Modern Side 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 The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics.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 chair — crafted 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.
Style: Modern
Color: Gray
Chrome Ming Style Horseshoe Back Armchair
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
This stylish and chic modern take on a Classic Chinese "Horseshoe Back" armchair will make a definite statement with is clean lines, finish and cowhide upholstery.
Category
Late 20th Century American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Chrome
Gervasoni Ghost 23 Side Chair in White Linen Upholstery by Paola Navone
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Chairs with and without armrests, have a minimal structure, with clean and defined geometric shapes. The Ghost chair family has a wooden structure that is combined with polyurethane ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Upholstery
Etretat Side Table / Stool by Eduard Locota, Functional Art
Located in Timisoara, RO
“La Falaise” is a French name translated into “The Cliff”
Walking along side to the Failaise d’Etretat, inspired by the beauty and strong contrasts of the France’s Northern Coast...
Category
2010s Balkan Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Composition
DS-5020 Cylindrical Leather Tall Side Table by De Sede
By De Sede, Simon Busse
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Tall side table DS-5020/61 by De Sede. Available in two different heights, this elegant table construction presents itself in a cylindrical shape, encased all-round in high-quality l...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Leather
Kelly Wearstler Hume Marble Sculptural Chair
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Uniquely carved from stone blocks and straddling the line between sculpture and functional design, the Hume chair can be used as both an indoor or outdoor decorative seating option. Each piece is hand carved from natural stone and is available in either nero marquina, big flower, or grey rainbow stone...
Category
2010s North American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Marble
Emeco 20-06 Counter Stool in Brushed Aluminum by Norman Foster
Located in Hanover, PA
Emeco’s collaboration with Norman Foster resulted in the “20-06” chair. Foster envisioned a “neutral” chair - visually and physically lightweight. But th...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Seletti "Popcorn" Metal Folding Chair by Studio Job
Located in Doral, FL
The unique creativity of Studio Job decorates the folding chairs with different images: Flash, Hot Dog, Egg, Mouth, Peace, Weed.
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Metal
Steve Chase Originals Set of Four Custom Modern Game or Dining Chairs
Located in Palm Springs, CA
These chairs are very iconic in Palm Springs. Both of the top designers Palm Springs has ever had, Steve Chase and Arthur Elrod have used this chair in many design commissions. They ...
Category
1980s American Vintage Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Leather
Kartell Masters Bar Stool in Grey by Philippe Starck & Eugeni Quitllet
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Kartell also offers a stool version of the Masters chair, winner of the Good Design Award 2010 and the Red Dot Award 2013, and a worldwide best seller. The legs are lengthened and the seat is shrunk, but the frame's unmistakable graphic look, created by the weave of the silhouettes of three iconic chairs, remains the same. Masters Stool...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Gervasoni Brick Side Chair in Seal Recto Upholstery with White Lacquered Base
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Nordic suggestions and industrial touches give life to the Brick 221/223 family of chairs. With a clean, simple structure in natural lacquered solid Canaletto walnut or beech lacquer...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Upholstery
Emeco Alfi Low Back Chair with Aluminum Frame by Jasper Morrison
By Emeco, Jasper Morrison
Located in Hanover, PA
Emeco and Jasper Morrison together, designed and engineered the Alfi Collection with the conviction that what you don't see is as important as what you do see. Made of reclaimed mate...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Emeco Counter Stool in Polished Aluminum by Philippe Starck
By Emeco, Philippe Starck
Located in Hanover, PA
The Museum of Modern Art asked Philippe Starck and Emeco to make a simple stool for the “Mies Van der Rohe in Berlin” retrospective. The result is one of our best selling stools, a c...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Emeco Navy Chair in Brushed Aluminum by US Navy
By Emeco
Located in Hanover, PA
First built for use on submarines in 1944, the Navy Chair has been in continuous Production ever since. With the famous 77 step Process, our craftsmen take ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Kartell Masters Counter Stool in Grey by Philippe Starck & Eugeni Quitllet
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Kartell also offers a stool version of the Masters chair, winner of the Good Design Award 2010 and the Red Dot Award 2013, and a worldwide best seller. The legs are lengthened and the seat is shrunk, but the frame's unmistakable graphic look, created by the weave of the silhouettes of three iconic chairs, remains the same. Masters Stool...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Opinion Ciatti Mammamia Sled Non Stackable Chair with Armrests
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mammamia Sled has non-stackable steel sled base with armrests. For indoor use only. Available in gold structure with option of fabric or leather upholstery.
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Metal
Emeco Hudson Chair in Polished Aluminum by Philippe Starck
By Emeco, Philippe Starck
Located in Hanover, PA
The Hudson, designed for the Hudson hotel in NYC, is Emeco and Starck’s first collaboration. Starck described the chair as “washing the details from the N...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Emeco Icon Counter Stool in Brushed Aluminum by Philippe Starck
By Emeco, Philippe Starck
Located in Hanover, PA
Icon is a stacking chair cousin to the famous Starck designed Hudson chair. It has been used in hotels, bars and restaurants worldwide, as well as training centers, meeting areas and...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Set of 2 Kartell Lizz Mat Chairs in Grey by Patricia Urquiola
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A lightweight chair, with essential, strict lines, in synch with the Minimalist and refined style of its designer, Piero Lissoni. Lizz is now also av...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Pair Mid-Century Modern Chrome & Fabric Side Chairs Style of Milo Baughman
Located in Toledo, OH
Pair Mid-Century Modern chrome and fabric side chairs in the style of Milo Baughman. Very nice condition. Cream with light brown tweed. Fabric and chrome in very good to excellent co...
Category
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Chrome
mm3 Armchair, Tilting Backrest, Off-White Leather and Iron Frame by Mario Milana
By Mario Milana
Located in Milano, Lombardia
The mm3 is an armchair where the tilting backrest invites a constant interaction with the chair, providing an active way of sitting that promotes a mindful physical presence.
Thanks...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Iron
Kartell Masters Bar Stool in White by Philippe Starck & Eugeni Quitllet
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Kartell also offers a stool version of the Masters chair, winner of the Good Design Award 2010 and the Red Dot Award 2013, and a worldwide best seller. The legs are lengthened and the seat is shrunk, but the frame's unmistakable graphic look, created by the weave of the silhouettes of three iconic chairs, remains the same. Masters Stool...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Opinion Ciatti Mammamia Non Stackable Chair with Armrests
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mammamia chair with armrest, made with die-cast aluminum shell and steel structure. For indoor use. Non-stackable. Available in gold structure with whit...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Metal
Emeco 111 Navy Chair in Snow by Coca-Cola
By Emeco
Located in Hanover, PA
Coca-Cola and Emeco collaborated to solve an environmental problem: Up-cycling consumer waste into a sustainable, timeless, classic chair. Made of 111 recycled PET bottles, the 111 Navy chair...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Emeco Alfi Low Back Chair with Black Powder-Coated Aluminum Frame by Jasper
By Jasper Morrison, Emeco
Located in Hanover, PA
Emeco and Jasper Morrison together, designed and engineered the Alfi collection with the conviction that what you don't see is as important as what you do see. Made of reclaimed mate...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Pair of Mid-Century Atelier Nova DSM400K Gray Molded Plastic and Chrome Side Cha
Located in New York, NY
Pair of mid-century stacking side chairs with gray molded plastic seats and backs with tubular chrome bases. (ATELEIER Nova DSM400K, designed by Gerd Lange)(PRICED AS PAIR).
Category
20th Century American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Metal, Chrome
Emeco Alfi High Back Chair with Aluminum Frame by Jasper Morrison
By Jasper Morrison, Emeco
Located in Hanover, PA
Emeco and Jasper Morrison together, designed and engineered the Alfi Collection with the conviction that what you don't see is as important as what you do see. Made of reclaimed mate...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Emeco Stool in Brushed Aluminum by Philippe Starck
By Philippe Starck, Emeco
Located in Hanover, PA
The Museum of Modern Art asked Philippe Starck and Emeco to make a simple stool for the “Mies Van der Rohe in Berlin” retrospective. The result is one of our best selling stools, a c...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Emeco Hudson Chair in Brushed Aluminum by Philippe Starck
By Philippe Starck, Emeco
Located in Hanover, PA
The Hudson, designed for the Hudson hotel in NYC, is Emeco and Starck’s first collaboration. Starck described the chair as “washing the details from the N...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Emeco Broom Barstool in Dark Gray by Philippe Starck
By Philippe Starck, Emeco
Located in Hanover, PA
Philippe Starck and Emeco came together to create a new chair that is reclaimed, repurposed, recyclable – and designed to last. The chair is made from 75% waste polypropylene and 15% reclaimed wood that would normally be swept into the trash, “Imagine”, says Philippe Starck, “a guy who takes a humble broom...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Emeco Navy Chair in Polished Aluminum by US Navy
By Emeco
Located in Hanover, PA
First built for use on submarines in 1944, the Navy Chair has been in continuous Production ever since. With the famous 77 step Process, our craftsmen take ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Lucite Acrylic, Brass Detailed and Leather Jetson Glamour Bar Chair
By Egg Designs
Located in Bothas Hill, KZN
The Jetson bar chair is part of the Tala collection designed by Egg designs and manufactured in South Africa.
This Futuristic style bar chair has a clear ...
Category
2010s South African Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Brass, Steel
1 Shlomi Haziza Glide Chair HStudio
Located in Pasadena, TX
From a young age, HStudio founder Shlomi Haziza was declaring his presence in the art world. Coming from a family of artists who cultivated his confidence to pursue his passion, Hazi...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Acrylic
Established & Sons Sessel Chair in Gray Beech with Yellow Back by Martino Gamper
Located in London, GB
Gamper’s creation of the Sessel chair was driven by a fascination of the traditional bentwood archetype and the way in which its industrialised production has been mastered throughou...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary European Modern Side Chairs
Emeco Icon Barstool in Brushed Aluminum by Philippe Starck
By Philippe Starck, Emeco
Located in Hanover, PA
Icon is a stacking chair cousin to the famous Starck designed Hudson chair. It has been used in hotels, bars and restaurants worldwide, as well as training centres, meeting areas and...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Emeco 20-06 Armchair in Brushed Aluminum by Norman Foster
Located in Hanover, PA
Emeco’s collaboration with Norman Foster resulted in the “20-06” chair. Foster envisioned a “neutral” chair -visually and physically lightweight. But the...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Emeco Navy Chair in Brushed Aluminum and Cherry by US Navy
By Emeco
Located in Hanover, PA
First built for use on submarines in 1944, the Navy Chair has been in continuous Production ever since. With the famous 77 step Process, our craftsmen take soft, recycled aluminum, h...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Emeco Alfi Chair in Gray and Ash with High Back by Jasper Morrison
By Jasper Morrison, Emeco
Located in Hanover, PA
Emeco and Morrison together, designed and engineered The Alfi Collection with the conviction that what you don't see is as important as what you do see. Alfi reflects Emeco and Morri...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Wood
Emeco Barstool in Polished Aluminum by Philippe Starck
By Philippe Starck, Emeco
Located in Hanover, PA
The Museum of Modern Art asked Philippe Starck and Emeco to make a simple stool for the “Mies Van der Rohe in Berlin” retrospective. The result is one of our best selling stools, a c...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Emeco Navy Child’s Chair in Brushed Aluminum by US Navy
By Emeco
Located in Hanover, PA
First built for use on submarines in 1944, the Navy Chair has been in continuous Production ever since. With the famous 77 step Process, our craftsmen take soft, recycled aluminum, h...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Emeco Hudson Swivel Chair in Brushed Aluminum by Philippe Starck
By Philippe Starck, Emeco
Located in Hanover, PA
The Hudson, designed for the Hudson hotel in NYC, is Emeco and Starck’s first collaboration. Starck described the chair as “washing the details from the Navy Chair”. It takes an addi...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Ball Ottoman 18"Ø in Greige Leather by Moses Nadel
By Moses Nadel
Located in Oyster Bay, NY
Round, sculptural and uniquely abstract, crafted with supple European leather, the Ball Ottoman has the cleanest silhouette of our ottoman collection.
Our...
Category
2010s American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Leather
Prototype Steel Chair by Tom Dixon, 1989
By Tom Dixon
Located in Berlin, DE
Prototype steel chair by Tom Dixon, 1989.
Category
1980s English Vintage Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Steel
Andree Putman Pair Chrome Lounge Side Chairs in Silk Upholstery
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of Andree Putman chrome side / lounge chairs.
The pair rest on high polished chrome legs and slant back to meet the ground. They are reupholstered in a very chic silver tone w...
Category
20th Century French Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Chrome
Emeco Heritage Chair in Brushed Aluminum by Philippe Starck
By Emeco, Philippe Starck
Located in Hanover, PA
Heritage is a stacking chair designed by Philippe Starck, inspired by the original 1006 Navy.The rocking version was designed for the world famous Bon restaurant in Paris. Intended a...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Emeco Hudson Barstool in Polished Aluminum by Philippe Starck
By Emeco, Philippe Starck
Located in Hanover, PA
The Hudson, designed for the Hudson hotel in NYC, is Emeco and Starck’s first collaboration. Starck described the chair as “washing the details from the N...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Emeco Icon Counter Stool in Polished Aluminum by Philippe Starck
By Emeco, Philippe Starck
Located in Hanover, PA
Icon is a stacking chair cousin to the famous Starck designed Hudson chair. It has been used in hotels, bars and restaurants worldwide, as well as training centers, meeting areas and...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Emeco 20-06 Small Square Café Table with Gray Laminate Top by Norman Foster
Located in Hanover, PA
Emeco’s collaboration with Norman Foster resulted in the “20-06” collection. Foster envisioned a “neutral” table - visually and physically lightweight. ”I appreciate the anonymous ch...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Vintage Modern White Molded Plastic Chairs Style of Kartell 4850 by Castiglioni
By Kartell
Located in Topeka, KS
Handsome vintage pair of modern white molded plastic chairs in the style of Kartell’s 4850 chair designed by Giorgina Castiglioni, Geiorgio Gaviraghi, and...
Category
1970s American Vintage Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Emeco 20-06 Small Round Café Table in Brushed Aluminium by Norman Foster
Located in Hanover, PA
Emeco’s collaboration with Norman Foster resulted in the “20-06” collection. Foster envisioned a “neutral” table - visually and physically lightweight. ”I appreciate the anonymous ch...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
ISU Highback Handcrafted Textured Metal Chair by Soraya Osorio
Located in Vero Beach, FL
ISU Highback chair has a handcrafted satin grazed textured metal finish that sheens when exposed to light. The 1.50" high seat cushion is a lustrous black hair on hide. COM accepted...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Metal, Aluminum
Emeco Hudson Barstool in Brushed Aluminum by Philippe Starck
By Philippe Starck, Emeco
Located in Hanover, PA
The Hudson, designed for the Hudson hotel in NYC, is Emeco and Starck’s first collaboration. Starck described the chair as “washing the details from the N...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Emeco Hudson Swivel Armchair in Brushed Aluminum by Philippe Starck
By Philippe Starck, Emeco
Located in Hanover, PA
The Hudson, designed for the Hudson hotel in NYC, is Emeco and Starck’s first collaboration. Starck described the chair as “washing the details from the Navy Chair”. It takes an addi...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Emeco 111 Navy Chair in Flint by Coca-Cola
By Emeco
Located in Hanover, PA
Coca-Cola and Emeco collaborated to solve an environmental problem: Up-cycling consumer waste into a sustainable, timeless, classic chair. Made of 111 recycled PET bottles, the 111 Navy Chair...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Emeco Heritage Rocking Chair in Brushed Aluminium by Philippe Starck
By Philippe Starck, Emeco
Located in Hanover, PA
Heritage is a stacking chair designed by Philippe Starck, inspired by the original 1006 Navy.The rocking version was designed for the world famous Bon restaurant in Paris. Intended a...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Emeco Navy Chair in Polished Aluminum & Walnut by US Navy
By Emeco
Located in Hanover, PA
First built for use on submarines in 1944, the Navy chair has been in continuous Production ever since. With the famous 77 step Process, our craftsmen take soft, recycled aluminum, h...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Emeco Icon Barstool in Polished Aluminum by Philippe Starck
By Philippe Starck, Emeco
Located in Hanover, PA
Icon is a stacking chair cousin to the famous Starck designed Hudson chair. It has been used in hotels, bars and restaurants worldwide, as well as training centers, meeting areas and...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Emeco 20-06 Small Round Café Table with White Laminate Top by Norman Foster
Located in Hanover, PA
Emeco’s collaboration with Norman Foster resulted in the “20-06” collection. Foster envisioned a “neutral” table - visually and physically lightweight. ”I appreciate the anonymous ch...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Emeco Stacking Chair in Brushed Aluminum & Blue by Jasper Morrison
By Jasper Morrison, Emeco
Located in Hanover, PA
For the 1 Inch Collection, Jasper Morrison tapped into Emeco’s heritage in hand crafting recycled aluminum and leveraged its signature strength, light weight and sustainability. Emec...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Modern side chairs for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Modern side 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 side chairs created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include seating, tables, decorative objects and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, wood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Modern side chairs made in a specific country, there are Europe, North America, and United States pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original side chairs, popular names associated with this style include Emeco, Jasper Morrison, Philippe Starck, and Sir Norman Foster. 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 side chairs differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $65 and tops out at $90,000 while the average work can sell for $2,120.
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