Modern architect Louis Sullivan famously said, "form follows function." But of course, being greedy humans that we are, we want both—the functionality and the beauty. When it comes to chair designs, there are a few iconic pieces out there that manage to exemplify these elusive two qualities. They stand the test of time and often have that little bit of something unexpected that makes a room both cohesive and interesting. Each one has its own story to tell. We called on nine designers to name their favorite timeless chair designs—and explain why certain iconic chairs speak more loudly than others.
Designer Sara Story grew up with this particular set of vintage Thonet chairs, designed by a German-Austrian pioneer in bentwood furniture named Michael Thonet. “The sculptural design, seamless construction, and scale of the chairs lend itself to comfort and timelessness. They are perfection!” she says.
"The failed city of Chandigarh built by Corbusier had so much of [Jeanneret’s] furniture in all the government buildings,” explain designers at ASH NYC of an unlikely origin of a very trendy design, which only adds to its appeal. The team is quick to add, however, that the chair's popularity is proving double-edged: “Today it is unfortunate how ubiquitous the chair is and how it is being knocked off all over the world."
London-based designer Francis Sultana admires this 50s Gio Ponti design that “has a certain Italian sophistication, capturing the essence of the time it was designed.”
As David Mann, of MR Architecture + Decor puts it, Saarinen's Tulip chair "symbolizes a time when we were very much inspired by the future . . . the space race, expressive architecture like the TWA terminal (also by Saarinen) and The Jetsons." That it works in both modern and classic interiors speaks to the lasting nature of the futuristic look.
Designer Tinatin Kilaberidze says of the Bibendum, “this chair has an undeniable geometric flow and is able to complement a space with bold elements while maintaining its own signature presence.” Named after Michelin's friendly, voluptuous mascot, the 1926 design is considered a feminist take on the popular geometries of the time.
“It looks as good as it did in 1929, when it was designed for the International Exposition in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain," says Don Boehm, lead designer for Boehm Design. "[It's] able to fit into a contemporary or traditional setting.”
Antiques dealer Liza Laserow says that the LC4 is "super comfortable." "It was designed for a house, Ville La Roche, and therefore meant to be used—not just a pretty face, so to speak!”
“I have used the chair, or a variation of it, in lots of projects worldwide and it always fits into a design perfectly. . . . It creates a conversation piece,” says Kelly Hoppen, MBE of the Eames Lounge.
Tom Scheerer on why the Panton chair still works so well: “It’s an engineering marvel, a perfect blend of form and function akin to the superb design of vertebrate bone structures. Stiff yet flexible, the sinuous shapes mold to the human form.”
