Legless Floor Chair
2010s Japanese Modern Chairs
Wood
Mid-20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Wicker, Rattan
Vintage 1970s Italian De Stijl Dining Room Chairs
Wood
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21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Benches
Fabric, Velvet, Lacquer, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Night Stands
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2010s American Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Sofas
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and...
Onyx
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Table Lamps
Hide, Wood, Parchment Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Plastic
Vintage 1960s Italian Minimalist Magazine Racks and Stands
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Organic Modern Center Tables
Travertine
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Lounge Chairs
Walnut, Velvet, Oak
2010s American Modern Magazine Racks and Stands
Stoneware
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Shelves
Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Armchairs
Velvet
21st Century and Contemporary Polish Organic Modern Stools
Steel
2010s British Minimalist Wall Lights and Sconces
Wood, Oak, Paper
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Mid-20th Century Japanese Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Mahogany, Oak
2010s Japanese Modern Chairs
Wood
Finding the Right chairs for You
Chairs are an indispensable component of your home and office. Can you imagine your life without the vintage, new or antique chairs you love?
With the exception of rocking chairs, the majority of the seating in our homes today — Windsor chairs, chaise longues, wingback chairs — originated in either England or France. Art Nouveau chairs, the style of which also originated in those regions, embraced the inherent magnificence of the natural world with decorative flourishes and refined designs that blended both curved and geometric contour lines. While craftsmanship and styles have evolved in the past century, chairs have had a singular significance in our lives, no matter what your favorite chair looks like.
“The chair is the piece of furniture that is closest to human beings,” said Hans Wegner. The revered Danish cabinetmaker and furniture designer was prolific, having designed nearly 500 chairs over the course of his lifetime. His beloved designs include the Wishbone chair, the wingback Papa Bear chair and many more.
Other designers of Scandinavian modernist chairs introduced new dynamics to this staple with sculptural flowing lines, curvaceous shapes and efficient functionality. The Paimio armchair, Swan chair and Panton chair are vintage works of Finnish and Danish seating that left an indelible mark on the history of good furniture design.
“What works good is better than what looks good, because what works good lasts,” said Ray Eames.
Visionary polymaths Ray and Charles Eames experimented with bent plywood and fiberglass with the goal of producing affordable furniture for a mass market. Like other celebrated mid-century modern furniture designers of elegant low-profile furnishings — among them Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Finn Juhl — the Eameses considered ergonomic support, durability and cost, all of which should be top of mind when shopping for the perfect chair. The mid-century years yielded many popular chairs.
The Eameses introduced numerous icons for manufacturer Herman Miller, such as the Eames lounge chair and ottoman, molded plywood dining chairs the DCM and DCW (which can be artfully mismatched around your dining table) and a wealth of other treasured pieces for the home and office.
A good chair anchors us to a place and can become an object of timeless appeal. Take a seat and browse the rich variety of vintage, new and antique chairs on 1stDibs today.
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