Tudor furniture is furniture made in England during the reign of the Tudor monarchs, from 1485 to 1603, a period that saw medieval forms gradually give way to the influence of the Renaissance. The term is often used loosely to include the Elizabethan period at the end of the century, and the furniture of this era is almost always made of oak.
Early Tudor furniture was simple and sparse, with chests, boarded stools, trestle tables and benches forming the main household pieces. Linenfold panelling, carved to imitate folded cloth, was a characteristic decoration of chests and wall panels. As the century progressed, joined construction using mortise and tenon joints became more common, and Renaissance motifs such as Romayne portrait heads, arabesques and strapwork appeared. Later Elizabethan furniture is known for its massive bulbous turned supports, court cupboards, draw-leaf tables and elaborately carved bedsteads. Genuine Tudor furniture is rare and much of what is seen on the market is later, either Victorian revival work or pieces built up from old panels. Collectors look for authentic construction, wear, colour and patina consistent with great age.
