Mauve Bench
20th Century French Baltic Benches
Oak, Upholstery, Velvet, Wood
Vintage 1970s American Hollywood Regency Benches
Velvet, Lucite
Vintage 1980s North American Post-Modern Footstools
Fabric
Antique 16th Century Belgian Renaissance Tapestries
Textile, Wool, Silk
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21st Century and Contemporary French Flooring
Limestone
Vintage 1970s Italian Post-Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather
Mid-20th Century French Neoclassical Benches
Bronze, Wrought Iron
2010s French Modern Chairs
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Swedish Scandinavian Modern Wall Lights an...
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Dining Room Chairs
Wood
20th Century European Brutalist Stools
Wood
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal, Brass
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Belgian Aubusson Tapestries
Wool, Silk
2010s Modern Tables
Hardwood, Oak
2010s American Books
Linen
Antique 18th Century French Rococo Tapestries
Wool
Vintage 1960s North American Mid-Century Modern Benches
Oak, Upholstery
Antique 17th Century French Panelling
Softwood
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Abstract Sculptures
Cement
2010s American Modern Cabinets
Brass
Recent Sales
Vintage 1960s American Benches
Antique Late 19th Century English Benches
Satinwood, Paint
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Stools
Brass, Steel
21st Century and Contemporary American Club Chairs
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Benches
Wood
20th Century French Provincial Footstools
Fabric, Walnut
Vintage 1980s American Hollywood Regency Console Tables
Lucite
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Benches
Mohair, Walnut
Vintage 1950s American Benches
Zinc, Steel, Bronze
Antique 19th Century French Footstools
Walnut
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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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.