Styles of Wooden Back Chairs
Wooden-backed chairs come in a variety of styles. Antique chairs from different eras set the standards for style, and modern reproductions are still popular with homeowners. Most wooden-backed chairs were designed for dining room or meeting hall ensembles. The most common and sought-after styles of can be found at antique or estate sales. More simplistic and mass-produced styles can be found in modern stores, Amish furniture stores or handmade in wood shops. Does this Spark an idea?
Queen Anne
The Queen Anne style is defined by carved, scallop-shell backings and graceful, curved legs. Walnut and mahogany are the preferred woods. The backs are exquisitely carved and feature scrolling foliage or stylized acanthus leaves down an inverted, vase-shaped slat.
American Windsor
The Windsor-style chair is recognized by its bow-back styling with thin spindles and turned legs. The American Windsor is made with both high and low backs, with and without arms. Pine, maple and bamboo are the most commonly used woods.
Duncan Phyfe
Also known as Empire or Regency, the Duncan Phyfe design is an adaptation of other styles. The characteristic wooden back of this chair depicts the motif of a lyre. This 19th century style also features a squared top and a single scrolled bar across the back.
Georgian
Influenced by the three king Georges of England, Georgian-style furniture is heavy and clean. The backs of these wooden chairs are heavily detailed with saw cuts or fine carvings. The patterns are repetitive and build detail around the edges.
Victorian
Victorian chairs draw from Gothic designs. Backs are elaborately carved or have heavy ornamentation and dark finishes. This is one of the first styles of chairs to be massed produced. Usually associated with tufted backs and padded seats, many ornate wooden backs were produced with balloon back openings, spiral carvings and delicately curved center slats.
Chippendale
Chippendale is considered the royalty of antique designs. Often made of mahogany, the wooden backs have entwined ribbon back designs or strong, sweeping curves. What may look like a delicate 2-inch thick frame may have been masterfully carved from a 5-inch thick piece of wood. The Chippendale period introduced the corner chair with the signature ornate and interlaced three-ribbon back panel.
Shaker
Shaker-style chairs are also known as the ladder-back style. These chairs usually feature three vertical slats across the back or multiple vertical spindles. The backs are somewhat backward leaning for comfort with tilting feet. Designs are simple and utilitarian. and the color palette is limited to red, blue, blue-green or yellow. The Shaker rocking chair was developed for the elderly because the rocking motion was believed to be beneficial to their health. (The rockers have four slats in the back). Because the Shaker style is easy to replicate, there are many variations of it still being produced.
Mission
Also known as Arts and Craft, the Mission-style chair is recognized by sturdy construction and plain designs. Much larger than Shaker-style furniture and often made of oak, the wooden backs have wide, straight slats. Some designs have a leather panel between two slats.
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