10 pieces of furniture every interior design lover needs to know
Want to build out your furniture collection with a cult piece, but don’t know where to start?
1. Pierre Jeanneret’s chairs
Swiss architect Pierre Jeanneret - who regularly worked with his cousin, Le Corbusier - is known for his iconic armchairs which have spawned countless imitations. One of the more authentic re-editions is handmade in Chandigarh India using teak and cane, to the original specifications of the 1950s Jeanneret designs (pictured above). Founder of Tigmi Trading, Danielle McEwan - the range’s only Australian distributor - says: “Unfortunately due to its popularity we have seen less sophisticated copies emerge, where disproportion and inferior materials are a constant, losing so much of what makes these designs captivatingly beautiful.” What makes this re-edition special, she says, is: “Working with ethically sourced timber and cane, the weavers make a conscious and careful emphasis on the nuances and details … this craftsmanship is unmatched in our market.”
2. Groovy chair, designed by Pierre Paulin for Artifort
This statement chair, first dreamt up by French designer Pierre Paulin and brought to life by Netherlands-based Artifort in 1973, is just one of Paulin’s most iconic designs - others being his Ribbon, Tongue and Mushroom chairs (which also gets a notable mention below). This one is often seen upholstered in an ivory or cream wool bouclé, and is grounded by aluminium feet. As McEwan reminds us: “More than ever we feel drawn to the timeless designs of these iconic pieces, taking our cues from the past to create a truly modern setting.”
3. Et Cetera lounge chair, designed by Jan Ekselius for Artilleriet
The folded design of Jan Ekselius’ Etcetera chair became an instant icon when it was created in 1970, and to this day is emblematic of the decade’s irreverent aesthetic. The chair is again in production (available via Tigmi Trading), thanks to a collaboration between Ekselius and Gothenburg-based Artilleriet. Of the cult piece, McEwan says: “Iconic, inspired and coveted as it is, it’s the balance of form and function that makes the design so potent.”
4. Il Colonnato table, designed by Mario Bellini
Italian architect Mario Bellini has several instantly recognisable pieces, such as the exaggerated Le Bambole chair and lounge, and the Camaleonda Sofa (more on that in a minute). But also worthy of a mention is the more understated but equally iconic Il Colonnato marble table, created in round, rectangular and square shapes but instantly recognisable by the heavy, rounded legs that dominate its design. Of the table, McEwan says: “Something has to be said about considered design, its purpose and beauty endures. While trends always ebb and flow, it is this consideration that never goes out of style.”
5. Pumpkin chair, designed by Pierre Paulin
As its name suggests, the Pumpkin chair - first designed by Pierre Paulin for the Elysee Palace quarters of former French president Georges Pompidou and his wife Claude - calls to mind a giant pumpkin. As Domo’s Elise Phillips describes it: “soft, organic, round but firm … it encourages a more casual style of sitting as its sculptural form challenged the traditional form of the four-legged chair.” Contemporary French design brand Ligne Roset has revisited Paulin’s archives to create a version of the chair that can be custom-made to either swivel or be stationary, and in a range of colours, available via Domo.
6. DS-1025 sofa, designed by Ubald Klug for de Sede
Perhaps one of the most singular furniture designs there is, designed in 1973 by Ubald Klug, the de Sede DS-1025 (sometimes known as the Terrazza Sofa) has instantly recognisable cascading leather cushions, with Philips describing how: “Its molten form captured the zeitgeist of the glam and groovy 1970s.” She adds: “The landscape of seating, like many iconic pieces from the 1970s, encouraged different ways of living, sitting and lounging.” Not to mention it was at one point photographed with a young Mick Jagger sprawled across it, which could be the only tick of approval needed.
7. Camaleonda sofa, designed by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia
First made public in 1970, the modular Camaleonda sofa is revered in the design world, held in several museums and beloved by critics and the public alike. Now a partnership between Bellini and B&B Italia has resulted in a reissue, keeping in faith with the original creation with a 90x90cm seat module, backrest and armrest.
8. Ultrafragola mirror, designed by Ettore Sottsass
Curvy in shape with a coloured illuminated neon frame, this mirror was designed back in 1970 by Ettore Sottsass (one of Italy’s greatest furniture designers) but has found renewed popularity of late - in no small part thanks to Instagram.
9. Wassily chair, designed by Marcel Breuer for Knoll
Marcel Breuer first designed the Wassily chair in 1925 during a stint at the Bauhaus, its complex shape constructed from tubular steel and leather. Breuer went on to become a master of modernism, but at the time was just 23, and considered to be a protégé of Bauhaus founder Walter Gropius. To this day, the chair is considered to be one of the most important of modern interior design, and lives on via production by Knoll.
10. Soriana sofa, designed by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Cassina
Designed in 1969, this postmodern sofa was designed by husband-and-wife duo Afra and Tobia Scarpa, and manufactured by Italian firm Cassina, often as a two- or three-seater. It received a Compasso d‘Oro award in 1970, which was considered to be one of the most significant design nods of that time.