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Modern Chairs

MODERN STYLE

The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw sweeping social change and major scientific advances — both of which contributed to a new aesthetic: modernism. Rejecting the rigidity of Victorian artistic conventions, modernists sought a new means of expression. References to the natural world and ornate classical embellishments gave way to the sleek simplicity of the Machine Age. Architect Philip Johnson characterized the hallmarks of modernism as “machine-like simplicity, smoothness or surface [and] avoidance of ornament.”

Early practitioners of modernist design include the De Stijl (“The Style”) group, founded in the Netherlands in 1917, and the Bauhaus School, founded two years later in Germany.

Followers of both groups produced sleek, spare designs — many of which became icons of daily life in the 20th century. The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics. While Bauhaus principals Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created furniture from mass-produced, chrome-plated steel, American visionaries like Charles and Ray Eames worked in materials as novel as molded plywood and fiberglass. Today, Breuer’s Wassily chair, Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chaircrafted with his romantic partner, designer Lilly Reich — and the Eames lounge chair are emblems of progressive design and vintage originals are prized cornerstones of collections.

It’s difficult to overstate the influence that modernism continues to wield over designers and architects — and equally difficult to overstate how revolutionary it was when it first appeared a century ago. But because modernist furniture designs are so simple, they can blend in seamlessly with just about any type of décor. Don’t overlook them.

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Style: Modern
Customizable Items Only
Modern Anjos Dining Chairs, Light-Brown Leather, Handmade Portugal by Greenapple
Located in Lisboa, PT
Anjos Chair, Contemporary Collection, Handcrafted in Portugal - Europe by Greenapple. Designed by Rute Martins for the Contemporary Collection, the Anjos ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Wood, Beech, Oak

Modern Eleanor Leather Dining Chairs, Brown, Handmade in Portugal by Greenapple
Located in Lisboa, PT
Eleanor Chair, Contemporary Collection, Handcrafted in Portugal - Europe by Greenapple. The Eleanor leather dining chair, named after Queen Eleanor of Avis, embodies all the virtues...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Oak, Beech, Velvet, Bouclé, Fabric

Handcrafted Matrice Chair in Gold Steel and Blue Velvet
Located in MONTROZIER, FR
Matrice side chair is a steel corset compressing a velvet fleece, an organic, carnal form, compressed by a wire mesh. The interaction of two antagonistic materials reminds us of the poetry of blown glass, the bodice on the waist, the imprint left on the body by the wicker chairs. We tried to give the seat a feeling of comfort, both visually and in its use. The iconic Chesterfield sofa quickly became a reference to be summoned. Matrice is a reinterpretation, a sensitive statement of its imprint: the upholstery here is turned over like a glove, revealing the wire mesh structure. The latter forms a corset compressing the softness of the seat and backrest to give it an organic geometry. Matrice is customizable on demand (colors of steel and fabrics, other fabrics), modular in chair or multi-seater bench, and each piece is numbered. This handcrafted chair...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Chairs

Materials

Steel, Metal

Green H-Chair by Estudio Persona
Located in Geneve, CH
Green H-chair by Estudio Persona Dimensions: W 45.8 x D 48.3 x H 78.8 cm Materials: Mohair fabric Upholstered dining chair. Shown in mohair fabric. COM option available. Custo...
Category

2010s American Modern Chairs

Materials

Mohair

Papillonne Brass Chair with Pillow 'Set of 4'
By LAGU
Located in İSTANBUL, TR
Papillonne chair comes to your living room with its details, combining comfort with elegance. It is also suitable for combining with your dining table. The chair cushion can be produ...
Category

2010s Turkish Modern Chairs

Materials

Brass

Modern Anjos Dining Chairs, Leather Oak Root, Handmade in Portugal by Greenapple
Located in Lisboa, PT
Anjos Chair, Contemporary Collection, Handcrafted in Portugal - Europe by Greenapple. Designed by Rute Martins for the Contemporary Collection, the Anjos dining chair draws inspirat...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Wood, Beech, Oak

Modern Maia Leather Dining Chairs Set/6, Handmade in Portugal by Greenapple
Located in Lisboa, PT
Maia Chair, Contemporary Collection, Handcrafted in Portugal - Europe by Greenapple. Designed by Rute Martins for the Contemporary Collection, the Maia leather dining chair takes it...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Chairs

Materials

Metal, Brass

Viva Purple Bench by Houtique
Located in Geneve, CH
Viva Purple Bench by Houtique Dimensions: D 100 x W 45 x H 48 cm Materials: Velvet, Upholstery, Wood Also available in different colours. Please contact u...
Category

2010s Spanish Modern Chairs

Materials

Upholstery, Velvet, Wood

Modern Margot Dining Chairs, Nubuck Leather, Handmade in Portugal by Greenapple
Located in Lisboa, PT
Margot Chair, Modern Collection, Handcrafted in Portugal - Europe by GF Modern. The Margot leather dining chair stands as a contemporary piece that redefines the standards of modern...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Fabric, Bouclé, Velvet

Chic 'Méandre' Bronze Side Chair by Design Frères
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The 'Méandre'™ dark bronze side chair by Design Frères®. Chic and understated.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Chairs

Materials

Steel

Pebble Chair by Fred Rigby Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Pebble chair by Fred Rigby studio. Dimensions: L 39.5 x W 41.2 x H 91 cm. Materials: solid oak, dedar boucle weave wool. Fred Rigby studio is a Londo...
Category

2010s French Modern Chairs

Materials

Wool, Oak

Modern Laurence Dining Chairs, Italian Leather, Handmade Portugal by Greenapple
Located in Lisboa, PT
Laurence Chair, Contemporary Collection, Handcrafted in Portugal - Europe by Greenapple. Designed by Rute Martins for the Contemporary Collection, the Laurence leather dining chair ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Wood

Modern Eleanor Outdoors Dining Chairs Set/6, Handmade in Portugal by Greenapple
Located in Lisboa, PT
Eleanor Outdoors Chair, Contemporary Collection, Handcrafted in Portugal - Europe by Greenapple. The Eleanor outdoors dining chair, named after Queen Eleanor of Avis, embodies all t...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Oak, Beech, Velvet, Bouclé, Fabric

Exotic Argentine Rosewood Leather Counter Stool from Costantini, Umberto
Located in New York, NY
The Umberto counter stool is one of Costantini’s original seating designs, featuring a modern, low, carved solid wood back with a tight seat, and optional burnished bronze footrest. ...
Category

2010s Argentine Modern Chairs

Materials

Wood

8x Shaker Modern Chairs by Ambrozia, Walnut, Dark Brown Leather, White Cowhide
Located in Drummondville, Quebec
The shaker chair is handcrafted to order from our unique Ambrozia black textured steel tubing frame with a genuine leather seat and Cowhide back. Featuring subtile solid wood inserti...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Canadian Modern Chairs

Materials

Steel

Tensa Chair, Yellow by Ries
Located in Geneve, CH
Tensa chair, yellow by Ries Dimensions: W40 x D49,5 x H82 cm Materials: Round steel tube, laser cut metal sheet, high density foam, velvet upholstery, aluminum/bronze caps Matte ...
Category

2010s Argentine Modern Chairs

Materials

Steel

New Design Taller Chair in Aged Gold Color
Located in Madrid, ES
General Information Size Dim. (cm) Dim. (in) Wgt. (kg) Wgt. (lbs) Taller 52 x 53 x 102 20.5 x 20.9 x 40.2 7 15.4 Materials and colors Structure: Resin reinforced with fiberglas...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Chairs

Materials

Resin

Set of 8 Exotic Argentine Rosewood Counter Stools from Costantini, Umberto
Located in New York, NY
The Umberto Counter stool is one of Costantini’s best selling original seating designs featuring a modern, low, carved solid wood back with a tight seat.. Available now as shown in w...
Category

2010s Argentine Modern Chairs

Materials

Wood

Nana Wooden Dining Chair with Back Detail, No:2, Set of 8
By LAGU
Located in İSTANBUL, TR
"Lagu values and cherishes local production, bringing together the artisanal crafts of boutique producers and user-friendly quality designs in the 'Lagu Selection'." The elegant pie...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Turkish Modern Chairs

Materials

Upholstery, Foam, Beech

Modern De Castro Dining Chairs, Velvet, Beech, Handmade Portugal by Greenapple
Located in Lisboa, PT
De Castro Chair, Modern Collection, Handcrafted in Portugal - Europe by GF Modern. The De Castro dining chair is a tribute to one of the most remarkab...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Chairs

Materials

Brass

New Design Chair in Aged Gold Color
Located in Madrid, ES
General information Dimensions (cm): 58 x 57 x 90 Dimensions (in): 22.8 x 22.4 x 35.4 Weight (kg): 9 Weight (lbs): 19.8 Materials and colors Structure: Resin reinforced with fibergl...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Chairs

Materials

Resin

Viva Checkerboard Black White Bench by Houtique
Located in Geneve, CH
Viva Checkerboard Black White Bench by Houtique Dimensions: D 100 x W 45 x H 48 cm Materials: Velvet, Upholstery, Wood Also availab...
Category

2010s Spanish Modern Chairs

Materials

Upholstery, Velvet, Wood

Arches II Dining Chair, Walnut & Brass, InsidherLand by Joana Santos Barbosa
Located in Maia, Porto
The Arches II dining chair is designed in the likeness of the architectural scale that suggests a crossing through the structures of a utopian c...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Oak, Wood, Walnut

New Design Lower Chair in Aged Gold Color
Located in Madrid, ES
General Information Size Dim. (cm) Dim. (in) Wgt. (kg) Wgt. (lbs) Ref. Lower 52 x 53 x 82 20.5 x 20.9 x 32.3 6.5 14.3 Materials and colors. Structure: Resin reinforced with fibe...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Chairs

Materials

Resin

Three Headed Chair White by Rejo Studio
Located in Riyadh, SA
The “three headed” chair, is a fairy tale chair, inspired by those who have a lot to think about, where one head is never enough to deal with everyday life...
Category

2010s Saudi Arabian Modern Chairs

Materials

Linen, Velvet, Polyester

Modern Fortune Swivel Chair Made with Iron and Suede, Handmade by Stylish Club
Located in Seroa, PT
The Fortune collection creates a disruption of the traditional. The joining of different materials and the combination of straight lines creates pieces that escape the conceptualizat...
Category

2010s Portuguese Modern Chairs

Materials

Iron

La Prima Minimalistic Chair in Metal and Fabric
Located in London, GB
La Prima is an object that is meant to sit at the table. La Prima, designed by Bodegon Cabinet, follows the lead of La Redonda, changing its scale and adj...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Metal

La Redonda Minimalistic Chair in Metal
Located in London, GB
La Redonda is a chair that flirts with a pure two-dimensional geometrical figure, the circle. This perfect shape is molded after being cut over a steel plat...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Metal

Pair of Undulating Méandre Chairs by Design Frères
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of 'Méandre' dark bronze chairs by Design Frères. Chic and understated.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Chairs

Materials

Steel

Pouf Pill L by Houtique
Located in Geneve, CH
Pouf pill L by Houtique Dimensions: H 45 x 80 x 35 cm Materials: Velvet upholstery and 30cm fringes Pill Pouf L Art-deco style pouf with wood ...
Category

2010s Spanish Modern Chairs

Materials

Velvet

Cross Stool by Arno Declercq
Located in Geneve, CH
Black Bunker Side Table by Arno Declercq Dimensions: D 21 x W 21 x H 50 cm. Materials: Burned and waxed Oak and burned steel. Arno Declercq Belgian designer and art dealer who...
Category

2010s Belgian Modern Chairs

Materials

Steel

Modern Mary Swivel Bar Stools, Nubuck Leather, Handmade Portugal by Greenapple
Located in Lisboa, PT
Mary Swivel Bar Stool, Contemporary Collection, Handcrafted in Portugal - Europe by Greenapple. Designed by Rute Martins for the Contemporary Collection, the Mary bar stool transcen...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Chairs

Materials

Brass, Stainless Steel

Yellow Mohair and Walnut Chair Molteni&C by Herzog & de Meuron Made in Italy
Located in New York, NY
The Porta Volta chair by Herzog & De Meuron is a multi-functional design and a welcome addition to any space. Featured in the main reading room of The Nati...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Mohair, Wood

Sedia COME in tessuto con braccioli, base in metallo. By Legame Italia.
Located in Pistoia, IT
Progettata dal designer brasiliano Ricardo Antonio, allievo di Oscar Niemeyer, la sedia COME si contraddistingue per il design leggero ed elegante, grazie ad una scocca sottile e con...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Metal

Handcrafted Black Outdoor Cali Wire Lounge Chair, Powder-Coated Steel
Located in Mexico City, Delegación Cuauhtémoc
This outdoor lounge chair is a unique creation by León León design from Mexico City. It features a solid powder-coated steel structure and can be used either indoor or outdoor. H...
Category

2010s Mexican Modern Chairs

Materials

Steel

Gorilla Chair with Real Green Leather by Marcantonio
Located in Kolkata, IN
Gorilla chair with real green leather by Marcantonio is an ape shaped seat with a rich green leather covering. A lounge chair with a fantastic, unique sh...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Chairs

Materials

Foam, Wood, Leather, Resin

Arflex Botolo High Back Armchair in Natural Fur & Black Metal Legs by Cini Boeri
Located in Brooklyn, NY
An innovative upholstered rolling chair with three large tubular legs. Botolo is an ideal place to sit, relax and be creative.Cini Boeri designed Botolo in 1973, giving life to a new design style, where you could choose the height of the legs to have a dining chair in the high version or a style, at that time modern, "the living at a low level", a way of living...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Fur

Upholstered oak soap contemporary Chair, om5.1 by mjiila
Located in PARIS, FR
Minimal modern design chair by Parisian based studio mjiila. The om5.1 is a contemporary upholstered high-end chair handcrafted by skilled cabinetmaker. Available in soaped natural f...
Category

2010s French Modern Chairs

Materials

Ash, Oak

Chocolate Memento Chair, Jesse Sanderson
Located in Geneve, CH
Chocolate Memento chair, Jesse Sanderson Original signed chair by Jesse Sanderson Materials: leather, steel Dimensions: W 43 x D 50 x H 80 cm Seating height: 47 cm Frame fin...
Category

2010s Dutch Modern Chairs

Materials

Steel

Tube Chair in Canaletto Walnut, Upholster Seat, by Giopato & Coombes
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This tube chair is available with a Canaletto wood structure, and an upholstered seat in the listed fabrics. The tube chair is also available in beech and solid oak wood. Cristiana Giopato...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Wood, Upholstery

Iola Upholstered Chair in Black Metal Base, by E-ggs
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Iola chair comes with a seat, back and armrests in a injected flameretardant polyurethane foam covered with the listed fabrics. The structure base is available for custom orders in W...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Metal

Viva Checkerboard Green and Purple Bench by Houtique
Located in Geneve, CH
Viva Checkerboard Green and Purple Bench by Houtique Dimensions: D 100 x W 45 x H 48 cm Materials: Velvet, Upholstery, Wood Also available in different co...
Category

2010s Spanish Modern Chairs

Materials

Velvet, Upholstery, Wood

The Donna Chair, by Vicente Wolf
Located in New York, NY
The Donna Chair, by New York interior designer Vicente Wolf. From his furniture and accessories store, VW HOME by Vicente Wolf, the Donna Chair reflects the ...
Category

2010s American Modern Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Alchemy Chair by Rick Owens
Located in Geneve, CH
Alchemy chair by Rick Owens. 2012 Dimensions: L 62 x W 50 x H 71 cm Materials: Bronze, leather Weight: 20 kg Rick Owens is a California-born fashion and furniture has developed a un...
Category

2010s French Modern Chairs

Materials

Bronze

Saturn Pouffe Large, Brass Frame and Cream Boucle by Lara Bohinc In Stock
Located in Holland, AMSTERDAM
The equally singular Saturn pouffe utilises the same gathered bilboquet seat construction, to create a more simplified but still incredibly distinctive form. The sumptuously undulati...
Category

2010s Portuguese Modern Chairs

Materials

Metal, Brass

Modern Organic Chair in Solid Wood, Upholstered Flexible Seating
Located in Vila Cordeiro, São Paulo
THE COLLANA SERIES – WHERE ARTISTRY MEETS COMFORT IN EVERY CURVE." Introducing the Collana Chairs, Armchairs and ottomans Collection, a testament to the...
Category

2010s Brazilian Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Textile, Upholstery, Fiberglass, Hardwood

Hayche Cuerdas Rounded chair, Black, UK, Made To Order
Located in Liverpool, GB
The Cuerdas Rounded Chair offers a fresh take on the classic Windsor chair, seamlessly blending solid oak with the unique element of woven cords. Named "Cuerdas," which translates to...
Category

2010s Mexican Modern Chairs

Materials

Cord, Wood, Oak

Chocolate and Black Memento Chair, Jesse Sanderson
Located in Geneve, CH
Chocolate and black Memento chair, Jesse Sanderson Original signed chair by Jesse Sanderson Materials: leather, steel Dimensions: W 43 x D 50 x H 80 cm Seating height: 47 cm. ...
Category

2010s Dutch Modern Chairs

Materials

Steel

Hayche, Tornasol Rounded chair, Bla, Green & Blue, Solid Wood, UK, Made To Order
Located in Liverpool, GB
The Tornasol Rounded Chair takes a fresh approach to the solid oak chair, featuring an inviting curved wooden backrest crafted from several flat solid wood components. Each component...
Category

2010s Mexican Modern Chairs

Materials

Wood, Oak

Hayche Loom chair, Black, UK, Made To Order
Located in Liverpool, GB
The Loom Chair was inspired by the traditional wooden looms of Oaxaca in Mexico. The frame is made of solid oak and the cord is made of polypropylene. The chairs are sanded and finis...
Category

2010s Mexican Modern Chairs

Materials

Cord, Wood, Oak

Nabuk Gold Arch Bench by Pietro Franceschini
Located in Geneve, CH
Nabuk Gold Arch Bench by Pietro Franceschini Materials: Nabuk. Dimensions: W 155 x L 33 x 43cm. Manufacturer: Prinzivalli. Available finishes: Steel (black, white, brass finish) Alu...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Other

Hayche, Tornasol chair, Oak, Green & Pink, Solid Wood, UK, Made To Order
Located in Liverpool, GB
The Tornasol Chair captivates with its ingenious use of solid oak and color, creating a dynamic and visually engaging seating experience. The wooden backrest is composed of several f...
Category

2010s Mexican Modern Chairs

Materials

Wood, Oak

Contemporary Chair in Natural Solid Wood, Upholstered, Quilted, No Arms
Located in Vila Cordeiro, São Paulo
Dry chair collection. The Dry chair concept is to work in a mixture of distinct references resulting in a modern classic in a dance between the retro and the modern. A heavy and i...
Category

2010s Brazilian Modern Chairs

Materials

Laminate, Hardwood, Leather, Textile, Upholstery

Oracle Chair by kar
Located in Geneve, CH
Oracle Chair by kar Dimensions: W 38 x D 56 x H 97 cm Materials: Ash Wood, High Gloss. Oracle bone script dates back to the Shang Dynasty of China, a text engravedon tortoise shells and animal bones for divination. Taking China's oldestscript as its creative source, kar presents a new collection of furniture,"Oracle", which consists of a chair, a desk, a bench, a shelf, and a screen.The symbolic form of the ancient script...
Category

2010s Chinese Modern Chairs

Materials

Wood

Matte Aluminum Outdoor Dining Chair BT
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Our alumiunum dining chair has been developed for Chef Lincoln Carson’s all-day restaurant Bon Temps. With good times rolling from morning to the evening, the old industrial building...
Category

2010s American Modern Chairs

Materials

Aluminum

White Oak Dining Chair with Leather Seat / Dining Chair GH1
Located in Los Angeles, CA
We’ve been tasked to design an effortless, elegant, honest and most importantly comfortable dining chair for Chef Eric Bost, whose restaurant Auburn, we've been designing for the past few years. After a good year...
Category

2010s American Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Oak

Minimal Style, Solid Wood Chair, Textile Seating, Caning Backboard, with Arms
Located in Vila Cordeiro, São Paulo
The Wing chair solid wood collection, flexibility, modern aesthetics, comfort and softness are the keywords for this collection. The concept is inspired...
Category

2010s Brazilian Modern Chairs

Materials

Cane, Upholstery, Textile, Wood, Hardwood

Hayche Cuerdas chair, Oak & Black, UK, Made To Order
Located in Liverpool, GB
The Cuerdas Chair artfully reinterprets the classic Windsor chair, incorporating the warmth of solid oak with the distinctive touch of woven cords. In this innovative design, the woo...
Category

2010s Mexican Modern Chairs

Materials

Cord, Wood, Oak

Modern chairs for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Modern chairs for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage chairs created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include seating, building and garden elements, more furniture and collectibles and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, fabric and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Modern chairs made in a specific country, there are Europe, Italy, and Scandinavia pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original chairs, popular names associated with this style include Finn Juhl, Jover + Valls, Emeco, and Kartell. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for chairs differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $25 and tops out at $103,950 while the average work can sell for $2,723.

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