Furniture is for experience, just as paintings are for appreciating and fashion is for wearing. Furniture has long outlived its functionality and evolved into creative ornamentation. It may be used to not only adorn the surroundings and display style, but it can also modify the living environment and influence our daily mood. This is the allure of design.
In contrast to pure art, industrial design is a medium in which form nearly always comes after function. This is especially true in the case of furniture design. How to have an unsurpassed aesthetic connotation while taking functional perfection into mind is both technology and art.
A truly good design is long-lasting, and it develops a durable quality with time. We explore some of the most iconic classic furniture designs in contemporary design history in this issue.
Classic indicates that you can have your own distinct style even in different eras. They are entwined with our lives now and transcend time, place, and culture. Every iconic design has a unique backstory, rich heritage, and heartfelt story. Classic furniture may have the soul of timelessness.
NO.01
Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman
Designer: Charles and Ray Eames
There are infinite design lists, but no matter how the style changes, this Eames bentwood lounge chair, born in 1954, is without a doubt the most influential design masterpiece of the twentieth century, as a perfect mix of modern industrial technology and traditional craftsmanship.
In the twentieth century, the motto "Design for Life" was popular in the design field. Charles and Ray Eames were the primary promoters. They established furniture design as a new trend as the most significant pioneer designers in the field of modern design.
This lounge chair exemplifies their unwavering pursuit of usefulness and elegance. It is trendy, fashionable, attractive, and uncomplicated while providing comfort and functionality. It may quickly improve the atmosphere in whatever space it is placed in.
The Eames Lounge Chair is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
NO.02
Arco Floor Lamp
Designer: Achille Castiglioni
Achille Castiglini, the iconic Italian industrial design genius, has developed several one-of-a-kind and important classics, including this Arco Floor Lamp.
ARCO was created to replace restaurant chandeliers. Because it is not possible to cut holes in the ceiling to install lamps in many protected structures in Italy, we investigated employing a parabolic form to obtain the same lighting effect.
The marble base, slender parabolic hanging rod, and circular lampshade are merged like an avant-garde sculpture, giving the area an instantly attractive character similar to that of an art gallery.
NO.03
Tulip Table
Eero Saarinen, the most innovative architect and industrial designer in the United States during the twentieth century, combined a high level of craftsmanship with a strong sense of the times. In addition to addressing design issues, he considered the visual environment created by the furniture in the area, making it distinct.
The ugly and dirty legs of furniture are supposed to be the most unbearable thing for Saarinen, hence this series of narrow tulips supported on one leg was produced.
The Tulip series, Saarinen's most classic design, employs a single column foot that extends downwards to a drop-shaped base, and the seat is carved with streamlined flower lines that bloom beautifully like petals or wine glasses.
Tulips are available in a variety of heights, surface diameters, colours, and materials. With its own spatial character, it has remained an unrivalled classic in the field of furniture design to this day.
NO.04
There are numerous iconic chair designs in the world, but only one can be called "Diamond."
Sculptor Harry Bertoia created the Diamond Chair. Since its inception, its light and graceful shape has been widely sought after. It is not simply a collector's favourite, but also a frequent visitor to classic cinema festivals. It has been a best-seller for almost a half-century and is considered a timeless classic.
The Diamond Chair is a modern minimalist furniture design style that is welded using excellent metal technology. Simple lines, an exquisite design, light and functional, and a diamond-like shine. It's more of a sculpture and a work of art in space than a seat.
NO.05
The Anglepoise table lamp is the most iconic lamp of the twentieth century, as well as one of the most copied and reproduced objects in design history. Consider the jumping light at the beginning of a Pixar animation, you've probably seen it.
George Carwardine, a Britishman, invented the desk lamp. As an engineer researching vehicle shock absorption systems, he inadvertently inserted an experimental spring on the end of a work light to enable lamp arm adjustment and preserve balance.
Herbert Terry & Sons of Redditch, a spring manufacturer, recognised its commercial potential and began mass manufacturing in 1933. The Anglepoise table lamp is regarded as a classic of industrial design due to its basic appearance and practical features.
NO.06
Panton Chair
Designer: Verner Panton
Wiener Pantone was known as "the most imaginative design master of the twentieth century" because he enjoyed experimenting with colours and materials. The design pieces are all eye-catching, from furniture to space, from material to shape.
The Pantone Chair was inspired by stacked plastic barrels and is the world's first one-piece injection-molded plastic cantilever chair.
The thin S-shaped side profile resembles a woman wearing a floor-length skirt. The vibrant colours are stunning and graceful, and the rhythmic curves are light and elegant, earning it the nickname "Beauty Chair."
Even in black, the beautiful curves are noble and dignified, thin and appealing, and complement each other whether matched with modern or traditional interiors.
NO.07
Nelson Saucer Bubble Pendant
Designer: George Nelson
The cross bubble chandelier is a collection of colourful lamps with wonderful spherical contours. It is considered the most iconic lamp design series by American modernist design master Nelson, and it has stood the test of time.
Nielsen is reported to have come across a set of Swedish chandeliers that he really loved, but the price was prohibitively expensive, so the design master came up with the concept of designing his own lighting.
This is how the Bubble Pendant came to be: a spherical frame of lightweight steel coated in a smooth translucent covering. The lighting is delicate and elegant, with a light and flowing romantic ambiance.
NO.08
Serpentine Sofa
Designer: Vladimir Kagan
In a world dominated by straight-line sofas, famed designer Vladimir Kagan's "Serpentine Sofa" with its exquisite streamlined form and soft texture is undeniably rebellious.
In a world where straight-line sofas rule, famed designer Vladimir Kagan's "Serpentine Sofa" with its exquisite streamlined form and soft texture is undeniably subversive.
The curving design not only offers a cosy meeting spot, but it also defines the space's warm, elegant, and fun tone. Since then, every celebrity interior design space has had a snake-shaped sofa.
NO.9
Up5 Armchair & Ottoman
Designer: Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia
This sofa by Gaetano Pesce, an Italian designer, is rich with sensory and figurative overtones. Its lush and beautiful shape appears to return to mother's warm embrace. "Up 5" is the name of it.
Pesce's devotion for his Latin nation roused the visual nerves in a volatile and strong era. The allegedly plump and attractive body is chained, and the childlike ball hangs like a shackle.
"I believe that women are always very unwilling prisoners of themselves," Pesce says. So I decided to make the armchair in the shape of a woman, complete with chains and balls, as if she were a life prisoner."
This sofa is both provocative and eye-catching. Its circular and complete shape promotes sensory stimulation of the imagination, making this sofa a design classic that cannot be overlooked in the history of design and the ultimate focal point of the space.
NO.10
Wassily（Model B3）Chair
Designer: Marcel Breuer
Breuer was a pioneer in steel tube furniture design as well as a master of modernist design and architecture. The Vasily Chair, the world's first steel tube chair, is perhaps the most well-known. Wassily Kandinsky, a Russian painter, inspired the name.
The handlebars of Adler's bicycles served as inspiration for the design of the Vasily Chair. It employs metal bending processing technologies to produce a basic and streamlined design that is timeless.
Unlike traditional enveloping seats, the Wassily chair's seat cushion, backrest, and armrests are all flat surfaces. The curved steel tubes provide an open deconstruction, and the various angles between the flat surfaces create a self-explanatory aesthetic.
The Wassily chair, which is simple and harmonious, blends practicality, beauty, and economy by relying on the extraordinarily high plasticity and economy of metal steel pipes. The Vasily chair appears to blend gracefully into any room, whether it is an ancient house with classic décor or a modern one.
NO.11
Bauhaus Nesting Side Tables
Designer: Josef Albers
"Less is more" is a philosophy championed by the renowned German design school Bauhaus, which strives to portray a pure and authentic spatial aesthetic. Geometric shapes, primary colour schemes, and minimal accessories are straightforward and clear.
This set of stacking side tables designed by Josef Albers when he was the artistic director of the Bauhaus furniture company is the epitome of minimalism: only the simplest geometric elements are employed to accomplish the transition from planar to three-dimensional.
Each table is comprised of lacquered acrylic glass and oak wood. Albers used a vibrant artistic flair in the furniture design, giving each table a distinct colour palette of blue, red, yellow, and white.
This detachable and integrated approach also inspired a series of stacked tables and chairs.
NO.12
Florence Knoll Sofa
Designer: Florence Knoll
Florence Knoll was a Bauhaus-influenced designer who concentrated on furthering the use of architecture, art, and functionality in the realm of interior design. He is often recognised as the twentieth century's most significant design figure.
With its simple and beautiful lines and free and flexible combination ways to satisfy the ever-changing functional needs of modern space, the Florence classic office sofa has become a recognised sofa classic since its debut.
NO.13
LC4 Chaise Longue
Designer: Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeannerret, Charlotte Perriand
With its ideal combination of geometric shape and ergonomics, this iconic lounge chair built under the direction of Swiss architectural design master Le Corbusier can be regarded as a prominent work of "functionalism" in modern home design.
The goal is to prioritise people over function. Not only can the reclining chair's tilt angle be readily adjusted to meet your demands, but the chair body can also be detached and used as a rocking rocker. Every design detail adds to the everlasting bliss of slumber.
Today's Le Corbusier lounge chair has long been a classic in modern home design, and it is also one of the most important collections of MOMA, the Museum of Modern Art in the United States.
NO.14
606 Universal Shelving System
Designer: Dieter Rams
Dieter Rams, a German designer, prioritises utility. The design is minimal and elegant, and the functions are straightforward and obvious. This 1960s universal storage cabinet epitomises the philosophy of "less, but better."
According to the needs, universal storage cabinets can be constructed with various modules and combinations. A bookshelf, a clothes rack, a work platform, a dining table, and a TV wall are all included. It seamlessly blends storage, shelves, and other tasks while taking up the least amount of space.
NO.15
Wiggle Chair
Designer: Frank Gehry
Beginning in the mid-twentieth century, designers began experimenting with the use of inexpensive, lightweight materials. The task of glueing and cutting corrugated cardboard to make a variety of furniture appeals to Frank, a well-known architect.
This most renowned "Wiggle Chair" brings a new aesthetic interpretation to elements that can be found everywhere in life. It has a smooth and succinct dynamic and circuitous shape that is sturdy and has a high visual impact.
NO.16
Eros Side Table
Designer: Angelo Mangiarotti
Mangiarotti, the prominent designer, feels that "the position of materials in design is as important as the position of ideas in the brain." It is regarded that the correctness of the design process is almost as crucial as the product's quality.
The iconic "Eros Series" marble side table series is without a doubt the best manifestation of this design principle. The designer picked marble, a "raw material" with a lot of roughness, to give it a unique artistic expression. Shining like a sculpture.
NO.17
Egg Chair
Designer: Arne Jacobsen
In contrast to Europe and the United States, which embrace functionalism, Nordic furniture conforms to the cultural surroundings while also contrasting with the cold and severe geometric form of German functionalism. Instead, curves replace it, and natural materials like as wood and fur are used to demonstrate respect for environment and culture. Affinity, also known as "humanistic functionalism," serves both bodily and psychological demands.
Jacob, a well-known Nordic designer, embodies "humanistic functionalism" and focuses on simple and comfortable design concepts. The "Egg Chair" he designed for the public area of the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen exemplifies the minimalist utilitarian aesthetics perfectly.
The soft seat cushions and footrests give unrivalled comfort, while the rounded and smooth outer curves delineate a wide and deep seating space. The Egg Chair immediately gained worldwide acclaim as the most representative Nordic design and a home design classic.
NO.18
Atollo Table Lamp
Designer: Vico Magistretti
Vico Magistretti, an Italian modern design maestro, produced this table lamp, which is made up of three simple structures: a cylinder, a cone, and a semicircle. It gets its name from the shape and lines that resemble a spherical mushroom.
The mushroom lamp's hemispherical lampshade appears to float on a cylindrical pointed cone as a reworking of the bedside lamp. The cone and circle have perfectly straight lines. The light is reflected by the inner spherical arc, producing a warm and bright environment.
With its amazing inventiveness and trendy shape, this mushroom table lamp is recognised as the "Moonlight of Modern Art" and is permanently acquired by many world-famous institutions.
NO.19
LC Casiers Standard
Designer: Harlotte Perriand
This storage cabinet is a famous form introduced by the Italian furniture company Cassina in 1984. It is made up of hardwood modules and stackable cabinet pieces that are outfitted with shelves, drawers, and other storage options to satisfy a variety of flexible space and storage requirements.
This cabinet serves as both storage and adornment. It gives the most various storage satisfaction and makes home life neat and tidy with its original creative design and unmatched versatile abilities!
NO.20
Barcelona Chair
Designer: Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
The Barcelona chair was developed by Mies van der Rohe, the modern design maestro who championed "less is more" for the 1929 Barcelona World Expo. It is considered to be one of the most classic works of modern design.
Mies' masterwork is the German Pavilion at the World Expo. However, there was no matching furniture to match the unusual architectural design concept, so he custom constructed this "Barcelona Chair" to welcome the king and queen.
The Barcelona chair is made up of a curved cross-shaped stainless steel frame that supports a seat cushion and a backrest made up of two rectangular leather cushions. It has an elegant shape, is spacious and comfy, and its original and avant-garde design created quite a stir at the time.
NO.21
Stool 60
Designer: Alvar Aalto
This modest chair is the work of Finnish design legend Alvar Aalto. The original goal of its design was to create a basic and long-lasting single chair.
The seat was created utilising "steam-heated bentwood" technology, which required five years of research and development. The chair legs are built of more than a dozen layers of birch wood chips arranged in a L shape, and screws are utilised under the seat to strengthen the stability.
Stool 60 is not only basic and robust, but it is also incredibly simple to stack and store. It is claimed to be stable when stacked to the sky. It is not the ultimate work of art, but it is an amazing design and good furniture that can be used for a long time.
NO.22
Noguchi Coffee Table
Designer: Isamu Noguchi
Sculpture expert Isamu Noguchi thinks that design must have a sense of space, internal order, and significance and cannot simply be functional. Believes that the best art should be interwoven into the environment. The Isamu Noguchi coffee table is the best example of this design concept.
The coffee table is made of solid wood with an extra-thick triangular oval transparent glass tabletop. The two abstract solid wood pieces are the same shape but are reversed. One bears the load, while the other supports it, much like the yin and yang, which are mutually reinforcing.
The coffee table is basic but not simple, with precise construction and painstaking details that make it sculptural as well as thought-provoking.
NO.23
Artichoke lamp
Designer: Poul Henningsen
Paul Henningsen was the first designer to create lights based on scientific lighting principles. The genesis of the most renowned PH Lamp in history is claimed to have been entirely accidental: he accidently assembled the prototype of the lamp from cups, bowls, and dishes from the kitchen.
The Three-Shade System evolved from the design of these three-layer blades into a series and chandelier style. Different numbers denote various sizes.
The most traditional PH Artichoke is inspired by a plant called "artichoke." The chandelier, inspired by the outer leaves wrapped in layers, uses a total of 12 layers of metal sheets to wrap the light source, with each layer surrounding by 6 metal sheets of the same size.
The warm light casts a hazy halo across the layers of leaves, which are as colourful and blooming as flowers hanging in the sky.
NO.24
Nelson Platform Bench
Designer: George Nelson
George Nelson is a cross-disciplinary design expert who is both an extraordinary architect and a prolific furniture designer who has had a significant influence on modern design.
This platform stool, designed in 1946, has solid wood slats on its surface to enable air and light to pass through, as well as ebony legs. Nelson's architectural expertise and design philosophy are reflected in the clean, right-angled lines: design should most honestly represent purpose.
The Platform Stool is a modern design classic that comes in three lengths and finishes and can be utilised in a variety of ways, from seat to low table to storage shelf.
NO.25
Hanging Egg Chair
Designer: Nanna Ditzel
Nanna Dietzel, dubbed the "Mother of Scandinavian Design," is arguably Denmark's most internationally renowned female designer. The design style is basic and pure, the material selection is avant-garde and daring, and the matching process is graceful and deft, leaving a plethora of classic designs.
Nanna was the first to utilise woven rattan to make a swing chair that was both beautiful and functional. It brings the excitement and comfort of both a swing and a cradle to life, whether suspended from the ceiling or a bracket, indoors or outdoors.
References
1. Hunker|The 11 Most Iconic Pieces of Furniture of All Time
2. VOGUE|The 23 Most Iconic Furniture Designs In History
3. Highsnobiety|15 ICONIC FURNITURE DESIGNS EVERY HIGHSNOBIETY READER SHOULD KNOW
4. Architecturelab|19 Legendary and Timeless Furniture Pieces to Consider
5. GQ|These Are the 12 Most Iconic Chairs of All Time
6. Architecturelab|19 Legendary and Timeless Furniture Pieces to Consider
7. Primermagazine|The Intentional Apartment: Iconic Furniture History & Inspiration
