Catherine The Great’s Furniture History And Style Guide

Let’s be real: if I could time-travel back to the 1700s, I wouldn’t be running to meet generals or attend court banquets. Nope. I’d be in Catherine the Great’s drawing room—awkwardly drooling over a chair. Because let me tell you, Catherine the Great’s furniture wasn’t just furniture. It was a whole vibe.

From gilded thrones that screamed “Bow down, peasants!” to cozy little writing desks where she probably spilled tea (the royal gossip kind, not the chamomile one), her stuff told stories. Big ones. Weird ones. Ones that still echo in living rooms and Pinterest boards today.

Anyway, here’s everything you need to know about Catherine the Great’s furniture—with enough sass, nostalgia, and human messiness to make your grandma proud.

The Woman Behind the Chair Legs

Who Even Was Catherine the Great?

Okay, quick recap in case your high school history teacher was more into coffee than actual teaching.

Catherine II (a.k.a. Catherine the Great) ruled Russia from 1762 to 1796. Born in what’s now Poland, married into Russian royalty, overthrew her hubby (yikes), and basically became one of the most powerful monarchs in history.

She was obsessed with Enlightenment ideas. Also obsessed with France. Also with chairs.

You think I’m kidding.

Her Furniture Obsession

I once read a biography that said Catherine used her furniture like some people use perfume: to signal mood, power, and taste. Catherine the Great’s furniture wasn’t just about sitting. It was a whole philosophy.

She brought in architects, designers, and artists to design rooms that would make Versailles go, “Okay, girl, chill.”

Honestly, same energy I bring when I rearrange my 2-bedroom apartment after watching an interior design video on YouTube.

What Made Her Furniture So Extra?

The French Influence (Oui Oui)

Look. I’m not saying she copied the French. But also… she kinda copied the French.

Here’s what made Catherine the Great’s furniture scream Louis XV with a Russian accent:

• Rococo curves (you know, those soft swoopy lines that feel like they belong in a very fancy bakery)
• Gold leaf on everything
• Painted scenes with naked cherubs doing God knows what
• A vibe that said “pastel but expensive”

I once tried painting cherubs on my IKEA nightstand. Don’t recommend.

Russian Soul, French Looks

The cool part? She didn’t just copy French design—she Russified it.

So yeah, you’d get a salon with velvet chaise lounges straight from Paris, but the wood? Local Russian birch. The detail? Orthodox icons. The scale? Straight up palace-level.

That’s the secret sauce of Catherine the Great’s furniture—it blended Europe with the soul of Mother Russia. All while casually flexing, of course.

Inside Her Favorite Rooms

The Green Dining Room (Kinda Famous)

Imagine eating your oatmeal in a room dripping in emerald green and gold.

Yeah. Me neither.

But Catherine the Great’s furniture in the Green Dining Room was legendary:

• Massive dining table shaped like a banana (kidding, it was rectangle, but still… big)
• Chairs upholstered in silk that probably cost more than my rent
• Gilded mirrors that made the room feel double its size

I remember once visiting a Russian museum and seeing a replica of this room. Felt like walking into a high-budget Netflix period drama. Except, y’know, with more crumbs on the floor.

Her Writing Rooms

Here’s something that legit surprised me.

Catherine wrote. A lot.

Political stuff, personal letters, even plays. And she needed a space for all that brainpower. Catherine the Great’s furniture in her writing nooks was much simpler—relatively.

• Sleek mahogany desks
• Delicate, curved chairs without all the frills
• Warm lighting from candelabras (because lightbulbs were still just a twinkle in Edison’s eye)

I once spilled coffee on my desk mid-inspiration. Catherine probably spilled inkwells. Classic.

Types of Furniture She Loved

Let’s do a lightning round. Buckle up.

Thrones (Because… Obviously)

Catherine the Great’s furniture always included a statement throne.

But hers weren’t medieval and scary. Nope.

• Richly embroidered velvet
• Gold frames taller than my uncle on stilts
• Sometimes even pearls stitched in the seat (the extra-ness was real)

Commodes (Not What You Think)

In fancy terms, a commode is a drawer cabinet. In my terms, it’s a dresser too pretty to touch.

• Floral marquetry (tiny wood pieces forming pictures)
• Bronze fittings shaped like lion heads or swans
• Feet so curvy they looked like they belonged in a ballet class

Once I tried DIY marquetry with glue and hope. Spoiler: it did not look royal.

Cabinets of Curiosity

No joke, Catherine collected so many trinkets she needed whole furniture pieces just to store them.

• She kept coins, gems, books, weird fossils
• Cabinets had glass panels, so guests could ooh and ahh without touching (relatable)
• Some even had secret compartments for… well, nobody knows. 👀

Where Did She Even Get This Stuff?

Imported… and Invented

Catherine the Great’s furniture came from everywhere.

• She hired top-tier French designers (like Charles Cameron, that guy had flair)
• She brought Italian marble and Dutch tapestries
• And she supported Russian artisans so they could learn the skills and pass ’em on

So it wasn’t just “buy fancy things” — it was “make Russia fancy, one ottoman at a time.”

DIY Empress Style

Sometimes Catherine just made it up.

Seriously.

She’d sketch ideas for furniture and have her court artisans whip it up. I respect that. That’s DIY with imperial backing.

Kinda like when I drew my dream bookshelf at 2 a.m., except no royal carpenters showed up the next day.

You Can Still See It Today

Palaces Turned Museums

Catherine the Great’s furniture lives on in places like:

• The Winter Palace in St. Petersburg
• Tsarskoye Selo, her summer getaway
• And scattered exhibits from Moscow to Paris

If you ever visit, take a moment to stare at a chair and think, “Yep. A queen’s butt once touched this.”

Museums Online Too

For the couch potatoes (guilty), some of her pieces are digitized. Zoom in, scroll around, pretend you’re picking out décor for your pretend palace.

Honestly, that’s how I spend most of my Sunday mornings.

Why It Still Matters (Even If You’re Broke Like Me)

Here’s the wild thing—Catherine the Great’s furniture still influences interior design today.

Yup. In subtle little ways.

• Those rounded velvet chairs? Kinda Rococo
• Gold-dipped edges? Catherine-approved
• Statement pieces that take over a whole room? Her legacy

You don’t need a palace. Just a sense of drama.

Heck, I once tried making my dorm room “royal” by hanging a gold curtain. It fell down mid-Zoom class. But hey, the spirit was there.

Recreating the Look at Home

Feeling inspired (or unreasonably ambitious)? Here’s how to bring some royal energy to your space—without maxing out your credit card.

Quick Tips to Fake the Catherine Aesthetic

• Get curvy
  Look for chairs and tables with rounded legs and soft lines.
• Add gold (but chill)
  A little metallic paint on a mirror frame goes a long way.
• Embrace velvet
  Pillows, throws, or even a footstool in jewel tones = instant glow-up.
• Go big with a single piece
  A dramatic lamp or antique writing desk gives that “power move” vibe.
• Tell a story
  Mix old and new. Let your furniture say something, even if it’s “This was $5 at a garage sale but it looks kinda royal now.”

Odd Facts That Make It Even More Fun

You didn’t ask for weird trivia about Catherine the Great’s furniture, but too bad—here it comes:

• She once had a toilet seat custom-designed with velvet. Not kidding. Imagine explaining that to the plumber.
• Some of her chairs were so fancy, nobody was allowed to sit on them. Yep. Just vibes.
• Her bed canopy once got tangled during a fire drill. Picture royal staff losing it while silk drapes flap around.

Honestly, I relate. I once got my bedsheets caught in a ceiling fan. Felt royal in the worst way.

So… Was It All Just About Power?

Sure. Catherine the Great’s furniture wasn’t just about good taste.

It was a political tool. Every room she decorated said:

“Look what Russia can be.”

“Look how cultured I am.”

And maybe even… “Look at this cute end table I just designed, haters.”

It was part theater, part flex, part dream.

I can’t lie—next time I buy a chair, I’m going to wonder: Would Catherine approve? And honestly, she’d probably say, “Add more gold.”

Wrote this paragraph by hand. Then spilled coffee on it. Classic.

Final Thoughts Before I Go Rearrange My Apartment Again

Catherine the Great’s furniture isn’t just history.

It’s messy, bold, strangely relatable… and kind of inspiring.

Whether you’re a design nerd or just someone who appreciates a solid chair with a dramatic backstory, her legacy is sitting (literally) right in front of us.

Now excuse me while I go hot glue some fake pearls to my thrifted bookshelf.