Upholstered Open Armchair
An upholstered open armchair brings functional comfort and period design together, offering supportive seating with exposed wooden frames.
Upholstered Open Armchair Styles
An upholstered open armchair appears across the nineteenth century and into the early twentieth century, taking forms such as the Gainsborough chair, the library armchair, and the French fauteuil. These pieces combine padded seating with open wooden arms, appearing in walnut, mahogany, oak, and giltwood.
The selection ranges from Victorian show-wood designs and carved spoon-backs to French-inspired revival styles, incorporating various wood frames and textile coverings like velvet, cotton, linen, and leather. Buyers encounter both single reading chairs and matched pairs suited for drawing rooms, studies, and libraries.
Materials and Construction
Frames are built from hardwoods including walnut, mahogany, oak, beech, padouk, and painted or gilt wood, often shaped with carved details and open arm structures. Joinery techniques secure the structural framework to support upholstered elements.
Upholstery involves traditional stuffing and textile coverings such as velvet, cotton, leather, woolwork, and needlepoint tapestry, secured to the wooden substructure.
Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical UK retail prices for upholstered open armchair, calculated from the Sellingantiques database of over a million retail prices indexed since 2003. This retail price guide relies exclusively on Sellingantiques data; no external sources or auction records are used, so the figures do not describe the wider market.
Eisteddfod wainscot fireside armchairs bring competitive Welsh bardic enthusiasm straight to your hearth.
Assessing Quality
Quality rests in the precision of the timber carving, the choice of primary wood, and the structural integrity of the frame. Finer examples display crisply moulded show-wood and balanced proportions.
The sophistication of the upholstery textiles and the integration of the covering with the wooden frame elevate the piece, distinguishing standard seating from grand library and drawing room armchairs.
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The Upholstered Open Armchair Glossary
- Fauteuil
- An open-armed upholstered armchair originating in France, typically featuring an exposed wooden frame. These chairs are designed for parlours and salons.
- Gainsborough chair
- A wide, low-seated armchair with padded armrests and an open wooden frame, traditionally used in libraries and studies during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
- Carver chair
- An armchair, often matching a set of dining chairs, with open arms for ease of movement. They frequently sit at the head of a table or serve as occasional seating.
- Show-wood
- Exposed wooden framing on an upholstered piece where the polished or carved timber remains visible around the fabric. This highlights the craftsmanship of the structure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where should I place an upholstered open armchair?
These chairs suit studies, libraries, and drawing rooms where their open wooden frames and padded seating provide functional reading spots. They function well beside desks, fireplaces, or as standalone occasional seating in living spaces.
Pairs can flank a fireplace or anchor opposite sides of a room, while single chairs fit neatly into corners or reading nooks.
What is the difference between a fauteuil and a standard armchair?
A fauteuil specifically denotes a French-style open armchair with exposed wooden armrests and carved frame details, often associated with formal salon use. Standard armchairs encompass a broader range of British and continental seating designs.
Fauteuils typically exhibit lighter proportions and decorative woodwork compared to heavier Victorian library chairs.
Can I use these chairs at a desk?
Certain open armchairs, particularly desk chairs and elbow chairs from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, are specifically designed for workspace use. Their proportions accommodate sitting at a writing table.
Shorter arm heights allow the chair to slide under desk surfaces while offering side support.