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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 The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics.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
Recognized Seller Listings
Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Post Mundus Chair in Beech
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Five pieces of bent wood make up the unique profile of Post Mundus, the chair designed by Martino Gamper that plays on the iconic lines of the historic Aus...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Chairs

Materials

Wood

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

Fabiaan Van Severen Pair of Dining Chairs in Black Leather
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Fabiaan Van Severen, dining chairs, patinated black leather, tubular steel, lace, Belgium, 1997. Distinct pair of dining chairs by Belgium designer Fabiaan Van Severen. Created in 1...
Category

1990s Belgian Modern Chairs

Materials

Steel

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Wiener Stuhl Chair in Curry Yellow & Fabric Seating
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A simplified design to create an elegant, comfortable, popular item”. The structure has an all-embracing simplicity, and is formed from just a few elements in steam bent solid beech....
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Chairs

Materials

Wood

Armchair in Velvet Molteni&C by Gio Ponti D.154.2 - made in Italy
Located in New York, NY
D.154.2 Lovechair in Velvet by Gio Ponti. Expert-crafted in Italy exclusively by Molteni&C. The mid-century D.154.2 lovechair features a shell-like structure inspired by renowned It...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Velvet

Spade Ashwood Corner Chair by Faye Toogood
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Spade chair is an ode to the rural life in the English countryside in which designer Faye Toogood grew up and had her first encounters with shapes and colors of the natural world. Th...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Modern Chairs

Materials

Wood

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

Soiree Chair with Stitch Detail in Charcoal, Oscar & Gabriele Buratti for Driade
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The theme of the classic, soft, fabric-covered, padded chair made of a single material is interpreted here in an exceptionally elegant, accurately finished design. Whether dressed in...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Metal

Pair of Armchairs, Italy, 1990s
Located in New York, NY
Inox steel frames featuring wraparound backs upholstered in dark brown leather, the seats and backs upholstered in the original crushed velvet with leaf pattern. These chairs were de...
Category

1990s Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Steel

Contemporary Dining Chair 'Flock CS2' by Noom, Wool Pink Fabric
Located in Paris, FR
Designer: Kateryna Sokolova Materials: wood, plywood, metal, molded foam, textile Available in a wide range of colors and other finishes and fabrics on request. Dimensions: H 78 cm, ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Ukrainian Modern Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Wool, Bouclé

Contemporary Dining Chair 'Flock CS2' by Noom, Kvadrat Vidar Fabric
Located in Paris, FR
Chair flock CS2 Designer: Kateryna Sokolova Materials: wood, plywood, metal, molded foam, textile Dimensions: H 78 cm, W 55 cm, D 61 cm seat H 47 cm Available in a wide range of fa...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Ukrainian Modern Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Wool, Bouclé

Authentic Early Modernist Chair Robert Mallet Stevens, France, 1930s
Located in Worpswede / Bremen, DE
Robert Mallet-Stevens (1886-1945) came from an art-loving family and was one of the most influential French avant-garde architects and designers. He met very early on René Herbst and...
Category

1930s French Vintage Modern Chairs

Materials

Steel

Meridiana Chair in Transparent by Christophe Pillet for Driade
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Meridiana table stems from the ultimate globetrotter chair, revised this year with solid wooden legs. An archetype of the coffee shop or domestic table, it displays a precious balance between the round, wood particleboard top and the solid wood frame and legs. A mass-colored clay mixture is smoothed over the top by hand with a scraper. The table’s aesthetic is distinguished by the shaded, handmade finish of its top. Available in the following colors: Volcano red, Lava black and Champagne. Born in 1959, he graduated from the Academy of Decorative Arts in Nice in 1985 and a year later took a post-graduate course at the Domus Academy in Milan. From 1986 to 1988 he worked with Martine Bedin in Milan, and from 1988 to 1993 with Philippe Starck in Paris. His first items of furniture, issued by XO, date from 1991. Since May 1993 he has been working as an independent designer. His work ranges from furniture to product design, from interior design to architecture and exhibit design. He works, among others, with Artelano, Cappellini, Ceccotti, JC Decaux, Driade, Mazzega, Moroso, Trussardi, Daum, Moët e Chandon, Ecart International, Lacoste Lancome, l’Oreal, Shiseido, Whirlpool. Nominated Creator of the Year in 1995, he has exhibited his works at the Georges Pompidou Center in Paris, at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Lucerne and at many other prestige venues. Among his most recent works or works in progress...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Plastic

Roly Poly Armchair in Concrete without cushion by Faye Toogood for Driade
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

Plastic

GTV Thonet Postsparkasse Chair in Black and Aluminium by Otto Wagner
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Extreme shape synthesis. Minimalism, exclusivity and an eye for detail. The “Postsparkasse” series was designed in 1906 by Otto Wagner for the headquarters of the Post Office Savings...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Chairs

Materials

Wood

Arflex Botolo Chair in Heidi Fabric by Cini Boeri
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Botolo Chair is designed by Cini Boeri for Arflex. An innovative upholstered rolling chair with three large tubular legs. Botolo is an ideal place to sit,...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Metal

Bondi Stackable Dining Chair in Ashwood
By Please Wait to be Seated, Fräg Woodall
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Please Wait to be Seated Bondi chair is inspired by designer Frag Woodall's earliest memories of watching artisans at work, fascinated by the way they joined and fitted timber. The s...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Modern Chairs

Materials

Wood

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

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Ash

Armchair in Boucle Fabric Molteni&C by Gio Ponti D.154.2 - made in Italy
Located in New York, NY
D.154.2 Lovechair in Bouclé Fabric by Gio Ponti. Expert-crafted in Italy exclusively by Molteni&C. The mid-century D.154.2 lovechair features a shell-like structure inspired by ren...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Bouclé

Chair in Black Ashwood and Black Leather Molteni&C by Tobia Scarpa - Miss
Located in New York, NY
Miss Chair in Black Ashwood and Black Leather by Afra and Tobia Scarpa. Expert-crafted in Italy exclusively by Molteni&C. Husband and wife powerhouse desi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Ash, Leather

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

Roly Poly Armchair in Peat by Faye Toogood for Driade
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

Plastic

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

Exquisite Klismos Chair in Blue/Gray Shagreen with Brass Sabots 1980s
Located in New York, NY
Beautifully crafted Klismos chair in blue/gray shagreen with polished brass sabots by Maitland Smith, Philippines 1980's. The sensual form and exceptional materials and craftsmanshi...
Category

1980s Philippine Vintage Modern Chairs

Materials

Brass

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

Gervasoni Sofa Upholstered Saia 10 by David Lopez Quincoces
Located in Brooklyn, NY
With balanced lines, the Saia upholstered collection is created from a classic ideal reinterpreted in a contemporary key. The name, meaning "skirt" in Portuguese, illustrates its dis...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Upholstery

Meridiana Chair in White by Christophe Pillet for Driade
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Meridiana table stems from the ultimate globetrotter chair, revised this year with solid wooden legs. An archetype of the coffee shop or domestic table, it displays a precious ba...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Plastic

Tom Dixon S-Chair with Marsh Wicker Upholstery for Cappellini
Located in New York, NY
The iconic S-chair by Tom Dixon is an object with an artisanal core, successfully transformed into an authentic Industrial masterpiece, without losing the essence of the original pro...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian 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

Customizable Powdercoated Aluminum Indoor/Outdoor Round Bench by Laun
Located in Brooklyn, NY
In the Ribbon outdoor bench, layered aluminum tubes stack together to form a circular semi-solid array, with an empty space in the center that can accommodate an optional plant. The ...
Category

2010s American Modern Chairs

Materials

Aluminum

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

Opinion Ciatti Mammamia Stool with Adjustable Height
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. ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Metal

Rustic Solid Pine Chairs with Carved Backs, Europe early 20th century
Located in Utrecht, NL
This one-of-a-kind pair stands as evidence to the enduring charm of handcrafted furniture. These chairs tell a story of craftsmanship, history, and the timeless appeal of rustic beau...
Category

Early 20th Century European Modern Chairs

Materials

Wood

Roly Poly Armchair in Ochre by Faye Toogood for Driade
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 Modern Chairs

Materials

Plastic

René Herbst 'Sandows' Dining Chair in Steel and Cord
Located in Waalwijk, NL
René Herbst, 'Sandows' chair, model '101', chrome-plated steel, elastic rope, France, design 1928, produced 1970s. The 'Sandows' chair epitomizes the industrial advancements of the ...
Category

1920s French Vintage Modern Chairs

Materials

Steel, Chrome

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

Unique Modern Curved HardWood Sculpture Chair Handmade Dilmos Kata Matoga
Located in Milan, IT
Sculptural chair made of hard wood; it is hand-made by the designer thanks to the steam bending technique. The name M10 is inspired by the technical term for a grade in mixed ice cli...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Hardwood

Contemporary Recycled Plastic Chair by James Shaw
Located in London, GB
Contemporary recycled plastic chair by James Shaw English, 2020 Height 78cm, width 58cm, depth 49cm Designed and made by James Shaw, the renow...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary English Modern Chairs

Materials

Plastic

Gervasoni Brise 33 Dining Table by Federica Biase
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The joy of outdoor entertaining articulated into lots of different forms: Brise tables suggest new ways of conceiving the outdoor table whether for large groups or close relatives an...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Steel

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

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Bodystuhl Chair in Black with Woven Cane Seat
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Thanks to the striking effect of the steam-bent beech, the Bodystuhl chair proposed by Nigel Coates shows a profile showing sinuous shapes characterized by a structure with variable thickness. The large seat and the ergonomic backrest, made in woven cane, recall shapes and materials of Lehnstuhl, already designed by the English designer for Wiener GTV Design...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Chairs

Materials

Wood

Tacchini Kelly C Chair in Thuya 01 Fabric by Claesson Koivisto Rune
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The designer drew inspiration from the work of minimalist artist Ellsworth Kelly, creating a chair with slender metal legs and a padded shell with a simple, linear shape. An essentia...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Fabric

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH Stocksessel Folding Chair in Walnut
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A historical re-edition with all the charm of past times. A walking stick or folding stool made from bent beech wood with a woven cane seat connecting the three curved legs. The swan’s neck handle also provides a comfortable backrest. Legend has it that the empress Elizabeth...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Chairs

Materials

Wood

Gervasoni Brise 24 Dining Armchair by Federica Biase
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The freedom of composing the space around an outdoor table inspires the offer for outdoor seating Brise. The collection of chairs is made of stainless steel tubes with seating and ba...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Steel

Gervasoni Brise 23 Dining Chair by Federica Biase
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The freedom of composing the space around an outdoor table inspires the offer for outdoor seating Brise. The collection of chairs is made of stainless steel tubes with seating and ba...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Steel

Shiro Kuramata 01 Chair in Polished Chrome or Matte Varnish for Cappellini
Located in New York, NY
Created as a tribute to the 1980s, the decade during which the original design was made and when Shiro Kuramata began his fertile collaboration with Cappellini, sedia 01 chair featur...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Iron

Opinion Ciatti Con Fort Set of 2 Steel Folding Chairs
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Foldable and light, with an adjustable back, Con fort is a contemporary reinterpretation of one of the Industrial era’s first work chairs. Designed by Maurizio Galante and Tal Lancman, Con fort is the solution for all the problems that usually have the folding chair...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Aluminum

Opinion Ciatti Mammamia Leather Non Stackable Chair
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mammamia leather is the leather-coated version of Mammamia, the chair designed by Marcello Ziliani, whose myriad of versions never cease to astonish. ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Metal

Sitar Chair in Ash Wood Polished Walnut with Beige Cord Seat by Enzo Berti
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A light armchair that brings to mind the softness of a feather, a caress, a moment of harmony in ash wood and woven nautical cords. The name has Persian origins: “seh-tar” literally ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Ash

Gervasoni Kasane 19 Pouf by Nendo
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Literally “overlapping”, Kasane is the latest collection designed by the Japanese studio, Nendo. Thanks to a play on the weaving and overlapping of different elements, each product becomes a sculpture. Inspired by the way in which the cups, stacked one on top of the other, become gradually taller, the collection of poufs and tables...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Foam

Roly Poly Polyethylene Armchair in Charcoal by Faye Toogood for Driade
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

Plastic

Aluminum Neo-Lounge Chair by Kouros Maghsoudi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Neo-Lounge chair is inspired by late-1960s space-age design, but with a 21st-century interpretation. The chair is made from meticulously hand-welded aluminum, in rebellion agains...
Category

2010s Turkish Modern Chairs

Materials

Aluminum

René Herbst Pair of 'Sandows' Dining Chairs in Steel and Cord
Located in Waalwijk, NL
René Herbst, pair of 'Sandows' chairs, model '101', chrome-plated steel, elastic rope, France, design 1928, produced 1970s. The 'Sandows' chair epitomizes the industrial advancement...
Category

1920s French Vintage Modern Chairs

Materials

Steel, Chrome

Lyndon Chair by Aleiya Olu
By Aleiya Olu
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Lyndon chair is a delightful union of simplicity, playfulness and warmth. Made from cherry oak, each hand-assembled chair is custom-made with a satin ...
Category

2010s American Modern Chairs

Materials

Cherry

De Sede Leather Beanbag Longue Chair
Located in Brooklyn, NY
DS-9087/60 beanbag chair by De Sede. Styrofoam ball filling.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Modern Chairs

Materials

Leather

Tumi Chair by Nifemi Ogunro
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Last summer the designer was walking through Fort Greene park when she saw a branch that, where it met a second branch, looked like a T-bone. She took a picture of it but didn't know...
Category

2010s American Modern Chairs

Materials

Wood

Gervasoni Dining Chairs Saia 25 by David Lopez Quincoces
Located in Brooklyn, NY
With balanced lines, the Saia upholstered collection is created from a classic ideal reinterpreted in a contemporary key. The name, meaning "skirt" in Portuguese, illustrates its dis...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs

Materials

Upholstery

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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