Antique Style Settle
An antique style settle offers solid timber seating with high backs and enclosed storage, bringing historical character straight into a hallway or living space.
Antique Style Settle
Many of these pieces draw inspiration from earlier periods like the seventeenth century or the Arts and Crafts movement, utilising traditional joinery and carved details. Alongside British country house pieces, the selection includes Swedish painted furniture, continental walnut benches and oriental hardwood designs.
These seats serve multiple purposes within an interior, functioning as hallway furniture with lift-up storage lids or as conversational seating in living rooms. The variety spans plain utilitarian pine boards to richly carved oak panels and limed finishes.
Judgements of quality
Quality in these seats rests on the integrity of the timber, the crispness of any hand-carved ornamentation and the retention of an original surface finish. Pieces with untouched patinas, deep beeswax polishes or authentic period paintwork command stronger interest than those stripped or overly restored.
The sophistication of the joinery and the proportions of the high back or arm supports also dictate the tier of craftsmanship. Finer examples exhibit thoughtful detailing such as fielded panels, shaped armrests and integrated box storage with original hinges.
Listings feature oak, pine and mahogany as the dominant timbers across eighteenth and nineteenth century examples.
Shapland & Petter·James Shoolbred & Co.
The Antique Style Settle Glossary
- Settle
- A wooden wooden bench featuring a high back, solid arms and often a box compartment beneath the seat. It was originally designed to keep out cold draughts in medieval and early modern rooms.
- Box settle
- A variant of the bench incorporating a hinged seat lid that opens to reveal storage space inside the base. This dual-purpose form stored blankets, rugs and household goods.
- Monks bench
- A convertible furniture form where the hinged back folds forward to transform the seat back into a table top. This clever design saved floor space in compact rooms.
- Patina
- The lustrous surface sheen developed on wood or paint over decades of handling, cleaning and exposure to light. A good patina indicates age and gentle care.
- Limed finish
- A surface treatment applied to timber using a white pigment to fill the grain pores and lighten the overall colour. This technique gained popularity during the Victorian and Arts and Crafts eras.
Antique Style Settle: Frequently Asked Questions
Where should I place a settle in my home?
These pieces excel in hallways and boot rooms where their high backs create a strong architectural focal point and the box seats offer practical storage. They also work well along dining tables or as alternative sofa seating in a living room.
Because of their tall backs, ensure you measure ceiling clearance and wall space carefully before positioning one in a tighter corridor.
How do I care for a waxed wooden settle?
Maintain waxed oak or pine surfaces by dusting regularly with a soft, dry cloth and applying a quality beeswax feed once or twice a year. Avoid placing the timber near direct heat sources or in strong sunlight, which can dry out the wood and cause splitting.
Treat spills immediately by blotting gently rather than rubbing, preserving the natural patina built up over generations.
Are painted settles original?
Many painted versions, particularly those originating from Sweden and continental Europe, feature their original period paint finishes. These surfaces often display authentic wear and subtle colour variations developed through long use.
Examine the paint closely under good light to distinguish between centuries-old decorative layers and later decorative painting applied to plain timber.