Directors Chairs

At 1stDibs, there are several options of directors chairs available for sale. Frequently made of animal skin, metal and leather, all directors chairs available were constructed with great care. Find 68 antique and vintage directors chairs at 1stDibs now, or shop our selection of 5 modern versions for a more contemporary example of this long-cherished furniture. Directors chairs have been made for many years, and versions that date back to the 18th Century alongside those produced as recently as the 21st Century. There are many kinds of directors chairs to choose from, but at 1stDibs, Mid-Century Modern, Modern and Hollywood Regency directors chairs are of considerable interest. Some directors chairs are too large for some spaces — a variety of smaller directors chairs, measuring 11.75 inches across, are available at 1stDibs. Many directors chairs are appealing in their simplicity, but Alessandro Albrizzi, John and Elinor McGuire and Dario Alfonsi produced popular directors chairs that are worth a look.

The average selling price for at 1stDibs is $2,425, while they’re typically $200 on the low end and $20,000 highest priced.

Chairs are an indispensable component of your home and office. Can you imagine your life without the vintage, new or antique chairs you love?

With the exception of rocking chairs, the majority of the seating in our homes today — Windsor chairs, chaise longues, wingback chairs — originated in either England or France. Art Nouveau chairs, the style of which also originated in those regions, embraced the inherent magnificence of the natural world with decorative flourishes and refined designs that blended both curved and geometric contour lines. While craftsmanship and styles have evolved in the past century, chairs have had a singular significance in our lives, no matter what your favorite chair looks like.

“The chair is the piece of furniture that is closest to human beings,” said Hans Wegner. The revered Danish cabinetmaker and furniture designer was prolific, having designed nearly 500 chairs over the course of his lifetime. His beloved designs include the Wishbone chair, the wingback Papa Bear chair and many more.

Other designers of Scandinavian modernist chairs introduced new dynamics to this staple with sculptural flowing lines, curvaceous shapes and efficient functionality. The Paimio armchair, Swan chair and Panton chair are vintage works of Finnish and Danish seating that left an indelible mark on the history of good furniture design.

“What works good is better than what looks good, because what works good lasts,” said Ray Eames. 

Visionary polymaths Ray and Charles Eames experimented with bent plywood and fiberglass with the goal of producing affordable furniture for a mass market. Like other celebrated mid-century modern furniture designers of elegant low-profile furnishings — among them Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Finn Juhl — the Eameses considered ergonomic support, durability and cost, all of which should be top of mind when shopping for the perfect chair. The mid-century years yielded many popular chairs.

The Eameses introduced numerous icons for manufacturer Herman Miller, such as the Eames lounge chair and ottoman, molded plywood dining chairs the DCM and DCW (which can be artfully mismatched around your dining table) and a wealth of other treasured pieces for the home and office. 

A good chair anchors us to a place and can become an object of timeless appeal. Take a seat and browse the rich variety of vintage, new and antique chairs on 1stDibs today.