A modern Renaissance man, Italian designer Carlo di Carli wove his personal philosophy into his furniture creations. He believed that furniture should suit human movement and the surrounding environment, and each piece was made not only with an eye to form but also for everyday practicality. In today’s interiors, vintage di Carli furniture captures the extraordinary essence of Italian mid-century modernism.
Carlo di Carli was born in Milan in 1910. He studied at the Polytechnic University of Milan and developed an interest in design, architecture, writing and philosophy. After graduating in 1934, he worked under revered Italian architect and designer Gio Ponti. Shortly afterward, di Carli opened a studio with furniture maker Renato Angeli. In 1940, he began a relationship with the Milan Triennial design and art museum, where he eventually joined the board of directors.
Most of di Carli's furniture and architectural works came to fruition between the 1940s and 1970s. His architectural projects included the Church of Saint Ildefonso and the Via dei Giardini 7 building in Milan. However, di Carli is best known for his chair and table designs.
What sets di Carli’s chairs and other seating apart from those of other designers is that they are made to be lived in. As a result, his comfortable, functional and inviting designs earned the attention of leading Italian furniture companies like Cassina, Singer & Sons, Tecno and GUBI, and he played a significant role in 20th-century Italian furniture design.
In 1954, di Carli was awarded the Compasso d’Oro for his Cassina Model 683 chair. In 1957, he also won a Grand Prix at the Milan Triennial exhibition for a chair he designed for Tecno. Still committed to his academic pursuits, di Carli served as dean of the architecture faculty at the Polytechnic University of Milan from 1963 to 1968. He continued teaching until 1986 and continued writing until his death in 1999. His most important writings were published in a book titled Architettura, Spazio Primario.
Find vintage Carlo di Carli armchairs, dining chairs and coffee tables on 1stDibs.
683 chair, Carlo De Carli, Cassina, compasso d'oro 1954
By Carlo di Carli, Cassina
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Chair mod. 683, designed by Carlo De Carli for Cassina in 1954, considered one of the most emblematic designs of postwar Italian design. Entirely demountable, it is made of solid ash...
Metal, Brass
Model 802 Armchair, Design by Carlo de Carli, by Cassina, Italy, 1954
By Cassina, Carlo di Carli
Located in Wolfurt, AT
Model 802 armchair - Design by Carlo de Carli, manufactured by Cassina, Italy, 1954. The wooden frame with foam upholstery rests on elastic ribbons. The a...
Fabric, Bentwood
Carlo DeCarli Desk Chair Wood Sky Padding 1950 italy
By Carlo di Carli
Located in Milano, IT
Carlo De Carli Chair
Wood
Carlo de Carli Chairs Set of Six Reupholstered with Fabric by Fornasetti
By Carlo di Carli
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Carlo de Carli chairs set of six reupholstered with fabric by Fornasetti.
Set of 4 Dining Chairs by Carlo di Carli for M. Singer & Sons
By M. Singer & Sons, Carlo di Carli
Located in Sagaponack, NY
An excellent set of four (4) armless Mid-Century Modern dining chairs designed by Carlo di Carli in walnut wood with an upholstered seat and back. Made by M. Singer & Sons in the USA...
Upholstery, Walnut
$3,120Sale Price|20% Off
H 29.53 in W 18.51 in D 17.72 in
Set of 4 Dining Room Chairs by C. Linneberg for B. Pedersen, Denmark, 1970's
By Bernhard Pedersen & Son, Christian Linnebergs Møbelfabrik
Located in Uithoorn, NL
Looking for some fresh and crisp Danish elements in your house? A set of 4 newly upholstered teak chairs in petrol blue wool that forms a good ...
Teak
$7,500 / set
H 33.75 in W 18 in D 18.5 in
Set of 6 Chairs Designed by Carlo de Carli for Cassina, Walnut
By Carlo di Carli, Cassina
Located in Miami, FL
Set of 6 chairs Mod. 693, Designed by Carlo de Carli for Cassina. Solid walnut, chairs have been recently recovered in a charcoal grey cotton velvet. Ready for a new home.
Faux Leather, Walnut
Carlo de Carli Boomerang Chair
By Carlo di Carli
Located in Sacile, PN
Beautiful boomerang chair by Carlo de Carli.
Brass, Iron
$6,076Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 31.5 in W 39.38 in D 37.41 in
Sormani Carlo De Carli Pair of Armchairs Black Leather Italian Design, 1960s
By Carlo di Carli
Located in Palermo, Sicily
Midcentury Sormani Carlo de Carli pair of armchairs back leather Italian design, 1960s.
Brass, Chrome
Vintage Le Corbusier Armchair LC1 by Cassina
By Cassina, Le Corbusier
Located in Vilnius, LT
Vintage LC1 chair designed by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Charlotte Perriand, circa 1928. Base in chromed tubular steel, pony skin upholstery. Marked/engraved on the frame: Cass...
Chrome
$6,543 / set
H 31.5 in W 30.71 in D 27.56 in
Mid-Century Modern 802 Armchairs by Carlo de Carli for Cassina, 1950s
By Carlo di Carli
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern 802 Armchairs by Carlo de Carli for Cassina, 1950s
Wood
Vintage Le Corbusier Armchair LC1 by Cassina
By Pierre Jeanneret, Cassina, Charlotte Perriand, Le Corbusier
Located in Vilnius, LT
Vintage LC1 chair designed by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Charlotte Perriand, circa 1928. Base in black painted tubular steel, cognac color leather upholstery. Marked/engraved o...
Steel
Vintage Le Corbusier Armchair LC1 by Cassina
By Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Charlotte Perriand, Cassina
Located in Vilnius, LT
Vintage LC1 chair designed by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Charlotte Perriand, circa 1928. Base in chrome tubular steel, cognac color leather upholstery. Marked/engraved on the f...
Steel
$1,589Sale Price|20% Off
H 28.35 in W 17.33 in D 14.97 in
Mid-Century Arflex "Lucania" Chair by Carlo De Carlo, Italy, 1954
By Giancarlo De Carlo, Arflex
Located in Sacile, PN
Chair designed by Giancarlo De Carlo, manufactured by Arflex, Italy, 1954. This chair is an original commission for the furnishings of the motor yacht "Lucania". The seat shell is ma...
Metal
$8,894 / set
H 31.89 in W 25.2 in D 29.93 in
Carlo de Carli Model 806 Chairs, Produced by Cassina, Italy, 1950s
By Carlo di Carli
Located in Lewes, East Sussex
Carlo de Carli Model 806 armchairs, produced by Cassina, Italy, 1950s. Oak legs with dark grey (with a hint of brown) 100% mohair fabric. Fast shipping worldwide.
Fabric, Oak
$3,250
H 29.75 in W 22.75 in D 27.5 in
Carlo de Carli Lounge Chair in Italian Walnut for Singer and Sons
By Carlo di Carli, M. Singer & Sons
Located in Atlanta, GA
Clean Lined Italian Lounge Chair, designed by Carlo de Carli for Singer and Sons, Italy, circa 1950s. This chair is currently being reupholstered and can be completed in your fabric....
Upholstery, Walnut
Carlo de Carli for M. Singer & Sons Lounge, Refinished / Mohair
By Carlo di Carli, M. Singer & Sons
Located in St. Louis, MO
Carlo de Carli for M. Singer & Sons lounge chair circa 1950s completely restored with medium espresso finish. Upholstered in gray mohair with new foam. Classic Mid-Century Modern Ita...
Mohair, Walnut
Sold
H 33.47 in W 18.51 in D 18.12 in
Set of 6 chairs 693 Carlo De Carli Cassina, 1957, wood and blue velvet
By Carlo di Carli
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Set of 6 model 693 chairs, designed by Carlo De Carli and produced in 1957. Made of walnut wood with padded seat and backrest and covered in blue velvet. Provenance: private collecti...
Velvet, Wood
Carlo de Carli Set of Rosewood Chairs in Olive Green Upholstery
By Carlo di Carli, Cassina
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Carlo de Carli for Cassina, chairs model 693, walnut and green faux leather, 1958. This Italian set of dining chairs is part of the midcentury design collection. These chairs are de...
Walnut
Sold
H 33.86 in W 18.9 in D 19.69 in
Carlo de Carli Set of 12 Dining Room Chairs in Walnut for Cassina
By Carlo di Carli
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Carlo de Carli for Cassina, set of 12 dining chairs model 693, in walnut and red faux-leather, Italy, 1959. Set of twelve beautiful dining chairs by Italian designer Carlo di Carli....
Faux Leather, Walnut
Sold
H 33.86 in W 18.71 in D 17.92 in
Carlo de Carli Set of Eight Dining Room Chairs in Walnut for Cassina
By Carlo di Carli, Cassina
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Set of eight dining chairs model 693, in walnut and faux-leather by Carlo de Carli for Cassina, Italy, 1959. Set of eight beautiful dining chairs by Italian designer Carlo di Carl...
Faux Leather, Walnut
Set of six Carlo De Carli chairs in white bouclè
By Carlo di Carli
Located in Milano, IT
Immerse yourself in the timeless elegance of mid-century Italy with these exquisite Carlo De Carli chairs, each a masterpiece of design and craftsmanship straight from the 1950s. Ima...
Bouclé, Wood
Carlo De Carli rare set of ten wood chairs model 585
By Carlo di Carli
Located in Milano, IT
COD-2436 Paolo Buffa Pair of armchairs in stained wood and blond maple with seat and cushion upholstered in linen. Italian manufacture, ca. 1935.
Wood
Sold
H 33.86 in W 18.12 in D 18.9 in
Carlo de Carli Set of Eight Dining Chairs for Cassina, Italy, 1958
By Carlo di Carli, Figli di Amadeo Cassina
Located in Milan, IT
Carlo De Carli set of eight Model: 693 dining chairs for Cassina, Italy, 1958 Original leather seating Original Cassina labels.
Leather, Wood
Set of six Carlo De Carli chairs in white bouclè
By Carlo di Carli
Located in Milano, IT
Immerse yourself in the timeless elegance of mid-century Italy with these exquisite Carlo De Carli chairs, each a masterpiece of design and craftsmanship straight from the 1950s. Ima...
Bouclé, Wood
Carlo de Carli, set of 8 chairs model 634
By Carlo di Carli
Located in Milano, IT
COD-2366 Carlo de Carli (1910-1999) Rare set of 8 chairs model 634 designed by the architect, designer awarded with the Compasso d'Oro in 1954. Bibl. Architecture and primary space...
Cotton
Group of six chairs S82 by Eugenio Gerli for Tecno Anni 60s
By Carlo di Carli
Located in Milano, IT
Group of 6 chairs with exotic wood frame, chrome-plated and enameled metal, foam padding and fabric upholstery.
Metal
Carlo de Carli Set of Six Dining Chairs for Cassina, Italy, 1958
By Figli di Amadeo Cassina, Carlo di Carli
Located in Milan, IT
Carlo De Carli set of six Model: 693 dining chairs for Cassina, Italy, 1958 Original leather seating Original Cassina labels.
Leather, Wood
Sold
H 30.71 in W 23.04 in D 19.69 in
Italian Mid-Century Modern Boomerang Armchairs by Carlo de Carli
By Carlo di Carli
Located in Paris, FR
An exquisite pair of collectible Boomerang armchairs by Carlo de Carli. These chairs are made of solid oak, tubular black lacquered steel structure,...
Brass, Steel