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 The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics.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 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

Creator: Rug & Kilim

Rug & Kilim's New Arabesque Gold and Brown Wool and Silk Rug

Modern Furniture

2010s Nepalese Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim's New Arabesque Gold and Brown Wool and Silk Rug

2010s Nepalese Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim's Contemporary Youngste Design Silver-Gray and Green Wool Rug

2010s Nepalese Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim's Custom Geometric Floral Beige Brown and Gold Wool and Silk Rug

2010s Chinese Modern Furniture

Rug & kilim’s European Style Rug in Black with Beige and Green Floral Patterns

2010s Indian Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim's Mid-Century Modern Geometric Copper & White Wool Architectural

2010s Nepalese Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim's European-Style Rug Beige Brown Floral Pattern

2010s Nepalese Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim’s Distressed Style Abstract Runner in Beige-Brown Geometric Pattern

2010s Nepalese Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim's New Bamboo in Wool Gold and Brown Floral Rug

2010s Nepalese Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim’s Spanish European Style Rug in Gold with Floral Pattern “Cordoba”

2010s Indian Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim’s Contemporary Textural Rug in Cream and Gray Tones

2010s Chinese Modern Furniture

Rug & kilim’s European Rug in Beige, with Green and Red Floral Patterns

2010s Chinese Modern Furniture

Rug & kilim’s European Flatweave Rug in Brown with Pictorials and Floral Pattern

2010s Indian Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim’s Scandinavian Style Rug in Green and Blue with Geometric Patterns

2010s Indian Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim’s Contemporary Textural Kilim in Beige-brown Orange and White Tones

2010s Indian Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim’s Contemporary Textural Rug in Tones of Beige/Brown

2010s Indian Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim’s Moroccan Style Rug in Cream with Orange Geometric Patterns

2010s Indian Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim’s Textural Kilim Rug in Cream and White High-Low Stripes

2010s Indian Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim’s Textural Kilim in White Abstract High-Low Patterns

2010s Indian Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim’s Textural Kilim in Solid Cream and White Tones

2010s Indian Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim’s Oushak Style Rug in Silver-Gray with Geometric-Floral Patterns

2010s Brazilian Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim’s Cowhide Rug in Silver-Gray and White Tones

2010s Indian Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim’s Textural Kilim in Solid Cream and White Tones

2010s Indian Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim’s Modern Rug with Cream High-Low Geometric Patterns

2010s Indian Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim’s Modern Rug with White High-Low Geometric Patterns

2010s Indian Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim’s Contemporary Textural Rug in Tones of Green

2010s Indian Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim’s Textural Rug in White and Gray Abstract High-Low Stripes

2010s Indian Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim’s Scandinavian Style Rug in Blue with Cream Geometric Patterns

2010s Brazilian Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim’s Cowhide Rug in Beige-Brown and White Tones

2010s Indian Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim’s Scandinavian Style Rug in Beige-Brown Geometric Patterns

2010s Indian Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim’s Scandinavian Style Rug in Beige-Brown Geometric Patterns

2010s Indian Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim’s Scandinavian Style Rug in Green with Geometric Patterns

2010s Indian Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim’s Scandinavian Style Rug in Beige-Brown with Geometric Patterns

2010s Nepalese Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim’s Modern Abstract Runner Rug With Beige, Pink and Green Patterns

2010s Turkish Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim’s Modern Rug in All over Brown-Black, White Abstract Pattern

2010s Chinese Modern Furniture

Rug & kilim’s European Flatweave Rug in Beige with Green and Pink Floral Pattern

2010s Indian Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim’s Persian Style Rug with Black, Blue and Purple Geometric Patterns

2010s Indian Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim’s Classic Ikats style rug with Blue, Gold and Rust Red Patterns

2010s Turkish Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim's New Kazak Transitional Red and Green Wool Rug with Horn Motifs

2010s Nepalese Modern Furniture

Rug & Kilim's Geometric Abstract Rug Red and Blue Modern Pattern

2010s Indian Modern Furniture