Chesterfield Furniture
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.
21st Century and Contemporary British Chesterfield Furniture
Leather
2010s British Chesterfield Furniture
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary American Chesterfield Furniture
Leather
2010s British Chesterfield Furniture
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary American Chesterfield Furniture
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary American Chesterfield Furniture
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary British Chesterfield Furniture
Velvet
21st Century and Contemporary British Chesterfield Furniture
Leather
2010s British Chesterfield Furniture
Brass, Copper, Stainless Steel
21st Century and Contemporary British Chesterfield Furniture
Crocodile
2010s American Chesterfield Furniture
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary American Chesterfield Furniture
Leather, Wood
2010s American Chesterfield Furniture
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary American Chesterfield Furniture
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary North American Chesterfield Furniture
Leather, Maple
21st Century and Contemporary American Chesterfield Furniture
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary American Chesterfield Furniture
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary American Chesterfield Furniture
Leather
2010s North American Chesterfield Furniture
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary American Chesterfield Furniture
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary American Chesterfield Furniture
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary American Chesterfield Furniture
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Chesterfield Furniture
Leather
2010s American Chesterfield Furniture
Mohair
1920s English Vintage Chesterfield Furniture
Leather, Wood
19th Century English Antique Chesterfield Furniture
Leather, Mahogany
1940s Italian Vintage Chesterfield Furniture
Chrome
20th Century British Chesterfield Furniture
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary American Chesterfield Furniture
Leather, Upholstery
19th Century English Antique Chesterfield Furniture
Leather
Early 1900s English Antique Chesterfield Furniture
Leather, Hardwood
1960s British Vintage Chesterfield Furniture
Mahogany
1960s English Vintage Chesterfield Furniture
Metal
Early 1900s English Antique Chesterfield Furniture
Leather, Walnut
2010s American Chesterfield Furniture
Bronze
1950s English Vintage Chesterfield Furniture
Leather, Beech, Oak
21st Century and Contemporary American Chesterfield Furniture
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary American Chesterfield Furniture
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary European Chesterfield Furniture
Wood, Fabric
21st Century and Contemporary European Chesterfield Furniture
Velvet, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary European Chesterfield Furniture
Wood, Velvet