French Easy Chair
A French easy chair offers deep comfort and traditional styling, combining sturdy timber frames with leather, fabric or cane upholstery.
How They Were Made
Frames rely on sturdy timbers such as walnut, oak, and mahogany, shaped into high backs, curved arms, and supportive structures. Joinery techniques secure the wooden skeletons to withstand the rigours of daily use.
Upholstery relies on traditional materials like leather, hessian, textile, and split cane. Hand-stitched needlepoint tapestry, buttoning, and brass tacks often finish the exterior, concealing internal stuffing and sprung foundations.
What Varies in Quality
The integrity of the timber frame and the precision of the carving separate standard models from finer interpretations. Solid walnut or oak structures with crisp architectural lines demand higher regard than simpler utility builds.
The choice of covering and the complexity of the upholstery work dictate the overall character of the piece. Supple leather finishes, intricate split cane panels, and buttoned upholstery demonstrate superior workshop execution.
Listings feature pieces spanning the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, including Edwardian, art deco, and mid-century Parisian club chair designs.
The French Easy Chair Glossary
- Napoleon III
- A nineteenth-century French design style noted for eclectic revivalism and buttoned upholstery. It frequently incorporates turned wooden legs and sprung backs.
- Bergere
- An enclosed armchair with stuffed upholstery and wooden framing. The sides are commonly filled with cane or upholstery rather than open woodwork.
- Slipper Chair
- A low-framed bedroom chair designed without arms to accommodate bulky nineteenth-century garments. It sits close to the floor for ease of use.
- Club Chair
- A heavily upholstered, deep-seated armchair traditionally covered in leather. These chairs emerged strongly during the art deco period for lounge comfort.
French Easy Chair: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a French easy chair?
A French easy chair is a comfortable upholstered seat originating from France, encompassing styles from nineteenth-century buttoned armchairs to twentieth-century leather club chairs.
These pieces prioritise deep seating and supportive backs, utilising materials like walnut, leather, and fabric across various decorative periods.
Are art deco club chairs comfortable?
Art deco club chairs provide deep, enveloping seating designed specifically for lounging and relaxation. Their robust proportions accommodate generous cushioning.
Covered traditionally in cigar brown leather or heavy textiles, these twentieth-century chairs combine sturdy wooden internal framing with soft external padding.
What is a bergere chair?
A bergere chair is a traditional upholstered armchair characterised by enclosed sides filled with split cane or fabric. The wooden frame remains partially exposed around the edges.
Originating in earlier French design traditions, these chairs often feature walnut frames and balanced proportions suited to formal sitting rooms.