Dental Armchair
Antique 19th Century American Chairs
Leather, Mahogany
Antique 1840s American American Empire Armchairs
Antique Late 19th Century English Arts and Crafts Sideboards
Mahogany
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Vintage 1920s French Art Deco Cabinets
Rosewood
21st Century and Contemporary Asian William IV Dry Bars
Wood
Antique 1860s French Rococo Urns
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Swedish Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Textile
Vintage 1930s American Art Deco Apothecary Cabinets
Metal
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Cabinets
Metal
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak
Antique Late 19th Century European Moorish Architectural Elements
Wrought Iron
Mid-20th Century Unknown Industrial Cabinets
Steel
Vintage 1920s American Industrial Apothecary Cabinets
Pine
Antique 1860s English High Victorian Wingback Chairs
Oak
Early 20th Century North American Chairs
Iron
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Brass, Steel
Antique Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Buffets
Glass, Wood, Walnut
Antique 19th Century Windows
Stained Glass
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Side Chairs
Leather, Mahogany
Recent Sales
Vintage 1930s Polish Industrial Armchairs
Iron
Early 20th Century English Armchairs
Iron
Mid-20th Century German Chairs
Metal
Vintage 1920s Danish Industrial Swivel Chairs
Metal
Antique 1870s English Victorian Dining Room Sets
Oak, Walnut
Vintage 1930s Great Britain (UK) Arts and Crafts Armchairs
Linen, Oak
Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Armchairs
Brass
Early 20th Century Swedish Art Nouveau Bergere Chairs
Fabric, Wood
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.
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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.