The style of 18th-century French furniture was guided by the court. When Louis XV, who reigned from 1715–74, focused royal life on the smaller salons of Versailles rather than its grand chambers, it transformed the aesthetics away from the imposing and angular furniture that characterized the style of Louis XIV. A broader focus on comfort and more delicate forms define antique Louis XV furniture, with nature-inspired carvings, wood inlays, curved cabriole legs, asymmetrical shapes and rounded oval seat backs. The furnishings changed throughout the king’s life, as he ascended to the throne as a child and then grew to establish his own tastes.

Pieces like the bergère, an upholstered armchair with a wide cushion that fit the flowing dresses in fashion at the time, reflected this more informal court. Introduced at the start of Louis XV’s reign, bergère chairs in this style were deeper and broader than other chairs of the period.

Louis XV tapestries and carpets tended to be floral and colorful, and design elements were borrowed from Asia. Dutch-born cabinetmaker Bernard van Risenburgh brought lacquer techniques influenced by Japan and China into his luxuriously made furniture. Along with its fine details, the furniture of the era also featured new innovations including mechanical devices. Jean François Oeben, a royal cabinetmaker, created such intricate pieces as a mechanical table for Madame de Pompadour, Louis XV’s mistress. It involved a sliding top and a writing surface that extended from its marquetry panels.

During the later years of Louis XV’s reign, there was a shift from the ostentatious rocaille style, part of the exuberantly decorative Rococo movement in Europe for which designers such as Nicolas Pineau and Juste-Aurèle Meissonier are known. The style under Louis XVI would return to boxier forms, but with a neoclassical touch inspired by the ancient world.

Find antique Louis XV bedroom furniture, seating, tables and decorative objects on 1stDibs.

Finding the Right slipper-chairs for You

Antique and vintage slipper chairs are popular fixtures in modern interiors due to their armless, compact designs with high backs and short legs making them perfect for even the tightest of spaces.

Slipper chairs originated in the 18th century. They were used in private dressing rooms and bedrooms for upper-class women to easily slide into their shoes, often assisted by a maid, when corsets and heavy petticoats made dressing a cumbersome task. Since this emergence in the boudoir, slipper chairs have become an essential piece of furniture in modern homes.

In the 1950s, American interior designer Billy Baldwin — whose clients included Jackie Onassis and Bunny Mellon — placed slipper chairs in the living room for the first time. He saw them as the ideal chairs for entertaining. Their low seats and tall, curved backs invite guests to sit; the lack of arms, however, places a limit on comfort.

Slipper chairs can be found in various styles, from the classic mid-centuy modern with unadorned legs to 1930s French Art Deco with a shorter back. Edward Wormley designed some of the most iconic mid-century modern slipper chairs with tapered legs, a round wood base, button tufting and a tall back.

Today, slipper chairs are among the chairs you should know. They can be used to frame a coffee table or contribute to a sense of balance in a space. A slipper chair can fit next to a bookshelf or be tucked into a corner along with a small side table to create a charming reading nook. In entryways, a slipper chair can be used while you put on your shoes. It is also an elegant addition to the bedroom or home office, where its soft shape adds a casual contrast to more rigid furniture.

You can find slipper chairs in materials such as fabric, wood and upholstery on 1stDibs. Browse a wide selection of styles, including mid-century modern, Hollywood Regency and Art Deco.