Anna Karlin Counter Stool

Born in London, Anna Karlin studied visual communication at Central Saint Martins and the Glasgow School of Art. Now based in New York, she is a multidisciplinary designer, working on interiors and art-direction projects in addition to launching her Furniture + Fine Objects and Anna Karlin Fine Jewelry collections.

Karlin renovated a two-story, burned-out former print shop on the Lower East Side and transformed it into a multipurpose workplace. “Designing, building and opening our showroom and studio in Manhattan really gave people a chance to experience firsthand the types of spaces we can create,” she says. “Since then, we’ve had so many requests that we’ve been able to take on some really exciting projects, both residential and commercial.”

Interested in the tension between the natural and the man-made, Karlin was working on a forthcoming collection in 2019: “We’ll show a capsule in Milan in April and then we’ll launch the full collection in New York in May,” she said of her work at the time. “Working on this collection, I’ve really given myself the space to push further the concept of usable sculpture.”

Find Anna Karlin lighting, chairs and other furniture on 1stDibs today.

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.