Skip to main content

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 The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics.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.

4,186
27
8
to
336
2,305
1,367
4,221
290
1,232
4,221
1,392
266
107
41
26
25
13
13
7
7
6
5
5
5
3
1
1
2
25
4,194
1
6
12
1
4
2
3
3
Height
to
Width
to
Depth
to
5,083
4,576
3,825
4,631
3,753
4,382
3,699
4,525
3,731
3,651
4,521
1,903
1,662
1,847
935
902
3,126
1,553
647
473
334
178
160
155
118
102
Style: Modern
Number in Set: Set of 10
Bride’s Veil Static Chair by Phase Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Bride’s Veil Static Chair by Phase Design Dimensions: D 75 x W 83,2 x H 68,6 cm. Materials: Upholstery, steel and smoked brass. Solid steel bar available in a smoked brass, polished...
Category

2010s American Modern Chairs

Materials

Brass

Minimalist Organic Chair in black Solid Wood, camel leather Seating tone
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 seamless integration of aest...
Category

2010s Brazilian Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Textile, Upholstery, Fiberglass, Hardwood

Minimalist Organic Chair in Solid Wood, camel leather Seating tone
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 seamless integration of aest...
Category

2010s Brazilian Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Textile, Upholstery, Fiberglass, Hardwood

Minimalist Organic Chair in black Solid Wood, camel leather Seating tone
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 seamless integration of aest...
Category

2010s Brazilian Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Textile, Upholstery, Fiberglass, Hardwood

Minimalist Organic Chair in natural Solid Wood, black leather Seating tone
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 seamless integration of aest...
Category

2010s Brazilian Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Textile, Upholstery, Fiberglass, Hardwood

Minimalist Organic Chair in black Solid Wood, off-white textiles 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 seamless integration of aest...
Category

2010s Brazilian Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Textile, Upholstery, Fiberglass, Hardwood

Minimalist Organic Chair in black Solid Wood, black leather 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 seamless integration of aest...
Category

2010s Brazilian Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Textile, Upholstery, Fiberglass, Hardwood

Minimalist Organic Chair in black Solid Wood, black leather 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 seamless integration of aest...
Category

2010s Brazilian Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Textile, Upholstery, Fiberglass, Hardwood

Minimalist Organic Chair in black Solid Wood, off-white textiles 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 seamless integration of aest...
Category

2010s Brazilian Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Textile, Upholstery, Fiberglass, Hardwood

Finn Juhl 45 Chair, Wood and Fabric
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Chair designed by Finn Juhl in 1945, relaunched in 2003. Manufactured by House of Finn Juhl in Denmark. In the Autumn of 1945, Finn Juhl presented the 45 Chair at the annual Cabi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Modern Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Skovby Danish Modern Teak High Back Dining Chairs - Set of 10
Located in Elkton, MD
Crafted by Skovby Mobelfabrik. Characterized by high sculpted backs, floating seats and solid teak construction.
Category

1990s Danish Modern Chairs

Materials

Teak

INVICTA Dining Chair in Velvet
Located in Frazão, Porto
The Invicta dining chair is a unique piece, and the impressive design with just one leg in the back, in solid wood, will make the dining room a so...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Lacquer

Le Mautu by Naibu
Located in Geneve, CH
Le Mautu by Naibu Materials: Stainless steel. Dimensions: D 57 x W 40 x H 91 cm. Naibu We are a multidisciplinary studio founded by Mara Calderón de la Barca and Brenda Ochoa, based...
Category

2010s Mexican Modern Chairs

Materials

Stainless Steel

Modern Sling Chair in Brown
Located in Johannesburg, ZA
Stripped away from all excess, this hanging chair has a circular frame with a sheet of natural thick leather hanging loose within it, to create a sleek, sexy, and oh so comfortable e...
Category

2010s South African Modern Chairs

Materials

Steel

Sedia Tiffany in velluto, gambe laccate e decori in metallo
Located in Bisceglie, IT
Una seduta pranzo dai tratti delicati, e dall elevato standard qualitativo. Rivestita in velluto, ma disponibile anche in tessuto bouclè, viene caratterizzata dal dettaglio in metall...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather, Korhogo Cloth, Velvet

Cult Stool by Panorammma
Located in Geneve, CH
Cult stool by Panorammma Materials: Black lacquer onyx. Dimensions: D 25 x H 45 cm. Also available in Onyx Conglomerate or Onyx Ice. Panorammma is a furniture design atelier based i...
Category

2010s Mexican Modern Chairs

Materials

Onyx

Modern Skirt Upholstered Accent Chair
Located in Westwood, NJ
Dressed in a softly textured chenille performance fabric with a silver metallic ground, this elegant tall back chair works beautifully in home office spaces, or bedrooms and dressing...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Asian Modern Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Celeste Chair in Boucle Fabric and Brass and Mint Metal by Lara Bohinc
Located in Holland, AMSTERDAM
Celeste chair plays with contrasting shapes, materials and textures. The circles and squares join to make a chair that has both substance and lightness. ...
Category

2010s British Modern Chairs

Materials

Metal

Pink Ribbon Chair by Nika Zupanc, Made in Italy
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
The ribbon chair is the object that expresses the female language of Nika Zupanc with a strong and essential icon. The ribbon chair is an object whose identity expresses feeling and ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Plastic

Handrafted Contemporary Dining Chair in Caribbean Walnut, in Stock
Located in PARQUE INDUSTRIAL OTHON P BLANCO, Quintana Roo
The Tamay Chair brings together personality and subtlety, based on simple lines and harmonious proportions, which underscore the natural beauty of the solid tropical wood native to s...
Category

2010s Mexican Modern Chairs

Materials

Hardwood, Walnut

Contemporary Vertere Stool in Oiled Walnut with White Leather Seat Pad
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...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary English Modern Chairs

Materials

Walnut

Contemporary Chair in Solid Wood, Upholstered in Leather or Textiles with 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

Leather, Textile, Upholstery, Laminate, Hardwood

Kartell Pilastro Stool in Black by Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Pilastro stool is part of the Kartell goes Sottsass, a tribute to Memphis collection, launched in 2015 in homage to design guru Ettore Sottsass....
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Plastic

Pair Contemporary Counter Bar Stool Black Metal & Black Leather
Located in Alcoy, Alicante
Counter stool in black smoke polished steel and black saddle leather. The phrases "Less is more" and "God is in the detail" from the German-American architect and industrial designe...
Category

2010s Spanish Modern Chairs

Materials

Steel

Modern Genuine Ochre Soft Leather Tan Sling - Swing Chair
Located in Johannesburg, ZA
Stripped away from all excess, this hanging chair has a circular frame with the sheets of soft leather hanging loose within it, to create a sleek, sexy, and oh so comfortable experie...
Category

2010s South African Modern Chairs

Materials

Steel

Iconic Eero Aarnio Black Leather Swivel Ball Lounge Chair
Located in New York, NY
The ball chair was designed in 1963 and debuted at the Cologne Furniture Fair in 1966. The chair is one of the most famous and beloved classics of Finni...
Category

2010s Finnish Modern Chairs

Materials

Fiberglass, Leather

Pair of Chic 'Méandre' Side Chairs by Design Frères
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of chic undulating 'Méandre' side chairs by Design Frères. Bronzed steel frames. Natural linen upholstered cushions. These Méandre™ chairs from our exclusive Design Frères® li...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Chairs

Materials

Steel

Claste For the Love of Solitude Small Chair in Glass with Sea Pearl Marble
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A chair that creates separation with transparency, solitude without disconnection. Within the walls of glass, a floating slab of marble adds weight and texture to the delicate nature...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Canadian Modern Chairs

Materials

Marble

Claste For the Love of Solitude Large Chair in Glass with Sea Pearl Marble
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A chair that creates separation with transparency, solitude without disconnection. Within the walls of glass, a floating slab of marble adds weight and texture to the delicate nature...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Canadian Modern Chairs

Materials

Marble

Minimal Style, Solid Wood Stool, Bar or Counter Hight, Caning and Leather
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

Textile, Cane, Wood, Hardwood

Woven Black Ash Wood Dining Chair Molteni&C by Tobia Scarpa - made in Italy
Located in New York, NY
Miss Chair in Black Ash Wood and Leather by Afra and Tobia Scarpa. Expert-crafted in Italy exclusively by Molteni&C. Husband and wife powerhouse designers...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Ash

Shaker Backless Counter Stool by Ambrozia, Walnut, Black Steel, Sandle Vinyl
Located in Drummondville, Quebec
The shaker backless modern counter stool chair is made to order from our unique Ambrozia black textured steel tubing frame and a premium vinyl upholstered seat. Leather is available ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Canadian Modern Chairs

Materials

Steel

Lloyd Modern Barrel Back Round Bar Stool
Located in Baltimore City, MD
Lloyd bar stool Solid wood frame / hand rubbed oil finish / brushed brass, bronze or black rungs / leather wrapped back support / recessed leather ...
Category

2010s American Modern Chairs

Materials

Brass, Steel

Minimal Style, Solid Wood Chair, Leather or Textile Seating, Caning Backboard
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

Leather, Textile, Cane, Hardwood

Matte Black Modern Ribbon Plastic Dining or Side Chair Set of 2
Located in Origgio (VA), IT
Ribbon chair, evoking an extraordinarily romantic world, is the feminine chair par excellence. A successful chair, with a strong identity and characterized by a bow designed as a bac...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Plastic

Minimal Style, Solid Wood Chair, Leather Seating, Caning Backboard
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 by the B-52 plane design, thi...
Category

2010s Brazilian Modern Chairs

Materials

Cane, Wood, Hardwood, Leather

Blackened 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

The Walky Chair by Design VA . Ebonized Oak & Bronze
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The story of Walky began with the words “Café Bistro,” specifically to the classic image of a charming café on the Champs Elysées in Paris. The aroma of an exquisite coffee accompani...
Category

2010s Mexican Modern Chairs

Materials

Bronze

Set of 2 Kartell Louis Ghost Armchairs in Crystal by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A comfortable armchair in transparent and colored polycarbonate in the Louis XV style, it is the quintessence of baroque revisited to dazzle, excite and captivate. Louis Ghost is the...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Prince Aha Stool in Wax White by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Thought up as a colorful game of building blocks, the Prince Aha stool is composed of two cones to resemble the shape of an hourglass. An entertaining and co...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Plastic

Amorph Gazelle Dining Chair, Solid Wood, Stained Graphite Walnut
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Dining chair designed by Amorph made out of solid ash wood and leather. It is stained dark walnut. Dimension: 38" H x 20 1/2" L x 18" W seat height: 18" inch. We ask designers to pro...
Category

2010s American Modern Chairs

Materials

Wood, Ash, Leather

Bold Dining Chair
Located in Milano, Lombardia
A testament to a new level of modern design, The Bold Dining Chair seamlessly blends form and function, elevating any dining experience with its refined elegance. Decades of design ...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Bouclé

Seletti "Revolver" Upholstered Occasional Chair by Toiletpaper
Located in Doral, FL
Mix and match the wildest graphics designed by Toiletpaper and get the most iconic dining room of all. - Material: Fabrics in polyester, frame in wood with polyurethane padding an...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Modern Chairs

Materials

Polyester, Wood

Seletti "Lipsticks" Upholstered Occasional Chair by Toiletpaper
Located in Doral, FL
Mix and match the wildest graphics designed by Toiletpaper and get the most iconic dining room of all. - Material: Fabrics in polyester, frame in wood with polyurethane padding an...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Modern Chairs

Materials

Polyester, Wood

Bold Dining Chair - Anouk 100
Located in Milano, Lombardia
A testament to a new level of modern design, The Bold Dining Chair seamlessly blends form and function, elevating any dining experience with its refined elegance. Decades of design ...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Bouclé

Bold Dining Chair - Anouk 105
Located in Milano, Lombardia
A testament to a new level of modern design, The Bold Dining Chair seamlessly blends form and function, elevating any dining experience with its refined elegance. Decades of design ...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Bouclé

Bold Dining Chair - Anouk 304
Located in Milano, Lombardia
A testament to a new level of modern design, The Bold Dining Chair seamlessly blends form and function, elevating any dining experience with its refined elegance. Decades of design ...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Bouclé

Claste and Here I Sit Hall Chair Limited Edition
Located in Brooklyn, NY
An unexpected shift in appearance is the central idea behind the design of this chair. It switches from precariously balanced to solid and permanent through the clever use of a trian...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Canadian Modern Chairs

Materials

Marble, Brass, Steel

"Oscar" Minimalist Chair in Solid Wood with Leather or Fabric
Located in Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo
When she created Oscar chair, Alessandra Delgado was inspired by the master architect Oscar Niemeyer´s work. The Oscar chair is made of solid wood and although very sturdy it is ligh...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Chairs

Materials

Wood, Leather, Canvas, Velvet, Polyester

Roly Poly Polyethylene Armchair in Concrete with Cushions by Faye Toogood
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The distinctive, reassuringly chunky lines of Faye Toogood’s Roly-Poly furniture collection become even more inviting in her new collaboration with Driade. The latest line for the It...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Plastic

Minimal style, solid wood chair, textiles or leather seatings, caning backboard
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 by the B-52 plane design, this inspiration gave us the freedom to create a collection where the design appropriate subtle elements, harmonic transitions and thin but resistant wood thicknesses, that gave life to a unique and contemporary collection. Our studio objective was to abstract most of the figurative elements and arrive in the very sweet spot in this design, driving the details in a three dimensional way. All our objects are drawn using the Da Vinci's "golden section", and the wing collection is not an exception, this assures pleasing proportions. The Wing chair collection is crafted with passion using premium materials and the latest technologies, and a very precise quality control, on its beauty there is the subtle variations between the wood veins in a real living item without ethnic appeal. All this qualities converge in and merge in a collection made to participate in the life of its users like a breeze, comfortably, pleasant and positive. *Listing illustrates the caning backboard...
Category

2010s Brazilian Modern Chairs

Materials

Textile, Cane, Wood, Hardwood

NIDO Modern Lounge Chair in White Oak & Blush Leather by Estudio Persona
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The NIDO chair was the result of playing with the juxtaposition of shapes. The egg-like shape of the leather upholstered wood seat nesting in the cross shap...
Category

2010s American Modern Chairs

Materials

Oak, Leather

Roda Teka 171 Indoor/Outdoor Stacking Chair Designed by Gordon Guillaumier
Located in Boston, MA
Roda Teka 171 stacking chair Overview: The Teka collection, signed by Gordon Guillaumier, shows all the ability of Roda to innovate and harmoniously combin...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Teak

Modern Mary Dining Chairs, Beige Velvet Leather, Handmade Portugal by Greenapple
Located in Lisboa, PT
Mary Chair, Contemporary Collection, Handcrafted in Portugal - Europe by Greenapple. Designed by Rute Martins for the Contemporary Collection, the Mary lea...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Chairs

Materials

Brass

Kartell Spoon Stool in White by Antonio Citterio & Toan Nguyen
Located in Brooklyn, NY
An original stool whose shape is as elastic in appearance as it is in function. The innovation of Spoon consists mainly in attaching the seat to a central support with a specially re...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Plastic

The Walky Chair by Design VA . Ebonized Oak & Aluminum
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The story of Walky began with the words “Café Bistro,” specifically to the classic image of a charming café on the Champs Elysées in Paris. The aroma of an exquisite coffee accompani...
Category

2010s Mexican Modern Chairs

Materials

Aluminum

The Walky Chair by Design VA . Maple & Walnut
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The story of Walky began with the words “Café Bistro,” specifically to the classic image of a charming café on the Champs Elysées in Paris. The aroma of an exquisite coffee accompani...
Category

2010s Mexican Modern Chairs

Materials

Maple, Walnut

Bold Dining Chair - Azimut 102
Located in Milano, Lombardia
A testament to a new level of modern design, The Bold Dining Chair seamlessly blends form and function, elevating any dining experience with its refined elegance. Decades of design ...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Velvet

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.

Recently Viewed

View All