Weiman left an indelible mark on the history of American furniture manufacturing as a leader in mid-century modern design. Its high-quality work included fabric upholstered and on-trend sofas, chaise longues and lounge chairs. Weiman also created many beautiful solid wood pieces, like side tables and end tables full of charm and character.

Weiman came onto the American furniture scene in 1935 in Rockford, Illinois, a city known for its furniture manufacturing industry. Weiman expanded in 1941 with the construction of a large factory. According to Rockford Streamlined, it was “one of the very finest factories in all the world of furniture.” While it industrialized its manufacturing processes, Weiman continued to focus on heirloom quality pieces with excellent craftsmanship.

Over the years, Weiman developed a more modern style. The company’s upholstered furniture was often inspired by innovative developments in design. It acquired a reputation for bold and colorful pieces that customers could personalize to their tastes.

In 1979, Weiman became a subsidiary of leading furniture manufacturer Bassett Furniture Industries, Inc. to continued success over the subsequent decades. In 2003, Bassett Furniture Industries, Inc. announced that the Weiman division would acquire assets of upholstery manufacturer Preview Furniture, Inc., creating Weiman Preview. The new company offered a stronger lineup of contemporary furniture and worked with designers like Vladimir Kagan, M.F. Harty and Stanley Jay Friedman.

Contemporary decor company Interlude Home Inc. purchased Weiman Preview in 2006 to expand its accent furniture collection. The purchase transformed Interlude Home Inc. into a custom furniture brand now known for upscale designs.

On 1stDibs, find classic Weiman seating, tables, case pieces and more.

A Close Look at Regency Furniture

Like France’s Empire style, Regency-style furniture was rooted in neoclassicism; the characteristics of its bedroom furniture, armchairs, dining room tables and other items include clean lines, angular shapes and elegant details.

Dating roughly from the 1790s to 1830s, antique Regency-style furniture gets its name from Prince George of Wales — formally King George IV — who became Prince Regent in 1811 after his father, George III, was declared unfit to rule. England’s Regency style is one of the styles represented in Georgian furniture.

George IV’s arts patronage significantly influenced the development of the Regency style, such as the architectural projects under John Nash, which included the renovation of Buckingham House into the formidable Buckingham Palace with a grand neoclassical facade. Celebrated designers of the period include Thomas Sheraton, Henry Holland and Thomas Hope. Like Nash, Hope instilled his work with classical influences, such as saber-legged chairs based on the ancient Greek klismos. He is credited with introducing the term “interior decoration” to English with the 1807 publishing of Household Furniture and Interior Decoration.

Although more subdued than previous styles like Rococo and Baroque, Regency interiors incorporated copious use of chintz fabrics and wallpaper adorned in chinoiserie-style art. Its furniture featured fine materials and luxurious embellishments. Furniture maker George Bullock, for instance, regularly used detailed wood marquetry and metal ornaments on his pieces.

Archaeological discoveries in Egypt and Greece informed Regency-era details, such as carved scrollwork, sphinxes and palmettes, as well as the shape of furniture. A Roman marble cinerary chest, for example, would be reinterpreted into a wooden cabinet. The Napoleonic Wars also inspired furniture, with martial designs like tented beds and camp-style chairs becoming popular. While the reddish-brown mahogany was prominent in this range of pieces, imported woods like zebrawood and ebony were increasingly in demand.

Find a collection of antique Regency tables, seating, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.

Finding the Right Side-tables for You

While the range of styles and variety of materials have broadened over time, the priceless functionality of side tables has held true.

Antique and vintage side tables are an integral accent to our seating and provide additional, necessary storage in our homes. They can be a great foundation for that perfect focal piece of art that you want all your guests to see as you congregate for cocktails in the living room. Side tables are indeed ideal as a stage for your decorative objects or plants in your library or your study, and they are a practical space for the novel or stack of design magazines you keep close to your sofa.

Sure, owning a pair of side tables isn’t as imperative as having a coffee table in the common area, though most of us would struggle without them. Those made of metal, stone or wood are frequently featured in stylish interiors, and if you’re shopping for side tables, there are a couple of things to keep in mind.

With respect to the height of your side tables, a table that is as high as your lounge chair or the arm of your couch is best.

Some folks are understandably fussy about coherence in a living room area, but coherence doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t mix and match. Feel free to introduce minimalist mid-century modern wooden side tables designed by Paul McCobb alongside your contemporary metal coffee table. If you think it isn’t possible to pair a Hollywood Regency–style side table with a contemporary sofa, we’re here to tell you that it is. Even a leggy side table can balance a chunky sofa well. Try to keep a limited color palette in mind if you’re planning on mixing furniture styles and materials, and don’t be afraid to add a piece of abstract art to shake things up.

As far as the objects you’re planning to place on your side tables, if you have heavy items such as stone or sculptures to display, a fragile glass-top table would not be an ideal choice. Think about what material would best support your collectibles and go with that. If it’s a particularly small side table, along with a tall, sleek floor lamp, it can make for a great way to fill a corner of the room you wouldn’t otherwise easily be able to populate.

Whether you are looking for an antique 19th-century carved oak side table or a vintage rattan side table (because rattan never went away!), the collection on 1stDibs has you covered — find Art Deco side tables, bamboo side tables, travertine side tables and more today.