Louis Philippe Chest of Drawers

We were delighted when previous customers Jenni and Chris returned for another purchase: A beautiful antique French Louis Philippe chest of drawers. The Louis Philippe style of antique furniture is very refined and elegant, as you can see at the link showing furniture in this style for sale in our online store.

We met Jenni and Chris nearly 15 years ago when they wandered into our very first sales location outside of Newberry, SC. At that time they purchased a set of six sheepbone chairs, four of which they still use at their dining table, while two are perfect at the games table in the living room. I forgot to snap photos in those rooms when we made a delivery to the couple's house, but here are some examples of sheepbone chairs (in French called Os de Mouton - ooh la la! -  and also considered Louis XIII style) that we currently have for sale in the Gallery.

A Lovely Antique Setup!

After so many years of enjoying their antique sheepbone chairs, Jenni and Chris decided to visit our current gallery on Main Street in Newberry in search of a piece of furniture to provide more storage in their foyer. After searching through our buildings, the delightful pair were drawn to two different Louis Philippe chest of drawers.

Although it was a difficult choice, Jenni and Chris finally decided on the exquisite burled walnut chest dating from circa 1870, which so perfectly exemplifies the Louis Philippe style with its gorgeous burled walnut grain as decoration. The antique Louis Philippe chest makes a charming entryway piece and looks so inviting decorated with the family heirloom antique clock, a few blue and white pieces, and a pretty table lamp. You can even see a peep of those sheepbone chairs through the hallway in the dining room at the back of the photos. And I especially love the live green plants in the foyer too - proving Jenni and Chris have green thumbs in addition to excellent taste!

This is the outside of their house, which was a very welcoming sight when we delivered the antique chest of drawers.  In case you're not familiar with the classic Louis Philippe style, I'll share a little French furniture history with you.

History of the Louis Philippe Style

King Louis Philippe (1830 - 1848) was related to the Royal Bourbon family through the brother of Louis XIV, and survived the French Revolution in 1789 by supporting the liberal factions in opposition to his relatives, the Royal family. Eventually the crown was passed to Louis Philippe, who took the title King of the French rather than the title King of France, which had been used by his former Bourbon relatives. Louis Philippe fashioned himself a King of the people, rather than of a state, and was called the Citizen King and bourgeois monarch. He ruled in an unpretentious manner and avoided the pomp and lavish spending of his predecessors.

This led to a radically different style of furniture and decorative arts than had been seen in the French court in the past. The Louis Philippe style focused on the natural beauty of the wood itself, using the patterns of the wood grain as the decorative element, and emphasizing simple, clean lines and curves. As machinery was just beginning to be used for mass production of furniture, manufacturers found this simple style easy to create for the rising middle class, who had considerable income to spend. Eventually, however, the fickle masses turned against their champion and revolted in 1848. Louis Philippe was forced to abdicate, the Bourbon monarchy of France came to an end, and the Second Empire of France began.

This is the other chest of drawers that Jenni and Chris considered but finally didn't buy, so it's still available in our online store at time of writing. It's another great example of the Louis Philippe style.

The burled walnut wood and marble top add great decorative interest to the antique Louis Philippe chest of drawers, which dates to 1870. It is accented by elegant gold tone drawer handles and locks and at just over 4 feet wide, the antique chest of drawers provides a very distinctive storage space for your favorite silk and cashmere scarves or for household items. The classical lines and high quality burled walnut and marble create a sense of timeless grace.

Louis Philippe Furniture

This 19th century furniture style is one of our favorites. It's more regal than Art Deco, and more sleek than Regency, Georgian, or Chippendale! Whether you choose an inlaid mahogany chest of drawers, oak chest of drawers, or any other solid wood piece, the quality is sure to impress. Many pieces in this style feature quality texturing, such as marquetry and patina. These are what give antique dressers their ability to shine among your bedroom furniture!

If you like what you see here, we have some other suggestions! Perhaps the Louis XV and Louis XVI styles are what you need. After all, the originate from the same place! The Victorian, Queen Anne and Rococo styles can also help creative a regal atmosphere. From George III oak dressers to secretaires, sideboards with serpentine fronts, we've got you covered.

You can find this and other antique furniture in the Louis Philippe style here on our website.  We were very happy to see Chris and Jenni again and we look forward to helping them out next time they are furniture hunting!