Genoa Stool
2010s Italian Stools
Metal, Other
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Stools
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Stools
Rope
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Armchairs
Rope
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Chairs
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs
Rope
1990s European Post-Modern Swivel Chairs
Plastic
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Armchairs
Metal
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1990s Pop Art Animal Prints
Screen
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Stools
Fiberglass, Walnut
Early 2000s American Modern Stools
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Stools
Brass
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Slipper Chairs
Chrome
Vintage 1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Stools
Chrome
2010s American Modern Stools
Metal
Antique Mid-18th Century Irish George II Side Tables
Breccia Marble
21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Mid-Century Modern Center Tables
Wood
Antique Mid-19th Century American Stools
Bamboo
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Stools
Metal
2010s Italian Modern Stools
Metal
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Stools
Aluminum, Steel
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Stools
Wood, Cherry
20th Century American Stools
Metal
Vintage 1960s French Stools
Birch
Recent Sales
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Italian Stools
Giltwood
Vintage 1950s Italian Dry Bars
Mahogany, Glass
Antique 19th Century French Stools
Walnut, Velvet
1930s Art Deco Portrait Paintings
Oil
Antique Early 1900s Italian Stools
Wood
Finding the Right seating for You
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.
Read More
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This Chubby-Chic Quilted Stool Stands on Its Own Two Feet
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Riotous Shapes and Colors Have Made Uchronia’s Designs the Toast of Paris
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Rock Your Cares Away on This Sunny Hand-Crocheted Swing
The boho-chic Enchanted Forest Swing, handmade by marginalized women from Turkey and Syria, is uplifting in every way.
Learn Why Designer Maarten Baas Set This Charles Rennie Mackintosh Chair on Fire
What happens when you do something to a piece of furniture that you shouldn’t? It becomes an entirely new object.
Eileen Gray’s Famed Cliffside Villa in the South of France Is Returned to Its Modernist Glory
After years of diligent restoration, E-1027, the designer-cum-architect’s marriage of romance and modernism, is finally complete.