William and Mary style

Sturdy, emphasizing both straight lines and curves, and featuring elaborate carving and woodturning, the style was one of the first to imitate Asian design elements such as japanning.

In 1688, James II of England was deposed by his daughter, Mary, and her husband, William of Orange, in what came to be known as the "Glorious Revolution".

From birth in 1650, William had reigned over five provinces of the Dutch Republic, and Mary had lived in the Netherlands with him after their marriage in 1677.

[4] Other decorative arts such as architecture, ceramics, silver, and textiles could also feature elements of the William and Mary style.

[4] Dutch furniture craftsman Gerrit Jensen was appointed royal Cabinet Maker to the king and queen, and a great many works of his design were sold to wealthy British citizens of the day.

[7] In Britain, case furniture[b] in the William and Mary style tended to feature simple flat surfaces but exquisitely carved trim.

[9][c] American craftsmen working in the William and Mary style favored a tapered scroll foot for their designs.

For armchairs, American designers favored seats and splats covered in leather, attached with brass nails.

Influenced by the William and Mary style, the American kast featured removable feet, simplified the cornice, and eliminated the intricate inlays favored by the Dutch.

[5] Essentially two chests of drawers, the lower slightly larger than the upper, American highboys often featured Solomonic or trumpet-shaped legs.

However, numerous examples of William and Mary style furniture can still widely be found in British rural homes.