France - Renaissance Furnishing Style

Put the French and the Renaissance together and you are bound to get magic. With furnishings for your home or office, this is certain the case.

France - Renaissance Furnishing Style

Before the arrival of French renaissance in the 16th century, furnishings were more functional and practical as opposed to ornamental. It was usually confined to a few pieces such as tables, benches, stools, and beds. Then came the Gothic period which evolved into the French renaissance style. Derived from the Italian renaissance, the furnishings became less practical, more decorated and comfortable.

The renaissance technically means "revival" which is more than a style, it is a feeling. It was a whole new attitude that was brought to the 1500s, and refers to the spirit of individuality that the French felt during this time. The French renaissance really came into its own around 1515 when the Gothic furnishings, which were firmly rooted in France, suddenly began to fade and craftsmen began to draw inspiration for the new French Renaissance.

The pieces were more ornate and were lighter than wood, then the Italian style. Pieces were made with a softer look for them, and not just thought of something functional. Tables followed a finer line for them, and buffet cabinets and replaced the old rugged enclosures. Pieces were then more artistic practice and were very rich. the shapes of flowers and tables were added indressers, and headboards became works of art.

The luxuriousness of the pieces was turning up everywhere from hand decorated mirrors to side tables and chairs. Before the French renaissance came about the wood that was mostly used was oak, but walnut was introduced during this time making furnishings easier to produce. Although walnut was harder to carve, it still managed to add characters from mythology to dining room tables especially. Small columns were intricately carved into cabinets to lend a little Greek heritage to each piece as well.

From 1850 to 1880, there was a renaissance revival period that brought back types of carving such as columns, pediments, rosettes, and carved masks. Ebony became popular to create a distinct mother of pearl look that added to the intricate carvings. The furnishings of the French Renaissance first period as well as the revival period had distinct characteristics that are still made today in reproductions. Rectilinear forms are one of the most common, along with heavy proportions. Turned elements, an ornamental element produced by rotating a wood dowel, is a very different look that made French renaissance furnishing what it was. It is a beautiful style that is still hugely popular today.