Settees
Late 19th Century French Antique Settees
Gold Leaf
Late 19th Century French Rustic Antique Settees
Silk, Rush, Oak, Down
1870s North American Empire Antique Settees
Upholstery, Wood, Mahogany, Satinwood
1880s Italian Renaissance Revival Antique Settees
Walnut
1870s French Napoleon III Antique Settees
Brocade, Beech
1880s Italian Antique Settees
Iron
Late 19th Century Victorian Antique Settees
Velvet, Mahogany
Late 19th Century Spanish Neoclassical Antique Settees
Wrought Iron
1870s French Napoleon III Antique Settees
Brocade, Beech
Late 19th Century Swedish Biedermeier Antique Settees
Birch
Late 19th Century British Chesterfield Antique Settees
Leather
1920s Louis XVI Vintage Settees
Upholstery, Wood
Late 19th Century British Jacobean Antique Settees
Cane, Oak
Late 19th Century British Chesterfield Antique Settees
Leather
Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Settees
Fabric
Late 19th Century Swedish Biedermeier Antique Settees
Birch
Late 19th Century British Antique Settees
Walnut
1870s French Napoleon III Antique Settees
Brocade, Beech
1920s European Art Deco Vintage Settees
Walnut
1880s French Victorian Antique Settees
Fabric, Mahogany
1880s British Victorian Antique Settees
Brass
Late 19th Century Italian Baroque Antique Settees
Walnut, Leather
1920s American Arts and Crafts Vintage Settees
Oak
Late 19th Century French Antique Settees
Giltwood
1880s English Victorian Antique Settees
Fabric, Walnut
1880s Italian Antique Settees
Oak
1920s Italian Art Deco Vintage Settees
Velvet, Walnut
1880s English High Victorian Antique Settees
Upholstery, Hardwood
Late 19th Century French Antique Settees
Wood, Walnut, Upholstery
Late 19th Century Italian Renaissance Revival Antique Settees
Oak
1880s French Edwardian Antique Settees
Upholstery, Mahogany
1890s Austrian Victorian Antique Settees
Beech
Late 19th Century European Aesthetic Movement Antique Settees
Bentwood
Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Settees
Upholstery, Walnut
Late 19th Century Italian Baroque Antique Settees
Walnut
Late 19th Century French Aubusson Antique Settees
Tapestry, Giltwood, Wool
1890s French Antique Settees
Linen, Wood
1880s English High Victorian Antique Settees
Upholstery, Satinwood
1890s French Louis XVI Antique Settees
Giltwood
Late 19th Century Swedish Biedermeier Antique Settees
Birch
Late 19th Century French Renaissance Revival Antique Settees
Walnut
Late 19th Century British Antique Settees
Satinwood
Late 19th Century French Belle Époque Antique Settees
Fabric, Giltwood
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Settees
Leather
1880s English Aesthetic Movement Antique Settees
Beech
1890s Syrian Victorian Antique Settees
Walnut
1920s French Louis XV Vintage Settees
Fabric
Late 19th Century Italian Baroque Antique Settees
Leather, Walnut
Late 19th Century English Antique Settees
Fabric, Satinwood
1870s English Queen Anne Antique Settees
Fabric, Oak
Late 19th Century American Renaissance Revival Antique Settees
Upholstery, Rosewood
1890s French Art Nouveau Antique Settees
Wrought Iron
Late 19th Century Swedish Biedermeier Antique Settees
Birch
Late 19th Century French Rococo Antique Settees
Upholstery
1880s English Aesthetic Movement Antique Settees
Gold
Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Settees
Birch
1920s French Louis XVI Vintage Settees
Fabric, Silk, Giltwood
Late 19th Century Queen Anne Antique Settees
Velvet, Walnut
Vintage, New and Antique Settees
Vintage, new and antique settees are a smart and stylish choice for adding more seating to a room.
Settees first appeared in 17th-century Europe. A very famous settee, known as the Knole settee, was actually used by a monarch in South East England to receive visitors. This seating furniture was often part of a set that included matching chairs. While settees were popular in parlors, you could also find similar seating, such as daybeds and chaises longues (both of which derive from the settee, as does the chesterfield), where you might relax with guests in your home.
Today, a settee is still furniture that invites socializing. They’re common in living rooms and other shared areas because they allow you to cozy up to someone and have a conversation with them.
Settees are typically small seats that can fit two or more people, but they aren’t as wide as couches or sofas. A settee is more intimate and offers more sitting room than an armchair. Settees often have a backrest for optimal support and are frequently upholstered.
Are you looking to add more seating to an entertainment room but working with limited space? We promise that your vintage settee will look great next to your coffee table in your main seating area. You can also add a settee to your mudroom so that guests have a comfortable spot to sit down and take off their shoes. If you have a small space in your home that you’re still figuring out how to use, add a settee to turn it into a comfortable reading nook. They work in bedrooms too; a tufted settee designed by Danish modernist Finn Juhl makes perfect sense at the foot of your bed.
Most settees come with an upholstered seat, but you can find variations that aren’t upholstered. There are antique wood settees and benches that will look right at home in a rustic decor.
The backrest is an important consideration when choosing a settee. You can find pieces with low seat backs that look discreet and don’t provide a lot of support. If you want more support, we recommend choosing a settee with a high back.
A settee with a high back can become a statement piece, especially if you choose an item with a unique upholstery print or decorative frame.<a href=https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/seating/settees/style/victorian/ target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Victorian settees are ideal for introducing an air of sophistication to your living room. These pieces often feature frames of walnut or mahogany, a seat upholstered in chintz fabric (Victorians appreciated that the glazed finish made it easy to wipe clean) and sculptural hand-carved cabriole legs.
If you want something that feels more contemporary or will work better with your mid-century modern side tables and lounge chair, consider Space Age settees or mid-century modern versions. In your main seating area, tie the elements together with a large rug. (Find more tips on how to arrange furniture here.)
On 1stDibs, find a collection of vintage, new and antique settees from different eras to match any furniture style.