Remarkably sculptural but unexpectedly versatile, vintage Hervé Van der Straeten furniture and lighting is at home in all kinds of interiors. While the French designer’s chandeliers, tables and other works draw on everything from visual art forms in Japan to luxurious Art Deco–era furnishings to modernist icons such as Mies van der Rohe, Van der Straeten designs are unapologetically original and rather difficult to categorize.
Van der Straeten was born in Savigny-sur-Orge, France, in 1965. As a young man, he attended the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He studied painting but began making jewelry, too. Van der Straeten’s inaugural accessories, constructed with brass and rubber, garnered immediate attention. In 1985, French fashion designer Thierry Mugler had included several of Van der Straeten's designs in a show, and before long, he was designing for names like Alexander McQueen and Christian Lacroix.
Despite the success of Hervé Van der Straeten jewelry, the visionary designer shifted his focus to interior decor. "For me, jewelry was more like a parenthetical," he told 1stDibs. "What I always wanted to do was to design furniture." So, in 1992, Van der Straeten launched a collection of dishes, sconces and candlesticks. He opened a showroom in the Marais district of Paris in 1999, followed by a workshop in the suburb of Bagnolet.
Today, Van der Straeten oversees approximately 30 artisans at his ateliers who help bring his furniture designs to life. His work is delightfully unconventional and will draw the focus in any space — there is a compelling emphasis on the use of industrial materials, such as anodized aluminum and steel rods, as well as an integration of traditional techniques such as marquetry in his sculptural mirrors, side tables and other pieces. Van der Straeten’s furniture — some of which can be found in the alluring apartment in Paris that the designer shares with his husband, former Roger Vivier artistic director Bruno Frisoni — is available in the United States through both Ralph Pucci and Maison Gerard.
Find extraordinary Hervé Van der Straeten furniture on 1stDibs.
Hervé van der Straeten, Chèvre No. 55 Contemporary Stool, France, c. 2007
By Herve Van Der Straeten
Located in New York, NY
Applied plaque with the artist's monogram HV. With innovation and integrity, Van der Straeten continues the rich heritage of fine French design and craftsmanship. His furniture and ...
Bronze
Wood Tripod Heart Stool, 1950s France
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Unique heart tripod stool made in France, circa 1950s. Substantial and chunky heart shaped seat with three sturdy club legs with faceted sides. Perfe...
Wood
$1,004 / item
H 19.69 in W 20.87 in D 16.54 in
Contemporary geometric mustard velvet Rock stool by InsidherLand
By Joana Santos Barbosa, InsidherLand
Located in Maia, Porto
Rock is a stool with the same form of the smaller table of the Three Rocks set. The handcrafted upholstery work in velvet involves this unique creation with irregular shapes, turning...
Velvet, Fabric, Wood
French Wooden Tripod Stool
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage wooden stool made in France, circa 1950s. Thick seat and tripod legs with ribs that taper near the bottom. No nails or hardware. Great lin...
Wood
$1,004 / item
H 19.69 in W 20.87 in D 16.54 in
Contemporary geometric grey velvet handmade Rock stool by InsidherLand
By Joana Santos Barbosa, InsidherLand
Located in Maia, Porto
Rock is a stool with the same form of the smaller table of the Three Rocks set. The handcrafted upholstery work in velvet involves this unique creation with irregular shapes, turning...
Fabric, Velvet, Wood
$2,058 / item
H 25.6 in W 18.9 in D 18.9 in
Contemporary geometric velvet & chenille Not a Cube stool by InsidherLand
By Joana Santos Barbosa, InsidherLand
Located in Maia, Porto
Not a Cube is a geometric composition that follows the reductionist tendencies of Minimal Art, emerged in the United States in the mid-1960s. Particularly i...
Fabric, Chenille, Velvet
French Art Deco Square Stool
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A pretty and plush pouf, ottoman, or footstool from the Art Deco period with elegant hand-carved legs and sage green velvet upholstery. Its solid wood construction is completely wrap...
Fabric, Wood
19th Century French Painted Foot Stool
Located in Charlottesville, VA
Charming 19th century French foot stool with carved legs and floral detail, painted in soft gray tones. Upholstered in a vintage floral fabric with a classic striped ground, the piec...
Upholstery, Wood, Paint
French Industrial Stool, 1950s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Tripod wooden stool, made in France, circa 1950s. Thick wood seat with three rounded metal legs. Great lines and shape. Petite stool with a lot of ...
Metal
Charlotte Perriand Berger Stool, 1950s France
By Charlotte Perriand
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Collectible Berger stool by Charlotte Perriand in an elegant dark finish. Circa 1950s. You can find this stool featured in the Charlotte Perriand complete works Volume 2.
Wood
Contemporary Stool, Handcrafted, Solid Wood
By Marcos Amato
Located in New York, NY
The Barba Negra stool was created as an interpretation of the sensations aroused by the contact with the marine universe that generated a curvilinear, fluid and dynamic design of the...
Imbuia
Pair of French Rustic Wood Chalet Stools
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of French rustic wood chalet stools France, early 20th century We believe these stools were handcrafted by someone with a deep appreciation and love for wood These heavy weight,...
Fur, Wood
French 19th Century Upholstered Stool
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
AA lightweight square footstool from the late 1800s, comfortable and portable enough to use as an extra seat on occasion, is wrapped in cut velvet upholstery of diagonal quatrefoil d...
Velvet, Wood