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Adolf Loos Seating

Austrian, 1870-1933

Essentially dubbed the Frank Llyoyd Wright of Europe by Wright himself, Adolf Loos possessed a talent for architecture and interior design as potent as his outspoken criticism of Art Nouveau and excessive ornamentation. A forerunner of the International Style, Loos exercised immense restraint in his building projects as well as his designs for chairs, tables, storage pieces and other furniture, and wrote prolifically on his disdain for taking a decorative approach to architecture. 

The son of a stonemason and sculptor, Loos was born in 1870 in what is now Brno in the Czech Republic. He studied architecture in Dresden in 1889, completed a year of military service and moved to the United States by 1893. He visited the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago and came to appreciate the American approach to design over his three-year stay before returning to Vienna. 

An avid proponent of simplicity, Loos hated fluff above all else. In his best known essay, “Ornament and Crime,” he states “the evolution of culture is synonymous with the removal of ornamentation from objects of everyday use” — a principle evident in both his architectural work and furniture. His writing was profoundly influential for practitioners of the International Style that would emerge later as well as the likes of prolific Swiss-born French architect and modernist prophet Le Corbusier

Loos challenged the prevailing architecture and decorating styles of his time, and disliked the ornate work associated with the Vienna Secession and Gesamtkunstwerk — the concept of a house as total work of art — an ideal pursued by a collective born from the Secession called the Wiener Werkstätte. To Loos, design should prioritize function, and any ornamentation devoid of a structural purpose was childish and unnecessary. 

Loos’s furniture — alongside the work of fellow Austrian architect Josef Hoffmanwas the subject of an exhibition at the Museum of Applied Arts in 2014. His architecture projects, including the Viennese Goldman and Salatsch building, the Austrian Steiner House and the Villa Müller in Prague, are celebrated by design enthusiasts all over the world. 

Find vintage Adolf Loos seating, lighting and other furniture on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Adolf Loos
Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Wiener Vienna 144 Barhocker Barstool in Walnut
Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Wiener Vienna 144 Barhocker Barstool in Walnut

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Wiener Vienna 144 Barhocker Barstool in Walnut

By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Adolf Loos

Located in Brooklyn, NY

This bar stool was originally designed n 1908 by August Thonet. It is a classic for public seating, with solid, functional and elegant characteristics. ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Adolf Loos Seating

Materials

Wood

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH N.1 Chair in Black with Cane Seat
Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH N.1 Chair in Black with Cane Seat

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH N.1 Chair in Black with Cane Seat

By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Adolf Loos

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Supple, light, and elegant. This chair, designed in 1849, uses the new technique of steam bent beech wood, and clearly shows the philosophy aimed at simplifying the components to ena...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Adolf Loos Seating

Materials

Wood

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Czech Armchair in Dark Walnut with Plywood Seat
Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Czech Armchair in Dark Walnut with Plywood Seat

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Czech Armchair in Dark Walnut with Plywood Seat

By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Adolf Loos

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Designed in 1994, the Hermann Czech chair represents the turning point of modern furniture towards the passion of reminiscence and intimacy: a contemporary design that evokes memorie...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Adolf Loos Seating

Materials

Wood

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH N.18 Chair in Curry Yellow with Plywood Seat
Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH N.18 Chair in Curry Yellow with Plywood Seat

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH N.18 Chair in Curry Yellow with Plywood Seat

By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Adolf Loos

Located in Brooklyn, NY

A great classic that made the history of this brand. Conceived by the company during the second half of the nineteenth century to meet the precise needs of practicality, the n°18 is ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Adolf Loos Seating

Materials

Wood

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Stuhl Bicolor Chair in Beech and Squirrel Grey
Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Stuhl Bicolor Chair in Beech and Squirrel Grey

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Stuhl Bicolor Chair in Beech and Squirrel Grey

By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Adolf Loos

Located in Brooklyn, NY

"A simplified design to create an elegant, comfortable, popular item”. The structure has an all-embracing simplicity, and is formed from just a few elements in steam bent solid beech...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Adolf Loos Seating

Materials

Wood

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Cirque Two Tone Low Stool in Black with White Rings
Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Cirque Two Tone Low Stool in Black with White Rings

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Cirque Two Tone Low Stool in Black with White Rings

By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Adolf Loos

Located in Brooklyn, NY

The light and playful circus theme is at the core of the Cirque family of stools designed by Martino Gamper for Wiener GTV Design. The bent element, which is the brand’s signature trait, is surprisingly and unexpectedly inserted in the base of the stool, forming the outline of the seat in the form of a chain comprising two or three wooden rings that loop around the full length of the stool legs. This striking styling effect blends in seamlessly with the functionality of the seat, which is available in two heights: a tall, sleek stool...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Adolf Loos Seating

Materials

Wood

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Twiggy Small Chair in Black Upholstery & Backrest
Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Twiggy Small Chair in Black Upholstery & Backrest

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Twiggy Small Chair in Black Upholstery & Backrest

By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Adolf Loos

Located in Brooklyn, NY

An unusual classic. Elegant and comfortable. The new color variants of this chair evoke the ambiance of the cafe society. A new edition of the model originally designed by Adolf Loos...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Adolf Loos Seating

Materials

Steel

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Lehnstuhl Hocker Footrest in Black with Woven Cane
Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Lehnstuhl Hocker Footrest in Black with Woven Cane

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Lehnstuhl Hocker Footrest in Black with Woven Cane

By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Adolf Loos

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Nigel Coates widens his furnishing proposal for Wiener GTV Design by introducing in his collection an extremely original element: the Lehnstuhl-Hocke...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Adolf Loos Seating

Materials

Wood

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH 144 Armchair in Walnut with Strip Pattern Seat
Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH 144 Armchair in Walnut with Strip Pattern Seat

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH 144 Armchair in Walnut with Strip Pattern Seat

By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Adolf Loos

Located in Brooklyn, NY

An unusual classic. Elegant and comfortable. The new color variants of this chair evoke the ambiance of the cafe society. A new edition of the model originally designed by Adolf Loos...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Adolf Loos Seating

Materials

Wood

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH 144 Armchair in Walnut with Cane Seat
Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH 144 Armchair in Walnut with Cane Seat

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH 144 Armchair in Walnut with Cane Seat

By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Adolf Loos

Located in Brooklyn, NY

An unusual classic. Elegant and comfortable. The new color variants of this chair evoke the ambiance of the cafe society. A new edition of the model originally designed by Adolf Loos...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Adolf Loos Seating

Materials

Wood

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Coat Rack Bench in Pure White with Cane Seat
Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Coat Rack Bench in Pure White with Cane Seat

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Coat Rack Bench in Pure White with Cane Seat

By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Adolf Loos

Located in Brooklyn, NY

The two Swedish designers able to give a poetic and innovative touch to materials at the same time, have come up with Coat Rack Bench for the Wiener GT...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Adolf Loos Seating

Materials

Wood

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Twiggy Armchair in Steel with Orange & Backrest
Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Twiggy Armchair in Steel with Orange & Backrest

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Twiggy Armchair in Steel with Orange & Backrest

By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Adolf Loos

Located in Brooklyn, NY

An unusual classic. Elegant and comfortable. The new color variants of this chair evoke the ambiance of the cafe society. A new edition of the model originally designed by Adolf Loos...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Adolf Loos Seating

Materials

Steel

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Wiener Vienna 144 Hocker Low Stool in Walnut

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Wiener Vienna 144 Hocker Low Stool in Walnut

By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Adolf Loos

Located in Brooklyn, NY

This bar stool was originally designed n 1908 by August Thonet. It is a classic for public seating, with solid, functional and elegant characteristics. ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Adolf Loos Seating

Materials

Wood

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH 144 Chair in Walnut with Strip Pattern Seat
Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH 144 Chair in Walnut with Strip Pattern Seat

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH 144 Chair in Walnut with Strip Pattern Seat

By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Adolf Loos

Located in Brooklyn, NY

An unusual classic. Elegant and comfortable. The new color variants of this chair evoke the ambiance of the cafe society. A new edition of the model originally designed by Adolf Loos...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Adolf Loos Seating

Materials

Wood

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Wiener Stuhl Chair with Perforated Plywood Seat
Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Wiener Stuhl Chair with Perforated Plywood Seat

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Wiener Stuhl Chair with Perforated Plywood Seat

By Adolf Loos, Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH

Located in Brooklyn, NY

"A simplified design to create an elegant, comfortable, popular item”. The structure has an all-embracing simplicity, and is formed from just a few elements in steam bent solid beech...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Adolf Loos Seating

Materials

Wood

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Single Curve Low Table A in Wooden Top
Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Single Curve Low Table A in Wooden Top

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Single Curve Low Table A in Wooden Top

By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Adolf Loos

Located in Brooklyn, NY

The refined elegance of the Japanese minimalism by Nendo abstracts from the brands’ stylistic features, in order to reinterpret them in a contemporary light. A rigorous and poetic ap...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Adolf Loos Seating

Materials

Wood

Art Nouveau Armchair 'Model Stössler', Design by Adolf Loos, Vienna, circa 1900
Art Nouveau Armchair 'Model Stössler', Design by Adolf Loos, Vienna, circa 1900

Art Nouveau Armchair 'Model Stössler', Design by Adolf Loos, Vienna, circa 1900

By Adolf Loos, Friedrich Otto Schmidt

Located in Vienna, AT

Adolf Loos (1870 - 1933) designed the chair model shown here in 1899 based on an English model as part of his earliest work as an interior designer for the dining room in Eugen Stössler's apartment in Vienna. The omission of the front supports of the armrests and the backwards curved legs lend the early chair a touch of elegance. Instead of the turned legs of the English model, Loos used smooth round wood with brass feet to protect the carpet. So these ankle cuffs fulfill a practical purpose and at the same time have a decorative effect. They thus correspond to Loos' demand for a 'unity of form and function'. Beautifully shaped furniture made by hand in high quality, solid walnut and veneered, shellac hand-polished, upholstered seat and covered with leather, brass nails and brass shoes. Execution: Friedrich Otto Schmidt, Vienna, circa 1900 Model number 6865 The model was produced by the company F. O. Schmidt and was also in their offer at the time. This explains why this chair model, specially designed by Loos for one of his interiors, can also be found on the art market. Measures: Total height: 82.0 cm / 32.28 in Seat height: 47.0 cm / 18.50 in Width: 57.0 cm / 22.44 in Depth: 50.0 cm / 19.68 in Bibliography: - The dining room in the Stössler apartment was published in 1900 in the Viennese arts and crafts...

Category

Early 1900s Austrian Art Nouveau Antique Adolf Loos Seating

Materials

Brass

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Twiggy Large Chair in Black and Backrest
Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Twiggy Large Chair in Black and Backrest

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Twiggy Large Chair in Black and Backrest

By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Adolf Loos

Located in Brooklyn, NY

An unusual classic. Elegant and comfortable. The new color variants of this chair evoke the ambiance of the cafe society. A new edition of the model originally designed by Adolf Loos...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Adolf Loos Seating

Materials

Steel

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Cirque Low Stool in White with Black Rings
Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Cirque Low Stool in White with Black Rings

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Cirque Low Stool in White with Black Rings

By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Adolf Loos

Located in Brooklyn, NY

The light and playful circus theme is at the core of the Cirque family of stools designed by Martino Gamper for Wiener GTV Design. The bent element, which is the brand’s signature trait, is surprisingly and unexpectedly inserted in the base of the stool, forming the outline of the seat in the form of a chain comprising two or three wooden rings that loop around the full length of the stool legs. This striking styling effect blends in seamlessly with the functionality of the seat, which is available in two heights: a tall, sleek stool...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Adolf Loos Seating

Materials

Wood

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Twiggy Chair in White and Backrest
Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Twiggy Chair in White and Backrest

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Twiggy Chair in White and Backrest

By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Adolf Loos

Located in Brooklyn, NY

An unusual classic. Elegant and comfortable. The new color variants of this chair evoke the ambiance of the cafe society. A new edition of the model originally designed by Adolf Loos...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Adolf Loos Seating

Materials

Steel

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Single Curve Low Table B in Marble Top
Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Single Curve Low Table B in Marble Top

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Single Curve Low Table B in Marble Top

By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Adolf Loos

Located in Brooklyn, NY

The refined elegance of the Japanese minimalism by Nendo abstracts from the brands’ stylistic features, in order to reinterpret them in a contemporary li...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Adolf Loos Seating

Materials

Wood

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Single Curve Low Table C in Glass Top
Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Single Curve Low Table C in Glass Top

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Single Curve Low Table C in Glass Top

By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Adolf Loos

Located in Brooklyn, NY

The refined elegance of the Japanese minimalism by Nendo abstracts from the brands’ stylistic features, in order to reinterpret them in a contempor...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Adolf Loos Seating

Materials

Wood

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Magistretti 03 01 Armchair in Beech with Leather

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Magistretti 03 01 Armchair in Beech with Leather

By Adolf Loos, Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Designed by Vico Magistretti in 2003, the Magistretti 03 01 chair combines the warmth of wood and the timeless elegance of the design language of Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH (GTV) wi...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Adolf Loos Seating

Materials

Wood

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Hot Chair in Beech

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Hot Chair in Beech

By Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH, Adolf Loos

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Chromed steel structure and shell in beech plywood with or without solid wood arms. Wood or upholstered seat for chairs or armchairs. The upholstered cover is available only in the front part of the seat and back with the exposed wood edge. They can be equipped with a coupling system that allows for alignment. Additional Info: Materials: Beech wood, chromed steel Dimensions: H 31.9 x W 20.7 x D 20.8 inch Seat height: 17.7 inch WIENER GTV DESIGN is a trademark which distinguishes the historical and contemporary collection of Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Adolf Loos Seating

Materials

Steel

Adolf Loos seating for sale on 1stDibs.

Adolf Loos seating are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Adolf Loos seating, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 13 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 69 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original seating by Adolf Loos were created in the modern style in europe during the 21st century and contemporary. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider seating by Philippe Nigro, Front Design, and Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH. Prices for Adolf Loos seating can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $703 and can go as high as $20,631, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $1,300.

Creators Similar to Adolf Loos

Questions About Adolf Loos Seating

  • 1stDibs ExpertJanuary 10, 2025
    Adolf Loos is famous for his achievements as a designer. Essentially dubbed the Frank Lloyd Wright of Europe by Wright himself, he possessed a talent for architecture and interior design as potent as his outspoken criticism of Art Nouveau and excessive ornamentation. A forerunner of the International Style, Loos exercised immense restraint in his building projects as well as his designs for chairs, tables, storage pieces and other furniture. He wrote prolifically on his disdain for taking a decorative approach to architecture. Explore a variety of Adolf Loos furniture on 1stDibs.