Louis Vuitton Chair Cover
Vintage 1930s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Dining Room Chairs
Steel
Late 20th Century Post-Modern Dining Room Sets
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary French Stools
Plastic, Acrylic
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21st Century and Contemporary Swedish Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Textile
Vintage 1940s French Modern Contemporary Art
Ceramic, Acrylic
Antique 19th Century French Louis XV Buffets
Metal, Iron
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Ceramics
Ceramic
Antique Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Candelabras
Bronze
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Ceramic
Vintage 1960s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Ceramics
Earthenware
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vases
Ceramic
Early 20th Century American Modern Contemporary Art
Canvas, Paint
Mid-20th Century European Mid-Century Modern Abstract Sculptures
Ceramic, Earthenware
Antique 19th Century Italian Baroque Figurative Sculptures
Carrara Marble
Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Paintings
Wood, Paint
2010s Still-life Paintings
Oil
Antique 19th Century Paintings
Antique 19th Century French Paintings
Paint
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Decorative Art
Ceramic
Recent Sales
Early 2000s Italian Modern Sofas
Cotton, Foam, Wood
20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
Metal
1990s Italian Post-Modern Lounge Chairs
Aluminum, Steel
Vintage 1970s French Side Chairs
Lucite, Fabric
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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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.