Typically made of mahogany, teak or bamboo and featuring a range of fabrics and prints with botanical patterns, antique British Colonial furniture and decor varies as it involved local materials and techniques and spanned centuries of design styles.
As the British Empire expanded from the 16th to the 20th century, its conquest and control of colonies around the world bolstered its wealth through the extraction of resources. Including colonies in the Americas, Africa, Asia and Australasia, this spread of often violent subjugation imposed British culture, language and faith on Indigenous peoples. The design of homes was included in this expression of imperial power, with government officials, merchants and military officers creating homes mimicking the luxuries they were used to in England.
Local artisans were commissioned to replicate British designs, resulting in versions of Regency, Chippendale, Sheraton and other styles of furniture being crafted from mahogany, rosewood, ebony and teakwood as opposed to beech and oak, which were more common in Europe. Whereas the colonial furniture for the Portuguese and Dutch regularly had motifs of indigenous flora and fauna, the British tended to want more exact reproductions of their home country’s designs.
To escape the summer heat in places such as India and the Caribbean, British colonizers relocated to airy houses in the hills or plantations, leading to foldable chairs and collapsible desks in the style of military campaign furniture. Rather than upholstery as they might have in Europe, chairs and sofas in the British Colonial style had rattan and cane seating for these higher temperature climates. The contrast between the light textiles and the dark colors of the sturdy furniture became a defining aesthetic of British Colonial interiors.
Find a collection of antique British Colonial outdoor furniture, seating, bedroom furniture, decorative objects and other items on 1stDibs.
$845Sale Price|20% Off
Ottoman in English colonial style made of solid teak wood, mid century
Located in Schwerin, MV
Rare seating option: Large ottoman made of solid teak with a cane-woven seat in the British colonial style. This generously sized stool was originally designed as a footstool for a c...
Wood, Rattan
$2,320Sale Price / set|20% Off
1970's Sculpted Cane & Rattan Bar Stools, 6 available
By Mcquire
Located in Las Vegas, NV
Sculpted twisted cane & rattan counter height bar stools. Solid and very comfortable. They swivel in the center. Made in colonial Tiawan, circa 1970's. They show little to no wear at...
Rattan
English Faux Tortoise Burnt Bamboo Stool or Low Side Table, 1960’s
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
1960’s Faux Tortoise Burnt Bamboo Stool Side Table. Elegant stool with both form and function. Versatile piece that looks wonderful standing alone or functional as a low side table n...
Bamboo
Pair of Folding Tripod Stools in Oakwood and Leather
Located in Barcelona, ES
Elegant pair of turned oak Campaign tripod stools with leather folding seats. England, 1930s. These folding stools feature a turned oak's wood tripod foldable structure. They have a ...
Leather, Oak, Wood
British Colonial Style Burchell Zebra Folding Stool or Seat
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Chic safari style bench crafted with an organic Burchelle zebra hide fitted on a folding tripod ebonized hardwood base.
Organic Material, Hardwood
$2,223Sale Price / item|20% Off
21st Stefan Stool Wood Linen Leather Handmade in Portugal by Wood Tailors
Located in RIO TINTO, PT
Member of one of London's exceptional gentlemen's clubs, the Brook's, Ivan Vane Stefan Ivanovic was a British Yugoslavian political activist, diplomat, writer, and philanthropist. In addition to being one of the founders of the European Movement and general council of Monaco in London. As a legitimate gentleman, Ivanovic devoted most of his life to the idea of Yugoslav unity. Authenticity, attention to detail, and interesting use of wood are hallmarks of the Wood Tailors Club...
Leather, Linen, Walnut
$2,096Sale Price / item|20% Off
21st Century Brummell Bar Stool Walnut Wood Handmade in Portugal by Wood Tailors
Located in RIO TINTO, PT
Famous for his friendship with the Prince of Wales, Beau Brummell was deemed the leader of fashion at the beginning of the 19th century. Beau, the father of dandyism, stands alone as the forefather of the men’s style by introducing the suit and tie. Inspired by the arbiter of men’s fashion and the timeless rattan trend, the Wood Tailors designers conceived this Brummell bar stool. Designed for sophisticated home bar spaces, this rustic bar stool...
Walnut
19th Century British Colonial Teak & Woven Rattan Stool
Located in Petworth,West Sussex, GB
19th Century British Colonial Teak and Woven Rattan Stool A charming late 19th-century teak and woven rattan stool or luggage stand that effortlessly combines style and functionalit...
Teak
$1,168Sale Price / item|20% Off
Handcrafted Brummell Dining Stool Rattan OAK Made in Portugal by Wood Tailors
Located in RIO TINTO, PT
Famous for his friendship with the Prince of Wales, Beau Brummell was deemed the fashion leader at the beginning of the 19th Century. Beau, the father of dandyism, stands alone as th...
Fabric, Rattan, Wood
$1,378Sale Price / item|20% Off
Brummell Dining Stool Black Stained Ashwood Made in Portugal Wood Tailors Club
Located in RIO TINTO, PT
Famous for his friendship with the Prince of Wales, Beau Brummell was deemed the fashion leader at the beginning of the 19th Century. Beau, the father of dandyism, stands alone as th...
Fabric, Rattan, Wood
$1,508Sale Price / item|20% Off
Brummell Dining Stool Rattan Walnut Wood Made in Portugal by Wood Tailors
Located in RIO TINTO, PT
Famous for his friendship with the Prince of Wales, Beau Brummell was deemed the fashion leader at the beginning of the 19th Century. Beau, the father of dandyism, stands alone as th...
Fabric, Rattan, Wood
$1,740 / item
H 17.52 in W 16.34 in D 13.19 in
21st Century Studio Irvine Betti Concrete Stool in Brick Red Cement Handmade
Located in Rome, Lazio
Surrealism, primitivism, metaphysics and brutalism. Art together with architecture and design build a scenario of inspirations and continuous references through which the material ri...
Concrete, Metal
William Sheppee Folding Iron and Leather Stool
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
Unusual folding foot stool by William Sheppee. Heavy wrought iron and patinated brown saddle leather.
Wrought Iron
Midcentury Bar Stool, Czechoslovakia 1970s
Located in Praha, CZ
Good original condicion Made in Czechoslovakia 1970s Seat diameter 31 cm
Metal
Midcentury Italian Majolica Neoclassical Style Garden Seat Stool
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Whimsical Mid-Century Modern Italian Majolica garden seat stool made in the neoclassical taste. The square stool features a Tromp l'oeil verde green tassel...
Majolica, Pottery
Rattan Style Bar Stool
Located in Paris, FR
Bar stool rattan style all in natural rattan in clear finish.
Rattan
Set of custom made Gueridon Ottomans, COM fabric, Made in USA.
Located in Stratford, CT
INTRODUCTION Gueridon crafts 100% made-in-the-USA, custom-built ottomans, stools, benches, and daybeds anchored by their signature four thick L-shaped legs. OVERVIEW Since introduci...
Upholstery, Wood
French Midcentury Tripod Stool, a Pair
By Charlotte Perriand, Francis Jourdain
Located in Split, Splitsko-dalmatinska županija
Fantastic wood stool from France. Made in the 1960s with three legs. No hardware. Good vintage condition.
Oak
Pair of Antique English Benches, Solid Wood, Circa 1790
Located in Lymington, GB
A pair of antique benches, or forms. One is 18th century, the other later. Of rich, golden color and well-figured. N.b. 2" thick solid planks. Both are sturdy and ready-to-use. Measures: L 7’6" (230 cm) W 10" (25.5 cm) H 1’7" (48 cm). These look great en suite with an antique refectory or farmhouse table, for which they would have been originally designed. This type of bench or form would harmonise well in any interior, whether modern or traditional. During the 16th and 17th centuries refectory...
Wood
French Midcentury Tripod Stool, a Pair
By Charlotte Perriand, Francis Jourdain
Located in Split, Splitsko-dalmatinska županija
Fantastic wood pair of stools from France in the style of Jean Touret. Made in the 1960s with three legs. No hardware. Good vintage condition.
Walnut
$1,740 / item
H 17.52 in W 16.34 in D 13.19 in
21st Century Studio Irvine Betti Concrete Stool in Silver Grey Cement Handmade
Located in Rome, Lazio
Surrealism, primitivism, metaphysics and brutalism. Art together with architecture and design build a scenario of inspirations and continuous references through which the material ri...
Concrete, Metal
Minimalist Style, Stool in Natural Solid Wood
By SIMONINI
Located in Vila Cordeiro, São Paulo
Our Evo collection is based in the harmonic fusion between geometrical forms in a modern interpretation of wood archetypes, combining a rational defined outcome with the warmth of or...
Textile, Upholstery, Hardwood
$375 / item
H 18 in Dm 18 in
Handmade Mushroom Ottoman in Denim Blue Boucle, Mid-Century Modern Style Pouf
Located in Fairfield, CA
A handmade mushroom shaped ottoman, upholstered in a denim blue colored curly boucle fabric. Perfect for using as a footstool or extra occasional seating. A comfortable cushioned sea...
Fabric
$1,280 / set
H 17.72 in Dm 15.75 in
Danish Modern, A Pair of Tripod Stools, Reupholstered Seats in Lambswool, 1950s
Located in Odense, DK
A pair of charming Danish modern stools in solid oak with curly legs, the round seats are reupholstered in a great quality shearling lambswool. Made by a Danish Cabinetmaker in the ...
Lambskin, Oak
Handmade Mushroom Ottoman in Orchid Boucle Fabric, Mid-Century Style
Located in Fairfield, CA
A handmade mushroom shaped ottoman, upholstered in an orchid colored curly boucle fabric. Orchid is a muted purple color. Perfect for using as a footstool or extra occasional seating...
Fabric
Set of 3 French Tripod Stools in Beech, 1960s
Located in LYON, FR
Maison Lecan presents this set of three 1960s tripod stools in beech. Low, handcrafted stools in the tradition of French farmhouse tripods. Their strong point is the seat. A thick d...
Beech
Vintage Barley Twist Stool, English, Mid-20th Century
Located in Sakskøbing, DK
An English vintage barley twist stool, dating to the mid-20th century. The stool has a dark-stained wooden frame with turned barley twist legs and matching stretchers. The hexagonal...
Fabric, Wood
Vintage British Colonial Style Zebra Safari Folding Stool or Seat
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Mid century British colonial style stool with a zebra hide seat fitted to three folding ebonized legs with brass feet. As seen in the last photo of the listing, a similar stool is al...
Zebra Hide
Sold
H 19 in W 23.25 in D 18.5 in
Regency Campaign-Style X-Base Cane Stools in the Manner of Gillows of Lancaster-
By Gillows of Lancaster & London
Located in North Fort Myers, FL
A refined pair of Campaign-style stools featuring elegant X-base frames and handwoven cane seats, in the manner of Gillows of Lancaster. These stools showcase turned stretchers, scro...
Hardwood
British Colonial Tortoiseshell Bamboo Triangular Thebes Stool
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Just in, this great looking and rare English Colonial Tortoiseshell Bamboo Triangular Thebes Stool. C.1890-1900 Wonderful original patina to the Bamboo, Very good antique condition, ...
Bamboo, Wood
Theodore Alexander pair of swivel barstools in fine burgundy leather
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A pair of Vintage, Theodore Alexander domed back barstools with flared arms, 12 tufted buttons ,in fine burgundy leather, the frames are mahogany with nice carved detail.. in almost...
Brass
Antique English Root Bamboo Thebes Stool Egyptian Revival
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Just in, this great looking Antique English Root Bamboo Thebes Stool in the Egyptian Revival period This charming stool is from the early 1900s, with slatted curving seat and root ba...
Bamboo, Wood
Sold
H 43 in W 18 in D 15 in
Mid-20th Century Brighton Pavilion Scorched Bamboo Cane Bar Stools-set of 3
Located in North Fort Myers, FL
Set of three stunning Mid-20th Century Bamboo and Cane Bar Stools, designed in the manner of Brighton Pavilion. Featuring elegantly curved bamboo frames, intricate fretwork backs, an...
Bamboo, Wicker
Sold
H 15.5 in W 18.5 in D 15.5 in
English Tortoise Burnt Bamboo Stool or Low Side Table, circa 1960’s
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
1960’s Tortoise Burnt Bamboo Stool Side Table, England. Elegant and sturdy stool with both form and function. Versatile piece that looks wonderful ...
Bamboo
Zebra Hide Folding Stool
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Vintage British colonial folding stool with a zebra hide seat fitted to a three leg folding base with brass feet.
Zebra Hide
British Union Jack Design Footstool
Located in New York, NY
A rectangular footstool or low seat stool bench with British Union Jack flag design, circa late-20th century. Stool is a great size, not too bi...
Upholstery, Wood
Pair of Chinese Glazed Terra Cotta Elephant Garden Seats
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Pair of mid-century Chinese elephant garden seats or stools crafted in terra cotta and decorated with a drip glaze technique in striking traditional colors.
Ceramic, Terracotta
Mid-Century Italian Glazed Terra Cotta Elephant Stand
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Mid-century terracotta elephant stand decorated, glazed, and ready for service.
Terracotta
Pair of British Colonial Style Zebra Folding Stools, Priced Individually
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Pair of British colonial stools with zebra hide seats supported by three black lacquered folding legs with brass feet. Priced individually. From left to right: H 23, W 13, D 1...
Zebra Hide
Sold
H 18 in W 22.5 in D 73 in
Mark Hampton Thomas O'Brein Trestle Bench Hickory Chair Mahogany Nailhead
By Hickory Chair Furniture Company
Located in Dayton, OH
Hickory Chair trestle bench 2009-88. Made by Mark Hampton for the Thomas O'Brein collection. Features 19th century English styling with mahogany X joined base and Scalamandre style f...
Upholstery, Mahogany
Pair of Italian Tiger Garden Seats or Tab les
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Pair of vintage glazed terra cotta garden seats or drinks stands in the form of tigers with oddly realistic attitudes and familiar stripes.
Terracotta