As opposed to the styles that would follow from the other 18th-century French kings, Louis XV and Louis XVI, antique Louis XIV furniture is rigid and imposing. It expresses opulence — even its armchairs, with their upright backs, straight legs and lavish ornamentation, look like thrones. Authentic Louis XIV sofas, a then newly emerging iteration of seating, are fully upholstered and often feature decoratively carved frames of walnut, chestnut or oak.
When French King Louis XIV established his royal court at Versailles in 1682, he transformed what was once a hunting lodge into a palace that declared his wealth and power through its design. Until his death in 1715, he reigned with a spirit of excess and absolute political dominance. The “Sun King,” as he called himself, believed that France revolved around him as planets do the sun. Louis XIV adopted the sun as his emblem, decorating the grounds with symbols of the sun and Apollo, the Greek god of the sun. As he stated, “There is nothing that indicates more clearly the magnificence of great princes than their superb palaces and their precious furniture.” He was a child when he became king in 1643, only shaping his style after he became absolute monarch in 1661.
Reflecting trends in French Baroque art, Louis XIV furniture characteristics included exuberant decoration. There were gilded bronze details including shells, suns, grotesques, lions and classical references like acanthus leaves. The years of growth in the country’s manufacturing, such as the tapestries and cabinets made at Gobelins, led to design innovations. The commode replaced the chest as a storage device, with drawers and a surface that could double as a desk.
The materials were luxurious, such as the popular tortoiseshell veneer technique that leading cabinetmaker Pierre Golle used in his designs. André-Charles Boulle, who became royal cabinetmaker in 1672, was a masterful artist of marquetry, using inlays of ebony, exotic woods and mother-of-pearl.
Find a collection of antique Louis XIV bedroom furniture, chairs, tables and other pieces on 1stDibs.
$1,497 / set
Pair French Marble Side Lamp Tables
Located in Swadlincote, GB
A good pair of French painted lamp tables with grey verigated marble tops surrounded by brass galleries, brass tipped legs, in overall very good condition. 17.75" high 19.5" x 13" ...
Marble
$18,000Sale Price|20% Off
Early 18th Century Louis XIV Wrought Iron Console w/ Royal Sun King/Fleur-de-Lis
Located in Miami, FL
Palatial Early 18th Century Louis XIV Wrought Iron Console with Royal Sun King & Fleur-de-Lis, 18th Century Louis XIV Wrought Iron Console with Sun King Symbol & Marble Top, Rare Lou...
Breccia Marble, Wrought Iron, Iron
19th Century French Louis XIV Marble Top End Table ~ Display Case
Located in Dallas, TX
19th century French Louis XIV Marble Top End Table ~ Display Case is the perfect choice to provide a carefree yet elegant table top with a display case for cherished family heirlooms...
Marble
Mid-Century Louis XIV Brass & Onyx Pedestal ~ End Table
Located in Dallas, TX
Mid-Century Louis XIV Brass & Onyx Pedestal ~ End Table will make the perfect platform for your special statue, vase or objet d'art. Crafted from solid cast brass in intricate detai...
Onyx, Brass
$2,800
Louis XIV Walnut Table
Located in Essex, MA
With an oval top possible replaced or reshaped over a drawer and raised on turned legs joined by an H form stretcher.
Walnut
19th Century Parquetry Inlaid Side Table, after Linke
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality late 19th century French Louis XVI style parquetry inlaid side table, having a hinged top, opening to reveal a compartment within. Three drawers beneath, raised o...
Mahogany
Pair of Louis XIV Style Giltwood Side Table Made by La Maison London
Located in London, Park Royal
Pair of Louis XIV style Giltwood end tables or side tables with a Crema Marfill Marble top with a honed finish . Gilded with 23.75 K gold In Stock and available immediately.
Marble
Louis XVI Fruitwood Rafraîchissoir,
Located in Vista, CA
Louis XVI Fruitwood Rafraîchissoir, late 18th century, inset marble top fitted with wine coolers, stop-fluted stiles and tapered legs, stretcher shelf, h. 24 in., w. 23 3/4 in., d. 2...
Marble
Pair French Louis XVI style side tables, signed F. Linke.
Located in Brighton, Sussex
Fine quality pair of French Louis XVI style side tables, having inset marble tops, gilded ormolu mouldings and mounts, single frieze drawers and raised on elegant cabriole legs. One ...
Ormolu
Louis XVI Style Side Table, 19th Century
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality late 19th century parquetry inlaid side table, having a hinged top, opening to reveal compartments within, gilded ormolu mounts and raised on elegant cabriole leg...
Antique French Side Table
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A fine quality 19th century French marquetry inlaid side table, having swag and foliate decoration, gilded ormolu mounts and raised on cabriole legs. The top hinged to reveal a stora...
Kingwood
$3,835Sale Price / set|35% Off
Pair of Louis XVI Jensen Style of White Painted Side Tables
Located in Huntington, NY
Pair of Louis XVI Jensen style of white painted side tables, spray matte was used for photo purposes.
Glass, Wood
Small Table, the Top Inset with 17th Century Italian Fresco-Fragment of Diana
Located in Troy, NY
Small occasional table, the top inset with a 17th century Fresco-Fragment featuring a sensuous portrait of the Hunting Goddess Diana, attributed to a Follower of Annibale Carracci. The walnut and fruit wood table of early 20th century manufacture...
Wood, Plaster
Louis XIV Style Giltwood Side Table with Marble Top Made by La Maison London
Located in London, Park Royal
Louis XIV style Giltwood end tables or side tables with a Crema Marfill Marble top with a honed finish . Gilded with 23.75 K gold. Very Fine Carving made by Master Craftsman. We have...
Marble, Gold, Gold Leaf
French Inlaid Occasional Lamp Table
Located in Swadlincote, GB
A super quality parquetry walnut occasional lamp table with a marquetry spray of flowers to the centre, ormolu mounts and edging, in overall very good condition throughout. You are ...
Walnut
Gorgeous Travertine Cube Side End Table Pedestal, Mid-Century Modern
Located in Pemberton, NJ
Gorgeous 1970s modern travertine cube side table or large pedestal. This piece would be a fabulous Minimalist modern side table or use to display a large sculpture-you decide!
Travertine
19th Century French Marquetry Side Table
Located in Norwood, NJ
Elegant French side table dating to the late 19th century, crafted in richly grained wood with fine marquetry inlay throughout. The gently shaped top is centered by a detailed geomet...
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood, Walnut, Ebony, Pearwood
Pair of French Art Deco Side Tables
Located in Bridgewater, CT
Pair of Art Deco side tables in mahogany veneer, lemon tree, burl maple, surmounted by a glass top. Measures: H 27 ½ in., L 26 1/3 in., D 12 in.
Mahogany
Mid-19th Century Italian Side Table
Located in Round Top, TX
A charming mid-19th century side table from Northern Italy in painted wood. Fabulous finish and patina. A lovely shape with splayed legs, one drawer and centre shelf.
Wood
Italian Mid-Century Hexagonal End Tables
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This beautiful pair of vintage modern end tables feature a white laminate top and a walnut base. Sleek design with unusual cut-out designs on all sides and a hexagonal shape. Versati...
Laminate, Walnut
Late 19th Century Octagonal Side Table
Located in High Point, NC
Very unusual late 19th century oak side table from England. The table is a great form. It has an octagonal top, which is beveled and carved around the edge, and is surrounding a ha...
Oak
19th Century Table with Marble Top
Located in Houston, TX
19th century beech gueridon with 3 legs on wheels. Legs are detailed with black lacquer at the top and at the base of each column.
Belgian Black Marble
$11,880Sale Price|20% Off
H 29.5 in W 23.75 in D 17.75 in
French 19th Century Parquetry & Ormolu Mounted Side Table Attr. François Linke
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A fine French 19th century gilt-bronze (Ormolu) mounted, mahogany and tulipwood marquetry oval Gueridon (side) table with marble top, attributed to François Linke (1855-1946). The in...
Marble, Ormolu
$995Sale Price|31% Off
H 23.5 in W 21 in D 19.25 in
French Carved Louis XV Triangular Marble Top Side Table
Located in Hopewell, NJ
From Lyon, France, this lovely triangular carved walnut Louis XV marble top table makes a stylish side or accent table. #4409.
Marble
19th Century Italian Giltwood Display Table with Marble Top
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19th c. Italian Giltwood and Faux painted Display or End Table with Marble Top
Giltwood, Paint
French Designer, Side Table, Mahogany, Marble, Bronze, France, 1940s
Located in Stamford, CT
A small Maison Jansen style claw foot and bronze mounted marble-top circular end or side table. Mahogany, Bronze, Marble France, 1940s
Marble, Bronze
$3,896Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 17.25 in W 20 in D 20 in
Pair French Modern Neoclassical Painted Wood & Marble Side Tables, Maison Jansen
Located in New York, NY
Elegant pair of French Mid-Century Modern neoclassical end or side tables in the Louis XVI style and are attributed to Maison Jansen. The pieces are composed of hand carved and hand ...
Marble
French Louis XIV Turned Walnut & Ebonized 1-Drawer Table, ca. 1725
Located in Atlanta, GA
having a rectangular top with molded edges atop a case housing one drawer, the drawer pattern ebonized, raised on walnut and ebonized turned and tapering legs joined by a shaped x-fo...
Walnut
19th Century French Louis XIV Hand-Carved Marble Top End Table
Located in Dallas, TX
19th Century French Louis XIV Hand-Carved Marble Top End Table is a remarkable example of incredible French craftsmanship and sculpting exhibited in a diminutive example of the cabin...
Marble
Antique Louis XIV Style Fruitwood Occasional Table
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Antique Louis XIV style fruitwood occasional table, 19th century. Having a rectangular top with molded edges, a frieze drawer with a wood knob, barley twist legs joined by a barley t...
Fruitwood
Sold
H 28.5 in W 39 in D 23 in
French Louis XIV Period Turned Walnut 1-Drawer Table, 1st quarter 18th century
Located in Atlanta, GA
Having a rectangular top with with molded edge above a conforming case housing one drawer the apron uniquely shaped, the case raised on turned legs joined by and h-form stretcher
Walnut
Sold
H 30 in W 31.5 in D 14.25 in
Antique French Style Louis XIV Style Kingwood Satinwood & Marble Commodes c1930
Located in Big Flats, NY
An antique pair of matching French Louis XIV style commodes offers shaped and beveled marble top over kingwood bases having satinwood inlay, th...
Marble
19th Century French Louis XIV Walnut Marble Top Nightstand
Located in Dallas, TX
19th Century French Louis XIV Walnut Marble Top Nightstand was crafted from select French walnut and features an elegant yet somewhat restrained design that will add subtle distincti...
Marble
Sold
H 32.29 in W 41.34 in D 23.43 in
Early 18th Century Louis XIV figural Carved Wood Console Table or "Table Gibier"
Located in Berlin, DE
Early 18th century Louis XIV figural carved wood console table or "Table Gibier" Rectangular table frame on four cabriole legs in the shape of satyr caryatids with expressively carved and wreathed heads and foliage carving standing on hoof feet. The shoulders of the caryatids transform into volutes extending to the front and sides of the table frame. The front of the table frame with rich ornamental carving in the form of a central male’s head in the middle of a curved volute cartouche terminating in a lambrequin motif and being accompanied by acanthus leaf vignettes. The sides with corresponding decorative carving. The back remained without decoration, as the table was designed to be placed against a wall. The console table is topped by a Rouge Languedoc marble slab. This Régence console...
Marble
Antique French Louis XIV Round Marble Top End Table
Located in Dallas, TX
Antique French Louis XIV round marble top end table will make a handsome addition to any room! The bold visual statement it makes qualifies ...
Marble
Sold
H 28 in W 26 in D 16.75 in
Italian, Emilia Romagna, Turned & Carved Dark Walnut 1-Drawer Table, ca. 1700
Located in Atlanta, GA
Having a rectangular top with molded edge above a conforming case with a carved frieze and housing one drawer, raised on expertly turned legs joined by a box stretcher, resting on fl...
Walnut
Sold
H 29.13 in W 16.63 in D 13.13 in
Pair of French Marquetry Commodes or Side Table Chests, Ca. 1930s
Located in Peabody, MA
A pair of petit French two drawer chests or side tables with elaborate marquetry on cabriole legs, bronze ormolu and edge banding. Would serve ...
Bronze
Charming French Style Book Face Cabinet Table
Located in Lambertville, NJ
A Louis XV bookface table with cabinet and one drawer. The solid mahogany with leather bound book spines on the front door with a lower drawer. Size is 28" H x 15" W X 10" D.
Leather, Mahogany
Antique French Louis XIV Round Marble Top End Table
Located in Dallas, TX
Antique French Louis XIV round marble top end table is a study in classic grace and form, rendered in fine French walnut! The jet-black hone...
Belgian Black Marble