If there’s one object that has become both a cultural symbol and a designer’s obsession, it’s the chair. Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, the chair has served as a canvas for experimenting with materials, shapes, technology, and ideas. Some were conceived for mass production, while others stand as one-of-a-kind pieces by renowned creators. But each of them tells a story.
These 10 chairs didn’t just make design history—they continue to influence the present.
1. Thonet No. 14 – Michael Thonet (1859)
The iconic “bistro chair”. It was the first to be industrially manufactured, thanks to an innovative steam-bent wood process. Lightweight, affordable, and elegant, it has sold over 50 million units to date.
2. Red and Blue Chair – Gerrit Rietveld (1917)
A visual manifesto of the De Stijl movement, this chair is more sculpture than seat. Featuring straight lines, primary colors, and a radically abstract approach, it anticipated the break between function and expression.
3. Barcelona Chair – Ludwig Mies van der Rohe & Lilly Reich (1929)
Designed for the German Pavilion at the Barcelona International Exhibition, this piece is the embodiment of luxury and minimalism. With its curved stainless steel frame and padded cushions, it became a symbol of modernist elegance.
4. LCW (Lounge Chair Wood) – Charles & Ray Eames (1946)
A technical and aesthetic breakthrough. Made of molded plywood, it conforms to the human body and challenges the material’s rigidity. A true icon of mid-century American design.
5. Plastic Side Chair (Eames DSR) – Charles & Ray Eames (1950)
A revolution in both production and accessibility. It was the first mass-produced plastic chair, and its Eiffel Tower–inspired base became inseparable from the language of modern design.
6. The Egg – Arne Jacobsen (1958)
Created for the SAS Royal Hotel lobby in Copenhagen, this chair wraps the sitter in an elegant cocoon. With its smooth, futuristic silhouette, it remains a masterpiece of Scandinavian modernism.
7. Panton Chair – Verner Panton (1960)
A single, uninterrupted form—no legs, bold curves, and unapologetic color. The first chair made entirely from molded plastic, it’s a pop icon that still feels radical today.
8. Wiggle Side Chair – Frank Gehry (1972)
A chair made of corrugated cardboard? Yes—and it’s surprisingly durable, comfortable, and sculptural. Part of the Easy Edges series, this design challenged material expectations and hinted at the fluid forms that would define Gehry’s architecture.
9. Louis Ghost – Philippe Starck (2002)
A transparent polycabonate reinterpretation of the Louis XVI armchair. This fusion of classical form and modern irony brought “baroque pop” to the forefront and proved that design can be both elegant and playful.
10. Chair One – Konstantin Grcic (2004)
Minimalist to the extreme, inspired by geometric frameworks. Made of die-cast aluminum, Chair One was designed for both indoor and outdoor use. It may look uncomfortable—but surprises with its unexpected ergonomics.
Why so many chairs?
Because they’re the ultimate design playground: functional by necessity, but open to endless creative interpretation. Scaled to the human body, yet capable of challenging it. And above all—because few objects reveal a designer’s philosophy quite like the chair they create.
