Children's Furniture
Early 20th Century French Children's Furniture
Mahogany
1840s English Antique Children's Furniture
Wood
19th Century English George III Antique Children's Furniture
Oak
1960s German Vintage Children's Furniture
Maple, Mahogany
19th Century Unknown Antique Children's Furniture
Walnut
1940s Belgian Vintage Children's Furniture
Metal
19th Century Scandinavian Folk Art Antique Children's Furniture
Pine
19th Century Antique Children's Furniture
Leather, Wood
20th Century American Children's Furniture
Wood
19th Century French Antique Children's Furniture
Mahogany
1930s American Vintage Children's Furniture
Wood
19th Century French Louis Philippe Antique Children's Furniture
Wood, Upholstery
1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Children's Furniture
Beech
1970s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Children's Furniture
Metal, Chrome
Early 20th Century French Children's Furniture
Cane, Wood
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Children's Furniture
Metal
1880s British Victorian Antique Children's Furniture
Wood
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Children's Furniture
Chrome
1910s Vintage Children's Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique Children's Furniture
Upholstery, Cane, Walnut
Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Children's Furniture
Beech
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Children's Furniture
Wrought Iron
1950s American Folk Art Vintage Children's Furniture
Plywood
Late 20th Century American Children's Furniture
Paper
Antique, New and Vintage Children's Furniture
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.