Exceptional 18th Century Windsor Armchair
Antique 1760s English George III Armchairs
Yew
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Vintage 1910s English Arts and Crafts Dining Room Chairs
Oak
Antique 19th Century Lounge Chairs
Mahogany
Antique 19th Century American American Colonial Side Chairs
Maple
Antique 19th Century English Country Windsor Chairs
Ash, Oak
Early 20th Century American Dining Room Chairs
Wood
Early 20th Century Argentine Gustavian Chairs
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century British Armchairs
Elm
Vintage 1920s English Country Chairs
Rush, Ash
Antique 19th Century Victorian Rocking Chairs
Cane, Chestnut
Antique 1880s Country Windsor Chairs
Ash
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Windsor Chairs
Elm
Antique 19th Century English Chairs
Ash, Rush
Antique Early 1800s English Georgian Armchairs
Elm
Antique 1890s English Jacobean Chairs
Wood
Early 20th Century English Country Windsor Chairs
Walnut
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Antique Mid-18th Century Armchairs
Elm
Antique 1750s Great Britain (UK) George II Windsor Chairs
Ash, Fruitwood
Antique Early 19th Century English Georgian Windsor Chairs
Yew
Antique 18th Century and Earlier English Armchairs
Elm
Antique 1780s English George III Windsor Chairs
Ash, Elm
Antique Mid-18th Century British Baroque Dining Room Tables
Oak
Antique 18th Century and Earlier British Windsor Chairs
Antique 1790s English George III Windsor Chairs
Walnut
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Windsor Chairs
Antique Late 18th Century English Armchairs
Antique 18th Century and Earlier British Armchairs
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Painted Furniture
Pine, Maple
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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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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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.