What is a Slipper Chair?
Originating in 18th-century Europe, the slipper chair was designed to be low to the ground, and thus enabled women, in their acres of restrictive petticoats, to put their slippers on in an elegant, decorous way, and babies to be nursed in a convenient position. They would have been located in bed chambers and nurseries, where gentlemen were not permitted to set foot. However, as the furniture styles moved on, and heavy petticoats disappeared, negating the need for this specialized low chair, they gradually fell out of fashion.
The original styles, while in demand by antique collectors, now generally only exist in auction houses, or European stately homes, but the idea has continued, creating a contemporary design, suitable for our modern interiors. The short legs, well-stuffed back, and wide seat encompass many similar designs, including our stylish barrel chairs.
So the term slipper chair is no longer exclusively reserved for the classically styled ladies, or nursemaids, chair, and it’s now found in many homes. The narrow shape allows it to slip (pun intended) into smaller spaces, and they look beautiful placed next to an open fireplace, in a comfortable dining room, or as a gorgeous accent piece in a contemporary living room.
Great for perching on whilst playing with children on the floor, lounging comfortably with a good book, and still low enough to put on, and fasten, shoes without causing any back strain, the timelessly gorgeous slipper chair has come full circle.
