Tilly Vintage Elm Stools

The vintage elm stool has become one of the most useful things we sell, and one of the hardest to keep hold of. We buy them whenever we find good ones, which is not as often as we would like.

Each is handmade from solid elm and built by craftsmen using traditional techniques — four tapered legs driven straight through a single thick seat and wedged off from above, braced underneath with cross stretchers. No screws or nails. These were working stools, made to be stood on and sat on and pushed back under a bench at the end of the day, and they wear that history openly. Expect splits running with the grain, old knots, edges worn round by handling, and the small patches a previous owner cut in by hand to hold a seat together. A few still carry traces of their original paint, faded red across the legs on some, a soft blue wash on others.

No two are alike, and the colour varies more than you would expect: some have bleached to a pale chalky grey, others have darkened to honey or a deep weathered brown.

Choosing yours

Every stool is photographed on its own and sold individually, so the one in the picture is the one that arrives. Pick by number from the dropdown, where each is listed with its own measurements.

Where they work

Beside a bath, as a bedside table where a cabinet would be too much, next to an armchair for a book and a glass, or simply left in a corner as something good to look at. The scale is the point: a real antique you can bring into a room without rethinking it entirely.

Product Details

• Key Materials: Solid elm
• Size: Varies by stool — 35cm to 58cm wide and 28cm to 37cm deep
• Height: Between 44cm and 54.5cm, most around 50cm, which is chair height
• Age: Approximately 100 years old

Please note: all measurements are taken across the base of the stool rather than the seat, as it is the footprint that determines whether a piece will fit the space you have in mind. The seat itself sits within these dimensions.

Care Instructions

Dust with a dry cloth. Avoid water and household cleaners, which will mark the surface. Keep away from direct heat and strong sunlight, and expect a little movement in very dry rooms.

All of our pieces are in stock and ready for delivery. If you would like to see something in person, let us know and we can ensure the piece is at the shop for your viewing. We are always happy to send extra photographs or a short video on request.