Leather Buttoned And Brass Footstool
Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Footstools
Leather
Antique 1860s British British Colonial Footstools
Mahogany
Antique Early 19th Century English Footstools
Brass
Antique 1880s English High Victorian Living Room Sets
Leather
Mid-20th Century Egyptian Folk Art Ottomans and Poufs
Cowhide, Wood
Antique Early 19th Century Armchairs
Mahogany
Antique 19th Century Regency Armchairs
Mahogany
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Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Side Tables
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Antique Early 1900s English Late Victorian Club Chairs
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Early 20th Century Austrian Art Deco Coffee and Cocktail Tables
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21st Century and Contemporary Architectural Elements
Ceramic
20th Century English Chesterfield Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather, Oak
Antique 1860s English High Victorian Ottomans and Poufs
Leather, Mahogany
Antique 1870s English Victorian Bookcases
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20th Century English Regency Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
Antique 1860s English High Victorian Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather, Oak
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XV Living Room Sets
Fabric, Walnut
Antique 1810s English Regency Armchairs
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20th Century Chinese Art Deco End Tables
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Antique 19th Century English Victorian Platters and Serveware
Silver
20th Century American George III Wingback Chairs
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Antique 19th Century French Louis XVI Living Room Sets
Tapestry, Fabric, Hardwood, Giltwood
Mid-20th Century English Victorian Sofas
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Antique 19th Century English Regency Footstools
Yew
Antique Early 1800s English George III Footstools
Mahogany
Antique Early 19th Century English William IV Stools
Leather, Oak
Early 20th Century Indian Anglo-Indian Footstools
Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary European Chesterfield Ottomans and Poufs
Leather, Wood
Late 20th Century Chesterfield Ottomans and Poufs
Leather, Wood
Antique 1890s British Late Victorian Armchairs
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Antique 19th Century English Footstools
Mahogany
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.
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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.