Art Deco Upholstered Armchairs
These art deco upholstered armchairs bring bold architectural form and deep comfort to a room, drawing on decades of design history.
Art Deco Upholstered Armchairs
When you search for art deco upholstered armchairs, you encounter seating built primarily around the interwar period, alongside occasional examples from adjacent decades. These pieces range from robust club chairs and barrel-back tub seating to streamlined lounge chairs and occasional chairs.
The most common items on this page date from the nineteen thirties, reflecting the height of the style. Makers deployed substantial wooden frames and paired them with varied textiles to create seating intended for formal reception rooms and libraries.
Materials and Construction
Makers built the structural frames of these armchairs from solid timbers such as walnut, oak, beech, and birch, often incorporating exotic veneers like satin birch and burr birch over hardwood cores. Bentwood techniques also appear, shaping timber into the characteristic curved profiles associated with the period.
Upholstery completed the piece, utilising fabric, leather, velvet, calf suede, linen, and wool. Caning and cane panels frequently supported the sides and backs of bergere variants, while metal components provided structural reinforcement or decorative contrast.
Art Deco Upholstered Armchairs Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for art deco upholstered armchairs among the pieces listed under this phrase on Sellingantiques today, from the lower quarter to the upper quarter. They describe what is for sale here now, not the wider market.
Listings feature items spanning from the nineteenth century through to nineteen forty, with walnut and leather appearing frequently.
Judging Quality
Quality rests upon the integrity of the underlying timber frame and the precision of the joinery. Superior examples maintain structural firmness without looseness in the arms or legs.
Heals
The Art Deco Upholstered Armchairs Glossary
- Club chair
- A deep, low-seated armchair designed for lounging, typically upholstered in heavy leather or dense fabric. They provide substantial padding across the back and arms.
- Bergere
- An enclosed wooden-framed armchair with cane or upholstered sides and a loose seat cushion. The wooden frame is often exposed and polished.
- Tub armchair
- A chair featuring a continuous curved back and armrest shaped like a deep basin. This form wraps around the sitter to enclose the upper body.
- Satin birch
- A pale timber with a natural sheen, utilised extensively by Scandinavian makers for sleek veneer work. It highlights the clean grain patterns favoured in the period.
- Bentwood
- Wood softened through steaming and bent into curved shapes under pressure. This method allows for continuous, flowing structural lines without visible joints.
Art Deco Upholstered Armchairs: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I care for leather upholstery?
Leather upholstery requires regular dusting and occasional treatment with appropriate conditioning creams to prevent drying and cracking.
Keep these chairs away from direct sunlight and heat sources to preserve the suppleness of the hide.
Are these chairs suitable for daily use?
Many of these pieces were constructed for heavy domestic use with robust hardwood frames and durable cushioning.
Assessing the internal webbing and support helps determine readiness for daily sitting.
How do I identify a Swedish piece?
Swedish pieces frequently display light satin birch veneers and streamlined geometric proportions.
They emphasise natural wood grains over heavy applied ornamentation.