Exceptional French Empire Aubusson Covered Hall Bench
Located in Natchez, MS
Exceptional French Empire Aubusson covered hall bench with painted and parcel-gilt frame.
Tapestry, Upholstery, Wool
Solid mahogany sofa, Napoleon Bonaparte period
Located in Stamford, CT
Empire settee in solid mahogany with a carved dolphin detail on each side.
Sold|$7,500
Walnut Bench with Swan Supports
Located in New York, NY
Walnut Empire style bench with curved back, arms with carved wood swan supports, tapered legs and
Walnut
Sold|$2,850
Petite Early Empire Style Settee
Located in New Orleans, LA
A small mahogany canape with tapered front legs with carved rosettes and a sheath of water leaves supporting gently down swept, open arms.
Walnut
Sold|$2,200
Empire Style Painted Settee and Chair
Located in Bridgehampton, NY
Empire style settee and chair with beautiful old weathered paint.
19th c. Empire carved mahogany settee with paw feet - REDUCED
Located in Miami, FL
Empire carved mahogany settee, having a shaped back and scroll arms and garved seat rail continuing
Mahogany
Sold|$1,750
Aubusson Settee Tapestry Cover.
Located in Oakland Park, FL
Aubusson tapestry from a settee back. Depicting a courtship scene in a garden with flowers. In
Linen, Silk, Wool
Sold|$8,500
19th Century French Empire Mahogany Sofa
Located in San Mateo, CA
A beautiful Mahogany French Empire Carved Sofa / Settee. There is elegant brass ormolu across the
Brass
Sold|$3,400
Danish Inlaid Empire Sofa
Located in San Marino, CA
Danish 19th Century Inlaid Empire Mahogany Settee. Features new upholstery.
Mahogany, Upholstery
Sold|$6,000
Russian Alexandrine Canape
Located in Woodbury, CT
A Russian Empire Alexandrine (French Empire influenced) upholstered settee in its original paint
Sold|$9,500
French Neoclassical Salon Set
Located in Chicago, IL
French Empire mahogany settee and two side chairs. Settee and chairs have open back with curved x
Ormolu
19th Century, French Empire Settee with Gilded Sphinx Head Arms
Located in Richmond, VA
Offered is a fabulous, 19th century, French Empire settee frame with carved gilded sphinx head arms
Wood
French Empire Style Mahogany Upholstered Settee Antique Sofa
Located in East Hampton, NY
This Empire mahogany settee is in the French empire style, it is an upholstered settee, or an
Fabric, Mahogany
Sold|$4,875
French Antique Settee
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This elegant 1900's Empire-style settee or sofa features a solid wood frame that has been
Fabric, Wood
1900s Empire Ivory and Pink Silk Upholstered Settee
Located in San Francisco, CA
An elegant antique settee. Empire styled and dressed in Peau de Soie finery, this lovely settee
Silk, Wood
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.
Modern icons are showing up in gracefully layered dining nooks, living rooms and lounges — proof that great design only gets better with context.
Andrianna Shamaris has filled her epic new home with pieces of her own design.
Top interior designers show — and tell — us how to create delectable spaces for hosting dinner parties.
With its plush cushions, cane details and dazzlingly colorful back, it’s inviting from every angle.
You know the designs, now get the stories about how they came to be.
The plush Cove Slipper 2.5 Seater sofa is just one of many convenient combinations from the London-based maker.
Sam Klemick's cool stool is edgy, cozy and environmentally sustainable all at once.
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.