You don't often think of scrolled arms and contoured backs as features of modern design, but Thonet's classic "cafe" chairs were light years ahead of their time. Their novelty lay, in part, with Thonet's innovative production methods, which pioneered the use of heat to bend wood into improbable shapes. The resulting chairs were graceful, comfortable and durable. Such lightweight and sculptural designs were entirely novel in the mid-1800s, and a total departure from other bulky, heavy furniture in vogue at the time. More
If you're looking for classic furniture that's all about form and function, Herman Miller takes the cake. Designers like Ray and Charles Eames and George Nelson helped define the mid century modern classics we love. New designers are pushing the envelope, continuing to build the brand that has evolved over the past century.
There is so much to love about the Cherner armchair. Let me count the ways. It is elegant and graceful, with twists and curves that are reminiscent of ancient tree roots or undulating sand dunes. At the same time, the chair is a technical masterpiece in furniture making: It seems impossible that anything organic could be bent in such a way without snapping!
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It's hard to believe that Mies van der Rohe's Barcelona chair was first introduced in 1929. With its clean styling, metal base and leather cushion, this 80+ year old chair still looks thoroughly modern. We've rounded up resources for this modern classic — both authentic and reproductions, new and used. More

There's something majestic and throne-like about a wing back chair. In its most common iteration, the wingback chair is unabashedly traditional (and a little staid). But swerve off course a little and you will find a number of wing backs that pack a lot of punch. Some are very delicate and whimsical with bird-like curves and pretty silhouette. Others are tailored and streamlined. Others still are whimsical and exaggerated.
It was love at first sight the first time I saw this chair. It may have been in House Beautiful or on Decor8. I am not sure. But I am smitten. The bad news is that this is a very rare – and therefore very expensive – chair. The good news is that it's not one of the pantheon of iconic mid-century pieces. So perhaps some unsuspecting homeowner may put one out in a yard sale one day. A girl can dream!
This month we're looking at classics of design and the Eames Lounge Chair definitely belongs. We see this modern classic, whether authentic or one of the many replicas, in a lot of our house tours. To help you get in on the action, we've rounded up a number of resources for this iconic chair — new, used and even the reproductions. More




































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