Ingeborg Lounge

Architect Flemming Lassen was as noted for his furnishings as he was for his buildings, and he created bedroom furniture and other pieces specifically for the inviting interiors he brought to fruition. The Danish modernist is credited by many for his role in introducing his native country to functionalism, which prioritizes practicality over excessive ornamentation in design. Lassen is widely known for his comfortable, plush vintage sofas, lounge chairs and other seating, such as the overstuffed Tired Man armchair and Mingle sofa.

Lassen's mother and father were both painters. In the early 1900s, he and his brother — architect Mogens Lassen — began to attend boarding school where they befriended Arne Jacobsen, with whom Flemming would come to share an affinity for the principles of functionalism. Jacobsen became a leading light of Scandinavian modernism — his celebrated mid-century designs include the Swan chair and the Egg chair — and he and Flemming remained close throughout their lives, maintaining a strong personal relationship as well as a professional bond as like-minded colleagues.

Lassen and Jacobsen exchanged ideas and collaborated — the former shared his friend’s holistic approach to building projects, which is evidenced by Jacobsen’s design for the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen. Jacobsen’s designs for the property encompassed everything from the architecture to interiors and furnishings. Together, Lassen and Jacobsen won an award at the “Architects Building and Housing Exhibition,” which was held at the Forum in Copenhagen in 1929. The duo was recognized for its “House of the Future,” a circular structure fitted with a then-revolutionary automatic garage door opener and windows that rolled up and down with a handle — just as they would in a car. The House of the Future has influenced Danish architecture to this day.

Flemming also often collaborated with his older brother Mogens, designing buildings and furniture alike. Mogens designed all kinds of tables and seating, and worked with the likes of Jacobsen, Finn Juhl and Ole Wanscher on various projects.

Flemming Lassen created the oak-and-sheepskin Tired Man armchair for The Copenhagen Cabinetmakers’ Guild Competition in 1935. Three years later, he designed the Mingle sofa. Both seating pieces are very popular with collectors today.

Find vintage Flemming Lassen furniture on 1stDibs.

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.