Chesterfield Sofas
The expansion of the British Empire brought Chesterfield sofas around the world, such as in Canada, where the word “chesterfield” refers to any type of sofa. Antique Chesterfield-style furniture now includes seating in a range of sizes and aesthetics, from velvet love seats and linen-upholstered club chairs to ottomans accompanying classic leather sofas.
Popular lore dates the Chesterfield sofa to Philip Dormer Stanhope, fourth earl of Chesterfield. The arbiter of taste and manners in 18th-century England was best known for publishing guides on how to behave in society to attain success. The story goes that he commissioned a sofa in the mid-1700s designed so he could sit on it while not wrinkling his clothes. He later bequeathed it to his godson, and the seating style spread in popularity, eventually becoming an icon of British interior design.
Although this origin is not recorded, it resonates with the iconic sofa’s urbane sophistication. Traditionally made with tall rolled arms the same height as the back, deep buttoning on dark brown leather upholstery, tacked trim and an imposing yet elegant profile, it evokes English estates and the gentlemen’s clubs of London. It became a staple amid the Victorian era’s embrace of comfort. Tartan versions were in Queen Victoria’s drawing room at Balmoral Castle, giving the space a Scottish flair.
Some Chesterfield sofas are slimmed down in shape, others have taller legs for a lighter appearance. And while leather Chesterfield sofas are a more common variant — and can easily elevate a workspace as luxury office furniture — a velvet Chesterfield sofa possesses a singular chameleonic property, softening and emboldening the spaces it inhabits. Whether it’s the focal point of a living room, hotel lobby or trendy restaurant, the Chesterfield remains a status symbol, channeling the sophisticated tastes of its namesake.
Find a collection of antique Chesterfield seating, including sofas, settees, armchairs and lounge chairs, on 1stDibs.
Mid-20th Century British Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
Late 19th Century British Antique Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
20th Century English Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
1960s English Vintage Chesterfield Sofas
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Chesterfield Sofas
Brass, Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Chesterfield Sofas
Metal, Brass
20th Century English Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
Mid-20th Century British Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
Mid-20th Century British Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
20th Century English Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
Late 19th Century British Antique Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
20th Century English Chesterfield Sofas
Velvet
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Chesterfield Sofas
Leather, Wood
1970s European Vintage Chesterfield Sofas
Brass, Metal
20th Century English Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
1990s Chesterfield Sofas
Faux Leather
1960s English Vintage Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
20th Century English Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
2010s Chinese Chesterfield Sofas
Velvet
20th Century English Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
1940s English Vintage Chesterfield Sofas
Bronze
20th Century English Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
1930s English Vintage Chesterfield Sofas
Brass
Early 20th Century English Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
20th Century English Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
20th Century English Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
Mid-20th Century Chesterfield Sofas
Fabric
20th Century English Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Chesterfield Sofas
Leather, Hardwood
21st Century and Contemporary Chesterfield Sofas
Leather, Wood
Mid-20th Century Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
Late 20th Century British Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
1980s Italian Vintage Chesterfield Sofas
Leather, Wood
1960s European Vintage Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
20th Century English Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
20th Century English Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary American Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
20th Century English Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
20th Century English Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
1960s Swedish Vintage Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
20th Century English Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
20th Century English Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
20th Century English Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
20th Century English Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
20th Century English Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
20th Century English Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary American Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
Late 20th Century British Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
Mid-20th Century Chesterfield Sofas
Leather, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary English Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
20th Century English Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary North American Chesterfield Sofas
Leather, Wood
20th Century English Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
20th Century English Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
Early 2000s Italian Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary Chesterfield Sofas
Leather
20th Century English Chesterfield Sofas
Brass
1970s American Vintage Chesterfield Sofas
Leather