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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 The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics.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: Philippe Starck
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 Ghost Buster Nightstand in Crystal by Philippe Starck & Eugeni Quitllet
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Night table version of the Ghost Buster commode. A little squared cube on four legs, available in completely transparent, coloured or matte versions made ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Resin

FLOS Miss K Table Lamp in Aluminized Silver by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Created by innovative design master Philippe Starck, the Miss K table lamp brings a delightful duality to its work. When unlit, its transparent PC (p...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

FLOS Miss K Table Lamp in Black by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Created by innovative design master Philippe Starck, the miss K table lamp brings a delightful duality to its work. When unlit, its transparent PC (p...
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 Masters Chairs in White 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 silhouett...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Set of 2 Kartell Louis Ghost Armchairs in Crystal 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 Uncle Jack Sofa by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Kartell presents Uncle Jack, the revolutionary single mould transparent polycarbonate sofa signed by Philippe Starck. It is 190 cm long in a single block we...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Emeco Broom Counter Stool in White 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% 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 Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

FLOS Bon Jour Chrome Table Lamp w/ Rattan Crown by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Using revolutionary Edge Lighting Technology, the Bon Jour combines maximum performance and efficiency with visual comfort. Users are able to effortlessly control the intensity of th...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

FLOS Romeo Moon S2 Pendant Light by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
In the hands of Philippe Starck, this iconic design received a modern update through the use of the latest technology and most innovative materials. Featuring a fluted glass shade that is perfectly suited to any design style, the Romeo Moon...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Glass, Plastic

FLOS Miss K Transparent Table Lamp by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Part of the Miss K family, this version of the popular Philippe Starck creation offers a hint of feminine softness, the result of its soft fabric outer diffuser...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic, Fabric

FLOS Bon Jour Versailles Chrome Lamp w/ Transparent Crown by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This modern and timeless design is a result of the collaboration between Flos and acclaimed designer Phillippe Starck. Blending together two dynamic pieces the Flos 2017 design Bon Jour Lamps and the Versaille candleholder created by Baccarat the Bon Jour Versailles...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

FLOS Bon Jour Versailles Small Chrome Lamp in Transparent by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This modern and timeless design is a result of the collaboration between FLOS and acclaimed designer Phillippe Starck. Blending together two dynamic pieces—the FLOS 2017 design Bon Jour Lamps and the Versaille candleholder created by Baccarat—the Bon Jour Versailles...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

6 chaises de Philippe Starck pour KARTELL
Located in PARIS, FR
La collaboration entre Philippe Starck et Kartell dans les années 1990 a donné naissance à une série de chaises révolutionnaires, notamment celles en polycarbonate rouge et transpare...
Category

1990s French Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Philippe Starck Flos Miss K Table Lamp Transparent Grey 21st Century
Located in Antwerpen, BE
The Miss K table lamp is a design by Philippe Starck, which he created for the Italian lighting manufacturer Flos. Because of the two different light diffusers, it immediately create...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic, Plexiglass

French Modern Aluminum Table Ashtray Ray Hollis by Philippe Starck, 1990s
Located in MIlano, IT
French modern aluminum table ashtray Ray Hollis by Philippe Starck, 1990s Fantastic and iconic table ashtray mod. Ray Hollis with rectangular aluminum base...
Category

1990s French Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

A set of 6 Italian Philippe Starck stackable barstools from 1999, Outdoor/Indoor
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Set of 6 red bar stools by renowned designer Philippe Starck, crafted exclusively for Driade. Crafted with precision and innovation, each stool boasts a striking red hue that adds a...
Category

1990s Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Italian modern red leather chairs Ed Archer by Philippe Starck for Driade, 1980s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern red leather chairs Ed Archer by Philippe Starck for Driade, 1980s Pair of chairs mod. Ed Archer in red leather. The main structure is shaped to form the backrest, seat...
Category

1980s Italian Vintage Modern Furniture

Materials

Metal

Philippe Starck Olly Tango Chair for Aleph Ubik, 1980s
By Aleph Ubik, Philippe Starck
Located in Miami, FL
Bent bentwood Olly Tango chair on chrome legs by Philippe Starck for Aleph Ubik.
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Metal

Royalton Bar Stool by Philippe Starck for XO, France, 1988
Located in Antwerp, BE
Royalton bar stools by Philippe Starck for XO, originally designed for the famous Royalton Hotel in New York. These stools embody the visionary style of acclaimed French designer Phi...
Category

1980s French Vintage Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Exquisite "Donald" Stained Glass Coffee Table by Philippe Starck for Glas Italia
Located in Brescia , Brescia
Elevate your living space with the timeless elegance of the "Donald" stained glass coffee table, designed by the renowned Philippe Starck for Glas Italia. Crafted with meticulous att...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Glass, Art Glass

Philippe Starck armchair
Located in PARIS, FR
Chair model Pat Conley II by designer Philippe Starck for XO, from the 1980s. Gray anodized metal structure. In perfect condition. DV515
Category

1980s French Vintage Modern Furniture

Materials

Metal

Egg Shaped Footstools by Philippe Starck, UK, 1998
Located in Antwerp, BE
Egg-shaped footstools designed by Philippe Starck and exclusively crafted for Sanderson, London. Crafted from durable fiberglass, these footstools embody the hotel's ethos of pushing...
Category

1990s British Modern Furniture

Materials

Fiberglass

Philippe Starck chair
Located in PARIS, FR
Chair model Wendy Wright by French designer Philippe Starck for Disform, from the 1980s. It is in white/grey anodized metal. In very good condition. DV516
Category

1980s French Vintage Modern Furniture

Materials

Metal

Philippe Starck chair
Located in PARIS, FR
Chair model Wendy Wright by French designer Philippe Starck for Disform, from the 1980s. It is in gray anodized metal. In very good condition. DV517
Category

1980s French Vintage Modern Furniture

Materials

Metal

Joe Cactus Ashtray by Philippe Starck for Alessi, 1990s
Located in Lille, FR
Joe Cactus Ashtray by Philippe Starck for Alessi, 1990s.
Category

1990s French Modern Furniture

Materials

Bakelite

Pair of Philippe Starck Miss Dorn chairs
Located in Washington, DC
Pair of Miss Dorn chairs by Philippe Starck for Disform 1982. Black metal frame and round cushioned seating.
Category

1980s French Vintage Modern Furniture

Materials

Metal

Italian modern Aluminum high bar stool Kong by Philippe Starck for Emeco, 2000s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern Aluminum high bar stool Kong by Philippe Starck for Emeco, 2000s High bar stool mod. Kong entirely polished aluminum. The backrest is oval while the seat is rounded. T...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Kartell Ghost Buster Nightstand in Black by Philippe Starck & Eugeni Quitllet
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Night table version of the Ghost Buster commode. A little squared cube on four legs, available in completely transparent, colored or matte versions made of plastic. Like its older br...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Resin

Hudson Desk Chair by Philippe Starck for Emeco
Located in Asbury Park, NJ
Pleased to offer this great brushed aluminum chair from Emeco. This Starck designed chair sits on 4 wheels. Chair is in nice vintage shape. Ther...
Category

Early 2000s North American Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Kartell Mademoiselle Chair by Philippe Starck in Green Damask
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Mademoiselle armchair is dressed in the wide range of Memphis fabrics, designed by Ettore Sottsass and Nathalie du Pasquier. It comes either with t...
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

Helmut Newton Sumo Taschen Book, Philippe Starck Stand, Signed Limited Edition
Located in Miami, FL
Helmut Newton Sumo Taschen Book, Philippe Starck Stand, Signed Limited Edition Offered for sale is a Helmut Newton Limited Edition Sumo book published by Taschen with a custom-designed stand by Philippe Starck. There is an unparalleled grandeur of the Helmut Newton Sumo, the biggest and most expensive book produced in the 20th century. This limited edition masterpiece is signed by Newton and numbered 836/10,000. The book is a testament to the influential legacy of one of the most intriguing and controversial photographers in history. Accompanying this extraordinary book is a meticulously crafted bookstand designed by Philippe Starck that adds a touch of sophistication to its display. Immerse yourself in the monumental world of SUMO, a titan of a book measuring an impressive 50 x 70 cm (20 x 27.5 in.) and weighing approximately 30 kg (66 lb.). With 464 pages, it breaks all previous records and stands as a truly unique publication. Edited by June Newton...
Category

Late 20th Century Monacan Modern Furniture

Materials

Metal

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 Tall Only Me Mirror in Light Blue by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Only Me reflects the narcissist in each of us. Designed by Starck, Only Me is a mirror with a slender 8-cm frame. Only Me in rectangular that can be hung in either direction: 50 x 70...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Resin

Kartell Tip Top Bar Table in Crystal by Philippe Starck & Eugeni Quitllet
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Tip Top is a small side table, light and versatile, formed of a single base supporting the solid 48 cm diameter table top. The combination of the colored top and the transparent, hol...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Resin

Kartell Napoleon Table-Stool in Multicolor by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Napoleon table-stool, is charismatic personalities of striking originality and anti-conformism. Stools and tables which are cute and humorous but with o...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Emeco Broom Stacking Chair in White 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% reclaimed wood fiber that would normally be swept into the trash, “Imagine”, says Philippe Starck, “a guy who takes a humble broom and starts to clean the workshop and with this dust he makes new magic”. That’s why we call it Broom chair...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Emeco Broom Counter Stool in Tan 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 Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Emeco Hudson Armchair in Polished Aluminum by 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 Navy Chair”. It takes an addi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Emeco Broom Barstool in White 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 Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Baleri Italia Mac Gee Bookshelf in Black Steel by Philippe Starck
Located in Milan, IT
Mac Gee is the essence of a bookshelf. Philippe Starck cleaned and cleaned the structure to only keep the square root, the skeleton of a bookshelf. Therefore avoiding styles, the tim...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Steel

FLOS Bibliotheque Nationale Chrome Floor Lamp with Fumee Shade, Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
There's more than meets the eye with this 2013 Philippe Starck creation: Illuminating your home with a diffused light, the Biblioteque Nationale also serves as a strikingly modern bo...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

FLOS Bon Jour Unplugged White Lamp w/ Amber Crown by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The smaller table version of the Bon Jour table lamp, the Bon Jour Unplugged truly moves with the user and can be used in any environment. The base ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

FLOS Bon Jour Unplugged Matte Chrome Lamp w/ Fumee Crown by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The smaller table version of the Bon Jour table lamp, the Bon Jour Unplugged truly moves with the user and can be used in any environment. The base features a micro-USB connector which recharges the battery in three hours and then the light lasts for up to six hours. Like the other members of the Bon Jour family, this model combines maximum performance and efficiency with visual comfort. Users are able to effortlessly control the intensity of the direct light with just one click. This sleek and pure light can be customized according to personal tastes and styles by “dressing” it with a transparent, yellow, amber, fumee, natural rattan and pleated fabric crown. Additionally, the body is available in four unique finishes: white, chrome, matte chrome...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

FLOS Bon Jour Unplugged Copper Lamp w/ Transparent Crown by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The smaller table version of the Bon Jour table lamp, the Bon Jour Unplugged truly moves with the user and can be used in any environment. The base features a...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

FLOS Bon Jour Unplugged Chrome Lamp w/ Transparent Crown by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The smaller table version of the Bon Jour table lamp, the Bon Jour Unplugged truly moves with the user and can be used in any environment. The base ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

FLOS Bon Jour Unplugged Copper Lamp w/ Amber Crown by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The smaller table version of the Bon Jour table lamp, the Bon Jour Unplugged truly moves with the user and can be used in any environment. The base features a...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

FLOS Bon Jour Versailles Chrome Lamp w/ Soft Avo Crown by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This modern and timeless design is a result of the collaboration between flos and acclaimed designer Phillippe Starck. Blending together two dynamic pieces—the Flos 2017 design Bon Jour Lamps and the Versaille candleholder created by Baccarat—the Bon Jour Versailles...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

FLOS Bon Jour Unplugged Chrome Lamp w/ Plisse Cloth Crown by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The smaller table version of the Bon Jour table lamp, the Bon Jour Unplugged truly moves with the user and can be used in any environment. The base features a micro-USB connector whi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

Six Petite Chairs by Philippe Starck for the Clift Hotel, San Francisco
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Six petite dining chairs designed by Philippe Starck for the Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel, San Francisco, CA., circa 2000. Chairs have been professio...
Category

Early 2000s American Modern Furniture

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Starck for Kartell - A Pair of Transparent Victoria Ghost Chairs
Located in Morristown, NJ
21st c., Starck for Kartell, a pair of clear Victoria Ghost chairs. marked on back. Designed by Philippe Starck, the Kartell Victoria Ghost Chair...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Acrylic

Flos Miss K Table Lamp in Transparent by Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
MISS K desk/table lamp providing diffused light. Fully transparent, injectionmolded PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate, UL-94 HB) frame; opal, injectionmolded polycar...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Modern Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Philippe Starck for Flos Hide L Wall Light Sconce, Large, Black, Shelf, Italy.
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Flos Hide wall lamp by Flos Lighting is a modern LED wall flusher that functions as a shelf as well. Indirect-light wall lamp. Body in pressofused aluminium, with shiny finish. I...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Stainless Steel

1980s Set of Four Philippe Starck and Aleph Ubik Sarapis Bar Stools by Driade
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a set of four Sarapis bar stools, designed by Philippe Starck for his French design firm Aleph Ubik. This design originated in 1986 and the stools were manufactured in Italy ...
Category

1980s Italian Vintage Modern Furniture

Materials

Steel

Hi-Glob Philippe Starck Bar Stools for Kartell, Italy, 1993
Located in Weesp, NL
Philippe Starck six Hi-Glob stackable barstools for Kartell Italy 1993 in good condition. These counter or bar stools will be shipped overseas in a custom made wooden crate. Cost of...
Category

1990s Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Iron

Pair of Pedestals by Philippe Starck for the Clift Hotel, San Francisco, CA.
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Pair of wood and aluminum pedestals designed by Philippe Starck for the Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel, San Francisco, CA., circa 2000. Pedestals are a...
Category

Early 2000s American Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum

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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