Gijs Van Der
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Gijs Van Der For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Gijs Van Der?
A Close Look at Mid-Century Modern Furniture
Organically shaped, clean-lined and elegantly simple are three terms that well describe vintage mid-century modern furniture. The style, which emerged primarily in the years following World War II, is characterized by pieces that were conceived and made in an energetic, optimistic spirit by creators who believed that good design was an essential part of good living.
ORIGINS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
- Emerged during the mid-20th century
- Informed by European modernism, Bauhaus, International style, Scandinavian modernism and Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture
- A heyday of innovation in postwar America
- Experimentation with new ideas, new materials and new forms flourished in Scandinavia, Italy, the former Czechoslovakia and elsewhere in Europe
CHARACTERISTICS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
- Simplicity, organic forms, clean lines
- A blend of neutral and bold Pop art colors
- Use of natural and man-made materials — alluring woods such as teak, rosewood and oak; steel, fiberglass and molded plywood
- Light-filled spaces with colorful upholstery
- Glass walls and an emphasis on the outdoors
- Promotion of functionality
MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW
- Charles and Ray Eames
- Eero Saarinen
- Milo Baughman
- Florence Knoll
- Harry Bertoia
- Isamu Noguchi
- George Nelson
- Danish modernists Hans Wegner and Arne Jacobsen, whose emphasis on natural materials and craftsmanship influenced American designers and vice versa
ICONIC MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNS
- Eames lounge chair
- Nelson daybed
- Florence Knoll sofa
- Egg chair
- Womb chair
- Noguchi coffee table
- Barcelona chair
VINTAGE MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS
The mid-century modern era saw leagues of postwar American architects and designers animated by new ideas and new technology. The lean, functionalist International-style architecture of Le Corbusier and Bauhaus eminences Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius had been promoted in the United States during the 1930s by Philip Johnson and others. New building techniques, such as “post-and-beam” construction, allowed the International-style schemes to be realized on a small scale in open-plan houses with long walls of glass.
Materials developed for wartime use became available for domestic goods and were incorporated into mid-century modern furniture designs. Charles and Ray Eames and Eero Saarinen, who had experimented extensively with molded plywood, eagerly embraced fiberglass for pieces such as the La Chaise and the Womb chair, respectively.
Architect, writer and designer George Nelson created with his team shades for the Bubble lamp using a new translucent polymer skin and, as design director at Herman Miller, recruited the Eameses, Alexander Girard and others for projects at the legendary Michigan furniture manufacturer.
Harry Bertoia and Isamu Noguchi devised chairs and tables built of wire mesh and wire struts. Materials were repurposed too: The Danish-born designer Jens Risom created a line of chairs using surplus parachute straps for webbed seats and backrests.
The Risom lounge chair was among the first pieces of furniture commissioned and produced by legendary manufacturer Knoll, a chief influencer in the rise of modern design in the United States, thanks to the work of Florence Knoll, the pioneering architect and designer who made the firm a leader in its field. The seating that Knoll created for office spaces — as well as pieces designed by Florence initially for commercial clients — soon became desirable for the home.
As the demand for casual, uncluttered furnishings grew, more mid-century furniture designers caught the spirit.
Classically oriented creators such as Edward Wormley, house designer for Dunbar Inc., offered such pieces as the sinuous Listen to Me chaise; the British expatriate T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings switched gears, creating items such as the tiered, biomorphic Mesa table. There were Young Turks such as Paul McCobb, who designed holistic groups of sleek, blond wood furniture, and Milo Baughman, who espoused a West Coast aesthetic in minimalist teak dining tables and lushly upholstered chairs and sofas with angular steel frames.
As the collection of vintage mid-century modern chairs, dressers, coffee tables and other furniture for the living room, dining room, bedroom and elsewhere on 1stDibs demonstrates, this period saw one of the most delightful and dramatic flowerings of creativity in design history.
Finding the Right Seating for You
With entire areas of our homes reserved for “sitting rooms,” the value of quality antique and vintage seating cannot be overstated.
Fortunately, the design of side chairs, armchairs and other lounge furniture — since what were, quite literally, the early perches of our ancestors — has evolved considerably.
Among the earliest standard seating furniture were stools. Egyptian stools, for example, designed for one person with no seat back, were x-shaped and typically folded to be tucked away. These rudimentary chairs informed the design of Greek and Roman stools, all of which were a long way from Sori Yanagi's Butterfly stool or Alvar Aalto's Stool 60. In the 18th century and earlier, seats with backs and armrests were largely reserved for high nobility.
The seating of today is more inclusive but the style and placement of chairs can still make a statement. Antique desk chairs and armchairs designed in the style of Louis XV, which eventually included painted furniture and were often made of rare woods, feature prominently curved legs as well as Chinese themes and varied ornaments. Much like the thrones of fairy tales and the regency, elegant lounges crafted in the Louis XV style convey wealth and prestige. In the kitchen, the dining chair placed at the head of the table is typically reserved for the head of the household or a revered guest.
Of course, with luxurious vintage or antique furnishings, every chair can seem like the best seat in the house. Whether your preference is stretching out on a plush sofa, such as the Serpentine, designed by Vladimir Kagan, or cozying up in a vintage wingback chair, there is likely to be a comfy classic or contemporary gem for you on 1stDibs.
With respect to the latest obsessions in design, cane seating has been cropping up everywhere, from sleek armchairs to lounge chairs, while bouclé fabric, a staple of modern furniture design, can be seen in mid-century modern, Scandinavian modern and Hollywood Regency furniture styles.
Admirers of the sophisticated craftsmanship and dark woods frequently associated with mid-century modern seating can find timeless furnishings in our expansive collection of lounge chairs, dining chairs and other items — whether they’re vintage editions or alluring official reproductions of iconic designs from the likes of Hans Wegner or from Charles and Ray Eames. Shop our inventory of Egg chairs, designed in 1958 by Arne Jacobsen, the Florence Knoll lounge chair and more.
No matter your style, the collection of unique chairs, sofas and other seating on 1stDibs is surely worthy of a standing ovation.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022To pronounce Mies van der Rohe, say "meez van der roh." The architect and furniture designer Ludwig Mies van der Rohe went simply by the name Mies, but you will often see him referred to as "Mies van der Rohe" or as the full "Ludwig Mies van der Rohe." His birth name was Maria Ludwig Michael Mies. On 1stDibs, find a selection of Mies van der Rohe furniture.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Mies van der Rohe was known for many things. Some people associate him with the Bauhaus School, which he led from 1930 to 1933. Others associate him with his most famous architectural designs, including the Seagram Building in New York. In addition, Mies van der Rohe was an influential furniture designer and the dean of the Illinois Institute of Technology. Find a collection of Mies van der Rohe furniture on 1stDibs.
- Who is Ludwig Mies van der Rohe?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Ludwig Mies van der Rohe was an architect and furniture designer who helped to define modernist design. He served as the director of the Bauhaus from 1930 to 1933 and moved to Chicago, Illinois, in 1938. He designed many well-known buildings, including the Seagram Building in New York and the apartment towers on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, where he later lived. On 1stDibs, find a collection of Mies van der Rohe furniture.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022No, Mies van der Rohe was not in De Stijl, an art movement active in the Netherlands from 1917 to 1931. However, the movement did influence his thinking about design and helped inspire his work as the director of the Bauhaus from 1930 to 1933. On 1stDibs, find a variety of Mies van der Rohe furniture.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022No, Mies van der Rohe was not a landscape architect. Although he had no formal architectural training, he designed many buildings around the world from the 1920s through the 1960s. Some of his most well-known designs include the Seagram Building in New York City, the Chicago Federal Complex and Farnsworth House, located in the suburbs of Chicago. On 1stDibs, find a selection of Mies van der Rohe furniture.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022No, Mies van der Rohe didn't win any major competitions. However, a well-known annual competition shares his name. The European Union awards the Mies van der Rohe Award for outstanding achievements in contemporary architecture every two years. Find a selection of Mies van der Rohe furniture on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Yes. Although he didn't restrict himself to that particular architectural style, Mies van der Rohe is famous for the international style. His work and buildings created by his students and followers heavily influenced the movement. You can see hallmarks of the style in the simplicity of his work, as well as in his use of steel and plate glass construction materials. You'll find a range of Mies van der Rohe furniture on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Ludwig Mies van der Rohe lived in the Lake Shore Drive apartment towers in Chicago. He moved to the city in 1938. Once there, Mies worked as an architect. He also served as the dean of the Illinois Institute of Technology. On 1stDibs, find a variety of Mies van der Rohe furniture.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022There are numerous Mies van der Rohe buildings. The campus of the Illinois Institute of Technology is home to 20 of his designs, such as the Minerals and Metals Research Building and the Engineering Research Building. Other Mies van der Rohe buildings found in Chicago include the Promontory Apartments, the 860-880 Lake Shore Apartments, the Chicago Federal Center and the Esplanade Apartment Buildings. Shop a selection of Mies van der Rohe furniture on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022No, Mies van der Rohe is not most famous for the industrial style. However, many of his later buildings did employ materials typical in the style, such as industrial-grade steel and plate glass. You'll find a selection of Mies van der Rohe furniture on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022No, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe was not famous for being a formalist. A formalist is a designer who adheres to strict rules of one particular style. Mies van der Rohe never attempted to work within the framework of one guiding architectural movement. Instead, he designed buildings and furniture to fit their purpose, always adhering to the principle of "less is more." Shop a range of Mies van der Rohe furniture on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022No, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is not famous for Gothic architecture. The period of Gothic architecture ranges from the 12th to 16th centuries. Mies van der Rohe was active from the 1920s to the 1960s. Historians consider him a modernist designer and architect. You'll find a collection of Mies van der Rohe furniture on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Marcel Breuer designed tubular steel furniture with Mies van der Rohe. It was Breuer who came up with the idea for using the material as a base for chairs, tables and other furnishings after he became fascinated by the frame of his bicycle. You'll find a variety of vintage tubular steel furniture on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022No, not everything that Mies van der Rohe produced is considered Bauhaus architecture. Generally, designs he created during the early 1930s, like the Villa Tugendhat in Brno, Czech Republic, fall under the category. Mies van der Rohe continued to design buildings for decades to come and experimented in a variety of styles. Shop a collection of Mies van der Rohe furniture on 1stDibs.
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