Iconic Furniture Designers Chairs each Interior Designer Need to Know

Design Contract present selection of the 10 most amazing and influential designers chairs by iconic mid-century and top nowadays furniture designers worldwide. Design Contract team ensure – professional architects and interior designers will celebrate beautiful and innovative furniture design and will get inspired!

Arne Jacobsen – Egg Chair

Iconic Danish architect and furniture designer Arne Jacobsen was influential Danish architect who made an impact on the mid century furniture movement through his minimalist functional chair designs. His Swan and Egg design chairs are among the most recognizable pieces from this period. Arne Jacobsen designed the Egg chair in 1958 for the Royal Hotel in Copenhagen. Jacobsen was commissioned to design every element of the hotel building including furniture. Working in his garage Jacobsen first sculpted the Egg out clay so he could perfect its shape. Then he molded its inner shell out of strong foam and covered it with upholstery, initially in leather later progressing to other materials. This organically shaped chair has become associated with Danish furniture design throughout the world. With its unique shape, the Egg guarantees some privacy in otherwise public spaces, and is ideal for lounge and waiting areas as well as your home. Egg chair is featured in recently renovated Terminal 2 at San Francisco International Airport boarding areas. Egg also has been used in some McDonalds restaurants in Copenhagen and London. This chair was considered an innovative design for the 50’s. Today, Egg chair is one of the most recognizable pieces of furniture of 20th century. Egg chair is manufactured by Republic of Fritz Hansen. An Iconic Furniture Designers Chairs.

Marcel Breuer – Wassily Chair

Iconic Marcel Breuer designed the Wassily Chair in 1925. At the time he was an apprentice at the Bauhaus. It’s believed that Wassily Chair was the first bent tubular steel chair design, inspired by curving handlebars of a bicycle. The original design chair had a fabric straps, available in black or white, folding and non-folding versions were produced. Only after World War II Italian manufacturer Gavina released a version with leather straps.
In 1968 Knoll acquired Gavina, which included all of Breuer’s designs. Knoll is the only authorized and licensed manufacturer of Wassily Chair. Every design chair has Marcel Brouer’s signature stamped into the base of the chair alongside Knoll logo and individual identification number. Wassily Chair received an award from The Museum of Modern Art in 1968.

Eero Aarnio – Ball Chair

Ball Chair, designed by Finish furniture designer Eero Aarnio in 1963, is one of the most well recognized mid-century modern pieces of furniture. Its simple shape is constructed from fiberglass shell, upholstered from inside and a steel lacquered base which allows the chair to rotate. Ball chair provides a private space and protects from outside noises, great for relaxing or making a phone call . Initially Aarnio designed this design chair for himself for his new home. Only later it was noticed by visitors from Asko furniture and soon after it was put in production. Ball chair was officially introduced at international furniture fair in Cologne in 1966. It quickly gained popularity and recognition around the world. Few years later Ball chair inspired Aarnio to design an other classic – Bubble chair. Iconic Furniture Designers Chairs.

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe – Barcelona Chair

Designed by iconic Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in 1929 for the German Pavilion at the Barcelona Exposition in the same year. He designed this chair for the Royalty of Spain. Barcelona chair is almost entirely handcrafted, constructed from seamless stainless steel or chromed frame with hand-welted and hand-tufted leather panels that adapt to fit the curve of the frame. It is made by Knoll, which is the only authorized and licensed manufacturer of the design chair since 1953 when Mies van der Rohe accorded these rights to Knoll. However, many unauthorized replicas are manufactured and sold. All originals are stamped with Knoll trademark and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s signature. In 1977 it received The Museum of Modern Art Award. Barcelona chair has become a modern masterpiece, fitting in with almost any décor.

Paul Volther – Corona Chair

Danish designer Paul Volther designed the Corona Chair in 1961. Its said that the design was inspired by the strength and flexibility of human spine. The four eliptical cushions seem as if they are effortlessly floating in the air, giving the chair sophisticated look. The original design had a wooden frame. In collaboration with Erik Jørgensen the frame was switched out to a chrome-plated steel and the current design of the Corona chair was launched in 1964. Today Corona Chair is manufactured by Erik Jørgensen Furniture factory in Danmark. Iconic Furniture Designers Chairs

Harry Bertoia – Diamond Chair

Harry Bertoia designed Diamond Chair in 1952 after his experiment with bending metal rods in to practical art. As a result he designed a collection of seating that is well recognized around the world. Diamond Chair is one of them and has become a modern classic. This chair is strong and durable even though its appearance may suggest otherwise. The design chair can be used and looks good, with or without the padding. Bertoia Collection is manufactured by Knoll, which is the only company authorized and licensed to do that.

Charles and Ray Eames – Eames Lounge Chair

If you do not recognize Eames Lounge Chair and haven’t seen it anywhere you probably just crawled out of a cave. Iconic Charles and Ray Eames designed this lounge design chair in 1956. It was designed as a gift for their friend, Academy Award winning movie director, Billy Wilder. Soon after Herman Miller started mass production maintaining much of the hand-craftsmanship. Eames Lounge Chair is constructed from three curved plywood shells with veneer finish, leather and aluminum. Original design had a Brazilian rosewood finish, which has become endangered, and was switched out to more sustainable product – santos palisander. It looks just like the original rosewood, color and grain, but it is sustainable. Today five different finishes for wood veneers are available. Eames Lounge Chair is in permanent collection in Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Art Institute of Chicago. Eames Lounge Chair is a true classic of 20^th century modern furniture design.

Marco Costa – Emporium Chair

Marco Costa, Boca do Lobo‘s head furniture designer and the author of Eporium Chair in 2013 highlights the “skilful manual work by talented craftsmen, combined with a contemporary design which challenges the noblest materials and the wisest hand of Portugal” importance in his work. Beyond furniture and its primary function Marco Costa push the object to new levels and blur boundaries. He conceived this exclusive piece by questioning the notion of space, experimenting with material, and playing with color. A sense of fun and frivolity pervades in this chair, but this exclusive piece also manages to be sophisticated, thought-provoking and (above all) finely handcrafted.

Iconic Furniture Designers Chairs

Grcic – Medici Chair

I love to see that, top furniture designer Grcic is still in the top “game”. Composing a low chair out of a series of planks, he created a new typology for Mattiazzi’s. Prior to the Medici design chair, Sam Hecht and the Bouroullecs used Mattiazzi’s skills to create chairs with beautiful, organic forms. “I think for them, wood as raw material is a tree,” Grcic says. “But for me, it’s a cut board. I wanted to go back to my roots as a cabinet maker, and work with the material on a straightforward level.” This boldness just gave him an “design of the year 2013” award, or the gov award already mentioned here, and of course the public reaction with lots of followers that gone to Isaloni to check out this unique piece. The chairs looks like a little awkward, but that awkwardness is what gives this piece the “Grcic” factor, that can be seen in so many pieces created by him. The partnership with Mattiazzi was just the perfect match so he could create without corporate constrains like he says: “They know they will never sell thousands, they know what they are doing. The scale of Mattiazzi’s model means there is greater opportunity to experiment. They offer a niche – a chance to do something and make a strong statement and polarise people.”. Medici is more than a chair, its a hole new typology to a family of objects.

Iconic Furniture Designers Chairs

Koket – Chandra Chair

As the head furniture designer on of the brand KOKET – Janet Morais says, her design “celebrate artistry, originality, and the many exquisite treasures of the world around us”. Janet Morais takes the best of the centuries of tradition European craftsmanship that sets the tone for luxury in her designs. Chandra Chair combine modern edge and the feeling of vintage glam. Polished brass bands delicately bind the chair highlighting the sculpted fluidity of the tight back upholstery.

Iconic Furniture Designers Chairs