Grand Repos Guillerme

Robert Guillerme and Jacques Chambron, the French creative duo behind Votre Maison, met under unusual circumstances: They discussed design while imprisoned in a forced labor camp. The pair’s combined talents later resulted in modern, sculptural furniture — today, vintage Guillerme et Chambron desks, dining tables, chairs and other pieces still look conceptually playful and vibrant but could fit harmoniously into any home.

Guillerme had graduated from the École Boulle in 1934 with a degree in design and architecture, and Chambron had studied at the School of Applied Arts in Reims. They were captured by the Germans in East Prussia during the Second World War and struck up a friendship over their mutual love for all things design. After the war ended, Guillerme moved to Lille in northern France; Chambron left his job as a painter and decorator in Paris and joined him in 1948. In 1949, the pair met Émile Dariosecq, a skilled cabinetmaker who enthusiastically agreed to manufacture the duo’s designs, leading to the start of Votre Maison.

Guillerme and Chambron were as prolific as they were detailed, producing more than 2,000 pieces in the second half of the 20th century out of a former gun factory. Their furniture, which was mostly made with different tones of waxed oak, adhered to the trends of design that emerged after the war: mid-century modernism.

European furniture in the postwar period largely prioritized function as much as it did form and lacked any unnecessary ornamentation. Guillerme and Chambron wanted people to actually use their furniture, not just look at it. That design philosophy was a pillar of their company, its name translating to “your house” in French. Their signature touches included ornate tiles, hidden drawers and vibrant textiles on pieces such as desks, tables, shelving, lighting, benches and other seating. One of Votre Maison’s most famous and popular pieces was the Grand Repos armchair, a stately, high-backed wide piece with a skeletal oak frame, six spindles and plush cushions.

While Guillerme and Chambron were a team, they handled different aspects of the business: Guillerme designed much of the furniture and Chambron concentrated on decor. Votre Maison was a full-service design business. In 1983, the dynamic duo passed on their company to Chambron’s son, Hervé, a designer and graduate of École Boulle.

Find a collection of vintage Guillerme et Chambron furniture on 1stDibs.

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.