Colonial Rattan Sofa
Early 20th Century Javanese Dutch Colonial Settees
Rattan, Teak
Mid-20th Century Regency Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Walnut
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Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Dining Room Tables
Pine
2010s Vietnamese Scandinavian Modern Side Tables
Burl
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Sideboards
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Chinoiserie Cabinets
Marble
Vintage 1930s Slovak Art Deco Buffets
Macassar, Walnut
Antique 19th Century Chinese Qing Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Wood
2010s British Beds and Bed Frames
Mahogany
2010s American Game Tables
Mahogany, Walnut
20th Century American Art Deco Side Tables
Mahogany
Late 20th Century American Regency End Tables
Wood
Early 20th Century Indian Paintings and Screens
Brass
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary British Hepplewhite Console Tables
Mahogany, Satinwood
Vintage 1970s French Chandeliers and Pendants
Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Art Deco Dining Room Tables
Wood
Mid-20th Century Thai Planters and Jardinieres
Ceramic
Recent Sales
Vintage 1960s Dutch Dutch Colonial Club Chairs
Rattan
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Leather, Rosewood
Antique 19th Century Indonesian Dutch Colonial Sofas
Rattan, Teak, Wicker
20th Century Javanese Dutch Colonial Settees
Rattan, Teak
Late 20th Century British Loveseats
Bamboo
Mid-20th Century Turkish Kazak Turkish Rugs
Wool
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Indian Rugs
Wool
1990s American British Colonial Sofas
Brass
Vintage 1920s Indian Art Deco Sofas
Rattan, Wood
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Leather, Rosewood
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Leather, Rosewood
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Leather, Rosewood
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Leather, Rosewood
Vintage 1950s Dutch Dutch Colonial Footstools
Rattan
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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This Chubby-Chic Quilted Stool Stands on Its Own Two Feet
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Riotous Shapes and Colors Have Made Uchronia’s Designs the Toast of Paris
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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.