Like France’s Empire style, Regency-style furniture was rooted in neoclassicism; the characteristics of its bedroom furniture, armchairs, dining room tables and other items include clean lines, angular shapes and elegant details.

Dating roughly from the 1790s to 1830s, antique Regency-style furniture gets its name from Prince George of Wales — formally King George IV — who became Prince Regent in 1811 after his father, George III, was declared unfit to rule. England’s Regency style is one of the styles represented in Georgian furniture.

George IV’s arts patronage significantly influenced the development of the Regency style, such as the architectural projects under John Nash, which included the renovation of Buckingham House into the formidable Buckingham Palace with a grand neoclassical facade. Celebrated designers of the period include Thomas Sheraton, Henry Holland and Thomas Hope. Like Nash, Hope instilled his work with classical influences, such as saber-legged chairs based on the ancient Greek klismos. He is credited with introducing the term “interior decoration” to English with the 1807 publishing of Household Furniture and Interior Decoration.

Although more subdued than previous styles like Rococo and Baroque, Regency interiors incorporated copious use of chintz fabrics and wallpaper adorned in chinoiserie-style art. Its furniture featured fine materials and luxurious embellishments. Furniture maker George Bullock, for instance, regularly used detailed wood marquetry and metal ornaments on his pieces.

Archaeological discoveries in Egypt and Greece informed Regency-era details, such as carved scrollwork, sphinxes and palmettes, as well as the shape of furniture. A Roman marble cinerary chest, for example, would be reinterpreted into a wooden cabinet. The Napoleonic Wars also inspired furniture, with martial designs like tented beds and camp-style chairs becoming popular. While the reddish-brown mahogany was prominent in this range of pieces, imported woods like zebrawood and ebony were increasingly in demand.

Find a collection of antique Regency tables, seating, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.

Finding the Right pedestals-columns for You

Antique and vintage columns and pedestals can make a statement in your home with their timeless beauty. They have a rich architectural history, from ancient Egyptian columns adorned with lotus capitals to the stylized Corinthian columns of Greece. Today, they can add refinement to your spaces, both indoors and out.

The options for pedestals and columns are endless. Influenced by everything from ancient ruins to European palaces, columns and pedestals include contemporary designs and distressed pieces. There are modern designs from all over the world, such as Pakistani, Italian and French examples. Other designs draw on architectural heritage, like those created in the Louis XIV style, which references Greece and Rome and evokes the decadence of Versailles through gold and vivid colors.

The materials used in columns and pedestals can vary widely. Marble and gilt pedestals add elegance, while patina brass columns offer sophistication. An upcycled item such as an industrial press can become a column, while certain mid-century barstools can be repurposed as pedestals.

Whether elaborate Victorian or Art Deco designs, pedestals and columns can be the base for another piece of art, adding height or accenting a sculpture. One or several can display ferns or other plants with trailing vines. Some pedestals come with planters for this purpose.

On their own, these elements can provide character and a touch of antiquity to one’s decor. Columns and pedestals made of stone, wood and rattan are among those available on 1stDibs. Browse hundreds of columns and pedestals to find one for your space.