Mid Century Lounge Chairs
Mid century lounge chairs bring together relaxed seating and distinct period forms, offering a practical way to anchor a room with functional history.
Mid Century Lounge Chairs
Mid century lounge chairs encompass a diverse selection of comfortable seating spanning the Victorian era through the mid-twentieth century. Buyers seeking mid century lounge chairs encounter various historical iterations, ranging from nineteenth-century walnut armchairs and colonial planter's chairs to Parisian club chairs and twentieth-century leather designs.
The assortment includes specialised forms such as campaign chairs, reclining chairs, and chaise longues alongside conventional armchairs. Most examples date from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, utilising styles that shift from Victorian and Art Deco to French Riviera and rustic interpretations.
Origin points vary across English, French, and colonial workshops, providing distinct regional shapes within the wider category of mid century lounge chairs. Buyers often select these pieces for domestic studies, living rooms, and bedrooms where deep seating and historical character are required.
Materials and Construction
Makers constructed these chairs using hardwoods such as walnut, mahogany, rosewood, ebony, and timber frames. Metal elements like brass, iron, and wrought iron appear in structural supports, campaign fittings, and frames.
Upholstery relies on leather, fabric, velvet, cane, and rattan applied to sprung or padded seats. Wood carving, parcel gilding, and turned components provide surface detail on nineteenth-century and Art Deco frameworks.
Several seats previously served inside RAF Bomber Command before finding new life in civilian sitting rooms.
Evaluating Quality and Craftsmanship
Quality separates through the selection of timber and the execution of carved or joined components. Dense hardwoods like solid ebony or finely figured walnut indicate superior material choices compared to standard timbers.
The integrity of original upholstery materials, such as aged leather or hand-applied fabric, distinguishes exceptional specimens. Structural complexity, including adjustable mechanisms on campaign and reclining chairs, also marks higher tier workshop production.
Gillows·Hille·Howard and Sons·Fritz Hansen
The Mid Century Lounge Chairs Glossary
- Campaign chair
- A portable folding chair designed for military officers on active service abroad. These pieces frequently feature clever dismantling joints and brass hardware.
- Planer's chair
- A deep-seated colonial chair featuring extended armrests designed for resting legs. They originate from nineteenth-century British colonial environments.
- Chaise longue
- An upholstered sofa shaped like a chair with a long seat for supporting the legs. Victorian examples often incorporate carved walnut or mahogany frames.
- Club armchair
- A deep, heavily upholstered comfortable chair originating in French traditions. Mid-twentieth-century iterations typically utilise thick leather coverings.
- Parcel gilt
- A decorative technique where specific carved details of a wooden frame receive a thin application of gold leaf. This highlights particular motifs against darker rosewood or walnut.
Mid Century Lounge Chairs: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I identify a nineteenth-century chair?
Nineteenth-century seating generally displays dense hardwood frames in walnut, mahogany, or rosewood, often featuring hand-carved details and traditional joinery methods.
Upholstery styles and hardware such as brass castors or campaign hinges further assist in determining the period of origin.
What is a colonial planter's chair?
A colonial planter's chair is a deep armchair characterised by long, extending armrests designed for resting the legs during hot climates.
These pieces typically incorporate leather or cane elements and date from the mid-nineteenth century.
How were campaign chairs used?
Campaign chairs served as portable, collapsible seating for British military officers travelling during the nineteenth century.
Their design allows the frame to fold or dismantle easily, utilising brass fixtures for durability during transport.
Are Art Deco chairs different from Victorian ones?
Art Deco chairs from the 1930s feature streamlined geometric profiles and modern occasional forms compared to the ornate carved wood of Victorian pieces.
Victorian designs lean towards heavy upholstered armchairs, chaise longues, and rosewood frames.