Regency Ottomans and Poufs
Like France’s Empire style, Regency-style furniture was rooted in neoclassicism; the characteristics of its bedroom furniture, armchairs, dining room tables and other items include clean lines, angular shapes and elegant details.
Dating roughly from the 1790s to 1830s, antique Regency-style furniture gets its name from Prince George of Wales — formally King George IV — who became Prince Regent in 1811 after his father, George III, was declared unfit to rule. England’s Regency style is one of the styles represented in Georgian furniture.
George IV’s arts patronage significantly influenced the development of the Regency style, such as the architectural projects under John Nash, which included the renovation of Buckingham House into the formidable Buckingham Palace with a grand neoclassical facade. Celebrated designers of the period include Thomas Sheraton, Henry Holland and Thomas Hope. Like Nash, Hope instilled his work with classical influences, such as saber-legged chairs based on the ancient Greek klismos. He is credited with introducing the term “interior decoration” to English with the 1807 publishing of Household Furniture and Interior Decoration.
Although more subdued than previous styles like Rococo and Baroque, Regency interiors incorporated copious use of chintz fabrics and wallpaper adorned in chinoiserie-style art. Its furniture featured fine materials and luxurious embellishments. Furniture maker George Bullock, for instance, regularly used detailed wood marquetry and metal ornaments on his pieces.
Archaeological discoveries in Egypt and Greece informed Regency-era details, such as carved scrollwork, sphinxes and palmettes, as well as the shape of furniture. A Roman marble cinerary chest, for example, would be reinterpreted into a wooden cabinet. The Napoleonic Wars also inspired furniture, with martial designs like tented beds and camp-style chairs becoming popular. While the reddish-brown mahogany was prominent in this range of pieces, imported woods like zebrawood and ebony were increasingly in demand.
Find a collection of antique Regency tables, seating, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Late 20th Century American Regency Ottomans and Poufs
Upholstery, Wood
1990s English Regency Ottomans and Poufs
Leather, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Regency Ottomans and Poufs
Leather
Late 20th Century American Regency Ottomans and Poufs
Upholstery
2010s American Regency Ottomans and Poufs
Velvet
2010s American Regency Ottomans and Poufs
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary North American Regency Ottomans and Poufs
Upholstery, Wood
Mid-20th Century Regency Ottomans and Poufs
Upholstery, Wood
Early 2000s American Regency Ottomans and Poufs
Mohair, Walnut
2010s American Regency Ottomans and Poufs
Fabric
20th Century European Regency Ottomans and Poufs
Fabric, Wood
1990s Italian Regency Ottomans and Poufs
Silver
1980s Unknown Vintage Regency Ottomans and Poufs
Leather
20th Century English Regency Ottomans and Poufs
Fabric, Wood
Late 20th Century North American Regency Ottomans and Poufs
Fabric
Late 20th Century North American Regency Ottomans and Poufs
Upholstery
Late 20th Century North American Regency Ottomans and Poufs
Fabric
1970s French Vintage Regency Ottomans and Poufs
Upholstery, Wood
1970s Italian Vintage Regency Ottomans and Poufs
Upholstery, Poplar
1980s Vietnamese Vintage Regency Ottomans and Poufs
Leather, Wood
1980s American Vintage Regency Ottomans and Poufs
Velvet
Late 20th Century Canadian Regency Ottomans and Poufs
Wood
1970s European Vintage Regency Ottomans and Poufs
Velvet, Foam, Wood, Mahogany
1970s European Vintage Regency Ottomans and Poufs
Iron, Wrought Iron