Good interior design is all about creating tension and visual interest.
Here are 10 iconic examples of modern design that are sure to amp up your style, regardless of whether you define yourself as a traditionalist or modernist.
Fits like a glove—a baseball glove that is. Introduced byCharles and Ray Eames in 1956, this lounge chair and ottoman pairing is considered one of the most significant designs of the 20th Century, featuring molded plywood technology and supple leather.
Designed by Phillip Starck and crafted of translucent injection-molded polycarbonate, this chair marries technology with the classic lines of a Louis XVI armchair. Good indoors or out.
Round or oval dining, coffee or side, the original pedestal table designed by Eero Saarinen in 1956 was intended to “clear up the slum of legs in the U.S. home” (Time magazine, 1956). The sleek pedestal base is cast aluminum and can be paired with your choice of tabletop: marble, wood veneer or laminate.
Inspired by Ming Chairs, the Wishbone Chair was designed by Danish designer Hans Wegner in 1949 as a relief to the heavier chairs of the time. Its steam-bent, solid-wood frame and hand-woven paper-cord seat exemplify perfect craftsmanship. Available in a variety of colored lacquers or wood stains.
Modern master Le Corbusier designed his “relaxing machine” in 1928 to mirror the body’s natural curves. Offering endless sitting angles, the moveable frame moves from upright to full recline. Crafted of chrome-finished tubular steel with leather or cowhide, the chaise is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York.
Also included in the permanent collection of MoMA, this end table was created by architect Eileen Grey for a home she designed in France in 1927. Made of chromed tubular steel in Italy. See 11 of our favorite end tables here.
One of the most recognized pieces in modern design, the Barcelona Chair was created by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in 1929 to furnish his German Pavilion at the International Exhibition in Barcelona. Still built to original specifications with a chromed-steel frame and leather cushions, the chair was honored with the Museum of Modern Art Award in 1977.
Introduced by George Nelson in 1947, these sculptural pendant lights are constructed of a steel-wire frame covered with translucent plastic. Produced in a variety of shapes and sizes, these lamps are also part of MoMA’s permanent collection.
9. Serge Mouille Three-Arm Floor Lamp
Insect-like in simplicity and angularity, Serge Mouille lamps marry a unique sculptural aesthetic with functionality. Each arm can be adjusted and shades are still made to the original specifications from the 1950s.
Eva Zeisel’s signature fluid porcelainware has had a lasting influence on modern forms, beginning with her first products designed for the Kispester-Granit factory in Budapest in 1926. Her most recent collection includes the Granit Dinnerware Collection, produced for Design Within Reach. She has also designed porcelain vases and pitchers for Room & Board.
