Toddler Bed
Antique 1870s Great Britain (UK) Aesthetic Movement Pottery
Pottery
Recent Sales
Antique 18th Century French Wardrobes and Armoires
Walnut
2010s American Modern Children's Furniture
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Emirian Modern Children's Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Beech
21st Century and Contemporary Emirian Modern Children's Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Emirian Modern Children's Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Emirian Modern Children's Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Beech
21st Century and Contemporary Emirian Modern Children's Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Emirian Modern Children's Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Emirian Modern Children's Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Beech
21st Century and Contemporary Emirian Modern Children's Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Beech
21st Century and Contemporary Emirian Modern Children's Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Beech
21st Century and Contemporary Emirian Modern Children's Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Beech
21st Century and Contemporary Emirian Modern Children's Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Beech
21st Century and Contemporary Emirian Modern Children's Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Emirian Modern Children's Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Beech
21st Century and Contemporary Emirian Modern Children's Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Beech
21st Century and Contemporary Emirian Modern Children's Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Beech
21st Century and Contemporary Emirian Modern Children's Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Beech
21st Century and Contemporary Emirian Modern Children's Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Plexiglass
21st Century and Contemporary Emirian Modern Children's Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Beech
21st Century and Contemporary Emirian Modern Children's Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Beech
21st Century and Contemporary Emirian Modern Children's Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Beech
21st Century and Contemporary Emirian Modern Children's Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Beech
21st Century and Contemporary Emirian Modern Children's Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Beech
21st Century and Contemporary Emirian Modern Children's Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Beech
21st Century and Contemporary Emirian Modern Children's Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Beech
21st Century and Contemporary Emirian Modern Children's Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Beech
21st Century and Contemporary Irish Mid-Century Modern Children's Furniture
Ash, Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Irish Modern Children's Furniture
Ash, Plywood
21st Century and Contemporary Irish Mid-Century Modern Children's Furniture
Ash
21st Century and Contemporary Irish Modern Children's Furniture
Ash, Plywood
20th Century American Louis XVI Children's Furniture
Wood, Cane, Paint
Antique Early 19th Century French Louis XVI Daybeds
Paint, Upholstery, Wood
People Also Browsed
Antique Late 19th Century English High Victorian Jewelry Boxes
Brass
20th Century English Early Victorian Sterling Silver
Crystal, Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century French Vases
Glass
Antique 1880s English Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
20th Century Italian Other Games
Leather, Fabric, Plastic, Paper
Antique 1760s English Georgian Jewelry Boxes
Enamel
Antique 1830s English Early Victorian Serving Pieces
Ceramic
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Decorative Art
Ceramic, Wood
Vintage 1980s Chinese Tableware
Porcelain
Vintage 1960s Italian Baroque Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century French Late Victorian Decorative Boxes
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary British Other Game Tables
Malachite, Brass
Vintage 1970s French Mid-Century Modern Settees
Fiberglass, Polyester, Lacquer
Antique Late 19th Century English High Victorian Picture Frames
Brass
Antique 1860s German Rococo Decorative Boxes
Bronze
Antique Early 1900s Portuguese Victorian Candelabras
Metal
Finding the Right Childrens-furniture for You
When you’re shopping for antique, new and vintage children’s furniture, you’ll want your choices to fit nicely within the decor scheme of the rest of your home. But you’ll also want to create an alluring and inspirational space for your children to feel relaxed and encouraged creatively. Indeed, a child’s room can be simultaneously stylish and playful — the ideal environment for children.
Understandably, beds were the first piece of furniture designed for young children. In Ancient Egypt, children’s beds were scaled-down versions of adult beds. They were intended to be a logical size for a child and low enough to the ground so that they could climb in by themselves.
Historians discovered early high chairs in Ancient Greece. In the 6th century B.C., a child’s training potty might have also been used as a high chair, while archaeologists on a dig discovered a terracotta high chair in a marketplace in Athens. By the Renaissance period, children’s bookshelves were popular with upper-class families who had disposable income and the desire to beautify all areas of the home. The original purpose was to organize school books, but shelves eventually became integral to children’s rooms of the era.
In the early 20th century, Italian physician Maria Montessori changed the way designers thought about children’s furniture. She wrote that it was important for children to have a safe environment of their own that they could easily navigate. Montessori believed that children’s furniture should be sized for them but that it should also be made of light, durable materials so that it’s easy for them to carry if needed.
Today’s widely known mid-century modern furniture designers took interest in the idea that young children should have well-crafted furniture of their own. You can find vintage mid-century modern children’s furniture created by the likes of Harry Bertoia, Charles and Ray Eames and Alvar Aalto. Contemporary industrial designer and architect Philippe Starck is also known for having introduced versions of his furniture that were geared toward children, especially his seating and storage solutions.
It’s never too early for good design. Decorating a child’s room offers the opportunity to combine elevated furnishings and a youthful spirit and can result in spaces that are at once elegant and whimsical. On 1stDibs, find design ideas for children’s rooms as well as a variety of new, antique and vintage children’s furniture today.