Pair British Colonial Chairs
Antique 19th Century Indian British Colonial Chairs
Wood, Cane
Early 20th Century Caribbean British Colonial Chairs
Cane, Mahogany
Mid-20th Century English British Colonial Lounge Chairs
Cane, Hardwood
Late 20th Century American British Colonial Dining Room Chairs
Upholstery, Cherry
20th Century British Colonial Lounge Chairs
Cane, Rattan, Wood
Mid-20th Century British Colonial Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Cane, Wood
Vintage 1950s English Chairs
Bamboo
Vintage 1950s English Chairs
Bamboo
20th Century American British Colonial Wingback Chairs
Wicker
20th Century Unknown Club Chairs
Teak
Late 20th Century Unknown Other Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Hardwood
Early 20th Century Unknown British Colonial Chairs
Bamboo, Cane, Lacquer
20th Century English British Colonial Lounge Chairs
Canvas, Mahogany
Antique Late 19th Century Sri Lankan British Colonial Lounge Chairs
Cane, Satinwood
Early 2000s British Colonial Wingback Chairs
Leather, Hardwood
Mid-20th Century American British Colonial Side Chairs
Rattan
Antique 19th Century English British Colonial Bergere Chairs
Wood
Mid-20th Century British British Colonial Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Upholstery
Early 20th Century French British Colonial Armchairs
Rattan, Reed
Mid-20th Century Thai British Colonial Armchairs
Rosewood
Recent Sales
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Anglo Raj Lounge Chairs
Iron
Vintage 1950s European British Colonial Chairs
Velvet, Oak
20th Century British Colonial Side Chairs
Cane
Antique 19th Century British British Colonial Lounge Chairs
Sheepskin, Cane, Teak
Vintage 1980s American British Colonial Chairs
Wicker
Antique 19th Century Indian British Colonial Chairs
Cane, Teak
Late 20th Century American British Colonial Chairs
Brass
20th Century Indian British Colonial Lounge Chairs
Cane, Teak
Antique 19th Century Caribbean Chairs
Late 20th Century American British Colonial Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Bamboo, Rattan
20th Century Japanese British Colonial Club Chairs
Wicker
20th Century American British Colonial Club Chairs
Bamboo, Wicker
Vintage 1980s Indonesian British Colonial Club Chairs
Cane, Teak
Mid-20th Century Caribbean British Colonial Club Chairs
Cane, Mahogany
Antique 19th Century British Indian Ocean Territory Anglo-Indian Lounge ...
Late 20th Century American British Colonial Club Chairs
Brass
Late 20th Century Philippine British Colonial Wingback Chairs
Cane, Reed
Antique 19th Century English Regency Chairs
Antique Late 19th Century English British Colonial Lounge Chairs
Brass
Early 20th Century Unknown Art Deco Club Chairs
Teak
Late 20th Century American British Colonial Wingback Chairs
Bamboo, Wicker, Reed
Early 20th Century British Colonial Corner Chairs
Rush, Elm
20th Century British Colonial Lounge Chairs
Rosewood
20th Century British Colonial Wingback Chairs
Upholstery
Antique 19th Century English British Colonial Armchairs
Oak
Mid-20th Century Indian British Colonial Armchairs
Fabric, Teak
20th Century American British Colonial Chairs
Early 20th Century English British Colonial Chairs
Brass
Antique Late 19th Century British Colonial Chairs
Cane, Walnut
20th Century American British Colonial Lounge Chairs
Reed, Mahogany
Early 20th Century Indian Armchairs
Antique Early 19th Century English British Colonial Chairs
Leather, Wood
Vintage 1980s American British Colonial Wingback Chairs
Upholstery, Mahogany
Vintage 1960s Danish British Colonial Lounge Chairs
Leather, Wicker, Rattan
Late 20th Century American British Colonial Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
Early 2000s Unknown British Colonial Lounge Chairs
Leather, Mahogany
Mid-20th Century Indian British Colonial Lounge Chairs
Cane, Mahogany
Mid-20th Century British Colonial Lounge Chairs
Canvas, Teak
Early 20th Century North American Chaise Longues
20th Century American British Colonial Wingback Chairs
Leather
20th Century Philippine British Colonial Wingback Chairs
Wicker
20th Century Indian British Colonial Armchairs
Cane, Teak
Early 20th Century Armchairs
Cane, Walnut
Early 20th Century American British Colonial Armchairs
Early 20th Century British British Colonial Armchairs
Leather
Early 20th Century Caribbean British Colonial Armchairs
Cane, Mahogany
20th Century Philippine British Colonial Armchairs
Bamboo
20th Century Indonesian British Colonial Armchairs
Faux Bamboo
Early 20th Century Sri Lankan British Colonial Armchairs
Cane, Teak
2010s American British Colonial Chaise Longues
Linen, Mahogany
Early 20th Century Burmese British Colonial Armchairs
Rattan, Teak
Antique 19th Century Indian British Colonial Chairs
20th Century English British Colonial Chairs
Cane, Mahogany
Early 20th Century English British Colonial Chairs
20th Century English British Colonial Club Chairs
Wood
20th Century Indian British Colonial Lounge Chairs
Teak
Early 20th Century Indian British Colonial Chairs
Mahogany
Antique Late 19th Century British Colonial Side Chairs
Bamboo
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Vintage 1930s Czech Art Deco Lounge Chairs
Beech, Sheepskin
21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Wood, Fabric, Linen, Fiberglass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Deco Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass
2010s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Side Chairs
Rattan, Walnut
Vintage 1950s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Wood
Antique Mid-19th Century British Corner Chairs
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps
Textile, Wood, Linen, Fiberglass
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Modern End Tables
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary French Brutalist Night Stands
Oak
Antique 1860s Victorian Sofas
Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary English Regency Sofas
Mohair, Hardwood
Antique 19th Century English Chinese Chippendale Vitrines
Glass, Mahogany
Vintage 1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Rosewood, Fabric
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Armchairs
Upholstery
Vintage 1920s French Renaissance Revival Dining Room Tables
Oak
Antique 19th Century French Louis XV Canapes
Velvet, Cane, Wood
Pair British Colonial Chairs For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Pair British Colonial Chairs?
A Close Look at British-colonial Furniture
Typically made of mahogany, teak or bamboo and featuring a range of fabrics and prints with botanical patterns, antique British Colonial furniture and decor varies as it involved local materials and techniques and spanned centuries of design styles.
As the British Empire expanded from the 16th to the 20th century, its conquest and control of colonies around the world bolstered its wealth through the extraction of resources. Including colonies in the Americas, Africa, Asia and Australasia, this spread of often violent subjugation imposed British culture, language and faith on Indigenous peoples. The design of homes was included in this expression of imperial power, with government officials, merchants and military officers creating homes mimicking the luxuries they were used to in England.
Local artisans were commissioned to replicate British designs, resulting in versions of Regency, Chippendale, Sheraton and other styles of furniture being crafted from mahogany, rosewood, ebony and teakwood as opposed to beech and oak, which were more common in Europe. Whereas the colonial furniture for the Portuguese and Dutch regularly had motifs of indigenous flora and fauna, the British tended to want more exact reproductions of their home country’s designs.
To escape the summer heat in places such as India and the Caribbean, British colonizers relocated to airy houses in the hills or plantations, leading to foldable chairs and collapsible desks in the style of military campaign furniture. Rather than upholstery as they might have in Europe, chairs and sofas in the British Colonial style had rattan and cane seating for these higher temperature climates. The contrast between the light textiles and the dark colors of the sturdy furniture became a defining aesthetic of British Colonial interiors.
Find a collection of antique British Colonial outdoor furniture, seating, bedroom furniture, decorative objects and other items on 1stDibs.
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.