I’m always drooling over the lovely gowns women wore during the 19th century, those layers of silk, and lace and trim, so gorgeous! I suppose I wouldn’t have been in very good compliance, as you’ll always find me in jeans and rain boots sloshing through mud, sawdust, paint and so forth at my jobsites. I’m sure as lovely as those gowns were it must have been quite an effort to get ready for the day.
Fashion and propriety of the day called for multiple layers of clothing from undergarments and the laced corset to heavy dresses and thick stockings. These ladies faced a monumental challenge when getting dressed each morning. Furniture designers of the day took pity on their plight and created the slipper chair; specifically designed for the task of getting dressed. It’s armless or half arm design allowed for freedom of movement while a low seat allowed for the ladies to reach down to pull on their stockings and shoes or boots.
Since then, slipper chairs have gone through many style reincarnations such as: Gothic Revival, Rococo Revival, Louis XVI Revival, Renaissance Revival, Greco-Egyptian Revival and Eastlake. During this period the design was always low to the ground and used in the bedroom or dressing room.
Today, the slipper chair is still a popular choice across all design styles from very traditional to minimalist modern. Still designed low to the ground, today’s slipper chair has made its way into the rest of the house from the living room to the library. They commonly have an upholstered seat and back with wood legs exposed or hidden under skirting.
These chairs are versatile and lovely, making them a particular favorite of mine. I love to dress them up in fine fabrics dictated by the style of the room I am designing. There is such a range in styles from the petit Victorian to the boxy Modern version. Here are a few examples of different style slipper chairs.
Décor Pad (via)
While many elements of this room tend towards the Modern, the slippers are a perfect example of classic French styling.
Décor Pad (via)
This is a lovely transitional bedroom. I love the use of the coordinating Schumacher imperial trellis wallpaper and chair fabric by Kelly Wearstler. This geometric print is such a sharp look!
Masion Boheme (via)
This petit slipper chair Joelle Dolce Bebe is the perfect height for a child to climb up and have a seat. It boasts cabriole half exposed legs and a half skirt with slipcover styling.