While Mid-Century Modern is a style that encompasses architecture and product design, it is maybe most clearly defined through furniture, as in architecture it overlaps very much with the International Style or Modernism. I also think that in regard to furniture, it has had the more lasting impact, maybe because Mid-Century Modern furniture had its peak after the second World War, making it much more common and accessible to people. It has strong overlaps with Scandinavian design and influences furniture design to this day – in fact, many current Ikea products could be considered direct descendants of Mid-Century designs. Most important are in my opinion some of the chair designs that the Mid-Century Modern style has spawned.
The Barcelona chair
The Barcelona chair was designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich for Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona pavilion. It combines a steel frame with leather-covered cushions. The curved frame contrasts with the straight cushions.
The Barcelona chair is still produced by Knoll and is available in several colors. Not surprising given its €8,000 price tag, cheaper unlicensed copies are plentiful.
The Eames shell chair
The famous designer couple Charles and Ray Eames experimented with new materials for the production of chairs. They first focused on plywood, resulting in the DCW chair – iconic, but not the best-looking chair in my opinion. They then turned their attention to plastics and fiberglass, resulting in the Eames shell chair family in 1948. This is a whole family of chairs, consisting of two different shell types (with and without armrests) and various foot options.
The Eames shell chairs are produced by Herman Miller in the US and Vitra in Europe. Prices start at €290 for the most basic model, but you can also spend more than €1,000 on a swiveling version. Ikea has several molded plastic chairs that are not downright copies, but clearly inspired. The GRÖNSTA is available both with and without armrests, but features a leg design (four wooden legs) that is not available on the Eames original.
The Eames lounge chair
After focusing on chairs aimed at cheaper mass production and modular configuration, Charles and Ray Eames turned their attention to a more up-market design, resulting in the Eames lounge chair in 1956. If you were allowed to name only a single piece of iconic Mid-Century Modern furniture, this would be it. It combines a shell made from curved plywood with leather cushions. The original veneer for the plywood was Brazilian Rosewood, today several different veneers and coverings are available.
Like the shell chairs, the Eames lounge chair is produced by Herman Miller in the US and Vitra in Europe. Be prepared for a bit of sticker shock: Including the ottoman in the most expensive leather type, it sells for €12,500. The cheapest option would be only the chair with american cherry veneer and fabric instead of leather, selling for around €5,000. This price has of course led to unlicensed replicas being readily available.
The Tulip chair
If you want a bit more space age look, then Eero Saarinen‘s Tulip chair, also from 1956, has you covered. While originally conceived to be completely made out of fiberglass, an aluminum was required for stability. Saarinen’s goal was to get rid of the multiple feet on traditional chairs and tables. This design was applied to a whole range of furniture – high and low tables, chairs with and without armrests and with different covering options, and a stool. It is available in black and white.
The Tulip range of furniture is still produced by Knoll. Prices start at around €2,000 for the basic chair without armrests. Like with the other examples given here, cheaper copies are available. Ikea’s BALTSAR is available in a very similar version with a single foot or four more conventional feet and in black and white, but with a mostly transparent shell.