Chairs, Stools & Benches

Chairs & Daybeds at Indigo Antiques celebrate the poise and proportion of Asian furniture design — from the sculptural grace of Chinese scholar’s chairs to the raw simplicity of rustic elm stools and reclaimed teak benches. Each piece embodies comfort, craft, and timeless beauty.

Scholars’ Chairs and Classical Form

Our Chinese chairs reflect centuries of refinement in joinery and balance. Official’s Hat Chairs and Red Elm Book Chairs from the 18th and 19th centuries, crafted in elm (榆木 yú mù) and red elm (榉木 jǔ mù), exemplify the quiet geometry of the Ming aesthetic — elegant, restrained, and perfectly proportioned. These were seats not only for rest, but for contemplation and ceremony.

Benches and Daybeds

From Shanxi and Jiangsu benches in solid elm to Qing dynasty caned daybeds and Indian carved daybeds, these pieces reveal both function and artistry. Their long, architectural forms lend a sense of calm structure to modern interiors — serving equally well as seating, low tables, or decorative anchors in a room.

Rustic Stools and Farmers’ Furniture

The collection also includes farmers’ stools, milking stools, and chopping block seats, hand-hewn from elm wood. Their worn surfaces and sturdy forms bring an unpolished, authentic charm — rustic but quietly sculptural. Each bears the marks of daily life, transforming humble utility into characterful design.

Craft, Patina, and Presence

Whether carved, joined, or caned, each piece in this collection embodies handcrafted endurance and aged beauty. From refined rosewood armchairs to timeworn stools, these works bring a tactile warmth and living history to contemporary homes — a dialogue between discipline, comfort, and craft.