$4,792 / item
Milky White Blossy Rocking Sofa by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Milky White Blossy Rocking Sofa by Karim Rashid Dimensions: D 85 x W 159 x H 75 cm. Seat Height: 34 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 38 kg. Available in different color options....
Other
Vigo Magistretti for Cassina Sofa in Dark Grey Upholstery
By Vico Magistretti, Cassina
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Vico Magistretti for Cassina, two-seater sofa, model 'Veranda', fabric, aluminum, Italy, 1983. Beautiful esthetically balanced two-seater sofa designed by Vico Magistretti for Cassi...
Aluminum
Cassina Maralunga Zweisitzer Sofa Vico Magistretti Stoff kord braun-grau
By Cassina, Vico Magistretti
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten ein wunderschönes braun-graues Maralunga Zweisitzer Sofa in Samt/ Kordstoff von Cassina zum Verkauf an. Das Design stammt von Vico Magistretti und gilt bis heute als wahre...
Velvet
Mauro Lipparini for Saporiti 'Avedon' Curved Sofa in Turquoise Upholstery
By Alberto Rosselli Saporiti, Mauro Lipparini
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Mauro Lipparini for Saporiti 'Avedon' sofa, fabric, lacquered wood, chrome-plated steel, Italy, 1980s A truly wonderful piece that breathes the elegance of Italian Post-Modern design.
Steel, Chrome
Rolf Benz Curved Two-Tone Suede and Leather Upholstered Sofa
By Rolf Benz
Located in Astoria, NY
Rolf Benz Curved Two-Tone Three-Seat Sofa, in red suede and tan leather upholstery. 32" H x 108" W x 36" D; seat: 16" H. Provenance: From a Fort Lauderdale, Florida Estate.
Leather, Suede
Bucefalo Sofa by Daniele Canova, Black Minimalist Multifunction Design, 2010s
By Ron Arad, Marc Newson, Karim Rashid, Zaha Hadid
Located in Paris, FR
Bucefalo Sofa by Daniele Canova Rare Italian Minimalist Design – Sculptural Multifunction Sofa Inspired by Bucephalus, the legendary black horse tamed only by Alexander the Great, t...
Metal
$30,111 / item
Fabric and Cuoio Stilt Sofa 3 Seater by Amura Lab
Located in Geneve, CH
Fabric and Cuoio Stilt Sofa 3 Seater by Amura Lab Dimensions: W 224 x D 96 x H 75 cm Materials: FRAME: solid wood and cuoio. SUSPENSIONS: rub la plume ber and polypropylene belts SEA...
Wood
$33,057 / item
Fabric and Cuoio Stilt Sofa 4 Seater by Amura Lab
Located in Geneve, CH
Fabric and Cuoio Stilt Sofa 4 Seater by Amura Lab Dimensions: W 294 x D 96 x H 75 cm Materials: FRAME: solid wood and cuoio. SUSPENSIONS: rub la plume ber and polypropylene belts SEA...
Wood
$33,057 / item
Fabric and Cuoio Stilt Sofa 4 Seater by Amura Lab
Located in Geneve, CH
Fabric and Cuoio Stilt Sofa 4 Seater by Amura Lab Dimensions: W 294 x D 96 x H 75 cm Materials: FRAME: solid wood and cuoio. SUSPENSIONS: rub la plume ber and polypropylene belts SEA...
Wood
$14,412 / item
Chocolate Brown Mara Sofa by Lorenza Bozzoli
Located in Geneve, CH
Chocolate Brown Mara Sofa by Lorenza Bozzoli Dimensions: D 94 x W 180 x H 82 cm. Seat Height: 52 cm. Materials: Polyethylene, wadding, rubber, and acrylic. Weight: 60 kg. Available ...
Other
$14,412 / item
Saddle Leather Mara Sofa by Lorenza Bozzoli
Located in Geneve, CH
Saddle Leather Mara Sofa by Lorenza Bozzoli Dimensions: D 94 x W 180 x H 82 cm. Seat Height: 52 cm. Materials: Polyethylene, wadding, rubber, and acrylic. Weight: 60 kg. Available i...
Other
$14,412 / item
Mahogany Leather Mara Sofa by Lorenza Bozzoli
Located in Geneve, CH
Mahogany Leather Mara Sofa by Lorenza Bozzoli Dimensions: D 94 x W 180 x H 82 cm. Seat Height: 52 cm. Materials: Polyethylene, wadding, rubber, and acrylic. Weight: 60 kg. Available...
Other
$14,412 / item
Milky White Mara Sofa by Lorenza Bozzoli
Located in Geneve, CH
Milky White Mara Sofa by Lorenza Bozzoli Dimensions: D 94 x W 180 x H 82 cm. Seat Height: 52 cm. Materials: Polyethylene, wadding, rubber, and acrylic. Weight: 60 kg. Available in d...
Other
Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto Pair of 'Artona' Sofas in Walnut
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Maxalto
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto, pair of 'Artona' sofas, walnut, beige-sand fabric, Italy, 1975/1979 Cubic ‘Artona’ sofas by Italian designer couple Afra and Tobia Scarpa. The w...
Fabric, Walnut
Pair of Vico Magistretti Cassina black leather Veranda sofas
By Vico Magistretti, Cassina
Located in Ferndale, MI
Pair of black leather " Veranda " sofas . Designed by Vico Magistretti produced by Cassina distributed by Atelier International (ai) . Each couch has three soft supple leather seats ...
Steel
Milky White Happylife Sofa by Bedini, Marzano And Settimelli
Located in Geneve, CH
Milky White Happylife Sofa by Bedini, Marzano And Settimelli Dimensions: D 90 x W 240 x H 81 cm. Seat Height: 47 cm. Materials: Polyethylene and eco-leather. Weight: 69 kg. Availabl...
Other
Jet Black Happylife Sofa by Bedini, Marzano And Settimelli
Located in Geneve, CH
Jet Black Happylife Sofa by Bedini, Marzano And Settimelli Dimensions: D 90 x W 240 x H 81 cm. Seat Height: 47 cm. Materials: Polyethylene and eco-leather. Weight: 69 kg. Available ...
Other
Chocolate Brown Happylife Sofa by Bedini, Marzano And Settimelli
Located in Geneve, CH
Chocolate Brown Happylife Sofa by Bedini, Marzano And Settimelli Dimensions: D 90 x W 240 x H 81 cm. Seat Height: 47 cm. Materials: Polyethylene and eco-leather. Weight: 69 kg. Avai...
Other
$3,273 / item
Saffron Yellow Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Saffron Yellow Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio Designed by Paola Navone. Dimensions: D 80 x W 118 x H 70 cm. Seat Height: 36 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 27 kg. Availa...
Other
$3,273 / item
Sweet Fuchsia Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Sweet Fuchsia Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio Designed by Paola Navone. Dimensions: D 80 x W 118 x H 70 cm. Seat Height: 36 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 22 kg. Availab...
Other
$3,273 / item
Powder Blue Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Powder Blue Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio Designed by Paola Navone. Dimensions: D 80 x W 118 x H 70 cm. Seat Height: 36 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 22 kg. Available...
Other
$3,273 / item
Jet Black Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Jet Black Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio Designed by Paola Navone. Dimensions: D 80 x W 118 x H 70 cm. Seat Height: 36 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 22 kg. Available i...
Other
$3,273 / item
Lime Green Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Lime Green Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio Designed by Paola Navone. Dimensions: D 80 x W 118 x H 70 cm. Seat Height: 36 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 22 kg. Available ...
Other
$3,273 / item
Malva Green Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Malva Green Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio Designed by Paola Navone. Dimensions: D 80 x W 118 x H 70 cm. Seat Height: 36 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 22 kg. Available...
Other
$3,273 / item
Milky White Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Milky White Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio Designed by Paola Navone. Dimensions: D 80 x W 118 x H 70 cm. Seat Height: 36 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 22 kg. Available...
Other
$3,273 / item
Pumpkin Orange Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Pumpkin Orange Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio Designed by Paola Navone. Dimensions: D 80 x W 118 x H 70 cm. Seat Height: 36 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 22 kg. Availa...
Other
$3,273 / item
Argil Grey Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Argil Grey Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio Designed by Paola Navone. Dimensions: D 80 x W 118 x H 70 cm. Seat Height: 36 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 22 kg. Available ...
Other
$3,273 / item
Elephant Grey Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Elephant Grey Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio Designed by Paola Navone. Dimensions: D 80 x W 118 x H 70 cm. Seat Height: 36 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 22 kg. Availab...
Other
$3,273 / item
Flame Red Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Flame Red Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio Designed by Paola Navone. Dimensions: D 80 x W 118 x H 70 cm. Seat Height: 36 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 22 kg. Available i...
Other
$3,273 / item
Dove Grey Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Dove Grey Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio Designed by Paola Navone. Dimensions: D 80 x W 118 x H 70 cm. Seat Height: 36 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 22 kg. Available i...
Other
Chocolate Brown Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Chocolate Brown Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio Designed by Paola Navone. Dimensions: D 80 x W 118 x H 70 cm. Seat Height: 36 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 22 kg. Avail...
Other
Egon Three-Seater Sofa in Lamberto & Avion Fabrics by Arcahorn
Located in Geneve, CH
Egon Three-Seater Sofa in Lamberto & Avion Fabrics by Arcahorn Dimensions: D 102 x W 300 x H 63 cm. Materials: Horn, fabric, polyurethane foam, and goose down. Cushions are not inc...
Other
Camaleonda Sofa Set by Mario Bellini Customised in Light Sand Boucle 1970s
Located in PARIS, FR
Mario Bellini brought the discipline of post-war Italian rationalism into dialogue with the looser, more sensual currents of the late 1960s. His work for Olivetti, Cassina and B&...
Leather, Foam, Wood
Low Lita Love 10th Anniversary Low Sofa by OTTO Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Low Lita Love 10th Anniversary Low Sofa by OTTO Studio Unique Piece. Designed by Paola Navone. Dimensions: D 80 x W 118 x H 70 cm. Seat Height: 36 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight...
Other
One Hundred Fully Upholstered Monolithic Modular Sofa by Quinti Sedute
Located in Geneve, CH
One Hundred Fully Upholstered Monolithic Modular Sofa by Quinti Sedute Dimensions: D 134 x W 250 x H 77 cm. Materials: Polyurethane rubber, plywood, and upholstery. Available in dif...
Other
Mah Jong Modular 3-Piece Sofa Suite by Hans Hopfer for Roche Bobois
By Roche Bobois, Hans Hopfer
Located in Basel, BS
An iconic three-piece Mah Jong lounge suite, by Roche Bobois, groundbreaking modular seating concept designed by Hans Hopfer in 1971. This set embraces the "ground-level living" revo...
Foam
"Le Stelle" Loveseat Sofa by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia
By Knoll, Mario Bellini, B&B Italia
Located in Los Angeles, CA
"Le Stelle" loveseat sofa by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia, Italy, circa 1970s. Newly reupholstered in white Knoll boucle, the sofa features angled arm rests and Bellini's signatu...
Bouclé
Mario Bellini Vintage "Camaleonda" Sofa, Lambskin Black Leather, 1970 B&B Italia
By Mario Bellini, B&B Italia
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Mario Bellini Camaleonda Sofa in Custom Black Lambskin Leather, Italy, 1970s An iconic example of Italian design, this vintage Camaleonda sofa by Mario Bellini embodies the sculptur...
Chrome
Carlo Scarpa “Cornaro” Three-seater Sofa for Gavina, Ivory Linen, 1973
By Gavina, Carlo Scarpa
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Carlo Scarpa “Cornaro” sofa for Gavina, wood and ivory linen, Italy, 1973. The Cornaro sofa represents a sublime exemplification of the harmony between Japanese minimalism and Ultra...
Velvet, Foam, Wood
Afrodite Three-Seater Sofa in Belsuede Fabric, Horn & Wood by Arcahorn
Located in Geneve, CH
Afrodite Three-Seater Sofa in Belsuede Fabric, Horn & Wood by Arcahorn Dimensions: D 95 x W 270 x H 86 cm. Materials: Horn, fabric, and wood with satin brass effect. Cushions are no...
Other
Carlo Scarpa “Cornaro” Three-seater Sofa for Gavina, Ivory Velvet, 1973
By Carlo Scarpa, Gavina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Carlo Scarpa “Cornaro” sofa for Gavina, wood and ivory velvet, 1973. The Cornaro sofa represents a sublime exemplification of the harmony between Japanese minimalism and Ultraration...
Velvet, Foam, Wood
B&B Italia Moon sofa by Zaha Hadid, Customised in Rubelli, 2007
Located in PARIS, FR
The first woman to receive the Pritzker Architecture Prize (2004). Born in Baghdad, trained at the Architectural Association in London, Zaha Hadid built a practice grounded in the re...
Steel
Cassina 'Soriana' Cognac Leather Sofa by Afra and Tobia Scarpa, 1970s
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Antwerp, BE
Scarpa; Cassina; Tobia Scarpa; Afra Scarpa; Minimalist; Italian Design; Hollywood Regency; Post-modern; Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Cassina, Soriana, reupholstered in aniline leather....
Chrome
Thank Two Seater Sofa in Chromed Metal & Upholstery by Quinti Sedute
Located in Geneve, CH
Thank Two Seater Sofa in Chromed Metal & Upholstery by Quinti Sedute Dimensions: D 73 x W 150 x H 67 cm. Materials: Metal, wood, and upholstery. Available in different finishes, siz...
Metal
Thank Three Seater Sofa in Chromed Metal & Upholstery by Quinti Sedute
Located in Geneve, CH
Thank Three Seater Sofa in Chromed Metal & Upholstery by Quinti Sedute Dimensions: D 73 x W 220 x H 67 cm. Materials: Metal, wood, and upholstery. Available in different finishes, s...
Metal
Studio 65 Bocca or Marilyn Sofa in Red Fabric by Gufram 1970s
By Gufram Furniture, Studio 65
Located in Cascina, Pisa
Bocca or Marilyn sofa with structure in expanded polyurethane foam covered with red fabric, the cover is completely removable. This sofa was designed by Studio 65 and produced by Guf...
Fabric, Foam
Carlo Scarpa “Cornaro” Two-seater Sofa for Gavina, Turquoise Velvet, 1973
By Carlo Scarpa, Gavina
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Carlo Scarpa “Cornaro” sofa for Gavina, wood and turquoise velvet, 1973. The Cornaro sofa represents a sublime exemplification of the harmony between Japanese minimalism and Ultrara...
Velvet, Foam, Wood
Carlo Scarpa “Cornaro” Two-seater Sofa for Gavina, Ivory Velvet, 1973
By Gavina, Carlo Scarpa
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Carlo Scarpa “Cornaro” sofa for Gavina, wood and ivory velvet, 1973. The Cornaro sofa represents a sublime exemplification of the harmony between Japanese minimalism and Ultraration...
Velvet, Foam, Wood
Milky White Kami Yon Sofa With Cushion by Marc Sadler
Located in Geneve, CH
Milky White Kami Yon Sofa With Cushion by Marc Sadler Dimensions: Sofa: D 75 x W 174 x H 70 cm. Seat Height: 35 cm. Cushion: D 95 x W 150 x H 3 cm. Materials: Polyethylene, upholster...
Other
Milky White Kami Yon Sofa With Cushion by Marc Sadler
Located in Geneve, CH
Milky White Kami Yon Sofa With Cushion by Marc Sadler Dimensions: Sofa: D 75 x W 174 x H 70 cm. Seat Height: 35 cm. Cushion: D 95 x W 150 x H 3 cm. Materials: Polyethylene, upholster...
Other
Le Bambole Leather Sofa Design Mario Bellini 1978 for B&B Italia
By Mario Bellini, B&B Italia
Located in Offenburg, Baden Wurthemberg
Like few others Mario Bellini has contributed to post-modern furniture design in finding new relations between the inner construction and the outer appearance of his furniture.
Leather, Foam
Psyche Everis 900 Fabric Upholstery Meridien Sofa by Casa Casati
Located in Geneve, CH
Psyche Everis 900 Fabric Upholstery Meridien Sofa by Casa Casati Dimensions: D 100 x W 240 x H 70 cm. Materials: Beech wood, marine plywood, polyurethane, polyester fibre, foam, cot...
Other
Rea Three-Seater Sofa in Splendido Velvet Upholstery, Horn & Wood by Arcahorn
Located in Geneve, CH
Rea Three-Seater Sofa in Splendido Velvet Upholstery, Horn & Wood by Arcahorn Dimensions: D 95 x W 270 x H 86 cm. Materials: Horn, velvet, and wood. Cushions are not included. Pleas...
Other
Hub Three-Seater Sofa in Stainless Steel & Upholstery by Quinti Sedute
Located in Geneve, CH
Hub Three-Seater Sofa in Stainless Steel & Upholstery by Quinti Sedute Dimensions: D 70 x W 210 x H 68 cm. Materials: Stainless steel, wood, and upholstery. Available in different f...
Stainless Steel
Hub Two-Seater Sofa in Stainless Steel & Upholstery by Quinti Sedute
Located in Geneve, CH
Hub Two-Seater Sofa in Stainless Steel & Upholstery by Quinti Sedute Dimensions: D 70 x W 140 x H 68 cm. Materials: Stainless steel, wood, and upholstery. Available in different fin...
Stainless Steel
1990s Rare Poltromec Italia Leather Sculptural Space Age Sofa Loveseat, Set of 2
By Poltromec
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Transport yourself back to the sleek and sophisticated 1990s with this exquisite deep purple, navy blue and lime green leather sofa and love seat. The ultra rare pieces exudes an air...
Steel
Egon Three-Seater Sofa in Leather, Horn, Wood & Upholstery by Arcahorn
Located in Geneve, CH
Egon Three-Seater Sofa in Leather, Horn, Wood & Upholstery by Arcahorn Dimensions: D 102 x W 335 x H 72 cm. Materials: Horn, upholstery, leather, polyurethane foam, and goose dow...
Other
$6,078Sale Price|20% Off
Diesis sofa for B&B by Paolo Nava and Citterio in white leather
By Antonio Citterio, B&B Italia, Paolo Nava
Located in Milano, IT
"Diesis" Two-Seater Sofa by B&B Italia - White Leather, Designed by Antonio Citterio and Paolo Nava, c. 2001 An icon of modern furniture design, this "Diesis" two-seater sofa by B&B ...
Metal, Steel
Milky White RAP Sofa With Cotton White Cushion by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Milky White RAP Sofa With Cotton White Cushion by Karim Rashid Dimensions: Sofa: D 80 x W 170 x H 75 cm. Seat Height: 36 cm. Cushion: D 65 x W 130 x H 3 cm. Materials: Polyethylene, ...
Other
Milky White RAP Sofa With Mineral Grey Cushion by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Milky White RAP Sofa With Mineral Grey Cushion by Karim Rashid Dimensions: Sofa: D 80 x W 170 x H 75 cm. Seat Height: 36 cm. Cushion: D 65 x W 130 x H 3 cm. Materials: Polyethylene, ...
Other
Postmodern design was a short-lived movement that manifested itself chiefly in Italy and the United States in the early 1980s. The characteristics of vintage postmodern furniture and other postmodern objects and decor for the home included loud-patterned, usually plastic surfaces; strange proportions, vibrant colors and weird angles; and a vague-at-best relationship between form and function.
ORIGINS OF POSTMODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
CHARACTERISTICS OF POSTMODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
POSTMODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW
VINTAGE POSTMODERN FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS
Critics derided postmodern design as a grandstanding bid for attention and nothing of consequence. Decades later, the fact that postmodernism still has the power to provoke thoughts, along with other reactions, proves they were not entirely correct.
Postmodern design began as an architectural critique. Starting in the 1960s, a small cadre of mainly American architects began to argue that modernism, once high-minded and even noble in its goals, had become stale, stagnant and blandly corporate. Later, in Milan, a cohort of creators led by Ettore Sottsass and Alessandro Mendini — a onetime mentor to Sottsass and a key figure in the Italian Radical movement — brought the discussion to bear on design.
Sottsass, an industrial designer, philosopher and provocateur, gathered a core group of young designers into a collective in 1980 they called Memphis. Members of the Memphis Group, which would come to include Martine Bedin, Michael Graves, Marco Zanini, Shiro Kuramata, Michele de Lucchi and Matteo Thun, saw design as a means of communication, and they wanted it to shout. That it did: The first Memphis collection appeared in 1981 in Milan and broke all the modernist taboos, embracing irony, kitsch, wild ornamentation and bad taste.
Memphis works remain icons of postmodernism: the Sottsass Casablanca bookcase, with its leopard-print plastic veneer; de Lucchi’s First chair, which has been described as having the look of an electronics component; Martine Bedin’s Super lamp: a pull-toy puppy on a power-cord leash. Even though it preceded the Memphis Group’s formal launch, Sottsass’s iconic Ultrafragola mirror — in its conspicuously curved plastic shell with radical pops of pink neon — proves striking in any space and embodies many of the collective’s postmodern ideals.
After the initial Memphis show caused an uproar, the postmodern movement within furniture and interior design quickly took off in America. (Memphis fell out of fashion when the Reagan era gave way to cool 1990’s minimalism.) The architect Robert Venturi had by then already begun a series of plywood chairs for Knoll Inc., with beefy, exaggerated silhouettes of traditional styles such as Queen Anne and Chippendale. In 1982, the new firm Swid Powell enlisted a group of top American architects, including Frank Gehry, Richard Meier, Stanley Tigerman and Venturi to create postmodern tableware in silver, ceramic and glass.
On 1stDibs, the vintage postmodern furniture collection includes chairs, coffee tables, sofas, decorative objects, table lamps and more.
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.