Ilmari Tapiovaara ‘Domus’ Dining Chairs in Mahogany
View Similar Items
Ilmari Tapiovaara ‘Domus’ Dining Chairs in Mahogany
About the Item
- Creator:Ilmari Tapiovaara (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 31.11 in (79 cm)Width: 22.84 in (58 cm)Depth: 20.87 in (53 cm)Seat Height: 17.72 in (45 cm)
- Style:Scandinavian Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1950s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Every item Morentz offers is checked by our team of 30 craftsmen in our in-house workshop. Special restoration or reupholstery requests can be done. We guarantee a very high-quality standard, ask our design specialists for detailed information.
- Seller Location:Waalwijk, NL
- Reference Number:Seller: 4900003821stDibs: LU933127295512
Ilmari Tapiovaara
During the mid-20th century, Finnish furniture designer Ilmari Tapiovaara worked with pine, teak and his country’s native birch to create sleek and sculptural chairs, dining room tables and bookcases in the Scandinavian modern style. Tapiovaara’s areas of expertise expanded beyond furniture to include interior architecture, wooden sculptures, film posters and cutlery.
After completing his studies at the Central School of Applied Arts in Helsinki, Tapiovaara embarked on a design career that would envelop his entire life. As a young man, Tapiovaara idolized revered architect and furniture designer Alvar Aalto — whom, with his wife, Aino Aalto, cofounded Artek, the company that would eventually manufacture the majority of Tapiovaara’s creations. The budding designer had one of Aalto’s chairs in his apartment while he was a student. After graduating, he worked as an assistant in an office at Le Corbusier, then as a designer and artistic director at Asko.
By 1951, Tapiovaara and his wife, Annikki, had established their own studio. A few years previous, the pair had designed the now-legendary Domus chair while creating interiors and furnishings for a new student housing complex in Helsinki. Made of molded plywood and easily stackable, the ergonomic Domus chair, with its slender form, featured a modest silhouette — its lightweight structure allowed for easy exporting, and iconic mid-century modern furniture manufacturer Knoll added a low-backed version to its offerings in the early 1950s. (It was marketed as the Finn chair in the United States.)
Tapiovaara went on to design pieces for Pihlgren ja Ritola and Santa and Cole. His experience earned him teaching positions at the Institute of Applied Arts, the Helsinki University of Technology and the Illinois Institute of Technology. While in Chicago for the latter, he worked in the office of Mies van der Rohe.
Tapiovaara centered his passion for design on social responsibility. He wanted his creations to be accessible to everyone, which was the concept behind his democratic approach. In Finland’s postwar era, the goal was exemplary, affordable designs. With this in mind, he created products such as stackable chairs and “knock-down” pieces packed flat, so they shipped efficiently and cost less.
An influential champion of his profession, he spent two decades as a United Nations ambassador, working to improve design’s contribution to society. His lasting, collectible furniture is a testament to the designer’s goal to create humane, radiant and intimate spaces. The United Nations project included traveling to Paraguay to create much-needed furniture. A similar project followed in Mauritius.
Tapiovaara’s success as an industrial and mass producer of everyday furniture was widely recognized and awarded. He received six gold medals for his chairs alone at the Milan Triennials. He also accepted a Good Design award, the Finnish State Design Award, a prize from the Finnish Culture Foundation and the Furniture Prize of the SIO Interior Architects’ Association of Finland.
Find vintage Ilmari Tapiovaara seating, tables and lighting on 1stDibs.
Established in 2006, Morentz has a team of approximately 55 restorers, upholsterers, interior advisers and art historians, making it a gallery, workshop and upholstery studio, all in one. Every day, a carefully selected array of 20th-century furniture arrives from all over the world at the firm’s warehouse, where the team thoroughly examines each piece to determine what, if any, work needs to be done. Whether that means new upholstery or a complete restoration, Morentz's aim is always to honor the designer’s intention while fulfilling the wishes of the client. The team is up to any challenge, from restoring a single piece to its original glory to furnishing a large-scale hotel project.
- Ilmari Tapiovaara Set of Four ‘Domus’ Dining Chairs in Black Stained TeakBy Ilmari TapiovaaraLocated in Waalwijk, NLIlmari Tapiovaara, set of four armchairs, stained teak, metal, Finland, 1953 This is a wonderful set of early ‘Domus’ armchairs by Finnish designer Ilmari Tapiovaara. Executed in a ...Category
Vintage 1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsMetal
- Ilmari Tapiovaara Set of Six ‘Domus’ Dining Chairs in Black Stained TeakBy Ilmari TapiovaaraLocated in Waalwijk, NLIlmari Tapiovaara, set of six armchairs, stained teak, metal, Finland, 1953 This is a wonderful set of early ‘Domus’ armchairs by Finnish designer Ilmari Tapiovaara. Executed in a b...Category
Vintage 1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsMetal
- Ilmari Tapiovaara for Laukaan Puu Set of Four 'Pirkka' ChairsBy Ilmari Tapiovaara, Laukaan PuuLocated in Waalwijk, NLIlmari Tapiovaara for Laukaan Puu, set of four 'Pirkka' dining chairs, beech, pine, Finland, design 1955 This set of ‘Pirkka’ chairs by Finish designer I...Category
Vintage 1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsBeech, Pine
- Ilmari Tapiovaara for La Permanente Mobili Cantù Set of Six Dining ChairsBy Ilmari Tapiovaara, La Permanente Mobili CantùLocated in Waalwijk, NLIlmari Tapiovaara for La Permanente Mobili Cantù, darkened beech, cognac leather, Italy, 1950s These robust chairs by Ilmari Tapiovaara feature a geometric frame for the patinated c...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Beech
- Ilmari Tapiovaara for Artek Lounge Chair 'Domus Lux' in BirchBy Ilmari Tapiovaara, ArtekLocated in Waalwijk, NLIlmari Tapiovaara for Artek, lounge chair model 'Domus Lux', lacquered wood, birch, Finland, designed in 1948, recent production. This wonderfully sculpted lounge chair is characte...Category
Vintage 1940s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsWood, Birch
- Danish Dining Chairs in TeakLocated in Waalwijk, NLDining chairs in teak, Denmark, 1960s These well made Danish dining chairs have a convincing appearance and a construction typical for Danish style furniture...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsFabric, Teak
$295 / item
- Four Mid Century Scandinavian Modern Fanett Dining Chairs by Ilmari TapiovaaraBy Ilmari TapiovaaraLocated in Escalona, ToledoBeautiful set of Fanett dining chairs. Designed by the renowned Finnish architect and designer Ilmari Tapiovaara in the 60's. Light, beautiful and...Category
Vintage 1960s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Chairs
MaterialsTeak
- Domus Chair by Ilmari Tapiovaara, Keravan Puuteollisuus, 1950sBy Ilmari TapiovaaraLocated in Balen, BEEarly version of the Domus chair by Ilmari Tapiovaara, produced by Keravan Puuteollisuus in the 1950s. The Domus Chair was originally designed in 1946 as part of a series of furnitur...Category
Vintage 1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Chairs
MaterialsBirch
- Ilmari Tapiovaara, Domus`Armchair , Keravan Puuteollisuus Ltd.By Keravan Puuteollisuus Oy, Ilmari TapiovaaraLocated in Helsinki, FIThe iconic Domus lounge chair was originally designed for the student housing project Domus Academica in Helsinki in 1947. This beautiful early version is stamped with the first pro...Category
Vintage 1940s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Chairs
MaterialsBirch, Plywood
- Pair of Ilmari Tapiovaara Dining ChairsBy Ilmari Tapiovaara, Edsby-verkenLocated in Vienna, ATBirch construction with bent teak seat. Designed by Ilmari Tapiovaara in 1955 for Edsby-verken in Sweden. Perfect vintage condition. Signed Edsby.Category
Vintage 1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsBirch, Teak
$1,190 Sale Price / set22% Off - Mid-Century Modern Italian Set of 4 Leather D Dining Chairs by Ilmari TapiovaaraBy Ilmari Tapiovaara, La Permanente Mobili CantùLocated in Prato, ITMid-Century Modern Italian set of 4 cognac leather and dark beech wood dining chairs by Ilmari Tapiovaara for La Permanente Mobili Cantù. The chairs are in really good vintage condi...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Beech
- Tapiolina Chairs in Ash Wood by Ilmari Tapiovaara for Fratelli MontinaBy Ilmari TapiovaaraLocated in London, EnglandIlmari Tapiovaara (1914-1999) was a renowned Finnish designer and architect known for his significant contributions to the fields of furniture and industrial design. He played a crucial role in shaping the modern design landscape in Finland and gained international recognition for his work. Early in his career, Tapiovaara worked alongside the celebrated Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto. This collaboration greatly influenced his design sensibilities and helped him establish a strong foundation in modernist design principles. Tapiovaara is often associated with the "Finnish Modern" design movement, which aimed to create functional and aesthetically pleasing everyday objects for the Finnish population. He believed that good design should be accessible to everyone. His designs often incorporated natural materials, simplicity, and functionality. Tapiolina chairs in ash wood by Ilmari Tapiovaara for Fratelli Montina...Category
Vintage 1970s Chairs
MaterialsMetal
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
You Don’t Need a Fictional Fairy to Get This Real Pinocchio Lamp
Warm chalet style meets cool Bauhaus functionality in Pietro Cascella’s cleverly carved creation.
Morentz Writes the Next Chapter for Furniture with a Storied Past
Dutch dealer Matthijs Hoveijn specializes in the best of mid-century modern design, selling it to discerning clients around the world.