Two sinus infections and Super Bowl weekend… yeah, the headboard isn’t finished enough to my liking to post yet.  Unless you wanted to see pictures of me laying in front of it with a few dogs and lots of tissues, which isn’t a pretty picture.

So today I thought I would post about those famous French Kings Louis XV and Louis XVI, and more specifically the chair styles that bear their names.  I’m sure that many of you do know the difference, but just in case you don’t this post is for you!  And for those of you who do, read on anyways – there are pretty pictures to look at!

I’ll let you in on a little secret my History of Interiors I and II professor shared with us: look at the legs.  That is the best and easiest way to tell the difference.  When Louis XV was on the throne, the prevailing style was Roccoco, which is very feminine, with lots of curves.  Accordingly, Louis XV style chairs have curved legs.

Louis XVI style is a little more masculine, and this style has straight legs.

*image from Ballard Designs

You’ll also note that Louis XVI style chairs can also often have a round back.  I was told by my History of Interiors professor that this was because the hot air balloon was popular and fashionable, which influenced the round back of the chair.

Now that we have the legs down, let’s talk arms.  There are two prevailing styles: a Fauteuil chair, which has open arms like the pictures above, and a Bergere chair which has closed arms, like these:

I am in love with this living room.  *Sigh*  Anyways, these would be considered Louis XV Bergeres.  Straight legs, and they’d be Louis XVI style.

Fauteuil chairs are more the more popular arm chairs, you will see more of them around.

And in case you didn’t realize it by now, guess where the Louis Ghost chair gets it’s name?

Louis XVI -  a modern recreation of a classic form.

Do you have a favorite?  Even though I love that living room above, I think I would love it even more if the Bergeres had straight legs, and were maybe upholstered in a solid.

*all above images are from the soon to be lost Domino, except where noted.