Vintage Shearling Stool
Vintage 1970s American Modern Stools
Pine, Upholstery
Vintage 1940s Swedish Art Deco Stools
Sheepskin, Birch
21st Century and Contemporary Canadian Modern Stools
Steel
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2010s South African Minimalist Night Stands
Wood
2010s American Industrial Fireplace Tools and Chimney Pots
Steel
2010s American Modern End Tables
Maple
2010s American Modern Stools
Wood, Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Minimalist Side Tables
Hardwood
Vintage 1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Stools
Metal
2010s Italian Sofas
Fabric
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Stools
Aluminum
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Side Tables
Steel
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Stools
Wood, Pine
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Benches
Cord, Rope, Wood
Vintage 1930s French Mid-Century Modern Club Chairs
Fruitwood
Vintage 1980s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
Steel
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Stools
Metal
Vintage 1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
Mohair, Beech
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Stools
Iron
Recent Sales
Antique 19th Century British Georgian Stools
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Stools
Brass
20th Century Stools
Animal Skin, Wood
Early 20th Century Danish Baroque Stools
Oak, Sheepskin, Wood, Lambskin
Early 20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Stools
Lambskin, Birch
20th Century Ottomans and Poufs
Sheepskin, Wood, Paint
Mid-20th Century Belgian Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Wood
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Chaise Longues
Lucite
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.
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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.