Wrought Iron Furniture

A metalsmith has two main jobs. On the one hand, they are artists, in charge of design; on the other, they do all the manual work, shaping the materials in the forge. In the world of interior design, you can find many examples of wrought iron furniture.

When furnishing your home, you can find many different types of furniture made of all different materials. Unlike wooden furniture, wrought iron furniture is strong, hard-wearing and durable.

Smiths can design and shape wrought iron to create an infinite variety of ornate and elegant furniture. It can be just as complex and intricate as wood, but when it comes to design, it offers far greater freedom.

What is wrought iron?

The process of creating wrought iron furniture involves twisting the metal, shaping and manipulating it to create a specific design. So, how do they do it? It can be done both in hot temperatures (in a fire or a forge) or in cold conditions.

The material is put under extreme pressure, making it easier to work with. This gives the smith the freedom to create almost any shape or design.

The material is shaped using either pressure or force, by which we mean that the smith strikes the material using a hammer or another tool strong enough to bend and shape the metal.

Throughout history, trades and crafts such as smithery have been closely linked to one another.

Aesthetics and style

Ironwork has a rustic, almost organic style, the intricate metal designs seeming almost like roots that twist and intertwine with one another.

The smiths juxtapose straight and curved lines to create both stability and movement in their designs. The end result is dynamic furniture like no other you can find on the market.

Another prominent feature of wrought iron furniture is its inherent sense of elegance and style. If you buy several pieces of wrought iron furniture, it will give your home a look of sophistication and style that works particularly well with classic, minimalist and rustic styles.

Types of furniture

It’s important to know which types of furniture wrought iron can be used for. Not every type is well-suited to this material. Plus, these bold pieces of furniture will play a prominent role in your decor, so it’s important to think about their style and look.

• Coffee tables: people often place a coffee table in front of their sofas. Whether it is simple and minimalist, or with intricate, curving designs, a dark wrought iron coffee table will look perfect in your living room.
• Shelves: every home needs a place where you can put books and decorative objects. They can have square or more ornate frames. The type you choose will depend on the decorative style of your home.
• Television stands: you don’t necessarily need a cabinet with extra storage space. Why not buy a simple wrought iron TV stand?
• Nightstand: everyone likes to have a table next to their bed, so you can have a handy place to put things at night. A black wrought iron nightstand with a glass top is an elegant addition to any room.
• Chairs: whether for your dining room, garden or terrace, wrought iron chairs are strong and hard-wearing. A matching set of chairs in black or another dark tone can look really stunning.
• Headboards: This is one element in which designers can really show off their metal-working skills, with straight lines, curves, plant and flower designs…

Where to buy wrought iron furniture

Not all stores sell this type of furniture. And even if they do offer a small selection, it’s possible that you might not like the designs, or you can’t find the color you were looking for.

So, we recommend going to a smith who specializes in wrought iron furniture. Many are trained in the art of furniture-making, so you might be able to order some really interesting custom-made pieces in exactly the style you want.

You can find metalsmiths in most towns and cities. In recent years, the art of creating wrought iron furniture has gone into mass-production, so it’s better to go to a specialist craftsman who knows the true art of metalwork.