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.
Antique British Colonial Caned Chaise Lounge
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Dashing 19th century West Indies chaise lounge handcrafted in mahogany in elegant form with carved acanthus leaves, caned back and seat, rolled arm and classic turned legs. H: 33.75...
Cane, Mahogany
Vintage Tufted Leather Reclining Chaise Lounge
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Handsome British Colonial style chaise lounge with tufted leather upholstery featuring an adjustable reclining back, brass tacks and turned legs with brass casters. H: 35 W: 70 D: 2...
Brass
19th Century Anglo-Indian Teak Plantation Chair
Located in Sheffield, MA
Indoor or outdoor British Colonial, Anglo Indian teak plantation or planters chair with cane seat and back. Wonderful weathered wood patina.
Teak
Bamboo and Rattan Chair and Ottoman
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Vintage British colonial style chair and ottoman crafted with a bamboo frame and having herringbone woven rattan on the seat, arms and ottoman, ce...
Bamboo, Rattan
Pair of Antique Caned British Colonial Planters Chairs
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Intriguing pair of early 20th century British Colonial plantation chairs handcrafted in indigenous mahogany with elegant form featuri...
Cane, Mahogany
19th Century Colonial Mahogany Plantation Lounge Cane Chair
Located in Astoria, NY
An exquisite mid-19th-century traditional Anglo-Indian Colonial plantation chair, sourced from Provence, France. Beautifully hand-crafted from solid mahogany wood with a carved crown...
Cane, Mahogany
Late 19th C. English Mahogany Chaise with Heavy Woven Guatemalan Fabric
Located in North Miami, FL
An early 19th century antique sculptural mahogany chaise lounge with turned wood stretchers and elegantly curved backrest. The heavy woven fabric is new and provides an additional p...
Fabric, Mahogany
Jamaican Cuban Mahogany Upholstered Sofa with Acanthus & Lion Paw Feet. C. 1820
Located in Charleston, SC
Jamaican Cuban mahogany sofa with flanking scrolled arms, reeded skirt, centered rosette, and terminating on acanthus carved lions paw feet. Sofa has be...
Muslin, Mahogany
British Colonial Style Bamboo Recliner Chair with Ottoman
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Mid century recliner chair crafted in bamboo and bent bamboo with caned seating featuring a pull out ottoman and Morris style reclini...
Bamboo
Teak and Cane Colonial Chaise Lounge
Located in Highland, IN
This striking chaise is long, lean and luxurious. A teak frame with lovely carved details and a woven cane support offers a platform for lounging, reading and relaxing. Made more comfortable by a beautiful woven quilted pad and pillow. This exceptional piece strikes a balance between antique and...
Cane, Teak
British Colonial Handwoven Cane Turned Wood Spindle Frame Chaise Lounge Daybed
Located in Miami, FL
1950 refinished British Colonial handwoven Cane Chaise Lounge, Daybed or Sofa with turned Wood Frame and support Stretchers in brown Finish. Bohemian Chic Style with a graceful form ...
Cane, Wood
French Louis XV Style Tufted Chaise Lounge
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Elegant and inviting, this French Louis XV style chaise lounge offers a refined balance of comfort and classic design. The gracefully contoured frame features a gently arched backres...
Linen, Wood, Paint
Vintage Bamboo & Rattan Chaise Lounge
Located in Dallas, TX
Vintage bamboo and rattan chaise lounge/divan. Good, sturdy condition with some wear due to normal age and use. No cushions included.
Bamboo, Rattan
Late 19th-C. English Anglo-Indian Style Carved Oak & Cane Chaise
Located in Kennesaw, GA
This is a late 19th century carved oak and cane English Anglo-Indian style chaise. The carved arched stretchers are intact and solid as is the cane. It is unmarked and in very good c...
Cane, Oak
Frank Gehry Easy Edges Chairs and Ottoman
By Frank Gehry
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Frank Gehry pair of easy Edges chair and ottoman. Easy Edges, Inc. Canada/USA, 1972. Laminated cardboard, masonite. Chair: 29¼ H × 23¼ W × 39 D in, ottoman: 14¾ H × 17¾ W × 30 D in (...
Masonite, Paper
Louis xvi chaise lounge
Located in Augusta, GA
Louis xvi style chaise longe upholstered in leather with a painted finish carved and tapered legs
Wood
Pair of British Colonial Style Carved Caned Plantation Chairs
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Amazing pair of hand-carved plantation chairs crafted in the British colonial taste. The chairs feature large frames decorated with reeded, scrolled seats having delicate acanthus de...
Cane, Rattan, Wood
19th century William IV carved mahogany chaise longue
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
19th century William IV carved mahogany chaise longue circa 1835. Fine quality late William IV chaise longue, one of the most elegant you will find of it's type. Profusely hand car...
Fabric, Mahogany
Dutch Pair of Bamboo & Rattan Lounge Chairs
Located in Atlanta, GA
A pair of Dutch bamboo reed and rattan occasional chairs. These vintage chairs from the Netherlands have been created with soft, curvy lines out of bent and molded bamboo reeds and r...
Bamboo, Rattan
$5,895
H 32 in W 31 in D 55 in
Adrian Pearsall Diamond Button-Tufted Chaise Lounge for Craft Associates
By Adrian Pearsall, Craft Associates
Located in Los Angeles, CA
________________________________________ Transforming a piece of Mid-Century Modern furniture is like bringing history back to life, and we take this journey with passion and precisi...
Fabric, Foam, Wood, Walnut
$3,900Sale Price|37% Off
H 37.75 in W 79 in D 27.5 in
Early 19th Century French Empire Chaise Lounge Daybed
Located in San Francisco, CA
An elegant Empire Period black lacquered walnut chaise or daybed with brass ormolu decoration. Has its original horsehair mattress. Frame is sturdy ...
Wool, Upholstery, Walnut
Yuzuro Yamakawa Lounge Chair and Ottoman in Rattan and Bamboo
Located in Dallas, TX
Lounge chair and ottoman designed by Yuzuro Yamakawa. Made of bamboo and rattan. Ergonomic design, great sculptural design. Ottoman is 18.9"H x 22.4"W x 20.8"D, Chair is 38.2"H x 33....
Bamboo, Rattan
19th Century Anglo-Indian Slipper Chair
Located in Houston, TX
A 19th-century Anglo-Indian slipper chair with an original embroidered upholstered seat.
Upholstery, Wood
Vintage Ralph Lauren Home Tufted Leather Chaise
By Ralph Lauren
Located in North Canton, OH
Extraordinary Vintage Find. This spectacular example came to us having been well loved by a 4 legged family member. After years of daily enjoyment and much to our disappointment, the...
Leather
Antique British Colonial Caned Plantation Chair and Ottoman
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Antique British colonial plantation chair and ottoman hand crafted in mahogany with a pegged construction featuring double caned back, cane...
Cane, Mahogany
Pair Plantation Campeche Style Lounge Chairs with Matching ottomans
By Drexel
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This is a very beautiful complete set of 4 pieces including two armchairs and two ottomans in an off-white wide large patter linen upholstery. The upholstery is like linen but larger...
Linen, Mahogany
Sold
H 38 in W 24 in D 38 in
Pair of Canvas Sling-Back Campaign Folding, Adjustable Teak Chairs w/ Leg Rests
Located in Nantucket, MA
A pair of his and hers Campaign teak folding chairs with canvas sling seats. The back also adjusts forward and back and the arm rests pull forward creat...
Canvas, Teak
British Colonial Caned Chaise Lounge or Recamier
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Antique British colonial chaise lounge crafted in mahogany with an elegant art nouveau influenced form, caned back, seat and side, on turned and fluted tapered legs.
Mahogany
Two Teak Folding Canvas Adjustable Chairs, British Colonial
Located in Nantucket, MA
Not exactly a pair, more like cousins or his and hers--British Colonial folding teak wood canvas chairs from the 1940s. Both have height adjustments and the larger one has slide-out ...
Canvas, Teak
British Colonial Caned Teak Plantation Lounger with Ottoman
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Fantastic caned teak plantation lounger or longue with built-in sliding ottoman. Rare British Colonial style deck chair or Campeche chair featuring ...
Fabric, Cane, Teak
Mid-20th Century British Colonial Wood Chaise Lounge Chair
Located in Atlanta, GA
A British Colonial chaise lounge from the early to mid-20th century. This sleek Anglo-Indian lounging style daybed from India features a sturdy wooden constructed slat bed, with grac...
Wood
Pair of British Colonial Leather Plantation Chairs
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Pair of antique British Colonial mahogany plantation chairs upholstered in hand tooled black leather. The classic frames have a carved leaf o...
Sold
H 33.86 in W 51.19 in D 32.68 in
Antique Colonial Plantation Chair with Rattan Seat, Late 19th Century
Located in Uppsala, SE
Antique late 19th century colonial plantation chair with foldable leg rests, rattan seat of later date. Frame of exotic wood with lathed front legs.
Rattan, Mahogany
Anglo Indian Teak Plantation Chair
Located in Sheffield, MA
Indoor or outdoor British Colonial teak plantation or planters chair with plank seat and back. Wonderful weathered wood patina.
Teak
British Colonial Teak Chaise Lounge or Longue
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Stunning British Colonial chaise longue or longue constructed from radiant grained teak. Beautifully made with a wave like curved frame and long graceful arms. Supported by six legs ...
Cane, Teak