The antiques and furniture produced during the Régence era retained the lines of the Louis XIV style, and added a certain elegance and roundness to the forms. It was an era of smaller and more intimate and comfortable spaces. Artists re-employed the ornamental repertoire to satisfy the taste for creativity, elegance, and lightness. The forms became curved and heralded the beginning of the rocaille aesthetic.
Satin wood veneer was widely used: amaranth, rosewood, tulipwood, and violet wood. Gilded and crafted bronze was still used but in a more limited way. Asymmetry was discreetly introduced into the decorations. The motifs that are representative of the Régence era are: scallop shells, the acanthus leaf, the palm tree, the medallion, the bouquet of flowers, the lozenge, the chequerboard, and musical instruments.
