Lia Armchair
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Fabric, Wood
20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Cowhide, Leather, Jacaranda, Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Glass, Wood, Imbuia
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Armchairs
Aluminum, Stainless Steel
Vintage 1970s Italian Armchairs
Wood, Leather
2010s Dining Room Chairs
Leather
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2010s British Scandinavian Modern Ottomans and Poufs
Sheepskin, Oak
21st Century and Contemporary American Minimalist Stools
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern End Tables
Travertine, Wrought Iron
2010s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Stools
Hardwood
2010s South African Minimalist Night Stands
Burl, Poplar
2010s British Scandinavian Modern Tables
Mohair, Oak
2010s Austrian Jugendstil Chandeliers and Pendants
Silk
Vintage 1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables
Imbuia, Glass
20th Century Polish Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Cane, Beech, Bentwood
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
Straw, Oak
2010s British Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Sheepskin, Beech
21st Century and Contemporary French Side Tables
Concrete, Steel
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Faux Leather, Hardwood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Armchairs
Plastic
2010s Indian Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass
Vintage 1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
Leather, Wood, Cane
Recent Sales
Vintage 1970s Italian Sofas
Velvet, Rosewood
Vintage 1970s Italian Sofas
Velvet, Rosewood
Vintage 1970s Italian Sofas
Velvet, Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Cowhide, Jacaranda
Finding the Right armchairs for You
Armchairs have run the gamut from prestige to ease and everything in between, and everyone has an antique or vintage armchair that they love.
Long before industrial mass production democratized seating, armchairs conveyed status and power.
In ancient Egypt, the commoners took stools, while in early Greece, ceremonial chairs of carved marble were designated for nobility. But the high-backed early thrones of yore, elevated and ornate, were merely grandiose iterations of today’s armchairs.
Modern-day armchairs, built with functionality and comfort in mind, are now central to tasks throughout your home. Formal dining armchairs support your guests at a table for a cheery feast, a good drafting chair with a deep seat is parked in front of an easel where you create art and, elsewhere, an ergonomic wonder of sorts positions you at the desk for your 9 to 5.
When placed under just the right lamp where you can lounge comfortably, both elbows resting on the padded supports on each side of you, an upholstered armchair — or a rattan armchair for your light-suffused sunroom — can be the sanctuary where you’ll read for hours.
If you’re in the mood for company, your velvet chesterfield armchair is a place to relax and be part of the conversation that swirls around you. Maybe the dialogue is about the beloved Papa Bear chair, a mid-century modern masterpiece from Danish carpenter and furniture maker Hans Wegner, and the wingback’s strong association with the concept of cozying up by the fireplace, which we can trace back to its origins in 1600s-era England, when the seat’s distinctive arm protrusions protected the sitter from the heat of the period’s large fireplaces.
If the fireside armchair chat involves spirited comparisons, your companions will likely probe the merits of antique and vintage armchairs such as Queen Anne armchairs, Victorian armchairs or even Louis XVI armchairs, as well as the pros and cons of restoration versus conservation.
Everyone seems to have a favorite armchair and most people will be all too willing to talk about their beloved design. Whether that’s the unique Favela chair by Brazilian sibling furniture designers Fernando and Humberto Campana, who repurposed everyday objects to provocative effect; or Marcel Breuer’s futuristic tubular metal Wassily lounge chair; the functionality-first LC series from Charlotte Perriand, Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret; or the Eames lounge chair of the mid-1950s created by Charles and Ray Eames, there is an iconic armchair for everyone and every purpose. Find yours on 1stDibs right now.
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