oak and walnut were the favored woods which were rich and profusely carved or inlaid.

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Louis XIII (1589-1661)

Louis XIII was only eight years old when his father, Henri IV, was assassinated and his mother, Marie de Medici, was appointed his regent. While acting as regent, de Medici commissioned Peter Paul Rubens to paint two allegorical cycles for the Luxembourg Palace in Paris, celebrating her life and that of Henry IV. It's Rubens' arrival in France in 1621 that's generally considered the beginning of the Louis XIII style. During this period, the middle class became much wealthier and fueled the demand for furniture, tapestries and textiles. The French Country look was developed for the provincial bourgeois desiring nice furniture yet living far from Paris where the best pieces could be found. For the first time, French people expected furniture to be comfortable as well as beautiful.

​Fixed upholstery was one of the great inventions of this period. Leather, tapestries, and fine fabrics such as velvet were fastened directly to the chair’s wooden framework with large gold, brass or silver-headed nails. Louis XIII style added arms to chairs and seats and backs were padded. The os de mouton chair is the most notable example of the period, with legs shaped like those of a lamb. Louis XIII furniture featured massive, solid construction with geometric carving. With a tendency toward the architectural, it's sturdy and heavy compared to later styles. The diamond point, pyramid patterns, and large bun feet on cabinetry are common decorative themes. Lathe-turning techniques and moulding also had an influence on appearance. Furniture design was more opulent with cherubs, scrolls, fruit, and flowers as recurring decorative themes. 
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Walnut and ebony were the principal woods. Panels, columns, and pilasters of semiprecious stones were introduced as well as tortoiseshell and gilt bronze. 

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Louis XIV (1661-1700)

Without question, Louis XIV is the most celebrated king of France. ​The era of King Louis XIV, known as the "Sun King," marked the definite end of the Renaissance period in France and the beginning of a series of distinct period furniture styles, the first being the enormously influential Baroque. It was an age of courtly splendor and grandeur, the greatest period of French achievement. Louis XIV was king of France for seventy-two years, three months and eighteen days, the longest reign of any French monarch. His focus on opulence and excess was imposed upon France. The Palace of Versailles, which became the official residence for the Kings of France from 1682 until 1790, is a lasting example of his love of the arts and luxury. French court furniture was not built for comfort, but rather grandeur, and only the king was allowed to sit in an armchair. Louis XIV style is marked by dignity, grandeur, bold effects, lavish but not excessive ornament, and faultless workmanship. During the reign of Louis XIV, the government had departments for architecture, painting, the gardens and of course, cabinet making. The royal furniture factory, Manufacture des Gobelins, was founded during this period. Because Louis XIV furniture was so elaborate and costly, very few pieces were produced or found in the homes of the middle class. The sumptuous interiors and the elegant cabinetwork so characteristic of the Louis XIV style were confined to the royal palaces and to the splendid mansions of the aristocracy located in and around Paris.

The finest materials were used and the furniture is characterized by intricate marquetry, elaborate carving, gilding, inlaying, lacquer, gold leaf decorations of scalloped shells, lions’ heads, dolphins, laurels and, of course, the sun and its rays. Curves were modest, straight lines prominent and elaborate ornamentation reigned supreme. Stools and benches were covered in velvet, silk, damask and gold brocade. Chairs and settees were just as elaborate. Most chairs from this period have stretchers. One of the most common styles of French chairs is the fauteuil, an upholstered armchair with open sides that came into popularity under the reign of Louis XIV. Eventually, upholstered pads were added to the top of the fauteuil armrests for even greater comfort. Furniture introduced in this period includes the writing table or desk and finely detailed chests or commodes, which went on to become one of the most important furniture types of the 18th century. 

Woods were rich and varied. Holly, box, pear, and other woods were preferred. The simple oak, walnut and even ebony lacked magnificence. André-Charles Boulle perfected marquetry and bronze appliques were used on the whole piece. The "Chinese" taste became the rage first with porcelains and finally in lacquer. 

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Régence (1700-1730)

One of the most beautiful of French periods, the Régence period takes its name from another era of regency rule. When Louis XIV died in 1715, his 5-year-old great-grandson, whose parents and brother had passed away, became king. Since Louis XV was too young to take the throne at the time, his uncle, Philippe d'Orleans (the Duke of Orleans), was appointed regent until Louis XV attained legal majority in 1723. The transition between the monarchs became known as the French Regency. Offended by the spectacle of Versailles during the Sun King’s reign, the Duke moved the royal court to Paris, where courtiers lived in less extravagant private residences. This was a transitional period in furniture design gradually changing from the opulent Baroque to the less formal Rococo era of Louis XV. 

During this short period, French craftsman loosened their strict adherence to the classical forms the tyrannical Louis XIV adored and looked elsewhere for inspiration. Régence style was inspired by mythological themes and by the Orient. Decorative motifs were widely used in both carved and bronze-mount form. Mascarons and masks are still present. The lion's head from the Louis XIV style disappears. Espagnolettes, or female busts emerge from console legs and on desk, commode and console table corners. Longer, more graceful acanthus leaves, water leaves, palm fronds and gadrooned leaves are widely used. Scallop shells are the most distinctive motif of the Régence style, but they are more natural in appearance, never twisted, as they would be under Louis XV. The bat's wing, not to be confused with the scallop shell, is also used. The commode is popularized. Flowing curves are found throughout and shapes became more bowed and round like the bombé chest. Perhaps one of the most important characteristics of the period was the introduction of the cabriole leg. This curved ‘S’ shaped leg was used in armoires, bookcases, desks, sofas, and chairs. Chairs were narrower with deeper seats. Pretty and romantic, this style of French furniture became enormously popular in Europe very quickly. Even today, the style endures. Régence furniture is a favorite of antique lovers and collectors.

Oak was used for the finest pieces, pine and poplar for more ordinary ones. Beech, walnut, and fruit woods were used for seating. Gilded wood remained in fashion for consoles, ceremonial chairs, and frames. Wood veneer was often used. Rosewood and kingwood were the most prized veneers of the period. Ormolu was used around desk and table tops, as drawer reinforcements and handles, as protective sabots, or shoes, and as console espagnolettes to protect projecting corners. 

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Louis XV (1730-1760)

The Louis XV period is undoubtedly the greatest of all French furniture periods. With its romantic, sensuous, and feminine look, the asymmetrical, more ornate and more playful Rococo style is born and is regarded by many as the Golden Age of French furniture. While the Baroque style of Louis XIV was focused on symmetry, rococo favored the asymmetry that came from the Régence era. Louis XV may have been a reluctant king, but his reign marked a time of peace and prosperity. The Siecle des Lumieres (the Enlightenment) was in full swing with Louis the Beloved as its greatest supporter. Grand suites were replaced by smaller more intimate rooms and were furnished with unfailing attentiveness to elegance, comfort, and refinement. Women became much more powerful during this period, and their influence was felt in the court. It was a period of grand creativity, influenced by royal mistresses like Madame de Pompadour and Madame du Barry. Between 1743 and 1790, members of the Parisian guilds were required to stamp or sign their names on pieces of furniture, under the marble top of commodes and under framing of chairs and tables, so as not to mar the appearance. The furniture produced was easily adapted to suit the needs of all the different classes, from royal to provincial. 

A more moderate use of curved lines and less fanciful ornament than Baroque is the guiding principle of the Louis XV furniture style; the legs are curved, the back is curved and the seat is curved. The Louis XV chair became smaller and more feminine. Springs were added, satisfying the salon society’s craving for comfort. Furniture of comfort became popular such as the chaise longue and great care was given to the upholstery work in order to achieve the maximum of comfort. Louis XV favored furniture suited to conversation. His chair maker Jean-Baptiste Tilliard created the bergère, a curved armchair with a low seat and an exposed wood frame that was highly carved and often gilded, and included fabric covered panels between the arms and seat. This elaborate decoration showed that the chair was meant to be free standing and movable rather than placed against a wall. Furniture became practical and readily transportable without losing any of its elegance. Foreign masters came to Paris to work at the Court. Ladies furniture, like vanities and dressing tables, became fashionable. Writing desks and roll-top desks similar to that found in Louis XV's room at Versailles were en vogue. Pieces with hidden compartments and secret drawers also became popular. Dining tables were always covered with a floor length tablecloth. Decorative motifs inspired by flora and fauna were placed on bronze doré mounts, carved wood, and marquetry. Cartouches in frames of rocaille appear, and scallop shells are irregularly shaped. Doves and dolphins are the animal motifs of choice. Stylized flowers appear everywhere. The acanthus is combined with all rocaille motifs. Symbols of love and pastoral and romantic emblems became popular motifs, many of these carved into crest rails, aprons, and the knees of chair legs. Tables all shared a common element, the cabriole leg. Parisian homes of this period had large crystal chandeliers with trumeaux above mantels. 
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​With Louis XV furniture, the asymmetry and heavy ornamentation of the Régence period was made even more lavish through the use of extravagant wood veneers and marquetry. Fruit woods and rosewood took the place of darker woods. Wood would often be painted or lacquered and gilt accents grew in demand. Marble and porcelain tabletops were used. Bronze doré was universal and the costliest pieces were decorated by this means. 

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Louis XVI (1760-1789)

The Louis XVI period marked a return to symmetry, straight lines and classical ornamentation. The most popular of the Louis styles today, its clean lines complement contemporary interiors and place an emphasis on straight lines and right angles, seriousness, logical design, and more classically inspired motifs. In 1748, the discovery of the ancient city of Pompeii caused a resurgence of the popularity of Greco-Roman antiquities. At the same time, nature motifs were carried over from the Louis XV period. The resulting style is known as Neoclassicism. This Neoclassical style offered a contrasting response to the Rococo of Louis XV which came to be thought of as frivolous. Superfluous ornament, rococo tendencies and baroque excess was no longer popular. The new style among elites was to replace the fussy elegance of ceremonial rooms and town houses of large cities with small, rustic retreats. In an attempt to show their understanding of the resentment of the common French people, the rich and bourgeois began to favor furniture that was less frivolous. The taste of Marie Antoinette, queen to Louis XVI, is also given a great deal of credit for the existence of the Neoclassical style in furniture design. She was responsible for the making of many of the small pieces of furniture found in her apartment at Versailles. Neoclassicism furnished the Queen’s apartments even while it heralded the end of the monarchy. Expensive materials were still the rule and very skilled artisans whom only the wealthy could employ made the furniture, just as they had during the reign of Louis XV. Attempts were made to identify with the starving Parisians by using the natural grain of the woods to create pattern and design on case goods. Louis XVI even wore a peasant hat in a portrait to try and express this sentiment of humbleness. Despite their efforts, both Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were guillotined at the Place de la Concorde in 1793.

Chairs of the period were fashioned in a wide variety of styles and for the first time, made solely for decorative purposes rather than comfort or function. The seats were trapezoidal, and medallion and oval backs were most notable, although lyre or vase shaped backs were also common. Instead of the cabriole leg of the Régence and Louis XV periods, a straight, tapered and often fluted leg was preferred. Georges Jacob became the celebrated cabinet maker of the period. Case pieces such as commodes and buffets became more angular. There is much use of egg and dart, cornucopias, carved friezes, wreaths, and oak and laurel leaf. Ancient objects such as vases, urns, and human faces were prevalent, as well as architectural motifs such as fluting and columns. Short garlands of flowers and foliage, pine cones, and pomegranates were typical and were often paired with geometric designs. Turned elements became common once again.

Intricate marquetry and floral designs were banded by geometrical trims and surrounded by oval or round medallions. Moulding, gold leaf, painted wood, and rosette carvings atop legs were common. Mahogany was the popular wood and had to be imported, so it was used only for fine furniture. Ebony came back into fashion. The preferred marble was white, gray, or sometimes red with veining. Bronze fittings were applied to almost all Louis XVI furniture but they were more delicate in form and thus more ornamental than protective. They are small and finely detailed and are arranged symmetrically as corner ornaments, shoes, handles, and key plates.

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Directoire (1789-1804)

The Directoire period is another transitional period in French furniture design. Gone were the Bourbon kings and the splendor of the royals. France was now ruled by a government of Directors, the Directoire executif or the Directory. This fifteen year period was the most troubled in French history.

Design frequently used emblems of the French Revolution, such as the Phrygian ( liberty) cap, a spade topped with a Phrygian cap to represent the Third Estate, spirit levels to represent equality, pikes representing the freedom of man, clasped hands to show fraternity, triangles with an eye in the middle to represent reason, swords for nobility, the Revolutionary cockade or rosette, and the tricolore flag. Geometric patterns were prevalent but less extravagant than before, often incorporating a Grecian urn into the designs. For the first time Egyptian motifs emerged, and the swan, lyre, and stars were popular decorative motifs. The klismos chair from ancient Greece with a curved backrest and bowed legs flaring outwards was widely imitated. One of the most notable pieces of furniture was the récamier or day bed, made famous in artist Jacques-Louis David's portrait of the famous Parisian beauty and socialite, Madame Récamier.

There was a revival of inlay decoration, using ebony, citronnier, copper, and brass. Marquetry was almost totally absent due to economic restraints. Brass was often used in place of gilt-bronze, and imported woods such as rosewood and mahogany were scarce. Only luxury work was made of solid and carved mahogany. Most Directoire pieces were made of walnut or other fruit woods which could be found in France. Woods were more often painted.

Overall, the circumstances of the war led to a decline in furniture quality and the availability of materials. With the Revolution came the the end of the craft guilds in 1791. The rules and regulations by which the trade guilds had governed the training of the craftsmen, their apprenticeship, and compagnonnage, were abolished, and complete freedom of production was permitted in all of the crafts. Furniture making began to decline starting with this reform. The new clients of the day did not have the sophistication to demand the high quality work that had been produced by the menuisiers and ébénistes of the court, and the Directoire government lacked the authority to insist upon it.

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Empire (1804-1815)

The French Empire period began in 1804 when Napoleon Bonaparte crowned himself and Josephine as emperor and empress of France, ending years of political unrest. Neoclassic in style, it was a period inspired by the decorative motifs and characteristics of Greco-Roman models, a French style intended to clearly express the imperial majesty of Napoleonic France. The economy was booming and a new haute bourgeois aristocracy was forming that craved fine furniture and decoration. The majority of Empire period furniture was made in and around Paris as it was a new style created after the French revolution, and made a direct connection with the new regime in power. So furnishing a large residence in the Empire taste was a reminder to family and guests of the owner's connection to the court and relationship to its power and influence.

Empire furniture, in all its gilded glory, was not very comfortable, however. Chair backs were stiff and square or rectangular, except for the chic gondola chair with its rounded, gondola shaped back. Popular with the ladies, the gondola chair was favored by Empress Josephine and used in her dressing room. Josephine was also fond of swans. They are found throughout Malmaison, decorating chair arms, carpets, and curtains. Saber shaped chair legs, curved and sharply sloped, were introduced. Pedestal tables with claw feet were en vogue. Surfaces are flat and corners are sharp. The small pieces of furniture for specific purposes became more rare. Columns and pilasters were common.

The Empire period embraced opulence and symbols of love, sensuality, and seduction, including the swan, the lyre, and bows and arrows. Classical elements like the acanthus leaf and rosette used during Louis XVI's reign and militaristic symbols of war and victory were also commonly used. France became enamored with all things Egyptian after Napoleon returned triumphant from his Egyptian campaign, and Egyptian motifs such as sphinxes, winged lions, lotus blossoms, caryatids, and scarabs appeared everywhere. Napoleon's symbols of imperial grandeur were used regularly. These included the crown, the bee emblem, a symbol of immortality and resurrection, and the initials of the Emperor and Empress (N for Napoleon and J for Josephine) surrounded by laurel wreaths.

Mouldings are non-existent. Mahogany, rosewood, and ebony were the woods of choice. Marble tops had sharp corners and were most often gray or black. Ormolu mounts in the form of swags, festoons, laurel wreaths, torches, and mythological creatures embellished much of the furniture. Furniture was made for his palaces that reflected the styles of ancient Egypt.

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Restauration (1815-1830)

Napoleon’s love of empire and conquest led to his downfall. Following his defeat at Waterloo in 1815, the Bourbon Dynasty was restored to the French throne. Louis XVIII (1815-1823) and Charles X (1823-1830), both brothers of Louis XVI, were the last of the true Bourbon kings. They both sought to revive the culture of the former monarchy. The Restauration period was a reaction to the pomp and grandeur of the Empire period. Napoleon’s undoing coincided with the Industrial Revolution and new processes in furniture making. The aristocracy and royalty desired to recapture the comforts and refinement of their former lifestyles. This, combined with an increasingly prosperous middle class, brought about a greater demand for furniture.

The massive forms and geometric styling of Empire furniture continued, but the harsh contours became softer and craftsmen added a touch of whimsy and fantasy. Decorative motifs included musical instruments, rosettes, garlands, swans, and cornucopia. Smaller pieces of furniture in small reception rooms and boudoirs came back into fashion. The Restauration continued in the Neoclassical tradition, however, and can be seen as a refinement of the Empire style. Bulky pieces with brass fittings gave way to smaller pieces with delicate profiles and inlay decoration. Gueridons were often used as side tables in dining rooms and were produced in large numbers and sizes. Chair backs were arched and legs were straight or slightly turned out, back legs had a pronounced outward flare.

Bois clair (light colored woods) such as ash, maple, citronnier, orange wood, and elm were often used instead of, or with, mahogany. The art of marquetry returned with decorative flowers, garlands, and rosettes, and detailing that highlighted the architecture and geometry of the pieces. Restauration ornament is light and refined. Mouldings, now thin and delicate, reappear — having been abandoned during the Empire. Marble used on furniture tops can be pale gray with subtle veining, white or, less often, black. The corners of the tops are now rounded with cyma profiles on their fore-edges.

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Louis Philippe (1830-1848)

In 1830, after three days of fighting known as les Trois Glorieuses, the French people overthrew Charles X and Louis Phillipe became king. According to the traditional rules of succession, Louis Philippe had no right to be king at all. This was a new type of monarchy, based on the support of the people rather than the sacred right of royal blood. This new king, known as the "Citizen's King," lived a very modest lifestyle, doing away with most of the old pomp and ceremony associated with past French monarchies. He managed the royalists to his political right and the radicals to the left, while his sympathies lay with the upper middle class and the wealthy emerging businessmen of the country, who at first favored him as well. He tried to please everyone and ended up pleasing no one. King Louis Philippe was the last member of the House of Bourbon to reign over France and the last French ruler to ever hold the title of King. After leaving Paris in disguise, he lived a quiet life in exile in England until his death. The Louis Philippe style, devised for a busy but coddled bourgeoisie, sought both to satisfy this new social class's desire for comfort and to give them a sense of social legitimacy. The bourgeois class often lived in small apartments, so furniture became smaller and more functional in order to suit their lifestyle. These smaller pieces are highly sought after now since they are well suited to today's Parisian apartments. This period was less preoccupied with originality than it was with comfort and new techniques of production.

Craftsman began embracing the burgeoning industrial revolution and for the first time began making furniture suites for the bedroom and dining rooms. Furniture continued the simple, rounded lines of the Restauration, but with more restrained ornamentation. The style combined the best of past designs from the Gothic, Renaissance, Louis XIII and Louis XV periods. Lines were simpler and more somber. Armoires become necessary in every bedroom. Tables and commodes often had marble tops. A characteristic trait of case pieces in the Louis Philippe style is the doucine (soft curve). At the top of buffets, chests, armoires, and secretaries, a slight curvature is often seen, lending softness to the otherwise straight lines common to the period. Gueridon tables with round or oval tops on a central support were popular. Palmettes and large leaf foliage are carved on chair arms and table legs. Chairs and settees were comfortable, solid and massive, and the "frog's leg" motif often figures on the legs of Louis Philippe chairs, settees, and case pieces.

Dark woods, such as mahogany, rosewood, ebony, and walnut were fashionable, and tables and commodes often had marble tops. Brass fittings are rare, but keyholes are sometimes surrounded by copper inlay ornament. Marble tops are gray, black, or white and have moulded cyma fore-edges. Mouldings virtually disappeared and decorative motifs were few, due to machine-assisted production methods.

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Second Empire (1848-1870)

The Second Empire, or Napoleon III period, is an eclectic and ostentatious mix of Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassical styles. Napoleon Bonaparte’s nephew, Louis Napoleon, was elected president of the Second French Republic in 1848. He staged a coup d'etat in 1851 and reestablished the Empire. Since he wasn't a Bourbon, and therefore a "rightful ruler" of France, he recognized that he couldn't afford too much unrest in his country, less he meet the same fate as Louis Philippe. Napoleon III promised order, reform, prosperity, and la gloire. Between 1848 and 1870, France prospered under Napoleon III. As a result of the Industrial Revolution, the imperial government built the Suez Canal, promoted railroad development, and fostered the extension of banking and credit institutions. The Emperor inaugurated great public works programs in Paris and leading provincial cities, and hosted the Exposition Universelle de Paris of 1889 (World's Fair) which saw the construction of the Eiffel Tower. He introduced free trade, which was unpopular with industrial leaders but ultimately strengthened French industry, and was responsible for transforming Paris into the beautiful city we know today. By 1870, Louis Napoleon's good fortune ran out and the Second Empire came to an all-out end with the Franco-Prussian War.

Often several furniture styles were mixed for a single piece of furniture. Nesting tables appeared for the first time, as did tilt top guéridons, or center foot tables. Papier mâché was used beginning in 1850. Seating dominated furniture production. Richly decorated ottomans and poufs were very fashionable. Chaises, confidantes, and  indiscrets were introduced with thickly padded and tufted upholstery, decorative tassels, and skirts. Imagery evocative of the Far East, Africa, and Native Americans was prevalent. Arabesques, bouquets of flowers, birds, pagodas, and figures in oriental pieces were often used.

Most of the woods previously associated with French luxury furniture were used, but some were especially favored, such as ebony, pitch pine, walnut, and tulipwood. Black lacquer coated wood was very popular. Gilt-bronze fittings, copper, pewter, ivory, and mother-of-pearl inlay, and carved and gilded wood were all popular. Cast iron began to appear in furniture, especially in settees, beds, and guéridon stands. The use of machine tools became widespread in all areas of furniture crafted during the period.

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Style Moderne & Art Nouveau (1889-1925)

The avant-garde Style Moderne & Art Nouveau movement was an innovative period of decoration aimed at modernizing design — a response to the Industrial Revolution. The movement first appeared in England in the 1880s and quickly spread throughout France. It was an attempt by artists to create a truly new form of art that did not copy the past and promoted the idea of  art and design as part of everyday life. Works ranging from painting to sculpture, and most notably architecture, appeared throughout the 1900 Exposition Universelle in Paris. Structures such as the Porte Monumentale, the main entrance to the Exposition, the Pavillon Bleu and the Grand Palais and Petit Palais were largely oriented around the Art Nouveau theme. Paris was only the second city in the world (after London) to have an underground transportation system, and Hector Guimard's famous entrances to the Paris Metro were instrumental in popularizing Art Nouveau.

Motifs of the period are are inspired by the botanical. Marine plants such as water lilies and seaweeds, as well as tropical vines and branches bare of leaves, are prominent. Orchids and other exotic plants appear frequently. Eventually these botanical designs are transformed into loose and flowing women's hair. Geometric ornament disappears entirely. Insects, swans, peacocks, and, last but certainly not least, the female body, added to the supple lines and flowing features of this style.

Furniture makers either mass produced furniture for Parisian department stores or made lavish pieces in expensive materials. All materials and techniques were used. Oak, Brazilian mahogany, walnut, and pear wood were frequently used. Iron, steel, bronze, and cast iron were used.

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Art Deco (1925-1935)

Art Deco is a simplification of the Art Nouveau style. The roots of French Art Deco are found in the ancien régime and its time honored traditions of apprenticeships and craft guilds. During the 18th century, France established itself in the forefront of the luxury trades, producing furniture, porcelain, glass, metalwork, and textiles of unsurpassed refinement and elegance. The period's finest productions are the ones inspired by the 18th century French tradition. Paris became the style capital of the western world. The French Revolution had abolished trade guilds, and by the end of Louis Philippe's reign, most guild-trained craftsmen had died or stopped working. Manufacturers began to reproduce old models using new technology rather than to develop new models that expressed innovative methods of production. The Art Deco period exploited every available ornamental resource with imagination, invention, and refinement. The richness and degree of its ornament is what is most striking about this style.

The clean lines of Art Deco period furniture lends itself to integration with other, earlier styles – such as Louis Philippe or Louis XVI. Chairs of this style period lean towards the Directoire or Restauration styles, with comfortable, deep seats, often entirely upholstered in fabric or leather. Tan leather, often tooled, was used as much as fabric as a cover material. Sharkskin, fur, and pony skin were used on seating. Silks were fashionable, while embroidery and tapestry were out. Chair backs tended to be rather low and quite open, while legs were quite thin. Tables are round, oval, or rectangular and light in appearance. Many new table forms come into being such as the coffee table, tea table, and other small side tables. Legs were gracious and bare of ornament. Elements were drawn from African art, vegetal, floral, and maritime motifs. Curved lines were prevalent.

The Art Deco style was oriented toward the luxury market and therefore favored costly materials. Exotic woods were favored over European ones, especially dark woods such as ebony, mahogany, and macassar. Lacquered woods were also favored. Many materials were used for detail and ornament, such as veneers, high French polish, plastic, Lucite, gilt bronze, copper, and silver. Cast iron was popular. Ivory was used in marquetry and inlay ornament.

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References: 
French Accents Antiques: Pocket CEU: Understanding Louis XIII, XIV, XV, and XVI Furniture
Singleton, Esther. French and English Furniture. New York: McClure, Phillips & Company, 1903.
Chadenet, Sylvie. French Furniture from Louis XIII to Art Deco. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 2001.