Tracing Comfort: Exploring Types of Antique Armchairs

While it may be hard to believe, humans can spend up to 70 percent of their lives sitting. Especially now that more of us work at home, seating is more important than ever. The chairs we’ve used have not always looked as bland as the staple swivel home-office chairs so common today. Turn to various types of antique armchairs to re-inspire your seating! 

Dating back centuries, armchairs specifically have been connected to power status. Royal leaders, for instance, sat on padded thrones, with intricate detailing, high backs, and iconic comfortable rests for their high-ranking arms. Prior to the 19th century, armchairs were seen as a status of wealth and influence, a public display. 

Though style and comfort and access to seating has changed over time, chair functionality has largely remained stable. We’ve known what works well, and it suits us and our homes to this day, even hundreds of years after manufacture. The best option for seating in your space may really come in the form of one of many types of antique armchairs.

Add French Elegance to a Modern Space

Imagine your living room uplifted and brought to life with the influence of Louis XVI amidst your guests. Louis XVI was known for his love of neoclassicism, inspired by the shapes and styles of the classical period. By investing in an inspired armchair, you can share in this regal history.

If you’re looking to add simple seating to your space that has rich history and character, you will be inclined to lean on the unbeatable qualities of Louis XVI pieces. You can see in this pair of Louis XVI Style Armchairs, the elegance, lightness and delightfully simple form. You’d be able to  compliment the tasteful floral carvings on these pieces across the room with a bright bouquet of flowers. 

To keep an open contemporary room feel bright and open, while still full of personality, you can focus on silhouette. The straight lines defining both of these make them perfect for a living space with modern style. Placed among simple, clean white walls in a room with contemporary sensibilities, these chairs would certainly add sophistication.

When you think of incorporating an armchair with a high back, you might worry about losing a sense of open space. You may be drawn to the beauty of this Wingback Louis XVI Style Armchair, featuring crystal panels. Any guest in your home could enjoy the beautiful grandeur of a tall chair, and you’d still leave the room accessible and airy. It’s easy to imagine this chair next to a breezy open window, as a perfect nook to read. The crystal glass parts of this particular wingback would inspire daydreaming. 

Prioritize Comfort and Connection

Your home is the center of your familial world, where you share experiences with your loved ones, your family and friends. Sitting together to communicate, share food and enjoy the warmth of our relationships is central to our notion of home. Antique armchairs are a stylish, sustainable option to add an individual touch to this space.

That’s where the Biedermeier Style comes in, our favorite artistic transitional period between Romanticism and Neoclassicism. Named for a caricature used by the bourgeois to mock the austerity of the 19th-century middle class, the style of this furniture is now more elegant than ever. This pair of Biedermeier Armchairs   is a perfect example of the new elegance of Biedermeier furniture. The curved armrests add a little playfulness to the otherwise strict design.

Embracing Nature: 20th-century Types of Antique Armchairs 

Imagine resting in an armchair, closing your eyes, and enjoying a space you’ve made come alive. Consider how indoor plants can be a delightful playmate to our furniture. Amidst the green of beautiful potted plants, the joining of geometric lines and floral details can combine with ease.

Flourishing from 1890-1910, Art Nouveau is defined by its opposition to the strict historicism that came before. Imaginative and free, this Art Nouveau Salon Suite showcases these qualities in curved wood and captivating upholstery. 

Made of beech, the curved armrests of the Jindrich Halabala Lounge Chair allow the stress of the day to melt away. This armchair is a great example of the later European Art Deco style, and is complimented with pops of color elsewhere in the room. 

Summary: An Armchair (or Two!) is a Must

We constantly rethink the way we approach our lives in the present day. But armchairs have remained icons of comfort, regal status, family connection, and productivity through the centuries. 

If the elegance of neoclassicism is a pleasing compliment to your modern home, you can lean on the history of the late 18th century in France. If you want to create an environment that breaks rigid form, consider looking into our Art Nouveau pieces. And if you want to inspire conversation and bonding memories with loved ones, sink into a Biedermeier. 

At Styylish, we’re honored to expand your ideas of home decoration and provide thoughtful insight. The items we have curated for you are rich with options for designing your space, informed by the storied creations of furniture design. No matter what types of antique armchairs pique your interest, we’re sure to have something appealing in store.