Arts and Crafts Chairs
Emerging in reaction to industrialization and mass production, the Arts and Crafts movement celebrated handcrafted design as a part of daily life. The history of Arts and Crafts furniture has roots in 1860s England with an emphasis on natural motifs and simple flourishes like mosaics and carvings. This work is characterized by plain construction that showcases the hand of the artisan.
The earliest American Arts and Crafts furniture dates back to the start of the 20th century. Designers working in this style in the United States initially looked to ideas put forth by The Craftsman, a magazine published by Wisconsin native Gustav Stickley, a furniture maker and founder of the Craftsman style. Stickley’s furniture was practical and largely free of ornament. His Craftsman style drew on French Art Nouveau as well as the work he encountered on his travels in England. There, the leading designers of the Arts and Crafts movement included William Morris, who revived historical techniques such as embroidery and printed fabrics in his furnishings, and Charles Voysey, whose minimal approach was in contrast to the ornamentation favored in the Victorian era.
American Arts and Crafts work would come to involve a range of influences unified by an elevation of traditional craftsmanship. The furniture was often built from sturdy woods like oak and mahogany while featuring details such as inlaid metal, tooled leather and ceramic tiles. The style in the United States was led by Stickley, whose clean-lined chairs and benches showcased the grain of the wood, and furniture maker Charles Rohlfs, who was informed by international influences like East Asian and French Art Nouveau design.
Hubs in America included several utopian communities such as Rose Valley in Pennsylvania and the Byrdcliffe Arts and Crafts Colony in New York, where craftspeople made furniture that prioritized function over any decoration. Their work would influence designers and architects including Frank Lloyd Wright, who built some of the most elegant and iconic structures in the United States and likewise embraced a thoughtful use of materials in his furniture.
Find antique Arts and Crafts chairs, tables, cabinets and other authentic period furniture on 1stDibs.
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Arts and Crafts Chairs
Brass
2010s Emirian Arts and Crafts Chairs
Sandstone, Metal
2010s Emirian Arts and Crafts Chairs
Metal
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Chairs
Velvet, Oak
Early 20th Century British Arts and Crafts Chairs
Cane, Wood
2010s Mexican Arts and Crafts Chairs
Papercord, Wood, Oak
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Chairs
Rush, Oak
1880s English Antique Arts and Crafts Chairs
Oak
1890s English Antique Arts and Crafts Chairs
Wood
Early 20th Century British Arts and Crafts Chairs
Upholstery, Velvet, Oak
Early 1900s Antique Arts and Crafts Chairs
Elm
2010s Mexican Arts and Crafts Chairs
Nylon, Papercord, Hardwood
1930s Italian Vintage Arts and Crafts Chairs
Fabric, Cherry, Bentwood
1910s British Vintage Arts and Crafts Chairs
Oak
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Chairs
Mahogany
19th Century English Antique Arts and Crafts Chairs
Elm
Late 19th Century Scottish Antique Arts and Crafts Chairs
Straw, Walnut
Early 1900s English Antique Arts and Crafts Chairs
Oak
1950s American Vintage Arts and Crafts Chairs
Maple
Mid-19th Century Danish Antique Arts and Crafts Chairs
Bouclé, Oak
1940s French Vintage Arts and Crafts Chairs
Oak
Mid-20th Century American Arts and Crafts Chairs
Maple
1940s French Vintage Arts and Crafts Chairs
Oak
1970s Italian Vintage Arts and Crafts Chairs
Beech, Paint
19th Century English Antique Arts and Crafts Chairs
Raffia, Beech
19th Century English Antique Arts and Crafts Chairs
Rush, Beech
1860s English Antique Arts and Crafts Chairs
Wood
Mid-20th Century French Arts and Crafts Chairs
Wood, Fabric
1920s Andorran Vintage Arts and Crafts Chairs
Walnut
Late 19th Century English Antique Arts and Crafts Chairs
Rush, Ash, Beech
1870s European Antique Arts and Crafts Chairs
Walnut
Early 20th Century Danish Arts and Crafts Chairs
Oak
Late 19th Century Antique Arts and Crafts Chairs
Hardwood, Bentwood
1920s Spanish Vintage Arts and Crafts Chairs
Wood
Early 20th Century European Arts and Crafts Chairs
Oak
2010s Turkish Arts and Crafts Chairs
Iron
1940s French Vintage Arts and Crafts Chairs
Oak
2010s Turkish Arts and Crafts Chairs
Iron
2010s Turkish Arts and Crafts Chairs
Stainless Steel
1880s British Antique Arts and Crafts Chairs
Cane, Beech
1910s Japanese Vintage Arts and Crafts Chairs
Wood
Early 1900s American Antique Arts and Crafts Chairs
Mahogany
20th Century American Arts and Crafts Chairs
Wood, Straw
1910s Spanish Vintage Arts and Crafts Chairs
Wood
20th Century Swedish Arts and Crafts Chairs
Wood
19th Century English Antique Arts and Crafts Chairs
Hardwood
Late 20th Century Mexican Arts and Crafts Chairs
Iron
Early 20th Century Arts and Crafts Chairs
Oak
Early 1900s Scottish Antique Arts and Crafts Chairs
Oak
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Chairs
Upholstery, Oak
Early 20th Century Dutch Arts and Crafts Chairs
Upholstery, Oak
Late 20th Century Arts and Crafts Chairs
Wrought Iron
2010s Turkish Arts and Crafts Chairs
Wood, Fabric
2010s Turkish Arts and Crafts Chairs
Fabric, Wood
2010s Turkish Arts and Crafts Chairs
Fabric, Wood
2010s Turkish Arts and Crafts Chairs
Fabric, Wood
2010s Turkish Arts and Crafts Chairs
Fabric, Wood
2010s Turkish Arts and Crafts Chairs
Fabric, Wood