Sherpa Armchair
1990s French Post-Modern Armchairs
Bouclé
Vintage 1970s European Armchairs
Wood, Elm
20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Fabric, Foam, Teak
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21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass
2010s American Industrial Fireplace Tools and Chimney Pots
Steel
2010s South African Minimalist Night Stands
Burl, Poplar
2010s South African Minimalist Pedestals
Hardwood
21st Century and Contemporary Swedish Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Textile
21st Century and Contemporary American Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Wood, Fabric, Linen
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights an...
Brass
2010s American Modern Stools
Sheepskin, Wood, Oak
21st Century and Contemporary French Brutalist Night Stands
Oak
2010s Italian Side Tables
Onyx
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount
Brass
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Daybeds
Elm
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
Fabric, Teak
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
Fabric, Wood
2010s British Scandinavian Modern Tables
Mohair, Oak
Recent Sales
Vintage 1940s North American Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
Wood, Beech
Late 20th Century Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Upholstery, Wood
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Hardwood
Vintage 1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Hardwood
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Brass
Mid-20th Century French Armchairs
Metal
Mid-20th Century Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
Bouclé
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Bouclé
Antique 19th Century French Armchairs
Upholstery, Wood
20th Century French Bauhaus Armchairs
Wood, Bouclé
Vintage 1980s American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Faux Fur, Oak
Vintage 1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Side Chairs
Wool, Hardwood
Vintage 1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
Wool, Hardwood
Late 20th Century Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
Early 20th Century French Wingback Chairs
Fabric, Wood
20th Century European Art Deco Living Room Sets
Fabric, Textile, Wood, Cherry
Mid-20th Century Italian Chairs
Brass
20th Century French Armchairs
Wood
Vintage 1960s French Modern Armchairs
Wood, Oak
Finding the Right armchairs for You
Armchairs have run the gamut from prestige to ease and everything in between, and everyone has an antique or vintage armchair that they love.
Long before industrial mass production democratized seating, armchairs conveyed status and power.
In ancient Egypt, the commoners took stools, while in early Greece, ceremonial chairs of carved marble were designated for nobility. But the high-backed early thrones of yore, elevated and ornate, were merely grandiose iterations of today’s armchairs.
Modern-day armchairs, built with functionality and comfort in mind, are now central to tasks throughout your home. Formal dining armchairs support your guests at a table for a cheery feast, a good drafting chair with a deep seat is parked in front of an easel where you create art and, elsewhere, an ergonomic wonder of sorts positions you at the desk for your 9 to 5.
When placed under just the right lamp where you can lounge comfortably, both elbows resting on the padded supports on each side of you, an upholstered armchair — or a rattan armchair for your light-suffused sunroom — can be the sanctuary where you’ll read for hours.
If you’re in the mood for company, your velvet chesterfield armchair is a place to relax and be part of the conversation that swirls around you. Maybe the dialogue is about the beloved Papa Bear chair, a mid-century modern masterpiece from Danish carpenter and furniture maker Hans Wegner, and the wingback’s strong association with the concept of cozying up by the fireplace, which we can trace back to its origins in 1600s-era England, when the seat’s distinctive arm protrusions protected the sitter from the heat of the period’s large fireplaces.
If the fireside armchair chat involves spirited comparisons, your companions will likely probe the merits of antique and vintage armchairs such as Queen Anne armchairs, Victorian armchairs or even Louis XVI armchairs, as well as the pros and cons of restoration versus conservation.
Everyone seems to have a favorite armchair and most people will be all too willing to talk about their beloved design. Whether that’s the unique Favela chair by Brazilian sibling furniture designers Fernando and Humberto Campana, who repurposed everyday objects to provocative effect; or Marcel Breuer’s futuristic tubular metal Wassily lounge chair; the functionality-first LC series from Charlotte Perriand, Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret; or the Eames lounge chair of the mid-1950s created by Charles and Ray Eames, there is an iconic armchair for everyone and every purpose. Find yours on 1stDibs right now.
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