Modern Dutch design owes a great deal to Gerard van den Berg. While the Netherlands has a rich furniture-making tradition, it took a maverick like Van den Berg to bring it into a new era.
Van den Berg was born in 1947 to a family of designers. His father owned a furniture company in Hellevoetsluis where Van den Berg worked as an apprentice and then designer until he and his brother, Ton, founded their own workshop, in 1974. That company, named Montis, produced mostly upholstered seating for homes and businesses.
At Montis, Van den Berg challenged traditional Dutch furniture forms. Rather than starting with the piece's frame, which he felt was restrictive, he focused on the silhouette. This inspired Van den Berg to create slim and elegant furniture, often featuring angular metal legs and leather upholstery. In 1983, he pioneered the "jacket technique," consisting of a zipped leather cover around a metal frame. Several iconic Montis seats use this technique, including the Chaplin chair, the Butterfly lounge chair and the Rocky sofa.
In 1989, Van den Berg launched his own design studio and began designing for companies like Wittmann, Molteni and Perobell. He left Montis in 1990 to cofound a new company, called Label, with Ton the following year. Today, Van den Berg's son Jasper and Ton's daughter, Marieke, manage Label. Van den Berg's other son, Ivo, is also a designer at the company.
Van den Berg's irreplaceable contributions to furniture design have garnered multiple awards over the years. Some of the most notable include the Kho Liang Prize, the Mobilia Innovation Award and the Prize for Interior Architecture.
Find vintage Montis seating on 1stDibs.
Early Gerard Van Den Berg for Montis Burled Wood Desk with Cast Aluminum Legs
By Montis, Gerard Van Den Berg
Located in Los Angeles, CA
An early Gerard Van Den Berg desk for Montis. The design is almost Saporiti meets Sottsass in appearance, and the table is expertly crafted from handsome burled wood with cast alumin...
Aluminum
$6,289 / item
Customizable Montis Perry Glass Table by MAX LIPSEY
By Max Lipsey, Montis
Located in New York, NY
Perry Max Lipsey • 2022 • Table Transparent table with an expressive edge. With its straight, square design and narrow ribbed texture, glass table Perry makes a modern addition to an...
Glass
$3,176 / item
Customizable Montis Perry Glass Table by MAX LIPSEY
By Max Lipsey, Montis
Located in New York, NY
Perry Max Lipsey • 2022 • Table Transparent table with an expressive edge. With its straight, square design and narrow ribbed texture, glass table Perry makes a modern addition to an...
Glass
SET OF TWO Customizable Color Montis Tor Tables by AMBIE & VANHENGEL
By Montis
Located in New York, NY
SET OF TWO Tor is designed with the idea that a side table needs to be carried around easily. The raised edge of the top prevents things slide off easily. The handle that comes out ...
Aluminum
$5,712 / item
Customizable Montis Doble Table by GIJS PAPAVOINE
By Montis
Located in New York, NY
Naturally good Doble is a table whose wooden top is held up by two graceful solid wooden support structures in parallel. The straight top has openings on either side for two decorati...
Wood
$5,445 / item
Montis Dante Marble Top Coffee Tably by GEERT KOSTER
By Montis
Located in New York, NY
Geert Koster • 2018 • Coffee table The Elegant Table Line Get creative with shape, colour and height. The side and coffee tables invite you to create decorative compositions. Push t...
Marble
$5,613 / item
Customizable Montis Doble Table by GIJS PAPAVOINE
By Montis
Located in New York, NY
Naturally good Doble is a table whose wooden top is held up by two graceful solid wooden support structures in parallel. The straight top has openings on either side for two decorati...
Wood
Montis White Annex Multifunctional Side Table
By Montis, Gijs Papavoine
Located in New York, NY
Annex is a multifunctional side table. The support has asymmetrical structures of flat metal strips. The functions of the free tabletop with projection are obvious and are ideal for ...
Metal
$1,720
H 27.56 in W 20.08 in D 23.23 in
Supernova, Recycled Cast Aluminum Contemporary Table Leg in Raw by Made in Ratio
By Made in Ratio, Brodie Neill
Located in London, GB
The contemporary supernova is a dynamic, self-levelling trestle cast entirely from entirely recycled aluminium in a fully sustainable closed-loop factory. Simple and versatile to ori...
Aluminum
$1,725
H 27.56 in W 20.08 in D 23.23 in
Supernova, Recycled Cast Aluminum Table Leg in Black by Made in Ratio
By Brodie Neill, Made in Ratio
Located in London, GB
The contemporary supernova is a dynamic, self-levelling trestle cast entirely from entirely recycled aluminium in a fully sustainable closed-loop factory. Simple and versatile to ori...
Aluminum
"Teoca" Coffee Table with Marble Top
By ADN Studio
Located in Mexico City, CDMX
The "Teoca" coffee table is part of ADN Studio´s Volcan collection. This collection seeks to go back to basics. It is a subtle and refined interpretation of the archetypical modern f...
Hardwood
$3,180Sale Price|20% Off
H 29.93 in W 39.18 in D 30.32 in
Early 20th Spanish Desk with Lyre Legs and Carved Edges on Top
Located in Miami, FL
Early 20th Spanish desk with lyre legs and carved edges on top An 20th century Spanish Baroque style desk, or writing table made of solid walnut with lyre shaped legs joined by wrou...
Wrought Iron
Mid-Century Marble Top Coffee Table
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Five foot long oval coffee table with white marbled top on wood frame with tapered legs. Simple surfboard shape with a bright oval top. Please c...
Marble
Customizable Two-Toned Blue Cube Side Table by Llot Llov
By LLOT LLOV
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This bright-blue floating cube is versatile — it can be used as a side table in big rooms, a coffee table in small rooms, or a nightstand beside low beds — an...
Maple, Lacquer
From $12,520 / item
+ 2 moreH 29.53 in W 98.43 in D 41.26 in
e15 Customizable London Wood Table by Philipp Mainzer
By Philipp Mainzer, e15
Located in New York, NY
As an evolution of the classic Bigfoot e15 presents the dining table London. The legs and table top each have an impressive solid wood thickness of 60 mm (2 3/8 inch) which exude strength and modernity resulting in a pleasing and calm harmony of the proportions. London by architect Philipp mainzer takes up the design language of the 1995 classic. Compared to the Bigfoot table...
Wood
From $10,650 / item
+ 2 moreH 29.53 in W 98.43 in D 39.38 in
e15 Customizable Fayland Wood Table by David Chipperfield
By e15, David Chipperfield
Located in New York, NY
Originally conceived for an architectural project in the English countryside, table Fayland features the pure use of material and a clear design language, which are shared aesthetics...
Wood
$18,344
H 29.53 in W 59.06 in D 29.53 in
Desk designed by Alvar Andersson for Hyresgästföreningen, retailed by G.A. Berg
By Gustaf Axel Berg
Located in Stockholm, SE
Desk designed by Alvar Andersson for Hyresgästföreningen, retailed by G.A. Berg Sweden. 1930s. Black lacquered birch, elm and pewter inlay. Dimensions: H: 75 cm/ 29 1/2'' L: 150 cm...
Elm, Birch
From $19,680 / item
+ 3 moreH 29.53 in Dm 63 in
e15 Customizable Hiroki Round Table by Philipp Mainzer
By e15, Philipp Mainzer
Located in New York, NY
Hiroki is a sculptural dining table made of rich marble in combination with a harmonising or contrasting colored steel base. In its initial design based on the side table Enoki, the ...
Marble
From $9,640 / item
+ 2 moreH 29.53 in W 98.43 in D 39.38 in
e15 Customizable Kazimir Table by Philipp Mainzer
By e15, Philipp Mainzer
Located in New York, NY
Inspired by Suprematist compositions, table Kazimir by Philipp Mainzer features a bold mix of geometric forms and materials. Focusing on a distinct construction, the tabletop made fr...
Travertine, Marble, Aluminum
$4,704 / item
H 27.56 in W 27.56 in D 70.87 in
Supernova, Recycled Cast Aluminum Trestle Table Legs & Glass by Made in Ratio
By Made in Ratio, Brodie Neill
Located in London, GB
The contemporary supernova is a dynamic, self-levelling trestle cast entirely from entirely recycled aluminium in a fully sustainable closed-loop factory. Simple and versatile to ori...
Aluminum
Montis Annex Multifunctional Side Table by GIJS PAPAVOINE
By Montis
Located in New York, NY
Annex is a multifunctional side table in a new design. The support has asymmetrical structures of flat metal strips. Because of their asymmetric design these tables can easily be mov...
Metal
Montis White Oval Flint Coffee Table by Gert Batenburg in STOCK
By Montis, Gert Batenburg
Located in New York, NY
Flint is a whimsical coffee table with a surprising combination of simplicity and an understated natural character. It has a wafer thin top, tapered to the edges, which is sturdily ...
Lacquer
Montis Solid wood Walnut Table
By Gijs Papavoine, Montis
Located in New York, NY
Doble is a table whose wooden top is held up by two graceful solid wooden support structures in parallel. The straight top has openings on either side for two decorative braces. Mea...
Wood
Montis Black Annex Multifunctional Side Table
By Montis, Gijs Papavoine
Located in New York, NY
Annex is a multifunctional side table. The support has asymmetrical structures of flat metal strips. The functions of the free tabletop with projection are obvious and are ideal for ...
Metal
Montis White High Gloss Flint Coffee Table
By Montis
Located in New York, NY
Flint is a whimsical coffee table with a surprising combination of simplicity and an understated natural character. It has a wafer thin top, tap...
Lacquer
Montis White High Gloss Flint Coffee Table
By Gert Batenburg, Montis
Located in New York, NY
Flint is a whimsical coffee table with a surprising combination of simplicity and an understated natural character. It has a wafer thin top, tapered to the edges, which is sturdily a...
Glass
Montis Turquoise and White Tor Side Table
By Montis
Located in New York, NY
Not often a side table has a fixed place, but moves around the house where it's needed the most. Tor is designed with the idea that a side table needs to be carried around easily. Th...
Montis Black Oval Flint Coffee Table
By Gert Batenburg, Montis
Located in New York, NY
Flint is a whimsical coffee table with a surprising combination of simplicity and an understated natural character. It has a wafer thin top, tapered to the edges, which is sturdily a...
Montis Oval Flint Coffee Table
By Gert Batenburg, Montis
Located in New York, NY
Flint is a whimsical coffee table with a surprising combination of simplicity and an understated natural character. It has a wafer thin top, tapered to the edges, which is sturdily a...
Stainless Steel
Montis Solid Walnut Dining Doble Table
By Gijs Papavoine, Montis
Located in New York, NY
200/ 78.7" x 90/ 35.4" Solid walnut Doble is a table whose wooden top is held up by two graceful solid wooden support structures in parallel. The straight top has openings on either ...
Wood
Flint Walnut Coffee Table
By Montis, Gert Batenburg
Located in New York, NY
Flint is a whimsical coffee table with a surprising combination of simplicity and an understated natural character. It has a wafer thin top, tapered to the edges, which is sturdily a...
Walnut
Doble Oak White Table
By Gijs Papavoine, Montis
Located in New York, NY
Doble is a table whose wooden top is held up by two graceful solid wooden support structures in parallel. The straight top has openings on either side for two decorative braces. Mea...
Wood