What is a fauteuil chair?

A fauteuil is a traditional French upholstered armchair with open wooden arms. The design leaves the wooden frame exposed around the padded back and seat. These chairs developed during the seventeenth century and continued through various French royal periods. They serve as both decorative seating and functional armchairs in a room.

How do I identify Louis styles?

Louis XV style chairs feature curved lines, cabriole legs and asymmetrical floral carvings. They convey a softer, more organic aesthetic. Louis XVI style pieces introduce straight lines, fluted legs, symmetry and neoclassical motifs like urns or ribbons. Revivals of these styles appear frequently across nineteenth-century seating.

Where were these chairs used?

Historically, these armchairs filled French salons, drawing rooms and private libraries. They provided comfortable seating for formal entertaining and conversation. In modern interiors, they function well as occasional chairs in living rooms, bedrooms or studies. Their classical frames allow them to sit alongside contemporary furniture.

What woods were used?

Cabinetmakers utilised a variety of hardwoods for the structural frames. Walnut, beech, oak and mahogany appear regularly in these pieces. Some frames were painted or gilded, while others showed the natural grain of the wood. The choice of timber often aligned with the specific period and regional workshop.