Fully Upholstered Day Bed
2010s French International Style Daybeds
Fabric
21st Century and Contemporary English Lounge Chairs
Upholstery
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Benches
Brass
Antique 1890s French Art Nouveau Daybeds
Iron
Vintage 1970s Italian Post-Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Faux Leather, Wood
Early 20th Century English Charles II Settees
Tapestry, Velvet
People Also Browsed
21st Century and Contemporary German Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Plywood
2010s Danish Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Aluminum, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps
Brass, Iron
2010s Mexican Brutalist Sideboards
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Stools
Stainless Steel
2010s British Minimalist Wall Lights and Sconces
Wood, Oak, Paper
21st Century and Contemporary French Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and ...
Metal, Aluminum
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Benches
Fabric, Velvet, Lacquer, Wood
Antique 19th Century German Gothic Revival Religious Items
Wrought Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall Brackets
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary British Lounge Chairs
Sheepskin, Fabric, Bouclé, Oak, Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Lounge Chairs
Walnut, Velvet, Oak
2010s British Modern Wall Mirrors
Mirror
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Bouclé, Foam, Wood, Walnut
Antique Late 18th Century Italian Louis XV Sofas
Wood
Antique 19th Century Spanish Modern Armchairs
Plastic
Recent Sales
Antique 19th Century French Daybeds
Wood, Linen
Vintage 1960s Norwegian Beds and Bed Frames
Fabric, Oak
2010s American Modern Beds and Bed Frames
Upholstery, Wood
2010s Italian Modern Daybeds
Velvet
20th Century British Modern Sofas
Chrome
20th Century Chaise Longues
2010s Italian Daybeds
Velvet
Antique 19th Century English Regency Chaise Longues
Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Metal
Antique 1660s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Metal
Antique Early 1900s English Sheraton Stools
Satinwood
Antique 19th Century Great Britain (UK) British Colonial Rocking Chairs
Steel
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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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.