French Directoire

The French Directorie style reflected the Revolutionary belief in the values of the republican Rome. They were fashionable to imitate the ancients. Strong influences of Greek furniture was the Klismos chair and the backward roll. Carvings and ornate gold ormolu was not heavily used. The made tripod wrought iron tables,used striped wallpapers and fabrics. Motifs had drums, spears, sheaves of wheat which represented the war and rise of the working class. 

Directoire French interiors are characterized by painted wallpaper instead of the tapestries of earlier French periods, furniture coverings and curtains of cretonne with classic designs in place of brocades and damasks, or magnificent textiles; simple curtain poles, often arrow shaped, not heavy cornices; painted furniture with straight lines or simple mahogany and chestnut; chair backs showing the graceful backward curve from seat to rolled-over chair top ; slender and curved legs like the silver line of a very new moon, the classic type (with outward curve) seen in ancient Egyptian and Greek frescoes.