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
$2,038 / 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
$992 / item
H 19.69 in W 20.87 in D 16.54 in
Contemporary geometric mustard velvet Rock stool by InsidherLand
By InsidherLand, Joana Santos Barbosa
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, Wood, Velvet
French Art Deco Black Iron X-Stool
By Maison Jansen
Located in CA, CA
Elegant French 1930s metal x-stool with nickel accents.
Metal
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
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
$992 / item
H 19.69 in W 20.87 in D 16.54 in
Contemporary geometric grey velvet handmade Rock stool by InsidherLand
By InsidherLand, Joana Santos Barbosa
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
$716
H 15.75 in W 24.41 in D 23.63 in
Barcelona Footstool / Taburet by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, 2000s
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Praha, CZ
- Designer: Ludwig Mies van der Rohe - Very good original condition - circa 1990s - Maker: ? - Leatherette. - signs of use
Textile
Midcentury French Artisanal Oak Stool, 1950s, France
By Charlotte Perriand, Sergio Rodrigues, Jean Prouvé
Located in Biebergemund, Hessen
A beautifully French oak stool handmade in 1950s. The stool have nice crafted details such as the organic shaped seating. The solid oak shows an incredible patina in good original condition. We found this unique object at an antique fair...
Oak
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
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