It’s widely regarded that design is a balance between form and function, and this is particularly the case when it comes to designer chairs. The humble chair has taken on many incredible forms over the years, from the practical to the downright bizarre. We take a look at some of the modern chairs that have stood the test of time, playing an important part of everyday life and proving that style really is timeless.
1. The Wassily Chair by Marcel Breuer
Available at Knoll
Created by Marcel Breuer in 1925-1926, the Wassily was inspired by the design of a bicycle, whilst Breuer was head of the cabinet-making workshop at the Bauhaus. Bringing together leather and chromium-plated steel, the Wassily rose to popularity again in the 1980s, becoming something of a modern interior must-have.
2. The Cesca Chair by Marcel Breuer
Available at Knoll
Just three years after he designed the Wassily, Breuer created the Cesca Chair. Famously lacking traditional legs and initially having no arms, the design paired tubular steel with wood and cane – a nod to the industrial age. Now commonplace in homes and restaurants across the world, the Cesca was named as one of the 10 most important chairs of the 20th century by New York’s Museum of Modern Art.
3. The LC2 Petit Modele Armchair by Le Corbusier
Available at Design Within Reach
Combining cushioned comfort with elegant minimalism, the LC2 Petit Modele is the brainchild of architect Chareli-Edouard Jeanneret (also known as Le Corbusier), resulting from a creative collaboration with cousin Pieer Jeanneret and designer Charlotte Perriand. Renowned for its cube-like form, this eclectic clash was designed in 1928, but is a piece that has certainly stood the test of time.
4. The Eames Molded Plywood Chair
Available at Herman Miller
Named “The Best Design of the 20th Century” by Time magazine, this is truly the A-lister of designer chairs. Designed in 1946 by Charles and Ray Eames, the husband-and-wife combination created the chair as part of an experiment whilst molding plywood in their apartment. This incredibly sleek design combines style with substance, also having rubber shock mounts to buffer jarring movements.
5. The Molded Plastic Eiffel Side Chair by George and Ray Eames
Available at Herman Miller
As one of the most popular and recognizable designer chairs, the Eiffel Side Chair has featured in homes, schools, churches and offices across the decades. Renowned for their high level of comfort, these chairs made their debut in the 40s and 50s. No longer made from metal, today’s Eiffel Side Chairs are made with recyclable polypropylene, proving both colorful and vibrant in nature.
6. The Egg Chair by Arne Jacobsen
Available at hivemodern.com
A true sculptural marvel, the Egg Chair was designed by Arne Jacobsen in 1958, while designing Copenhagen’s SAS Royal Hotel. With the busy lobby in mind, Jacobsen focussed on an adaptation of the upholstered armchair. The rotating base enables the Egg Chair to swivel towards or away from other people, maintaining a level of privacy while still maximizing space. The ability to tilt back adds to the overall comfort of this piece, enveloping anyone who takes a seat in this superbly sculpted creation.
7. Barcelona Chair by Mies van der Rohe
Available at Knoll
Designed by Mies van der Rohe, the Barcelona Chair was initially intended for use by the Spanish royal family at the 1929 Barcelona Exposition, inspired by the X-shaped Egyptian chair. Once adopted by the Knoll furniture company in 1950, the Barcelona Chair was produced around the world and is now one of the most renowned designer chairs.
8. Eames Lounge Chair by Charles and Ray Eames
Available at Herman Miller
The Eames Lounge Chair was the first design by husband-and-wife team Charles and Ray Eames, to be aimed at the high-end market. With a clear intention by the designers to provide ultimate comfort, the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman combines molded plywood and leather, still as relevant today as it was in 1956 when first released to the market.
9. Model 3107 by Arne Jacobsen
Available at Fritz Hansen
As one of the most replicated designer chairs in the world, the Model 3107 was created by Arne Jacobsen in 1955. Inspired by a Charles and Ray Eames design, the chair used a new technique, bending plywood in three dimensions to create a number of different undercarriages. The Model 3107 comes as a regular four-legged chair, a five-wheel office chair or barstool and can have either arm-wrests or even a table attached. Various upholstering has been used in the design and manufacture of this model, not only for aesthetic purposes but also for practicality. The chair even made it on to the cover of a Spice Girls single during the nineties.
10. Louis Ghost Chair by Philippe Starck
Available at AllModern
A reinvention of the classis Louis XVI armchair, the design is a playful fusion of innovation and history. Designed in Italy in 2002, the chair stacks six-high and is perfect for both indoor and outdoor use. Inspired by the varied lines and geometry of its predecessor, the Louis Ghost Chair uses a single form of transparent injection-molded polycarbonate, adding a level of informal comfort with a medallion backrest.
11. Tulip Chair by Eero Saarinen
Available at Knoll
Eero Saarinen created the Tulip Chair for the Knoll company of New York City, initially intended as a dining table chair. A true classic of industrial design, the initial design was considered “space age” at its time of inception in 1955, owing to the curves and artificial materials from which it was made.
12. Hardoy Chair/Butterfly Chair by Jorge Ferrari-Hardoy
Available at 1st Dibs
Comprising of a folding frame and a large cloth sling, the Butterfly Chair was designed in Buenos Aires in 1938. Designers Antonio Bonet, Juan Kurchan and Jorge Ferrari Hardoy created the first Butterfly Chair with two bent tubular steel rods and a leather sling, creating the suspended portable seat that is so popular today as a recreational favorite.
13. Womb Chair by Eero Saarinen
Available at Knoll
Eero Saarinen’s expressive flair is showcased in the Womb Chair and Ottoman, and is a design that continues to be one of the most iconic. Consisting of molded foam over a fiberglass shell, the single-form piece allows for a comfortable sitting position as well the ability to “curl up” – the position which gave the chair its name.