Louis XIV, XV and XVI style furniture is more than just heavy-handed gilding and fancily carved drawer knobs. These French pieces of furniture from the 18th Century are, in many ways, the platonic ideal of antique furniture. They are exquisitely constructed from the finest materials, rich in political and social context, and oozing sophistication with […]
Read More
French furniture from the 18th Century is in many ways the style people think of when imagining an antique, particularly pieces from the Louis period. However, to a non-expert, this collection of unique furniture can be overwhelmingly complex and daunting to tell apart. Here are a few pointers to help you. Louis XIV: Royal Elegance […]
Read More
The Louis XVI style of furniture is typically associated with elegance and classical influence, drawing inspiration from classic art and historic cultures and societies such as the Romans and Greeks. The fine craftsmanship is easily identifiable and has remained quite popular. History – This style of furniture is named for the French King Louis-Auguste. It […]
Read More
At Carrocel, we offer a vast selection of products. We consider our store to be a “museum of fine furniture pieces and art,” and take great pride in the pieces we have to display. Our curators source pieces from all over the world and bring them back for the Toronto and GTA market to enjoy. […]
Read More
Louis XVI refers to a style that was popular in France during the reign of King Louis XVI between 1760 and 1789. With the discoveries of Herculaneum and Pompeii, Greek and Roman styles were experiencing a revival. During King Louis XVI’s reign, tastes changed from the Rococo style, known for curved lines and heavy ornamentation, […]
Read MoreAs a continuation of our last Carrocel post, this entry is to do with buying dining chairs. Apart from style and aesthetics, the most important thing to consider when buying a chair is its construction. Above all, a quality dining chair should be a solid hardwood, like maple or beech wood. There can be no exceptions to this if you are looking to buy and paying good money for antique dining chairs. I specifically aim to drive this particular point home because of the influx of so many poorly made chairs made in Asia that look stylish and solid but are made from MDF or a very soft lumber like gum wood. They can be purchased at a quarter or so of the price ...
Read MoreWhen purchasing fine furniture for your home, it's important to know what you're getting and that what you are paying for is worth the money. Today's furniture market is littered with misrepresentation, ambiguous terminology, and even deceit in some cases. Given these unfortunate facts, understanding what to look out for when purchasing furniture is more relevant than ever before. You want to feel confident with your purchase and happy that you have a new piece of furniture without any regret or buyer's remorse. So, I've come up with a few pointers to keep in mind to help guide you in your search for quality furniture. Construction The construction of a piece is the most important thing to inspect. Ideally, the piece should be made from ...
Read MoreWe have some beautiful pictures of our work in our customers' homes! Check them out here: Here are some previews... ...
Read MoreToday and in the next coming days, we will be exploring the most commonly used woods in fine furniture. From dark to light woods, these posts will offer useful information on the origins, purposes, and characteristics of the woods used in fine furniture. So, let's begin. Mahogany Perhaps the most widely known wood for furniture, mahogany is our starting point. Even if you don't know much about wood furniture, chances are you've at least heard of mahogany. As previously blogged about, mahogany is part of the dark-coloured hardwood category of woods. True mahoganies belong to the genus Swietenia which are found in the Caribbean and in Central and South America. Mahogany also, however, can originate in Africa in which they belong to the genus ...
Read MoreLouis XVI This style dawned the age of neoclassicism and was modeled an on idealistic view of ancient Rome. Despite the use of elaborate inlays and ormolu mounts the basic shape is rigid and square, unlike the rococo or Louis XV which flows all over the place. The cabriole leg disappears and is replace by a more straight leg. Apart from brass mounts and classical carving, the surface is flat and decorations takes the form of geometrical marquetry. French Provincial This style draws plenty of inspiration from the patterns of Louis XV. As is often the case with country furniture, designs were simplified and nonessentials removed so that the end result is often more appealing to modern taste than the original elaborate source. The armoire ...
Read More
The most unique pieces sourced world-wide
International and local delivery services
Create your dream piece with Carrocel
Dedicated and experienced design team