Retro Step Ladder Chair
Mid-20th Century Indian Retro Step Ladder Chair
Wood
1970s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Retro Step Ladder Chair
Oak
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Retro Step Ladder Chair
Leather, Oak
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2010s American Retro Step Ladder Chair
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Retro Step Ladder Chair
Velvet, Walnut
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Retro Step Ladder Chair
Metal
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Retro Step Ladder Chair
Leather, Walnut
2010s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Retro Step Ladder Chair
Hardwood
19th Century French Other Retro Step Ladder Chair
Brass
1970s European Mid-Century Modern Retro Step Ladder Chair
Metal
1970s European Retro Step Ladder Chair
Oak
20th Century Italian Retro Step Ladder Chair
Leather, Walnut
1940s French Brutalist Retro Step Ladder Chair
Straw, Rush, Oak
1970s Danish Scandinavian Modern Retro Step Ladder Chair
Beech
2010s Canadian Post-Modern Retro Step Ladder Chair
Rattan, Maple
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Retro Step Ladder Chair
Teak
1810s English George III Retro Step Ladder Chair
Leather, Elm
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Retro Step Ladder Chair
Steel, Chrome
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Retro Step Ladder Chair
Straw, Oak
Recent Sales
1980s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Retro Step Ladder Chair
Metal
Mid-20th Century Indonesian Dutch Colonial Retro Step Ladder Chair
Teak
Mid-20th Century French Louis XIII Retro Step Ladder Chair
Beech
Mid-20th Century Turkish Retro Step Ladder Chair
Wood
1980s Italian Post-Modern Retro Step Ladder Chair
Metal, Steel
1960s Argentine Hollywood Regency Retro Step Ladder Chair
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Retro Step Ladder Chair
Leather, Oak
Late 20th Century Regency Retro Step Ladder Chair
Mahogany
1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Retro Step Ladder Chair
Stainless Steel, Chrome
1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Retro Step Ladder Chair
Stainless Steel, Chrome
1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Retro Step Ladder Chair
Stainless Steel, Chrome
1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Retro Step Ladder Chair
Stainless Steel, Chrome
1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Retro Step Ladder Chair
Stainless Steel, Chrome
1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Retro Step Ladder Chair
Stainless Steel, Chrome
1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Retro Step Ladder Chair
Stainless Steel, Chrome
Mid-20th Century French Country Retro Step Ladder Chair
Cherry
Late 20th Century French Country Retro Step Ladder Chair
Cherry
Mid-20th Century French French Provincial Retro Step Ladder Chair
Walnut
Mid-20th Century French Louis Philippe Retro Step Ladder Chair
Beech, Leather
Mid-20th Century Indian Retro Step Ladder Chair
Wood
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Retro Step Ladder Chair
Papercord, Wood
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Retro Step Ladder Chair
Upholstery, Teak, Walnut
Late 20th Century Retro Step Ladder Chair
Teak
1960s Retro Step Ladder Chair
Oak
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
The 21 Most Popular Mid-Century Modern Chairs
You know the designs, now get the stories about how they came to be.
Fred Rigby’s Modular Seating Can Be Configured in So Many Handy Ways
The plush Cove Slipper 2.5 Seater sofa is just one of many convenient combinations from the London-based maker.
This Chubby-Chic Quilted Stool Stands on Its Own Two Feet
Sam Klemick's cool stool is edgy, cozy and environmentally sustainable all at once.
Riotous Shapes and Colors Have Made Uchronia’s Designs the Toast of Paris
Julien Sebban’s energetic design collective is radically reshaping the look of 21st-century European furniture and interiors.
Is Lionel Jadot the Willy Wonka of Upcycled Belgian Design?
From his massive collaborative workshop in a former paper factory, the designer concocts funky furniture from disused materials, as well as luxe hotel interiors like the new Mix Brussels.
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.