What Furniture Did Medieval Homes Have?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

, , , ,

The furniture usually found in important houses consisted of

beds, chests, cupboards, tables, benches, and stools

.

What is medieval furniture?

Medieval Period Furniture. Medieval furniture was

primarily made of oak

, since it was easy to obtain, strong and durable. Perhaps the most important piece of medieval furniture was the chest or coffer. Chests were originally made from hollow tree trunks banded with iron, hence the origin of the modern word ‘trunk’.

Did medieval houses have couches?

Of medieval furniture there are few examples extant, chiefly because there are limits to the endurance of wood and partly because the amount of furniture was very limited. Chairs, stools, couches, beds, tables, and chests

comprised virtually the entire furnishings of the ancients

.

What did medieval people sit on?


Benches and stools

were commonly used for sitting in medieval times – only the rich and important, or perhaps occasionally the privileged head of the house, ever used an actual chair. Folding chairs were popular amongst the medieval aristocracy, since they could easily be transported when on the move.

What were medieval tables called?


A refectory table

is a highly elongated table used originally for dining in monasteries during Medieval times. In the Late Middle Ages, the table gradually became a banqueting or feasting table in castles and other noble residences.

What type of furniture is a Davenport?

Davenport, in modern usage, a

large upholstered settee

, but in the 18th century a compact desk having deep drawers on the right side and dummy drawer fronts on the left side.

What were medieval beds like?

Medieval History

Beds were relatively simple in the early Medieval period and usually made from wood. Mattresses were

stuffed with straw and similar materials

and either placed on a wooden frame or in a “bed box.” The poor still often slept on piles of straw, hay or leaves on the ground.

Did medieval peasants have chairs?

Seating was a bit of a problem for the peasants.

They sometimes had benches or stools

, which could also be used for sleeping. In richer houses, you might find a chair or two. Around this time, chairs that could be folded were popular, as they could be moved easily from place to place.

What is rococo furniture?

The Rococo style,

a development of the Régence

, affected French furniture design from about 1735 to 1765. … The style was based on asymmetrical design, light and full of movement. The furniture of this period was designed on sinuous and complicated lines.

When did couches become a thing?

“American sofas begin to appear

early in the 18th century

,” explains Oscar P. Fitzgerald, author of Three Centuries of American Furniture. “By the Victorian Period — around 1850 — they were part of seven-piece parlor sets which included also a man’s chair, a lady’s chair and four side chairs.”

What is a medieval sofa called?

The

Davenport

, the sectional couches of the Mid-century period, and the divan (a backless sofa or couch) all came out of this approach.

What was the furniture like in medieval castles?

The Medieval decor furniture was

made either of metal or wood

. Tables made of precious metals, and buffets displaying the gold and silver plates and cups of the house had a dual role, ornamental and “social”, as they were also showing the host’s wealth. The best wooden table of the house was also placed in the Hall.

What is a medieval kitchen?

Medieval kitchens

In most households,

cooking was done on an open hearth in the middle of the main living area

, to make efficient use of the heat. This was the most common arrangement, even in wealthy households, for most of the Middle Ages, where the kitchen was combined with the dining hall.

How did they light candles in medieval times?

Rush lights were

simply tapers of rush stalks dipped into melted fat

whilst the torches would have been made from wood bound in rags and impregnated with fat and set into metal brackets. … Medieval lanterns were simply candles in a metal frame.

What is 18th century furniture?

There are many different styles of 18th-century furniture. The era represents the Golden Age of Cabinet Making. The 18th century styles included William and Mary, Queen Anne, Georgian,

Chippendale, Hepplewhite, Sheraton, and Adam

. …

What were medieval chairs made of?

Medieval castle furniture was made from

wood

. English medieval furniture is commonly associated with furniture made from oak but other woods were also used. The wood used for Medieval castle furniture included the following types: Oak.

Maria Kunar
Author
Maria Kunar
Maria is a cultural enthusiast and expert on holiday traditions. With a focus on the cultural significance of celebrations, Maria has written several blogs on the history of holidays and has been featured in various cultural publications. Maria's knowledge of traditions will help you appreciate the meaning behind celebrations.