Biedermeier Daybeds
The authentic Biedermeier furniture on 1stDibs is representative of the first modern European decorative style not dictated by the tastes of the aristocracy. Following the Napoleonic wars, a growing, wealthy urban middle class in the German-speaking states of Central Europe began to demand rights and privileges once granted only to nobles. To avoid trouble, the upwardly striving confined their political discussions to one another’s homes. And so the salon was born.
Cabinetmakers in cities such as Vienna, Berlin and Mainz began to offer goods that reflected the tastes and needs of the new class. The makers of Biedermeier chairs, tables and other furniture used little or no gilding, silver hardware or other lavish ornament. Ebonized trims are common on Biedermeier cabinetry, and neoclassical elements — lyre-shaped chair splats, carved scrollwork, table supports shaped like Greek columns. But the strongest aesthetic statement came from the wood — richly-grained, honey-colored, often book-matched veneers of walnut and fruitwood.
There are two iconic Biedermeier furniture forms, both made to outfit rooms designed for conversation. One is the sofa, deeply upholstered with a strong, architectural wooden frame. The second is the circular pedestal table, which stood at the center of the room, offering a surface on which to place coffee and cake services; or to roll out a map, or sketch out ideas on paper.
“Biedermeier” was originally a derogatory term — it derives from the pen names of two German magazine writers who mocked bourgeois manners. Looking at the elegant and refined antique, new and vintage Biedermeier furniture offered on 1stDibs, that is now an amusing irony.
Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Biedermeier Daybeds
Upholstery, Walnut
Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Biedermeier Daybeds
Fabric, Cherry
20th Century French Biedermeier Daybeds
Mohair, Wood, Cherry
20th Century Hungarian Biedermeier Daybeds
Mohair, Wood, Birch
Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Biedermeier Daybeds
Maple, Upholstery, Fruitwood
Mid-20th Century Biedermeier Daybeds
Fabric, Wood, Beech
Mid-20th Century Danish Biedermeier Daybeds
Fabric, Teak
Mid-20th Century Biedermeier Daybeds
Cane, Mahogany
Mid-20th Century French Biedermeier Daybeds
Steel
Early 19th Century German Antique Biedermeier Daybeds
Cherry
1960s American Vintage Biedermeier Daybeds
Metal, Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Biedermeier Daybeds
Velvet, Walnut
2010s Danish Biedermeier Daybeds
Metal
1950s Vintage Biedermeier Daybeds
Mohair, Wood
Early 20th Century English Biedermeier Daybeds
Mid-20th Century Dutch Biedermeier Daybeds
Metal
18th Century French Antique Biedermeier Daybeds
Wood
1890s French Antique Biedermeier Daybeds
Iron
Early 19th Century German Antique Biedermeier Daybeds
Mahogany
1860s Swedish Antique Biedermeier Daybeds
Velvet, Walnut
Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Biedermeier Daybeds
Cherry
Early 19th Century Austrian Antique Biedermeier Daybeds
Upholstery, Walnut
Early 19th Century German Antique Biedermeier Daybeds
Wood
1820s German Antique Biedermeier Daybeds
Brass
Mid-19th Century Scandinavian Antique Biedermeier Daybeds
Walnut
Late 19th Century Austrian Antique Biedermeier Daybeds
Fruitwood
Early 19th Century Danish Antique Biedermeier Daybeds
Mahogany
19th Century German Antique Biedermeier Daybeds
Maple
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Biedermeier Daybeds
Birch
Mid-19th Century German Antique Biedermeier Daybeds
Walnut