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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 The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics.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 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
Color:  Orange
Set of Six Stacking Chairs by Vlad Muller in Yellow
By Vlad Muller
Located in Hanover, MA
Set of 6 stacking and interlocking armless chairs in bright yellow designed in the 1970's by Vlad Muller. When stacked the set is sculptural and geometric. Handy to have spare ch...
Category

1970s German Vintage Modern Side Chairs

DS-5020 Cylindrical Leather Wide Side Table by De Sede
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Wide side table DS-5020/62 by de Sede. Available in two different heights, this elegant table construction presents itself in a cylindrical shape, enca...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Leather

DS-5020 Cylindrical Leather Tall Side Table by De Sede
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

Kartell Eur Stool in Earth Red by Fabio Novembre
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The EUR stool by Fabio Novembre is a cube printed with shapes and geometries inspired, to scale, by Italian rationalist architecture of the 1930s and 1940s. The stool can be multi-pu...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Master Counter Stool in Rust Orange 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

DS-5020 Cylindrical Leather Wide Side Table by De Sede
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Wide side table DS-5020/62 by de Sede. Available in two different heights, this elegant table construction presents itself in a cylindrical shape, enca...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Leather

Rapture Chair in Brass by Scarlet Splendour
Located in Kolkata, IN
Rapture Chair in Brass by Scarlet Splendour is a beautiful chair which will add a sparkle to any interior space. The Fools' Gold collection of amorphous forms, cast in brass, is a t...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Brass

111 Navy Mini Chair by Coca-Cola
Located in Hanover, PA
The 111 Navy Mini is a story of innovation, turning waste plastic into something that lasts. Each stool is made of 111 recycled PET bottles. Like the original 111 Navy stool...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Plastic

Wolk Coffee Table in Brass by Richard Hutten
Located in Kolkata, IN
Wolk coffee table in Brass is a slice of a cloud crafted in pure brass, fantastical and luxurious. A conversation point in your living space! Richard Hutten’s Wolk collection for ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Brass

Kartell Masters Bar Stool in Rust Orange 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

DS-5020 Cylindrical Leather Tall Side Table by De Sede
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

Cappellini Sunset Armchair in Beech with Fabric or Leather by Christophe Pillet
Located in New York, NY
The Sunset armchair by Christophe Pillet has a swiveling design and backrest and seat made of curved beech wood; the base is made of satined stainless steel. The padding of the Sunse...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Stainless Steel

Jasper Morrison Tate Chair in Fabric or Leather Upholstery for Cappellini
Located in New York, NY
Easy to stack, to a maximum of 6 pieces, the Tate chair designed by Jasper Morrison is part of a range that includes chairs and stools. This series has a ba...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Foam, Beech, Plywood

Emeco Broom Counter Stool in Orange by Philippe Starck
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%...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Aluminum

Emeco Broom Barstool in Orange by Philippe Starck
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%...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Aluminum

Sunset Armchair in Beech with Orange Hallingdal Fabric by Christophe Pillet
Located in New York, NY
The sunset armchair by Christophe Pillet has a swiveling design and backrest and seat made of curved beechwood; the base is made of satined stainless steel. The padding of the sunset...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Stainless Steel

Wolk Lounge Armchair in Brass by Richard Hutten
Located in Kolkata, IN
The Wolk Lounge Armchair in Brass by Richard Hutten is a giant cloud shaped chair in brass which becomes the conversation point in any space. It is almost surreal in appearance and an ergonomical triumph. Experience ergonomic euphoria with Richard Hutton...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Brass

Patrick Norguet Rainbow Chair in Acrylic Resin for Cappellini
Located in New York, NY
Made entirely of acrylic resin, the Rainbow chair by Patrick Norguet is contains bands of different colors and widths which are fused ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Resin, Acrylic

Willy Rizzo for Cidue Dining Chairs in Brass and Cognac Leather, c 1970, Signed
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A beautiful set of eight (8) dining chairs by Willy Rizzo for Cidue, Italy circa 1970, featuring gorgeous cubist brass frames and cognac colored leather. Signed with Cidue labels rea...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Side Chairs

Materials

Brass

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Previously Available Items
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Pierre Guariche, Pair of Fireside Chairs in Black Lacquered Metal and Orange Fab
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Pierre Guariche, in the style of. Pair of fireside chairs with back and seat covered with an orange fabric and standing on four squared section legs in black lacquered metal. Stretchers link legs in each side of the fireside chairs. Work realized in the 1950s, in the taste of the fireside chairs of Pierre Guariche edited by Airborne in the 1950s. Original Upholstery. Pierre Guariche (1926-1995) was a French designer who made his studies in French Ecole Nationale supérieure des Arts decoratifs(* French National Superiori School of Decorative Arts) where he was graduated in 1949. He made an internship with the famous designer Marcel Gascoin and began his career in 1950 by creating his Rotaflex lamp. He edited his own models that he exhibited in differents Salons (Salon des Arts Ménagers, Salon des Artistes Décorateurs) and then was noticed by editors such as the Galerie MAI, Pierre Disderot or Steiner that edited his furniture. Then, he associated with two other decorators, Michel Mortier and Joseph-André Motte,and founded with them the Atelier de Recherche Plastique "A.R.P." (Plastic Research Workshop) in 1954 to create furniture series for the editor Charles Minvielle. They wanted to create practical furniture finding their place in small spaces. The A.R.P. ended in 1957 and Guariche took the direction of the furniture department of the Belgian society Meurop and explored interior architecture. He realized some development projects : the General Council and the Prefecture of Essonne, the winter station La Plagne, the Firminy hospital, the High Court of Créteil, etc. He received the René Gabriel Prize in 1965, rewarding a creator of qualitative and economical serial modern furniture. During his career, Guariche was essentially interested in series furniture, practical, simple, well proportionate, playing with different materials such as wood, metal or molded plastic. His creations are actually reedited by Maison du Monde...
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Pair of Poltrona Frau Lola Dining Side Chairs by Pierluigi Cerri Cognac Leather
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Pair of Modern Tomlinson High Back Sculptural Occasional Chairs in Orange Mohair
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Charlotte Perriand Side Chair
Located in London, GB
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Charlotte Perriand Side Chair
Charlotte Perriand Side Chair
H 29.93 in W 16.15 in D 17.33 in
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Located in Cathedral City, CA
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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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