Designers Articles

Illustrious Norwegian interior designer Fredrik Kayser’s Model 711 (1960) stands out amongst his body of award-winning work and has retained its light, timeless looks over the years, fitting in both traditional and contemporary decors. 

Charles and Ray Eames' Molded Plastic Chairs (1948-1950) were the first plastic chairs to be industrially manufactured, including the Desmond Chair, the Rada Armchair and the Maja Rocking Chair with its uncovered, cup-like seats and iconic wood and wire rocker bases. 

The Panton Chair (1957-1967; S Chair) by experimental Danish designer Verner Panton is part of the Danish Culture Canon and has withstood the vicissitudes of popularity over time, in part thanks to supermodel Kate Moss who posed nude on it on the cover of British Vogue. 

Norman Cherner is most famous for his shapely molded plywood Cherner Chair (1958; Cherie Chair) that he designed for manufacturer Plycraft. He ended up suing Plycraft in 1961 when he discovered that the owner had unceremoniously lied to him and stolen his design to produce it under his own name. 

The prominent Japanese-American sculptor and landscape architect Isamu Noguchi whose artistic career stretched six decades created the modernist, eyecatching Noguchi Table (1947; Ysa Coffee Table) by riffing off his own previous creation.

The eponymous chair by Dutch architect, the Mart Stam Cantilever Chair (1926; Stam Side Chair) was first conceived by Stam made out of gas pipes fitted together in a continuous line. Its angular, cubic shape was a product of Stam’s architectural background.

Important Danish furniture designer Borge Mogensen’s most famous chair is the J39 (1947; Borge Chair). Inspired by his acquaintance, professor Kaare Klint, and American Shaker furniture that eschewed unnecessary frills, putting the emphasis on stark lines and pure form, the Borge Chair was dubbed “The People’s Chair” for its universal appeal. The classically simple wooden chair has a hand woven seat and a single slat curved backrest.

Danish interior designer Erik Buch’s Bar Stool (1960; Brigz barstool in counter and bar heights) has a tailed seat to provide back support and which also lends it a slightly stately look. It is both sleekly attractive with a gorgeous design and comfortable to boot. his works assimilate Scandinavian design elements such as smooth wooden structures in organic and pragmatic designs.

Scandinavian designer Henry Walter Klein’s Bramin Wooden Dining Chair (Evita Chair) are classic chairs with bent wood seat backs increasing ergonomic comfort as well as a unique cut-out pattern on the aforementioned backs that makes them resemble, strikingly, dragonfly wings. 

Furniture designs that have shaped 20th century design continue to endure and be very recognizable, thanks to film and television. These iconic, celebrated designs still fit into today’s decor world as naturally and utterly as they did mid-20th century.