The furniture we know was inspired by mythical examples. Its design evolved and was based on the most iconic pieces ever, which we now make known to you. No designer or specialty store creates furniture “from scratch”. Inspiration is present in all areas of life, and this could be no exception.
We know it’s hard to think that the chair you sit in is largely inspired by a play that preceded it. And that’s why we want you to discover the 10 most iconic pieces of furniture ever.
Examples ranging from the living room sofa to the office chair. Pieces that have been evolving, presenting lines that are more and more elegant and, above all, functional. The examples that follow are so innovative that it is surprising that they are not more recent.
1. F 51 armchair
This is the name Walter Gropius gave to his most famous creation. As founder of the Bauhaus School, Gropius was one of the most important names of the time. He launched this chair in 1920, almost as if to guess who would follow him.
With more elegant lines, lower arms (and backrest), this piece focused on comfort along with design. Despite their feet resting on the floor, the lower cushion does not accompany them a revolutionary idea for the time, which created an armchair that seemed to levitate.
2. Wassily Chair
The Wassily Chair is also known as “B3” and was created by German Marcel Breuer. This is one of the most iconic chairs ever, and proof of that is the amount of pieces that followed, so similar to the original.
Breuer made this chair known to the world in 1925. He created it using leather and a thinner tubular system, which broke with everything that was being created at the time. This is a much lighter chair that continues to be one of the most up-to-date designs ever.
3. Bauhaus Nesting Side Tables
This is one of those furniture pieces you can’t forget. This modular system of side tables was created by Josef Albers in 1926. Through the name of this piece (Bauhaus), we perceive the adjacent futurism, as well as the modernity that is still present.
It is in the shape of a square that these tables fit together, one under the other. Its design, in addition to being innovative, is one of the most compact. In addition to serving multiple purposes, this piece offers the best of storage.
4. LC4 Chaise Longue
The LC4 Chaise Longue is one of the best-known pieces of collaboration between Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeannerret and Charlotte Perriand. Created in 1928, this chaise longue served as an inspiration to all those who followed it.
In addition to being modernist, this piece used innovative lines, which offered absolute comfort. This is one of the examples that inspired the most current decoration trends .
5. LC2 Grand Comfort
Le Corbusier was one of the most influential furniture designers ever, so it is not surprising that the LC2 Grand Confort is also his authorship. This armchair is surely the one that inspired more future designs.
Launched in 1928, this piece quickly stood out for the structure that supported it. Instead of being “hidden” or embedded in the armchair itself, the tubular structure was moved to the “outside”, making this one of the most famous pieces ever.
6. Barcelona Chair
Mies van der Rohe is responsible for the creation of the Barcelona Chair, launched in 1929. This is one of the most iconic pieces of furniture ever, especially because it is so common in spaces such as waiting rooms, living rooms and even offices .
Mies van der Rohe was a modernist, which justifies the design of this piece. The artist claims to have been inspired by Egyptian chairs and Roman stools to create what is one of his greatest works.
7. Stool 60
Among the most iconic pieces of furniture ever, we find the Stool 60 . Basically, this is not just one piece, but several. It was in 1933 that Alvar Aalto created these benches, which effortlessly stack on top of each other.
One of the great innovations is found in the wide supports, which form an inverted “L”, never seen before. This is considered one of the most ingenious creations of all time.
8. Nelson Platform Bench
George Nelson named one of his most iconic creations after his nickname. Created in 1946, the Nelson Platform Bench quickly became one of the most unique tables ever. At its top there is a kind of wooden platform, with several rectangular openings while, at the feet, the description becomes complex.
Instead of sticking to the conventional supports, Nelson went further and joined both legs together to create a unique support at the base of this table. Even today, there are many examples that were inspired here.
9. Noguchi Coffee Table
The Noguchi Coffee Table is a creation of Japanese-American Isamu Noguchi. Built in 1947, this support table is much more than that. It is a work of art with curved lines, very unconventional for its height.
Even today, this is one of the most iconic pieces of furniture ever, being often called an authentic “sculpture”.
10. Florence Knoll Sofa
The Florence Knoll Sofa inspired many sofas we know today. Created in 1954 by Florence Knoll, this is one of the best known pieces of the Knoll company founded by the designer.
The pleats on the back cushions continue to be used, which only proves the vision that this furniture designer had at the time. It was also in this way that, slowly, the sofas with lower feet began to appear.
