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Modern Furniture

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 The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics.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
Creator: Kartell
Kartell Upper Step Ladder in Crystal by Alberto Meda, Paolo Rizzatto
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This stepladder has a strong personality and great functionality. It is also a successful marriage of form and function. Its pragmatism is made possible by the technology employed by...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Kartell Upper Step Ladder in Cobalt by Alberto Meda, Paolo Rizzatto
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This stepladder has a strong personality and great functionality. It is also a successful marriage of form and function. Its pragmatism is made possible by the technology employed by...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Kartell Upper Step Ladder in Orange Red by Alberto Meda, Paolo Rizzatto
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This stepladder has a strong personality and great functionality. It is also a successful marriage of form and function. Its pragmatism is made possible by the technology employed by...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Piero Lissoni for Kartell Armchair Bed "Trix, Italy 2000s
Located in Naples, IT
Trix white sofa bed by Piero Lissoni for Kartell composed of three different elements connected by an elegant elastic system that can transform and adapt to different uses through ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Fabric, Plastic

Mario Bellini Shanghai Gold Vase for Kartell
Located in Miami, FL
Gold Shanghai vase designed by Mario Bellini for Kartell. A multi-faceted vase widening from the base to the top in a swirling motion. Shanghai is like ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Philippe Starck Dr. No Cream Dining Chair for Kartell
Located in Miami, FL
Cream Dr. No chair with aluminum legs by Philippe Starck and produced by Kartell, Italy.
Category

1990s Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Kartell Max-Beam Modern Acrylic Side Tables by Ludovica + Roberto Palomb, Italy
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Pair of geometric Max-Beam side tables by Ludovica + Roberto Palomba for Kartell. These modern transparent smoked grey acrylic side accent tables are also strong enough to use as sto...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Acrylic

Kartell Sound Rack Modular Bookcase in Tangerine by Ludovica and Roberto Palomba
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Multi-shaped and multi-purpose shelving system, stackable and modular, offering the possibility of creating a variety of geometric and chromatic compositions. This accessory can play the Dual role as both container and room divider. IT IS a go...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Resin

Set of 2 Kartell Charles Ghost Small Stools in Amber by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The shape conjures up stools of the 1800s and the line of the legs is rounded and slightly upturned, an icon of the Classic high stool. Charles Ghost is ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Crystal

Kartell Geen-A Lamp in Brick by Ferruccio Laviani
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Geen-a is Kartell's first reading lamp, supplementing the brand’s lighting range with a product designed for this specific purpose. The simple lines conceal a real sense of attitude, while the clean shape – free from showy tech features – has a familiar yet intriguing effect. The piece consists of a base, a lightshade, three LED bulbs, a stem and a handle for easy transportation, while three matt-finish colours are available: white, black and brick. This is a simple lamp...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Steel

Kartell Trix Sofa Bed by Piero Lissoni in Orange
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Trix is made up of three different elements connected by an elegant system of elastics which can transform and adapt to different uses through easy rotation. Trix can be an original two-person pouf, a comfortable bed...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Fabric, Plastic

Kartell Sound Rack Modular Bookcase in Marine by Ludovica and Roberto Palomba
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Multi-shaped and multi-purpose shelving system, stackable and modular, offering the possibility of creating a variety of geometric and chromatic compositions. This accessory can play the dual role as both container and room divider. IT IS a go...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Resin

Kartell Sound Rack Modular Bookcase in Nude by Ludovica and Roberto Palomba
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Multi-shaped and multi-purpose shelving system, stackable and modular, offering the possibility of creating a variety of geometric and chromatic compositions. This accessory can play the dual role as both container and room divider. IT IS a go...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Resin

Kartell Joe Colombo Chair in Black by Joe Colombo
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A true symbol of Sixties design, famous also for being the only piece by Kartell made entirely of wood. Contemporary technology has made it possible to create the same product using ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Componibili 2-Tier Drawer in Smile Red by Anna Castelli Ferrieri
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Modular elements were designed to meet various needs and to fit into any room in your home: bathroom, bedroom, kitchen or living room. The design solution that animates the Modular s...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Upper Step Ladder in Citron in Yellow by Alberto Meda & Paolo Rizzatto
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This stepladder has a strong personality and great functionality. It is also a successful marriage of form and function. Its pragmatism is made possible by the technology employed by...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Kartell Carpet Rug
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Kartell carpet collection consists of four different models of propylene-backed polyamide rugs. All patterns are digitally printed.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Nylon

Kartell Grey Ghost Side Chairs, by Phillipe Starck - Set of 4
Located in Wichita, KS
Set of four charcoal grey Ghost Chairs by Phillipe Starck for Kartell - good condition with minor abrasions consistent with age. made of polycarbonate material To view all of our...
Category

20th Century European Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Bourgie Lamp in Multicolored Blue by Ferruccio Laviani
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A lamp with an inimitable style, Bourgie is one of Kartell’s best sellers, skillfully combining Classic style, richness and tradition with innovation and irony. The Baroque style bas...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Upper Step Ladder in Crystal by Alberto Meda, Paolo Rizzatto
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This stepladder has a strong personality and great functionality. It is also a successful marriage of form and function. Its pragmatism is made possible by the technology employed by...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Kartell Bourgie Lamp in Multicolored Fuchsia by Ferruccio Laviani
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A lamp with an inimitable style, Bourgie is one of Kartell’s best sellers, skillfully combining classic style, richness and tradition with innovation and irony. The baroque style bas...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Carpet Rug
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Kartell carpet collection consists of four different models of propylene-backed polyamide rugs. All patterns are digitally printed.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Nylon

Set of 2 Kartell Louis Ghost Armchairs in Ice Blue 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 Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Colonna Stool in Black by Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Colonna stool is included in the Kartell goes Sottsass - A Tribute to Memphis collection, launched in 2015 in homage to the movement founded by desig...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Set of 2 Kartell Masters Chairs in Black by Philippe Starck & Eugeni Quitllet
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Masters chair is a powerful tribute to three symbolic chairs, re-read and re-interpreted by the creative genius of Starck. The unmistakable silho...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Bubble Club 2-Seat Sofa in Zinc White by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A veritable icon made by Kartell, the mass-tinted polypropylene Bubble Club sofa was a Pioneer of a new concept in furniture accessories: the Industrial sofa made entirely of plastic...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Hiray Armchair by Ludovica + Roberto Palomba
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Hiray takes metal, one of the most important materials for the greening of the Kartell catalogue, and uses the welded wire process to shape it. The result is an essential and functional product that is nevertheless rich in emotion. Metal wires form well-defined yet lightweight structural parts of the collection’s chair...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Metal

Kartell Bookworm in Aluminum
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Bookworm, the flexible bookcase, is the result of the encounter between the creativity of an artist such as Ron Arad, combined with Kartell's technology, giving life to a revolutiona...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Cara Outdoor Chair by Philippe Starck with Sergio Schito in Black Beige
Located in Brooklyn, NY
In cara armchair, classically rigorous lines surround a comfortable seat. The perfect combination of formalism and technological innovation, for an original product with an industria...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Fabric, Plastic

Set of 2 Kartell Victoria Ghost Chairs in Powder Blue by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This is a chair born of Classic lines with a rounded backrest that recalls the shape of antique medallions, whilst the seat is linear and geometric. Victoria ghost...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Set of 2 Kartell Victoria Ghost Chairs in Crystal by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This is a chair born of Classic lines with a rounded backrest that recalls the shape of antique medallions, whilst the seat is linear and geometric. Victoria ghost...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Colonna Stool in Violet by Ettore Sottsass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Colonna stool is included in the Kartell goes Sottsass - A Tribute to Memphis collection, launched in 2015 in homage to the movement founded by desig...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

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 Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Trix Sofa Bed by Piero Lissoni in Black
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Trix is made up of three different elements connected by an elegant system of elastics which can transform and adapt to different uses through easy rotation. Trix can be an original two-person pouf, a comfortable bed...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Fabric, Plastic

Kartell Bookworm in Aluminum
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Bookworm, the flexible bookcase, is the result of the encounter between the creativity of an artist such as Ron Arad, combined with Kartell's technology, giving life to a revolutiona...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Set of 2 Kartell Hi-Cut Chair in Black by Philippe Starck with Eugeni Quitllet
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Hi-Cut is a chair offering perfect ergonomic seating combining flexibility and solidity, while the changing vertical stripes on the structure of the top add an attractive play of lig...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Sundial Modular Bookcase in Crystal and White by Nendo
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Sundial is the bookcase whose dividing elements, placed in different directions, create a game of unexpected and original proportions.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Resin

Kartell Upper Step Ladder in Cobalt by Alberto Meda, Paolo Rizzatto
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This stepladder has a strong personality and great functionality. It is also a successful marriage of form and function. Its pragmatism is made possible by the technology employed by...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Kartell Pilastro Stool in Green 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 Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Attila Table-Stool in Colored by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Attila table-stool, is a charismatic personality of striking originality and anti-conformism. Stools and tables which are cute and humorous but with one eye on functionality, thought...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Kartell A.I. Counter Stool in Black by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Kartell continues its ongoing commitment to sustainability with eco-friendly products which are part of the broader project expressed by the industrial manifesto Kartell loves the pl...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

'Plastics, by Piero Lissoni for Kartell
Located in Athens, Attiki
Minimalistic and sleek design by Piero Lissoni for Kartell. 3 modular leather pieces that can be combined according to one's needs.
Category

1990s Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Leather, Plastic

Kartell Bubble Club Armchair in Zinc White by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Bubble club armchair in light grey. Dimensions: Height 30.75 in, width 40.15 in, depth 29.5 in.; Unit weight: 17 kg. Made of: Polyethylene. Outdoor use.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Set of 2 Kartell Audrey Chair by Piero Lissoni in Sand
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Audrey is a versatile and contemporary chair which because of its simple, clean lines obtained through a special die-casting process is composed of only two parts and made without we...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Kartell Bourgie Lamp in Copper by Ferruccio Laviani
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A lamp with an inimitable style, Bourgie is one of Kartell’s best sellers, skillfully combining classic style, richness and tradition with innovation and irony. The baroque style bas...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Metal

Kartell Masters Counter Stool in Black 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 Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Kartell All Saints Mirror in Aquamarine by Ludovica and Roberto Palomba
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Round mirror with a transparent or colored PMMA frame, with a unique pleated effect. The possibility of applying transparency even to gold and chrome, makes this mirror an extremely ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Resin

Kartell Bubble Club 2-Seat Sofa in Ochre by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A veritable icon made by Kartell, the mass-tinted polypropylene Bubble club sofa was a Pioneer of a new concept in furniture accessories: the Industrial sofa made entirely of plastic...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Set of 2 Kartell Generic C Chairs in Black by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Generic is an ambitious project of deeply ethical connotations, in which new objectives are defined for contemporary design to fulfil and creativity is...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Set of 2 Kartell Victoria Ghost Chairs in Glossy Black by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This is a chair born of Classic lines with a rounded backrest that recalls the shape of antique medallions, whilst the seat is linear and geometric. Victoria ghost...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Bookworm in Cobalt
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Bookworm, the flexible bookcase, is the result of the encounter between the creativity of an artist such as Ron Arad, combined with Kartell's technology, giving life to a revolutiona...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Invisible Side Table in Crystal by Tokujin Yoshioka
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A piece of clean, linear, minimal design, the aesthetic synthesis of the designer's Japanese culture. Invisible Side is a light and elegant multi-functional product which can be easi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Invisible Square Table in Crystal by Tokujin Yoshioka
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Invisible Table designed by Tokujin Yoshioka combines lightness and solidity, grace and elegance and practicality and style. Its simplicity and purity of form makes it adaptable to a...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Ghost Buster Commode in Crystal by Philippe Starck & Eugeni Quitllet
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Kartell catalogue adds yet another piece to its furniture collection, the commode. Starck has revamped it and the Kartell-style commode evokes the lines of Classic furniture while its transparency and plastic material give it a contemporary voice. Corners and curves, straight lines and sinuous play over its surfaces and give life to an intriguing game of eye-catching perspectives and reflections. Ghost...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Kabuki Pendant Light in Green by Ferruccio Laviani
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Kabuki pendant light in green. Dimensions: Height: 19.67 in.; Diameter: 23 in. Made of: Thermoplastic Technopolymer. Assembly required. Voltage: 120....
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Hi-Cut Chair in Crystal by Philippe Starck with Eugeni Quitllet
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Hi-Cut is a chair offering perfect ergonomic seating combining flexibility and solidity, while the changing vertical stripes on the structure of the top add an attractive play of lig...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Upper Step Ladder in Orange Red by Alberto Meda, Paolo Rizzatto
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This stepladder has a strong personality and great functionality. It is also a successful marriage of form and function. Its pragmatism is made possible by the technology employed by...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Kartell Mobil by Antonio Citterio
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mobil is a system of storage units that can be used throughout the home and office, for a variety of purposes. The basic element of the system is the drawer, alternated with intermediate shelves and tops. Mobil can be a simple chest of drawers...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Resin

Kartell Pilastro Stool in Pink 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 Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Masters Counter Stool in Chrome 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 th...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Madame Chair in Milan Print by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Thanks to its neutral colour palette, this chair makes the ideal furniture piece for inserting in sophisticated residential interiors or the most refin...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Fabric

Kartell Medium Bookworm Bookcase in Aluminum by Ron Arad
Located in Brooklyn, NY
An artist's creativity combined with a great company’s technology results in to a bookcase design of Industrial scale that can rightfully be considered the world’s most daring and re...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Rectangular Tray Table by Piero Lissoni
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This is an articulated system of table surfaces for the home or office. The construction concept of the design is based on small tables and shelf systems, with patterns and finishes ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Bourgie Lamp in Multicolored Titanium by Ferruccio Laviani
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A lamp with an inimitable style, Bourgie is one of Kartell’s best sellers, skillfully combining classic style, richness and tradition with innovation and irony. The baroque style bas...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Modern furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Modern furniture 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 furniture created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include seating, lighting, tables and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, fabric and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Modern furniture made in a specific country, there are Europe, Italy, and North America pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original furniture, popular names associated with this style include Rug & Kilim, Schumacher, Vistosi, 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.

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