Antique Shabby Chic Chair
1920s Swedish Rococo Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Fabric, Giltwood
18th Century Spanish Queen Anne Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Walnut
Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Bamboo, Cane
19th Century British Victorian Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Hardwood, Leather
19th Century American Louis XVI Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Fabric, Wood, Paint
Early 20th Century American Neoclassical Revival Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Bamboo, Rattan
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Iron
19th Century French Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Linen, Wood
Early 1900s English Edwardian Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Walnut
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Early 1900s English Late Victorian Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Leather
1960s German Bauhaus Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Chrome
16th Century Italian Renaissance Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Walnut
2010s Austrian Minimalist Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Metal
Early 1900s Italian Country Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Walnut
Mid-19th Century Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Oak, Walnut
Early 1900s English Arts and Crafts Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Mahogany
Early 20th Century Austrian Jugendstil Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Bentwood
Late 19th Century British Arts and Crafts Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Oak
Late 19th Century British Edwardian Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Mahogany
20th Century French Louis XVI Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Fabric, Beech
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Empire Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Mahogany
Early 19th Century Austrian Jugendstil Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Beech
Mid-20th Century Cameroonian Tribal Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Wood
1980s Regency Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Mahogany
19th Century Chinese Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Bamboo, Elm
Recent Sales
1780s French Louis XVI Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Fabric, Oak
Late 19th Century Victorian Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Metal, Tin
Early 20th Century American Regency Revival Antique Shabby Chic Chair
18th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Paint
19th Century French French Provincial Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Hardwood
19th Century English Victorian Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Velvet, Mahogany
Early 1900s American Late Victorian Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Wicker, Rattan
19th Century English Antique Shabby Chic Chair
19th Century French Antique Shabby Chic Chair
19th Century French Late Victorian Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Hardwood
Early 20th Century French Neoclassical Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Early 20th Century Unknown French Provincial Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Fabric, Wood, Paint
19th Century French Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Walnut
Early 20th Century Impressionist Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Oil
Early 19th Century British Edwardian Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Upholstery
1880s Austrian Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Walnut
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Burlap, Linen, Velvet, Giltwood
1920s French Hollywood Regency Antique Shabby Chic Chair
19th Century French Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Beech, Fabric
1890s Swedish Gustavian Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Beech
1920s French Hollywood Regency Antique Shabby Chic Chair
18th Century and Earlier French Directoire Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Cherry, Paint
18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Shabby Chic Chair
Giltwood, Leather, Fabric
Finding the Right seating for You
With entire areas of our homes reserved for “sitting rooms,” the value of quality antique and vintage seating cannot be overstated.
Fortunately, the design of side chairs, armchairs and other lounge furniture — since what were, quite literally, the early perches of our ancestors — has evolved considerably.
Among the earliest standard seating furniture were stools. Egyptian stools, for example, designed for one person with no seat back, were x-shaped and typically folded to be tucked away. These rudimentary chairs informed the design of Greek and Roman stools, all of which were a long way from Sori Yanagi's Butterfly stool or Alvar Aalto's Stool 60. In the 18th century and earlier, seats with backs and armrests were largely reserved for high nobility.
The seating of today is more inclusive but the style and placement of chairs can still make a statement. Antique desk chairs and armchairs designed in the style of Louis XV, which eventually included painted furniture and were often made of rare woods, feature prominently curved legs as well as Chinese themes and varied ornaments. Much like the thrones of fairy tales and the regency, elegant lounges crafted in the Louis XV style convey wealth and prestige. In the kitchen, the dining chair placed at the head of the table is typically reserved for the head of the household or a revered guest.
Of course, with luxurious vintage or antique furnishings, every chair can seem like the best seat in the house. Whether your preference is stretching out on a plush sofa, such as the Serpentine, designed by Vladimir Kagan, or cozying up in a vintage wingback chair, there is likely to be a comfy classic or contemporary gem for you on 1stDibs.
With respect to the latest obsessions in design, cane seating has been cropping up everywhere, from sleek armchairs to lounge chairs, while bouclé fabric, a staple of modern furniture design, can be seen in mid-century modern, Scandinavian modern and Hollywood Regency furniture styles.
Admirers of the sophisticated craftsmanship and dark woods frequently associated with mid-century modern seating can find timeless furnishings in our expansive collection of lounge chairs, dining chairs and other items — whether they’re vintage editions or alluring official reproductions of iconic designs from the likes of Hans Wegner or from Charles and Ray Eames. Shop our inventory of Egg chairs, designed in 1958 by Arne Jacobsen, the Florence Knoll lounge chair and more.
No matter your style, the collection of unique chairs, sofas and other seating on 1stDibs is surely worthy of a standing ovation.
Read More
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Fred Rigby’s Modular Seating Can Be Configured in So Many Handy Ways
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This Chubby-Chic Quilted Stool Stands on Its Own Two Feet
Sam Klemick's cool stool is edgy, cozy and environmentally sustainable all at once.
Riotous Shapes and Colors Have Made Uchronia’s Designs the Toast of Paris
Julien Sebban’s energetic design collective is radically reshaping the look of 21st-century European furniture and interiors.
Is Lionel Jadot the Willy Wonka of Upcycled Belgian Design?
From his massive collaborative workshop in a former paper factory, the designer concocts funky furniture from disused materials, as well as luxe hotel interiors like the new Mix Brussels.
Rock Your Cares Away on This Sunny Hand-Crocheted Swing
The boho-chic Enchanted Forest Swing, handmade by marginalized women from Turkey and Syria, is uplifting in every way.
Learn Why Designer Maarten Baas Set This Charles Rennie Mackintosh Chair on Fire
What happens when you do something to a piece of furniture that you shouldn’t? It becomes an entirely new object.
Eileen Gray’s Famed Cliffside Villa in the South of France Is Returned to Its Modernist Glory
After years of diligent restoration, E-1027, the designer-cum-architect’s marriage of romance and modernism, is finally complete.