Tansad Chair
20th Century Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Bouclé
Vintage 1950s Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Chrome
Vintage 1950s Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Leather
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Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
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21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Onyx, Brass
Mid-20th Century Indonesian Industrial Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Industrial Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Oak
Late 20th Century Swiss Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Leather
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
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Vintage 1930s French Armchairs
Iron
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Steel
Vintage 1960s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Walnut
Vintage 1950s German Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Steel
Vintage 1960s Unknown Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Oak
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Metal
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Iron
Vintage 1970s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Wood
2010s American Modern Sofas
Hardwood
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Vintage 1930s English Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Aluminum
Early 20th Century English Chairs
Iron
Vintage 1940s Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Metal
Finding the Right office-chairs-desk-chairs for You
An essential part of every office or home workstation, office chairs and desk chairs are critically important to your comfort and getting the job done.
Desk chairs have evolved over time. While writing the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson pined for a wider range of motion and introduced some improvements to his English-style Windsor chair, inventing the swivel chair along the way. So the next time you roll, recline or swivel at your vintage desk, remember: The third president of the United States had a lot to do with that functionality.
Changes in the availability of resources have also led to innovations in desk chair design. After World War II, for example, optimistic American designers made use of wartime materials in their efforts to create practical domestic goods.
Mid-century modernism is the name given to the broad postwar time period that prioritized thoughtful design. Journalist Cara Greenberg, who coined the term “mid-century modernism,” cites “ergonomic wisdom” as part of the reason for the longevity of the era’s furnishings, and when it comes to sitting in a desk chair for hours at a time, what could be more important than ergonomic support?
As mid-century modernism was marked by resourcefulness and boundless creativity — and produced designers who, in most cases, prioritized comfort and support — it follows that all mid-century chairs are not the same. Nowhere is this perhaps more evident than at Herman Miller. The legendary Michigan furniture manufacturer got its start in the office, with design director George Nelson enlisting the likes of Charles and Ray Eames to produce desk chairs and lounge chairs that are still celebrated today. Elsewhere at the time, the numerous pieces Florence Knoll created for Knoll’s office furniture line were envisioned as design solutions for the changing needs of residential and office spaces.
If you’re working remotely and streamlined seating isn’t your thing, don’t be afraid of making a statement with your office chair. Introduce a touch of drama to your video calls by way of 19th-century desk accessories and the alluring forms we typically associate with antique desk chairs designed in the Empire and Regency styles. For a minimalist touch, a spare, utilitarian Industrial-style office chair can work in any space but will fit in particularly well amid the exposed brick and steel architecture that characterizes a loft apartment.
An inspiring home office cleverly mixes materials and styles to create a welcoming place of productivity and comfort, and if you’re gathering with colleagues at your company HQ, an array of wood, leather and metal office chairs can help integrate disparate textures in a conference room or any other collaborative space. On 1stDibs, explore a diverse collection of office and desk chairs today.
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