There is rare surviving furniture from ancient Greece, yet this classical style has informed design for centuries. Interiors of houses in antiquity were minimal, with much of a room’s color coming from frescoes on the walls and mosaics on the floors. Classical Greek furniture was sparing but finely crafted and influenced by Egyptian furniture design through Mediterranean trade.
Furnishings of the period were usually made from local wood like cypress, cedar, oak and willow from ancient Greece’s plentiful forests, although some pieces were carved from marble, such as a 300–200 B.C. throne with lion legs and a curved back now at the Getty Villa. Comfort and clean lines characterized designs during the Classical era, the symmetry and thoughtful proportions reflecting the architecture of Greek temples.
Some pieces of ancient Greek furniture were simple, rectangular platforms like the klinē, a multipurpose ancestor of today’s couches or daybeds that held cushions stuffed with wool, dry grass or down. These structures were used for both sleeping and dining, which wealthy Greeks did while reclining. At night, oil lamps illuminated rooms that frequently surrounded a garden courtyard.
Most of what scholars have learned about Greek furniture design owes to its representations in art like vases and stelae. The portable diphros stool, with its backless design and four turned legs, was one of the more common types of seating in daily Greek life — it appears as such for the gods on the Parthenon frieze. Stools without backs have been found in early Roman tombs, while benches were also common Greek seating furniture created for use in theaters. In houses of the Hellenistic period, benches seemingly functioned as tables, too.
Some designs evolved through adaptations by the Romans, including the klismos chair. After prominent archaeological excavations at Pompeii and Herculaneum, the klismos chair — with its four saber legs and the elegant curves that define its back — was a source of inspiration for aesthetics in eras ranging from 18th-century neoclassicism to 20th-century Art Deco.
Find a collection of Classical Greek decorative objects, wall decorations and building and garden elements on 1stDibs.
$420Sale Price|30% Off
Vtg Blue & White Geometric Greek Key Cotton Flatweave Kilim Area Rug Carpet 6x9'
Located in Dayton, OH
A handwoven cotton Greek key dhurrie rug. It features a classic meander border motif paired with a central lattice grid design in navy blue and off-white/beige. Dimensions: 68" x 101"
Cotton
1920s Beige Geometric Antique Indian Cotton Dhurrie Carpet 3'8"x6'3" Flatweave
Located in New York, NY
Antique circa 1925 Indian Classical Greek hand-woven cotton rug, 3'8" x 6'3" (44 x 75 in), in beige tones. Condition: good, repaired. Wear consistent with age and use. Overall Good C...
Cotton
1920s Black Greek Key Indian Cotton Dhurrie Carpet 8'3"X12'9" Flatwoven Wool Rug
Located in New York, NY
Antique circa 1920 Indian Classical Greek hand-woven wool rug, 8'3" x 12'9" (99 x 153 in), in black tones. Condition: distressed, wear consistent with age and use. Overall Good Condi...
Wool
1920s Blue Geometric Antique India Cotton Dhurrie Carpet 16'x23'6" Flatweave Rug
Located in New York, NY
Antique circa 1920 Indian Classical Greek hand-woven cotton rug, 16' x 23'6" (192 x 282 in), in blue tones. Condition: good, repaired. Wear consistent with age and use. Overall Good ...
Cotton
$2,475
W 144 in L 180 in
Handmade Cotton Area Flat Weave Rug, 12x15 Beige, Red Scalloped Indian Dhurrie
Located in Jaipur, IN
Cotton Vegetable Dyed Beige, Cream And Terracotta Red Two Sided Scalloped Rug-12'x15' (360x450cm) (Scallops runs on all 15 Feet Sides) These special flat-weave dhurries are hand-wo...
Cotton
6x9 Maya Kilim Coral Traditional Geometric Medallion Flatweave Wool Carpet Rug
Located in New York, NY
Contemporary circa 2020 Indian Modern hand-woven wool rug, 6' x 9' (72 x 108 in), in coral tones. Condition: new. Maya Kilim Coral Flatweave Wool Rug, Country of Origin: India. This...
Wool
Multi-Color Striped Cotton Indian Dhurrie Rug
Located in New York, NY
Lively multi-color stripe handwoven cotton tribal dhurrie rug from Rajasthan India, c.1960's. Finely designed, with a diamond pattern within the stripes...
Cotton
6x9 Maya Opulent Blue Kilim Geometric Plaid Modern Flatweave Wool Carpet Rug
Located in New York, NY
Contemporary circa 2020 Indian Modern hand-woven wool rug, 6' x 9' (72 x 108 in), in blue tones. Condition: new. Maya Opulent Blue Flatweave Wool Rug, Country of Origin: India. This...
Wool
$16,250Sale Price|35% Off
W 155 in L 255 in
Vintage Indian Cotton Dhurrie Large Designer Rug 12'11 x 121'3
Located in Atlanta, GA
Woven during the mid-20th century, this designer cotton dhurrie is decorated with a stepped diamond pattern rendered with an inventive low-contrast color palette. This flat-woven Ind...
Cotton
Handmade Cotton Area Flat Weave Rug, Red, Cream & Beige Geometric Indian Dhurrie
Located in Jaipur, IN
Cotton Natural Vegetable Dyed, Terracotta Red, Cream & Beige Geometric Indian Dhurrie-5'x7' These special flat-weave dhurries are hand-woven with 15 ply 100% cotton yarn. Due to the ...
Cotton
$205
W 72 in L 108 in
6x9 Opulent Majestic Blue Kilim Plaid Geometric Modern Flatweave Wool Carpet Rug
Located in New York, NY
Contemporary circa 2020 Indian Modern hand-woven wool rug, 6' x 9' (72 x 108 in), in blue tones. Condition: new. Opulent Majestic Blue Flatweave Wool Rug, Country of Origin: India. ...
Wool
Handmade Cotton Area Flat Weave Rug, 6x9 Beige & Brown Geometric Indian Dhurrie
Located in Jaipur, IN
Cotton Vegetable Dyed Beige And Brown Geometric Indian Rug-6'x9' These special flat-weave dhurries are hand-woven with 15 ply 100% cotton yarn. Due to the special manufacturing tech...
Cotton
8x10 Lila Talia Gray Geometric Kilim Modern Flatweave Cotton Carpet Rug
Located in New York, NY
Contemporary circa 2020 Indian Modern hand-woven wool rug, 8' x 10' (96 x 120 in), in gray tones. Condition: new. Lila Talia Gold Flatweave Rug, Country of Origin: India. This strik...
Wool
Doris Leslie Blau Vintage Indian Dhurrie Blue Flatweave Cotton Rug
Located in New York, NY
This vintage Indian Dhurrie rug, dating to the 1950s, is a refined example of mid-century flatweave design, celebrated for its understated elegance and artisanal character. Handwoven...
Cotton
9x12 Lila Talia Gray Geometric Kilim Modern Flatweave Cotton Carpet Rug
Located in New York, NY
Contemporary circa 2020 Indian Modern hand-woven wool rug, 9' x 12' (108 x 144 in), in gray tones. Condition: new. Lila Talia Gold Flatweave Rug, Country of Origin: India. This stri...
Wool
$2,900Sale Price|29% Off
W 46 in L 81 in
Antique Indian Striped Cotton Dhurrie Rug, Pastel Rainbow Summer Color Rug, 1920
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Antique Indian Cotton Dhurrie, Circa 1920, 3'10" x 6'9", Pastel Stripe with Indigo Border, Soft, Bright Summer Colors Flatweave Rug Origin: India Circa: 1920 Type: Dhurrie (flatweave...
Cotton
Sand Stripe Indian Wool Dhurrie Rug
Located in West Hollywood, CA
A thick, handwoven flat-weave for a classic yet relaxed look. Flat-weave rugs are amazingly versatile -- they're light weight so easy to move, reversible and work on their own or lay...
Wool
Galerie Shabab Collection Mid-20th Century Indian Flatweave Dhurrie Carpet
Located in New York, NY
Cotton pattern wefts in tapestry technique on a cotton foundation. Moderne simplicity! The totally plain reddish brown field is perfectly framed by a broad bitonal brown and cream Gr...
Cotton
$40,000
W 201 in L 252 in
Doris Leslie Blau Indian Dhurrie Vintage Blue Flatweave Cotton Rug Greek Key
Located in New York, NY
This impressive vintage Indian Dhurrie rug, woven circa 1950, showcases the refined simplicity and balanced geometry characteristic of mid-century Indian flat-weave textiles. Dhurrie...
Cotton