The International Style, a modernist movement within architecture and furniture design that was given its name by American architect Philip Johnson and historian Henry-Russell Hitchcock, was born during the 1920s and ’30s. It gained steam initially in Europe and then in the United States as a response to the first World War. Building projects associated with the movement, as well as vintage International Style chairs, tables and other furnishings, are minimal and pared back.
Pioneers of the International Style — architect Walter Gropius and his Bauhaus colleagues Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Marcel Breuer, De Stijl advocate and Dutch architect J.J.P. Oud and visionary designer Le Corbusier — stripped away decorative elements and placed considerable value on functionality and clean lines, integrating the use of industrial materials like steel, concrete and large sheets of glass in their work. Quite aptly, this mode of design and architectural style coincided with an era now known as the Machine Age and became a global symbol of modernism. The primary motive of its practitioners was to address the changing needs of a rapidly industrializing society, especially the demand for office complexes and apartments in large cities, through economical, technologically advanced, yet aesthetically pleasing designs for furniture and buildings.
“Space and light and order. Those are the things that men need just as much as they need bread or a place to sleep,” said Le Corbusier of the philosophy behind his practical modernist architecture.
The International Style’s designers and architects were inspired by the advantages afforded them by the era’s new technology and industrial machinery as well as state-of-the-art materials. Le Corbusier was fond of framing his buildings in steel but reinforced concrete made far more economic sense. He is probably most admired for the iconic private homes and commercial buildings that he designed or codesigned with his cousin Pierre Jeanneret, which are spread across the world, from New York City to Paris to Chandigarh, India. Today, Breuer’s Wassily Lounge chair; the elegant LC series created by Le Corbusier, Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand; and Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chair, crafted with his romantic partner, designer Lilly Reich, are emblems of progressive modernist design and all make prominent use of tubular steel. Vintage originals are the prized cornerstone of collections.
“The International Style is probably the first fundamentally original and widely distributed style since the Gothic,” posited Johnson in the book that accompanied “Modern Architecture: International Exhibition,” an architectural show he cocurated with Hitchcock that featured the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier, Richard Neutra and others. While the term “International Style” had previously been circulating in Europe, when the show opened at the Museum of Modern Art in 1932, it yielded a much broader application of this important style of design.
Find International Style furniture on 1stDibs.
Solida Bench, by Rain, Contemporary Bench, Solid Garapá Wood
By RAIN
Located in Sao Paulo, SP
The Sólida series’ main characteristic is the synthetic character of its design contrasted with the use of a natural material. Each piece in the collection is composed of two or thre...
Wood
Black Adjustable Piano Bench by Designer Kaunus, Beech & Steel. Atelier sample.
By KAUNUS
Located in CASTELLÓN DE LA PLANA, VC
This listing is for the actual KAUNUS Atelier Sample shown in the photographs. Previously used for presentations, photography and selected professional settings, it is offered as an ...
Steel
Horizon Bench by RAIN, Contemporary Bench, Solid Wood and Plywood, Limited
By RAIN
Located in Sao Paulo, SP
This contemporary bench shows that perspective is a visual illusion that gives the notion of depth to an image. The Horizon bench has its shape drawn fro...
Wood, Plywood
Sixteen Foot Mies van der Rohe Barcelona Daybed from the IBM Building
Located in Highland, IN
Here is an extraordinarily rare piece with fantastic provenance– this oversize version of Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona daybed is 16 feet in length and custom fabricated of fiberglass and steel. You would not know that it is fiberglass without touching it. The level of detail and realism is stunning. It’s like an artwork using the principal of transference of material– when an object appears to be made of one expected material, but is really crafted of something totally different, often incongruent with one's expectations. The reason fiberglass was used to make this daybed is that it was created for use in the lobby of Mies van der Rohe’s IBM building at 330 N. Wabash in Chicago. Mies often specified that the public spaces in the buildings he designed be furnished with tables and seating also of his design. In the 1990s the owner of the IBM building hired Chicago designer Judy Niedermaier to decorate the public spaces. Having seen ordinary Barcelona chairs and sofas suffer the abuse of high-traffic spaces see with hundreds of people using them on a daily basis, she opted to something different that would hold up under extreme wear. Interestingly, this was not the first time Niedermaier employed fiberglass in her design work, nor would it be her last. Her firm had used fiberglass for store displays, pots and mannequins in some of their prop and merchandise display work, and then in the early 2000s with the famous downtown Chicago outdoor art projects “Cows on Parade” and “Suite Home Chicago” (fiberglass outdoor furniture...
Steel
Contemporary Italian Purple Setee Sofa After Guglielmo Ulrich with Oak Frame
Located in Deland, FL
This fabulous loveseat is the perfect amalgamation of Italian styling fused with Scandinavian Minimalism. Though sleek and petite, this extraor...
Oak
Black Adjustable Piano Bench by Designer Kaunus, Beech & Steel. Atelier sample.
By KAUNUS
Located in CASTELLÓN DE LA PLANA, VC
This listing is for the actual KAUNUS Atelier Sample shown in the photographs. Previously used for presentations, photography and selected professional settings, it is offered as an...
Steel
Curved Bench, Large, by Rain, Contemporary Bench, Laminated Oak Wood
By RAIN
Located in Sao Paulo, SP
Curved benches exploit the flexibility of wood to assimilate the curves of the body. Alluding to a fundamental building system, the benches form a trilitic sctructure, where two vert...
Wood
Curved Bench, Small, by RAIN, Contemporary Bench, Laminated Oak Wood
By RAIN
Located in Sao Paulo, SP
Curved Benches exploit the flexibility of wood to assimilate the curves of the body. Alluding to a fundamental building system, the benches form a trilitic structure, where two verti...
Wood
Late 20th Century Hand Forged Polished Steel Bench style of Alberto Giacommetti
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Spectacular craftsmanship in the style of Alberto Giacommetti. Expert welding with high quality steel, using tapered stretchers with all handmade fabrication. Fabric is clean and wou...
Stainless Steel
$6,562 / item
H 20.48 in W 23.63 in D 18.51 in
Macassar Ebony Piano Bench, Upholstered Stool with Adjustable Height
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Introducing the world’s first Beautiful Piano Bench. Faced with the challenge of crafting an aesthetically stunning seat to complement the genuinely designed pianos by Poul Henningsen, we set out to create a piece that: -has a striking and beautiful form -uses top quality materials -functions beautifully and incorporates an adjustable seat -suits both a traditional and a design-case instrument Our bench is light in appearance, yet strong; soft and supple, yet supportive. The high-quality mechanism of the adjustable-height seat is housed within a completely finished, solid wood case. Our Piano Bench is highly customizable making it easy to match it to any interior or piano. The materials used are the same as for our PH Pianos...
Aluminum
$13,986 / set
H 30.32 in W 24.41 in D 32.68 in
Guglielmo Ulrich 1930s Italian Liberty Armchair Lounges, Sculpted Wood, Pair
By Guglielmo Ulrich, Carlo Enrico Rava, Ico Parisi, Gio Ponti
Located in Grand Cayman, KY
Elegant and luxurious 1930s Italian Liberty Style (Art Deco) Lounge Chairs by Danish-Milanese architect Guglielmo Ulrich. Sparing and tasteful restoration. These chairs feature a st...
Fabric, Bouclé, Wood
$6,972 / set
H 28.75 in W 39.38 in D 18.9 in
Benches Attr. to Guglielmo Ulrich in Blonde Maple and Bouclé Upholstery, 1940
Located in Brescia, Brescia
A refined pair of Italian benches attributed to Guglielmo Ulrich, dating to the 1940s, embodying the designer’s distinctive balance between structural lightness and sculptural elegan...
Bouclé, Maple
$2,660
H 37.8 in W 23.63 in D 23.63 in
Vintage desk chair with arms Italian Design by Guglielmo Ulrich
Located in London, GB
Vintage desk chair with arms, off white patterned cotton fabric upholstery, polished ebony walnut wood structure. Italian Design by Guglielmo Ulrich ca.1940. The lines of this chair ...
Fabric, Walnut
$4,042
H 28.75 in W 39.38 in D 18.9 in
Bench Attributed to Guglielmo Ulrich in Blonde Maple and Bouclé Upholstery, 1940
Located in Brescia, Brescia
A refined Italian bench attributed to Guglielmo Ulrich, dating to the 1940s, embodying the designer’s distinctive balance between structural lightness and sculptural elegance. The f...
Bouclé, Maple
$12,655 / set
H 30.32 in W 29.53 in D 29.93 in
Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe Red Barcelona Lounge Chair for Knoll, 1972, Set of 2
By Knoll, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Vicenza, IT
Set of 2 Barcelona lounge chair, designed by Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe in 1929 and manufactured by Knoll International in 1972. Made of chromed steel and leather. Excellent vintage co...
Chrome
$12,000 / set
H 17.5 in W 78 in D 39 in
Vintage circa 1985 Mies Van Der Rohe Barcelona Daybed with Zebra Rug
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Knoll
Located in SAINT LOUIS, MO
We collected this cult-favorite, vintage Mies Van Der Rohe daybed at auction. The stainless steel legs, walnut base, and black leather upholstery are all in excellent condition. See ...
Leather, Zebra Hide
$11,250
H 15.25 in W 78 in D 39 in
Fully Restored Knoll Barcelona Daybed by Mies van der Rohe in Edelman Leather
By Knoll, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Toluca Ter, CA
Authentic Barcelona Couch / Daybed, designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in 1930 and produced by Knoll in the 2000s, with a Knoll tag on the upholstery backing and imprint on one of ...
Steel, Chrome
$3,749Sale Price|20% Off
H 16.54 in W 19.69 in D 17.72 in
Rare Guglielmo Ulrich italian pair of stools in cotton
Located in Milano, IT
Elegant Pair of Italian Poufs or Stools from the 1940s - Original Design Attributed to Guglielmo Ulrich This exceptional pair of poufs (or stools) dates back to the 1940s and is att...
Cotton, Wood
Bench Line in Solid Cedar Wood
Located in Paris, FR
Bench line in natural solid cedar wood. Wood treated with natural pine extracts wax. Solid cedar wood include movement, cracks and changes in wood conditi...
Wood, Cedar
$2,595
H 20.5 in W 24.75 in D 17 in
Piano Bench for the Baldwin Acrosonic Spinet Piano, Manual Arts, USA, c. 1960s
Located in Deland, FL
The perfect blend of minimal and functional this splendid Mid-Century Modern piano bench, hand-made by the Manual Arts Furniture Co. , is the perfec...
Walnut
Ludwig mies Van Der Rohe Barcelona Chairs
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A fine original Pair of Mies Van Der Rohe Barcelona Chairs Original Full Grain Leather Seats and Straps Clean Polished Steel Frame Or...
Leather
Handwoven Malawi Cane Bench in Open Weave
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Center your common space around this functional, meticulously detailed bench. Its combination of woven cane and solid wood legs can be easily incorporated into nearly any setting, from serene and minimal to artfully cluttered and colorful, or anywhere in between. Malawi Cane offers exceptionally crafted cane furniture...
Cane, Rattan, Wood
Sold
H 19.69 in W 60.24 in
International Style, Rationalist, Italian Wooden Bench, Vitruvius, 20th Century
Located in Antwerp, BE
International Style; Rationalist; Italian Wooden Bench; Vitruvius; 20th Century; Baroque; Art Nouveau; Expressionism; Minimalist; Shelves; Wooden ...
Wood
Stainless Steel and Woven Leather Benches by Ralph Lauren
By Ralph Lauren, Florence Knoll
Located in Rochester, NY
A beautiful matching pair of stainless steel frame classic long benches with black woven saddle leather seats by Ralph Lauren, circa 1980. Great original vintage condition. Look at a...
Stainless Steel
Sold
H 16.5 in W 193.5 in D 37.5 in
Sixteen Foot Mies van der Rohe Barcelona Daybed from the IBM Building
Located in Highland, IN
Here is an extraordinarily rare piece with fantastic provenance– this oversize version of Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona daybed is 16 feet in length and custom fabricated of fiberglass and steel. You would not know that it is fiberglass without touching it. The level of detail and realism is stunning. It’s like an artwork using the principal of transference of material– when an object appears to be made of one expected material, but is really crafted of something totally different, often incongruent with one's expectations. The reason fiberglass was used to make this daybed is that it was created for use in the lobby of Mies van der Rohe’s IBM building at 330 N. Wabash in Chicago. Mies often specified that the public spaces in the buildings he designed be furnished with tables and seating also of his design. In the 1990s the owner of the IBM building hired Chicago designer Judy Niedermaier to decorate the public spaces. Having seen ordinary Barcelona chairs and sofas suffer the abuse of high-traffic spaces see with hundreds of people using them on a daily basis, she opted to something different that would hold up under extreme wear. Interestingly, this was not the first time Niedermaier employed fiberglass in her design work, nor would it be her last. Her firm had used fiberglass for store displays, pots and mannequins in some of their prop and merchandise display work, and then in the early 2000s with the famous downtown Chicago outdoor art projects “Cows on Parade” and “Suite Home Chicago” (fiberglass outdoor furniture...
Steel
Barcelona Style Brass Finish Table or Bench Base
Located in New York, NY
Design after Mies van der Rohe, "X" form base, suitable for a table or possibly a bench base. The base has a brass finish, which shows some wear, normal and...
Steel
Florence Knoll Bench
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in New York, NY
Six foot long bench of chrome-plated steel and leather, designed by Florence Knoll and produced by Knoll, circa 1970. Upholstered in individual welted panels with button tufting. In ...
Chrome
International Style Bench
By Knoll
Located in New York, NY
Steel legs support three cushion seats ( one has minor split at seam ( pictured )
Ralph Lauren Woven Leather Bench or Cocktail Table
By Ralph Lauren
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous woven leather bench. Signed with paper label, Ralph Lauren Polo Jeans Company. Stainless steel frame with rods crossing for strength. ...
Swedish Bench
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Small settee with clean lines and curved seats and arms. Very clean look. Seats were originally upholstered, but looks great with cushions.
Wood, Paint
Florence Knoll 'T' Angle Bench
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in New York, NY
Fine early example of Florence Knoll's 'T' angle bench with segmented walnut top and blackened steel base. A solidly constructed and handsome example of m...
Steel
Milo Baughman Chromed slatted Steel Bench
By Milo Baughman, Design Institute America
Located in Bainbridge, NY
Milo Baughman for Design Institute of America fantastic multi use piece. Great potential use as Bench in Bedroom, Entry way, Gallery, or as a Coffee Table. Nice addition to almost...
Chrome, Steel
Sold
H 17 in W 60 in D 25 in
Museum Bench by Metropolitan, San Francisco with Brown Tufted Leather Seat
Located in St. Louis, MO
Chrome base Minimalist bench with original leather that is nicely worn in (no tears or holes but general wear). Made by Metropolitan, circa 1970s. Leather is nice dark brown.
Chrome