Wonderful French Wardrobes: Armoires

French armoires come in countless styles and can be used for many different things. Many of the armoires come with glass panes on the front double doors, making them ideal as display cases. Others offer a private place to store objects that you wish to keep safe, as the doors lock. No matter what you are using your antique armoire for, it can be assured that it will look fabulous. As we all know, antiques are generally classified by which period they were produced in. French antique periods are usually defined by the ruler at the time. This is how different styles of armoires will be classified in this article.

Louis XV Pieces
French antiques of this period are characterized by their solid build and fanciful carvings. Most early armoires of this time period feature a rectangular design with double doors with handles in the middle of the armoire. Intricate carvings can be seen on the doors, with short legs supporting the armoire. These types of armoires were produced towards the mid 1800s. Later in this period, toward 1900, armoires began to open up a little. Glass panes were inserted in the doors allowing patrons to view inside their wardrobe without opening it. We also see the emergence of variation in style, with one, two, and even three door armoires. Again, nearly all of the armoires of this period were made of strong wood, usually oak, walnut, or cherry.

Louis XVI Pieces
One of the defining design characteristics in this period of French antiques is a "carved ribbon" which can be seen on many, many pieces from this period. This trademark is often found on armoires, and while it may be understated, it adds class and craftsmanship to the wardrobe. This period extended from the late 1700s to the mid 1800s, when the Louis XV period began. While solid, wood carved armoires were the most common, you can find some painted armoires from this period. While these models, usually painted cream or a light color, aren't as stately as the natural wooden models, they are made of stout wood and are quite sturdy.

Louis Philippe Pieces
Pieces from the Louis Philippe period were mostly built after the turn of the century, making these some of the "newer" French antiques on the market. This period is known for it's simplicity, with little of the intricate carvings or moldings of the previous periods. Again, cherry, oak, walnut, and other sturdy woods were mainly used to construct armoires of this period. This time period also saw the major incorporation of mirrors, both on the inside and outside of the armoires. This type of armoire is probably the most popularly used model in modern furniture and styling.