Edwardian Chaise Lounge
An edwardian chaise lounge offers singular repose, bringing low-slung, elegant comfort and period character to a room.
Edwardian Chaise Lounge
The edwardian chaise lounge search brings up daybeds, sofas, and single-ended lounging seats designed for horizontal relaxation. These pieces span periods from the nineteenth century into nineteen hundred, alongside Victorian and Regency examples.
Most items you encounter here take the form of daybeds, double-ended sofas, and drop-arm loungers. They appear in mahogany, walnut, and timber frameworks, upholstered in leather, velvet, calico, and brocade.
Makers such as Howard and Sons and Hampton and Sons represent the higher tier of these daybeds and loungers. Simpler country house daybeds and campaign styles also feature across the selection.
How they were made
Carpenters shaped the frames from hardwoods like mahogany, walnut, and general timber, often adding gilt decoration or brass castors. These wooden structures provide the rigid foundation for the sprung seat bases.
Upholstery techniques relied on traditional fillings such as horse hair beneath top layers of leather, velvet, calico, or deep-pile brocade. Buttoning secures the fabric tightly to the frame while creating the distinctive quilted texture.
Several pieces conceal adjustable drop-arm mechanisms, allowing your afternoon nap to transition smoothly from sitting to horizontal.
What varies in quality
The integrity of the timber frame and the precision of the joinery set the baseline for a piece's durability. Finer examples display meticulous carving, uncompromised wood grain, and original brass hardware.
The standard of upholstery and internal stuffing dictates comfort and authenticity. Pieces retaining horse hair stuffing and traditional sprung bases stand apart from modern replacements.
Howard & Sons·William Birch·Hampton & Sons
The Edwardian Chaise Lounge Glossary
- Daybed
- A long seat designed for reclining, functioning as a sofa by day and a bed by night. These pieces often feature a single raised end for head support.
- Chaise longue
- French for long chair, this is an upholstered sofa in the shape of a chair that is long enough to support the legs. It typically includes one main armrest at the head.
- Drop-arm
- A mechanism on a sofa or chaise allowing one end to lower flat or adjust to various angles. This provides versatility for sitting upright or lying down fully.
- Brocade
- A rich, heavy fabric woven with a raised decorative pattern, frequently utilised in traditional upholstery. It adds a textured, ornate finish to period seating.
Edwardian Chaise Lounge: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I use a chaise lounge?
These pieces suit drawing rooms, studies, or large bedrooms where you can place them against a wall to allow unobstructed reclining.
They function well for reading or resting during the day without taking up the full footprint of a traditional bed.
Were these daybeds meant for sleeping?
Most examples served primarily for daytime resting, lounging, or afternoon naps rather than nightly sleeping.
The sprung bases and horse hair fill provided firm, supportive comfort for sitting with legs elevated.
How do I tell Victorian from Edwardian styles?
Victorian pieces tend to use darker timbers like walnut and heavy mahogany with dense, buttoned upholstery and ornate carving.
Edwardian examples often show lighter woods, cleaner lines, and slightly less heavy ornamentation while retaining traditional craftsmanship.
Can I reupholster an antique chaise?
Reupholstering is common and often necessary to restore worn fabric or degraded internal fillings back to usable condition.
Retaining the original horse hair fill and frame structure preserves the historic integrity of the piece during restoration.