Antique Seating
Arrange an artful area to entertain your guest or create a swoon-worthy reading nook, replete with chaise longue thanks to our extensive edit of antique chairs at Vinterior. From early-20th-century art nouveau designs, all the way back to Versailles-inspired pieces from the late 1600s, wander through the ages of high-style and expert craftsmanship with our edit at Vinterior.
Provide your space with some essential utility with an effortlessly characterful aesthetic and invest in antique chairs and seating from our collection. Do you love the unerring eye of Arts & Crafts masters? Does Georgian carpentry set your soul on fire? Is Regency-era glamour what you crave? Or maybe you simply love the master craftsmanship so often neglected in modern furniture making? No matter your reasons, or budget, style, or space, unearth that illusive perfect piece with Vinterior.
From armchairs to dining chairs, settees to chaise lounges, discover your one-of-a-kind antique seating for sale in our collection at Vinterior today. Sourced by trusted sellers and dedicated dealers, you’ll find only the most characterful, quality items when your shop our edit now.
Choose a Wish List
Create Wish List
What are the origins of antique seating?
Chairs date back to shapes as simple as a bench or a stool from antiquity and Middle Ages to delightful antique slipper chairs of the 19th century. Upholstered seats started to trend in the 17th century. From the 18th century, this expanded to dining chairs, where the mindset shifted to comfort and luxury. In the UK, prominent chair makers were Thomas Chippendale, George Hepplewhite and Thomas Sheraton, but it was led by the French of the Louis XV and Louis XVI periods.
Originally, Georgian seating and earlier iterations would be made with loose feather-filled cushions, however, from the 1830s, Victorian seating and later were upholstered with metal springs which were padded and webbed.
What are the common styles and types of antique seating?
Choosing your antique seating is like choosing from a candy shop. From the 19th century, manufacturers often marked their names on the piece with a stamp. This can help determine the provenance of your antique chair.
However, there are a few styles of antique seating still highly coveted among designers, homeowners, collectors and more. We take a look below:
The Bergere
This chair is French with an upholstered back and frame. Often moulded and carved wood, this can be painted, gilded or finished with a waxy shine. This is a lounge piece which is fitted with a seat cushion tailored to fit. This boomed in Paris during the Regency period.
The Chippendale
One of the most famous, this chair is recognisable for the legs fashioned in a lion’s paw or a ball and claw form.
The Fauteuil
This French piece is an open armchair with an exposed wooden frame. Prominent in the 18th century, it is carved with a relief ornament. The seat is upholstered as is the back of the seat and arms. The exposed wood is gilded or painted.