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antique, Belgium, buffet, cabriole, Dutch, fir, furnishings, furniture, Holland, Iron Man, Iron Man 3, legs, mahogany, Netherlands, oak, pine, plywood, poplar, redwood, Renaissance, server, Sideboard, turned
Collectors and interior designers alike have valued Dutch furniture since Gothic times. Down through the centuries, furnishings and design from the Netherlands have been extremely influential on European furniture traditions. As early as the Flemish Renaissance, Dutch furniture featured turned legs as well as intricately carved doors and drawer fronts.
Hundreds of years ago, the rooms and ceilings were larger and higher respectively. For these reasons, antique Dutch furniture can be massive and weighty; also, antiques were usually constructed from heavier solid wood. Plywood and MDF are modern, cost-effective alternatives, but they were not options until the 20th Century.
Flanders (now North Belgium), Antwerp, Amsterdam, Bruges, Brussels, and Holland’s artisans boast beautifully carved furniture as well as stunning cathedrals and community buildings that originate in the Gothic era of European styles. Italy’s Renaissance traveled across Europe and eventually flourished within the Netherlands. Art, design, architecture, and all things related were influenced by such a golden age. As citizens grew richer, wealthier people’s furniture became more comfortable.
The reigns of Charles II and James II saw a significant increase in the presence of Dutch furniture and design. William and Mary’s reign saw abundant Dutch influence on English design because he brought many leading families from Holland to the UK. The Grandfather clock, chairs with cabriole legs, flatly shaped back splats, and non-square seating represent Dutch influence or design.
Antique Oak Dutch Buffet Sideboard Server
Dutch furniture features massive wardrobes, armoires, sideboards, and chairs. Scrolls and trees carved by hand are common Dutch motifs. Larger pieces are frequently thick and straight-fronted with paneling. Oak has always been a popular choice for woodworking and cabinetry materials, but rarer woods like mahogany and ebony have been used as well.
Look for these Foo Lion statues in Iron Man 3 (now in theaters):