British Colonial Chaise Longues
Typically made of mahogany, teak or bamboo and featuring a range of fabrics and prints with botanical patterns, antique British Colonial furniture and decor varies as it involved local materials and techniques and spanned centuries of design styles.
As the British Empire expanded from the 16th to the 20th century, its conquest and control of colonies around the world bolstered its wealth through the extraction of resources. Including colonies in the Americas, Africa, Asia and Australasia, this spread of often violent subjugation imposed British culture, language and faith on Indigenous peoples. The design of homes was included in this expression of imperial power, with government officials, merchants and military officers creating homes mimicking the luxuries they were used to in England.
Local artisans were commissioned to replicate British designs, resulting in versions of Regency, Chippendale, Sheraton and other styles of furniture being crafted from mahogany, rosewood, ebony and teakwood as opposed to beech and oak, which were more common in Europe. Whereas the colonial furniture for the Portuguese and Dutch regularly had motifs of indigenous flora and fauna, the British tended to want more exact reproductions of their home country’s designs.
To escape the summer heat in places such as India and the Caribbean, British colonizers relocated to airy houses in the hills or plantations, leading to foldable chairs and collapsible desks in the style of military campaign furniture. Rather than upholstery as they might have in Europe, chairs and sofas in the British Colonial style had rattan and cane seating for these higher temperature climates. The contrast between the light textiles and the dark colors of the sturdy furniture became a defining aesthetic of British Colonial interiors.
Find a collection of antique British Colonial outdoor furniture, seating, bedroom furniture, decorative objects and other items on 1stDibs.
Mid-20th Century American British Colonial Chaise Longues
Cane, Wood
Early 20th Century Caribbean British Colonial Chaise Longues
Mahogany, Cane
20th Century Philippine British Colonial Chaise Longues
Bamboo, Rattan
1970s American Vintage British Colonial Chaise Longues
Upholstery, Rattan, Paint
Early 20th Century European British Colonial Chaise Longues
Cane, Teak
Mid-20th Century Philippine British Colonial Chaise Longues
Bamboo
Late 19th Century Indian Antique British Colonial Chaise Longues
Teak
1820s Jamaican Antique British Colonial Chaise Longues
Muslin, Mahogany
1890s Italian Antique British Colonial Chaise Longues
Fabric, Walnut
2010s Mexican British Colonial Chaise Longues
Steel
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique British Colonial Chaise Longues
Metal, Chrome
1960s Swedish Vintage British Colonial Chaise Longues
Leather, Bamboo
1970s Italian Vintage British Colonial Chaise Longues
Upholstery
19th Century Indian Antique British Colonial Chaise Longues
Wood, Cane
19th Century French Antique British Colonial Chaise Longues
Fabric, Wood
1980s Vintage British Colonial Chaise Longues
Cotton, Wood, Wicker
20th Century Italian British Colonial Chaise Longues
Leather
19th Century English Antique British Colonial Chaise Longues
Leather
1950s English Vintage British Colonial Chaise Longues
Bamboo
1860s English Antique British Colonial Chaise Longues
Walnut
Early 20th Century Indonesian British Colonial Chaise Longues
Cane, Mahogany
2010s American British Colonial Chaise Longues
Linen, Mahogany
Mid-20th Century British Colonial Chaise Longues
Canvas, Teak
20th Century English British Colonial Chaise Longues
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century British Colonial Chaise Longues
Canvas, Teak
20th Century Indian British Colonial Chaise Longues
Fabric, Cane, Teak
Mid-20th Century Indian British Colonial Chaise Longues
Wood
19th Century Sri Lankan Antique British Colonial Chaise Longues
19th Century Indian Antique British Colonial Chaise Longues
Late 19th Century East Asian Antique British Colonial Chaise Longues
Rattan, Mahogany
Late 19th Century Indian Antique British Colonial Chaise Longues
Teak
20th Century Asian British Colonial Chaise Longues
Cane, Teak