Although now dubbed the King of Slovenian Design, Niko Kralj was for many years one of the great unsung heroes of industrial design.
The late architect and furniture designer Kralj was known for groundbreaking seating and tables that seamlessly blend functionality with an elegant economy of line. He received little recognition outside his own country, despite registering 120-plus patents and models, including those for the Mosquito bar stool — named for its winglike seat and first produced in 2012 — and a number of inventive “foldables,” like the Rex coffee table and Rex daybed for children.
Sleek and space-saving, Kralj's iconic foldable Rex rocking chair was created in 1956 — it epitomizes his sleek and laconic minimalism, conveying a sense of strength and fluidity, both in its pleasingly geometric open form and its gracefully arching folded silhouette. A contemporary version of Kralj’s mid-century masterwork is produced by the Ljubljana-based furniture company Rex Kralj.
Over the course of his career, Kralj also established close ties with such design giants as Charles and Ray Eames, Richard Buckminster Fuller, Olof Pira and Ilmari Tapiovaara, all proponents, like him, of an aesthetic that inhabits the sweet spot between elegant simplicity and pragmatism.
Today, Kralj’s timeless rocking chairs are in the collections of a number of international museums, including New York’s Museum of Modern Art, Copenhagen’s Designmuseum Denmark and the National Technical Museum Prague.
Find vintage Niko Kralj furniture on 1stDibs.
CC Stool in Natural Walnut, solid wood frame and curved seat, H44 cm, D40 cm
By Niko Kralj
Located in Ljubljana, SI
The CC Stool is similar in design and finish to the CC Table and is a perfect match. Ideal for occasional seating, this item is an elaborate take on a wooden ...
Walnut
CC Stool in Natural Oak, solid wood frame and curved seat, height 44 cm, D40 cm
By Niko Kralj
Located in Ljubljana, SI
The CC stool is similar in design and finish to the CC table and is a perfect match. Ideal for occasional seating, this item is an elaborate take on a wooden stool. With a solid wood frame and a curved seat, the CC Stool possesses a unique character and also works as a stand-alone piece. Designed by Niko Kralj in year 1954. The Cross Connection (CC) family offers a unique view of this often unseen area by separating the legs from the elevated top. Stand-alone pieces to admire and enjoy. With over two million chairs produced, the designs of Niko Kralj (1920-2013) have served numerous generations. After the Second World War, traditional production methods gave way to modern inventions and led to a new era of furniture design. As a trained architect and an absolute pioneer in this field, Niko developed truly innovative pieces for the time and became one of the first ever industrial designers. It’s little wonder that fellow professionals are gradually recognising his work, which has been rewarded with permanent displays in design museums such as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, Designmuseum Denmark and The International Design Museum Munich. 1960 Chair...
Oak
CC Stool in Black Oak, solid wood frame and curved seat, height 44 cm, D40 cm
By Niko Kralj
Located in Ljubljana, SI
The CC stool is similar in design and finish to the CC table and is a perfect match. Ideal for occasional seating, this item is an elaborate take on a wooden ...
Oak
$1,681Sale Price / item|20% Off
H 17.05 in W 18.12 in D 17.88 in
Cavity Stool in Solid Natural Cedar Wood
Located in Paris, FR
Stool cavity in solid natural aromatic cedar wood. Made in one block of cedar wood. Solid cedar wood include movement, cracks and changes in wood conditions...
Cedar
Charlotte Perriand Meribel Wood Stool by Cassina, Black Oak, Modern
By Cassina, Charlotte Perriand
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Stool model Meribel designed by Charlotte Perriand in 1953-61. Oak stained black. Relaunched by Cassina in 2011. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. Reclaiming simple materials ...
Aluminum
$520
H 19.3 in Dm 10.24 in
Tripod Stool in Solid Oak Wood, by Danish Cabinetmaker, Mid Century, Ca 1960s
Located in Odense, DK
A tall beautiful warm patinated vintage tripod stool. Made by an unknown Danish Cabinetmaker in 1960s. This modern stool will fit in many types...
Oak
Dice Stool in Natural Solid Cedar Wood
Located in Paris, FR
Stool dice in natural solid cedar wood, Size L : L40xP40xH40cm, price: 1650,00€ Size XL : L35xD35xH70cm, price: 2950,00€ Wood treated with natural pine extracts wax. Solid cedar w...
Cedar, Wood
Pampa Stool in Solid Walnut Wood
Located in Paris, FR
Stool pampa in solid walnut wood, all handmade piece in polished varnished walnut wood treated with natural pine extract. Also available in solid nat...
Walnut, Cedar
From $2,086 / item
+ 8 moreH 44.1 in W 17.72 in D 20.87 in
Opinion Ciatti Mammamia Stool with Adjustable Height
By Marcello Zilliani, Opinion Ciatti
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mammamia Stool is a swivel stool with die-cast aluminium shell. Chrome-plated steel structure, base and footrest. Adjustable in height with gas piston. ...
Metal
$5,728 / item
H 18.9 in Dm 13.78 in
Contemporary Vertere Stool in Oiled Walnut with White Leather Seat Pad
By Stuart Scott
Located in Trowbridge, Wiltshire
Turned from solid timber, the Vertere projects an exaggerated sculptural silhouette fully accentuating the stunning beauty of walnut. Our recommendation is an oiled finish to bring o...
Walnut
$720Sale Price / item|20% Off
H 40.56 in W 16.93 in D 16.54 in
Minimalist Style, Stool in Natural Solid Wood
By SIMONINI
Located in Vila Cordeiro, São Paulo
Our Evo collection is based in the harmonic fusion between geometrical forms in a modern interpretation of wood archetypes, combining a rational defined outcome with the warmth of or...
Textile, Upholstery, Hardwood
$1,000Sale Price / item|20% Off
H 37.8 in W 21.26 in D 21.26 in
Post Modern Stool in Solid Wood, Caning Back and Seat, Counter or Bar Height
By SIMONINI
Located in Vila Cordeiro, São Paulo
The Aurora collection aka Dawn marks a new exiting moment in our design history, in where we dove deep in to the creativity unknown, to create a collection that would be able to hold...
Leather, Textile, Upholstery, Faux Leather, Cane, Hardwood, Walnut
$2,683Sale Price / item|20% Off
H 19.69 in W 21.26 in D 20.08 in
Curved Stool or Chair in Natural Solid Cedar Wood
Located in Paris, FR
Stool or chair curved made in natural solid cedar wood with natural pine extract wax treatment. Original subtle decoration piece. Solid cedar wood include movement, cracks and chang...
Cedar
$1,643 / item
H 14.97 in Dm 13 in
Charlotte Perriand Meribel Wood Stool by Cassina, Natural Oak, Italy
By Charlotte Perriand, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Stool model Meribel designed by Charlotte Perriand in 1953-61. Natural oak. Relaunched by Cassina in 2011. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. Reclaiming simple materials and basic shapes, with an eye to architecture and mountain life, led to the creation of two historic design low table-stools inspired respectively by the milking stool used by mountain shepherds in the French town much loved by the author. Placed individually or in lively arrangements, the two low tables bring the pleasing lightness of solid wood to indoor settings emphasized by the continuity of the grain between the top and the edges and the countless natural variations in the wood. Each piece is made of unique solid wood, so every piece will be different from one another and not exactly as the one on the photos. Both pieces are inspired by the mountains. While the latter takes its name from the milking-stool used by alpine shepherds, the former is inspired by the French locality much loved by designer and architect Charlotte Perriand. These furnishing accessories stand out for the honesty of their simple shapes and for the concrete expression of their materials and function. The turned seat meets the stylised legs both in the Tabouret Berger...
Aluminum
$2,897 / item
H 35.44 in W 24.41 in D 19.3 in
Walnut Timber, Rattan, Solid Brass, Bronzed steel and Linen Livingston Bar Stool
By Egg Designs
Located in Bothas Hill, KZN
The Livingston bar stool is part of the Tala collection designed by Egg Designs and manufactured in South Africa. This modern style bar stool ha...
Brass, Bronze