Bendwood Chairs
Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
Metal
Vintage 1950s European Mid-Century Modern Side Chairs
Bentwood
Mid-20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Wood, Fabric
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Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
Wood, Plywood
Vintage 1940s French Art Deco Dining Room Chairs
Oak
Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
Metal
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
Chrome
Late 20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Teak
Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
Faux Leather, Wood
Mid-20th Century German Modern Chairs
Metal, Chrome
Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
Steel
Vintage 1970s Dutch Industrial Chairs
Steel
Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Steel
Antique 1890s French Louis XIII Console Tables
Walnut
Antique 17th Century French Louis XIII Side Chairs
Walnut
Antique Early 19th Century Dutch Louis XIII Cabinets
Brass
Antique 19th Century French Louis XIII Armchairs
Walnut, Upholstery
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
Metal
Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Metal
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20th Century Jugendstil Chairs
Vintage 1970s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Fabric, Bentwood
Vintage 1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
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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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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.