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.
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English Country Mahogany Ladderback Roundabout Corner Arm Chair Seat
Located in Dayton, OH
Mid to early 20th century English Country roundabout corner armchair. Made of mahogany featuring rounded form with ladderback supports over turned posts and supports, vinyl seat and ...
Upholstery, Mahogany
Mid-18th Century Mahogany Corner Chair
Located in Lincolnshire, GB
A large example of a mid 18th century mahogany corner chair with vase shaped back splat, good cpouor and patination.
$1,445
H 32 in W 28 in D 27 in
Antique English Carved Oak Corner Chair Renaissance Arm Throne Chair Upholstery
Located in Choudrant, LA
Direct from England, a gorgeous 19th century carved oak corner chair. Thick, hand carved foliate back rail, with turned and carved lyre shaped supports, ending in dimensional mask handholds. Fully carved straight legs to the sides, with a wide carved apron having carved foliate and lion masks. Front carved cabriole leg with large ball and claw foot. Removable slip seat cushion features a crest flanked by rampant lions on a floral background. Skillfully hand carved design, with a rich, dark patina, this 19th century English oak corner chair...
Oak
$1,050
H 30.5 in W 16.59 in D 16.5 in
Antique Corner Chair, Spindle Back, Cane Seat, England, Ca. 1880s
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Wonderful antique corner chair with spindle back and stretchers. Add your own cushion to the cane seat.
Cane
$1,685
H 31 in W 27.5 in D 26 in
Antique French Carved Oak Corner Arm Chair Renaissance Louis XIV style
Located in Choudrant, LA
Antique French carved oak corner arm chair Renaissance Louis XIV style ~Direct from France~ ~Beautiful carving throughout this versatile antique Fren...
Oak
George III Style Carved Mahogany and Upholstered Corner Chair
Located in Germantown, MD
A George III Style Mahogany Upholstered Corner Chair Measures: 19" in width, 19" in depth and 32.5" H. Front corner to back corner is 26". Seat height is 19".
Upholstery, Mahogany
English Oak Bobbin Corner Chair
Located in Faversham, GB
A superb oversized Victorian bobbin corner chair in oak with a freshly upholstered calico seat cushion. The double railed ladder back rest with si...
Calico, Oak
Victorian Carved Walnut Upholstered Seat Corner Chair
Located in Germantown, MD
Victorian Carved Walnut Upholstered Seat Corner Chair. Good antique condition. Measures 24.5" in width, 22" in depth, 29" in height. Seat height is 16" and the arm height is 26.25"....
Upholstery, Walnut
Secessionist Corner Chair in Mahogany, Vienna, C. 1910
Located in Valby, 84
Vienna Corner Chair in tub form in mahogany, the continuously curved and gently arched crest rail terminating in distinctive flared and rounded arm rests, supported by vertical spind...
Fabric, Mahogany
$1,600 / set
H 27.5 in W 16 in D 16 in
French 19th Century Pair of Country Provincial Solid Oak Corner Chairs
Located in Carmine, TX
A charming pair of French Country corner chairs crafted in solid oak, featuring beautifully turned barley twist legs and stretchers, carved ladder-back crests, and handwoven rush sea...
Rush, Oak
19th Century English Bobbin Corner Chair
Located in Nashville, TN
This 19th Century English bobbin leg corner chair with rush seat is a lovely example of proper situational seating! It's dark wood bobbin style back and legs allows for classic styli...
Rush, Wood
Antique Edwardian Bobbin Corner Chair, English 1900s
Located in Sakskøbing, DK
An antique English corner chair, dating to around 1900–1910. This chair is made from solid wood, likely beech, with a dark stained finish, turned bobbin legs and stretchers, and a sh...
Fabric, Beech
English Mahogany Corner Chair
Located in Woodbury, CT
English mahogany corner chair with wavy ladder back, overupholstered seat and unique brass and wood armature for music or book reading. Also nicely sized for marrying the 18th and 2...
Mahogany
British Bobbin Turned Corner Chairs, Pair
Located in Astoria, NY
Antique British bobbin turned corner chairs, pair, stained elm wood with rush seats, circa 1900, in the manner of William Morris (English, 1834-1896) and the "English Revival...
Rush, Elm