Willow Chair by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, 1904

• Designed By - Charles Rennie Mackintosh
• When - 1904
• Made From - Black Laquered Ash
• Manufactured By - Cassina
• More Info - This chair was designed for Miss Cranston for her Willow Street Tea Room in Glasgow. It was placed in the centre of the two ground floor saloons. The Willow Chair's curved back forms the pattern of a stylised tree to mimic the name of the tea room and the lattice is made from a series of short horizontal insets between the continuous verticals slats. There is a storage unit underneath the seat cushion. This chair is available upholstered in leather, fabric or velvet in a variety of colours.

CH445 Wing by Hans J. Wegner, 1960

• Designed By - Hans J. Wegner
• When - 1960
• Made From - Beach, stainless steel, foam and upholstery
• Manufactured By - Carl Hanson & Son
• More Info - This is a very impressive, timeless design and a very comfortable chair that provides excellent support for the back, shoulders, neck and head at can be sat in in a variety of ways. They were only produced in a limited number until Carl Hanson & Son re-launched the chair in 1996. It is available in a wide choice of fabrics and leathers There is also a matching footstool: the CH446.

Barrel Chair by Frank Lloyd Wright, 1937

• Designed By - Frank Lloyd Wright
• When - 1937
• Made From - Cherry wood, plastic seat, polyurethane foam and fabric upholstery
• Manufactured By - Cassina
• More Info - This chair was designed for Herbert Johnson’s house and is actually a reworking of a previous heavier version that he designed in 1904. It is available upholstered in fabric or leather.

Shell Chair by Hans J. Wegner, 1948

• Designed By - Hans J. Wegner
• When - 1948
• Made From - Bent teak plywood seat and back and a beach frame
• Manufactured By - Fritz Hansen
• More Info - This was the first chair Wegner made using bent plywood and after it he went on to design different versions of the shell chair. This is the most traditional looking version. It is a very simple design that is functional and aesthetically pleasing which is what Wegner tried to achieve in his designs.

Diamond Chair by Harry Bertoia, 1952

• Designed By - Harry Bertoia
• When - 1952
• Made From - Welded steel rods, upholstery
• Manufactured By - Knoll
• More Info - It is quite a sculptural chair. When talking about his chairs Bertoia said “they are mostly made of air...space passes right through them”. This is what makes this chair so interesting. Bertoia began experimenting with bending metal rods in 1950. This chair has been in continuous production since 1952. There is a vinyl seat cushion that snaps on and a fully upholstered version available. The metal can be finished in polished chrome, satin chrome or white or black polyester coating. There is also a larger model.

PK9 by Poul Kjærholm, 1960

• Designed By - Poul Kjærholm
• When - 1960
• Made From - Leather and satin brushed stainless steel
• Manufactured By - Fritz Hansen
• More Info - This side chair has a beautiful ergonomic shape and a tripod base. It is sometimes known as the ‘Tulip Chair’ because of the shape’s resemblance to tulip petals. Kjærholm got his wife to sit in boxes of clay to help with modelling the shape for the chair. It is available upholstered in black, white, red and brown leather.

CH24 Wishbone Chair by Hans J. Wegner, 1949

• Designed By - Hans J. Wegner
• When -  1949
• Made From - Solid oak and woven paper cord
• Manufactured by - Carl Hansen and Son
• More Info - Also known as the Y Chair, this chair is light, simple, elegant and comfortable. This chair is an icon of Danish design. It was inspired by Chinese Ming Chairs. It is a very well crafted chair and it takes over 100 steps to make. The seat is hand woven from 120 metres of paper cord. It has been in continuous production ever since it was first made. It is available made from maple, ash, beech, cherry, walnut, oak wood and painted in a variety of colours. The woven seat comes in natural or black and there is also a black leather seat cushion available.

Loge Easy Chair by Gerard Van Den Berg, 1989

• Designed By - Gerard Van Den Berg
• When - 1989
• Made From - Upholstery with aluminium feet
• Manufactured By - Montis
• More Info - This chair is perfect for tall people and people who like to slide right down in a chair. Its very curvy shape and smooth fabric makes it quite sensual. It is available in a variety of fabrics or leathers and has  a matching ottoman.

Plia Chair by Giancarlo Piretti, 1969

• Designed By - Giancarlo Piretti
• When - 1969
• Made From - Chromed steel, cast aluminium and ABS plastic
• Manufactured By - Castelli
• More Info - A space saving design, it folds flat and becomes only an inch thick. The thin metal frame and transparent seat and back make it look very light. It is suitable for indoor and outdoor use. Over four million have been sold and it is on permanent display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. It won the BIO 5 award at the Lyublyana Biennial and the Gute Form prize of the Federal Republik of Germany in 1973. The plastic seat and back is available in transparent and colours and you can also buy seat pads for it which come in many different colours.

LCW by Charles and Ray Eames, 1945

• Designed By - Charles and Ray Eames
• When - 1945
• Made From - Bent plywood
• Manufactured By - Vitra
• More Info - LCW stands for Lounge Chair Wood. The Eames’ wanted to create a chair that would fit the natural contours of the body, could be mass produced and would be comfortable without using any fabric or upholstery. They also wanted it to be reasonably affordable as Charles Eames said he wanted to “bring the most of the best to the greatest number of people for the least”. What they came up with was the LCW. The chair began as an experiment in the Eames’ apartment, where they were moulding plywood in what they called the ‘Kazam! Machine’. The machine pressed thin sheets of wood veneer against a heated membrane that was inflated by a bicycle pump. Time magazine called it "the best design of the 20th century“. It is a design classic and is still very sought-after today. It is also available with many wood and coloured finishes as well as covered in calf skin.

Costes Chair by Philippe Starck, 1982

• Designed By - Philippe Starck
• When - 1982
• Made From - Painted tubular steel, moulded plywood, polyurethane foam and leather
• Manufactured By - Driade
• More Info - This three-legged chair was originally designed for the Café Costes in Paris. It was supposedly designed with three legs so that the waiters would have less legs to trip over!. The shell is available in mahogany or black mahogany and the leather in black, brown, cream, red and white.

Spanish Chair by Børge Mogensen, 1959

• Designed By - Børge Mogensen
• When - 1959
• Made From - Oak and leather
• Manufactured By - Fredericia Furniture
• More Info - This chair was inspired Mogensen’s trip to Spain in 1958, which was how the chair got it’s name. The chunky rectangular shapes and thick leather make it a strong, masculine looking chair. It is available in natural or black stained oak and with either tan coloured or black leather.

PK20 Easy Chair by Poul Kjaerholm, 1967

• Designed By - Poul Kjaerholm
• When - 1967
• Made From - Brushed stainless steel  and Italian leather upholstery
• Manufactured By - Fritz Hansen
• More Info - This slim, minimal easy chair has a slightly flexible, spring base which makes it feel very comfortable. It is available in black, brown, red or white leather. There is also a rattan version.

Hat Trick Chair by Frank Gehry, 1992

• Designed By - Frank Gehry
• When - 1992
• Made From - Strips of hard white maple veneer
• Manufactured By - Knoll
• More Info - This chair was inspired by apple crates and the surprising strength Gehry noticed while playing on them as a child. The name comes from a hockey term. The curved ribbon like strips of wood make this chair look graceful and natural and the back bends slightly making it feel more comfortable. It is made by laminating strips of maple veneer to 5 or 7 thick with glue. Each chair comes stamped with the KnollStudio logo, Frank Gehry's signature and the date of production. There is also a version with arms and seat cushions available.

Scimitar Chair byPreben Fabricius + Jørgen Kastholm, 1962

• Designed By - Preben Fabricius + Jørgen Kastholm
• When - 1962
• Made From - Leather and stainless steel
• Manufactured By - Bo-Ex
• More Info - This chair was first shown to the public in Copenhagen in 1963. It was re-launched in 2003. It is available upholstered in brown, black or red leather.

Nimrod Chair by Marc Newson, 1997

• Designed By - Marc Newson
• When -1997
• Made From - Polythylene and polyurethane 
• Manufactured By - Magis
• More Info - The Nimrod Chair, sometimes known as the Nimrod Low Chair,  is yet another funky and beautifully designed chair from Marc Newson. It’s simple shape and bold colours make it look modern and fun. The shell is blow moulded from polythene and has polyurethane cushions. The shell comes in white and black. The upholstery is available in your choice of purple, orange, red, yellow, green, or white Kvadrat wool covers or in black, dark brown or ivory leather. The fabric covers are removable.

DSX Chair by Charles and Ray Eames, 1950

• Designed By - Charles and Ray Eames
• When - 1950
• Made From - Polypropylene and stainless steel
• Manufactured By - Vitra
• More Info - This simple, ergonomic chair was originally design for the Museum of Modern Art in New York's Low-Cost Furniture Design Competition. It was the first industrially manufactured plastic chair. It is suitable for indoor and outdoor use and the plastic contain special additives which slow down the fading process caused by ultraviolet rays. The seat is available in loads of colours and the base on chrome or a powder-coated grey or black finish. There are also versions that are fully upholstered or with just the seat upholstered.

Blow Chair by De Pas, D’Urbino, Lomazzi and Scolari, 1967

• Designed By - De Pas, D’Urbino, Lomazzi and Scolari
• When - 1967
• Made From - Welded vinyl
• Manufactured By - Zanotta
• More Info - This is humours chair is utterly iconic and timeless. It challenged the idea that furniture is a solid, permanent feature in a home as this can be easily deflated and put away. It was designed to be reasonably cheap, disposable and fun. It is light enough to be used in a swimming pool. It was the first inflatable chair to be mass produced and even though there have been many copies and other versions designed but this one is still the best. It is part of the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The original comes in clear, yellow or red.

Polypropylene Stacking Chair by Robin Day, 1963

• Designed By - Robin Day
• When - 1963
• Made From - Polypropylene and tubular steel
• Manufactured By - Hille
• More Info - Also known as the Polyprop chair, this was the first chair to be made from injection-moulded polypropylene (invented in 1953). It has been widely copied because it is such a brilliant design. It is cheap, light, reliable, stackable, easy to clean and robust. They are especially popular in schools. Robin Day launched the chair by sending 600 free ones to architects, designers and journalists. Now over 14 million have been sold in 23 countries around the world. It is available in many colours. It is so iconic it was featured on the ‘British Design Classics’ stamp series. There is also an armchair and upholstered version. It is available in 5 different sizes and loads of colours.

Sitzmaschine (No.670) by Josef Hoffmann, 1905

• Designed By - Josef Hoffmann
• When - 1905
• Made From - Bent beech wood, turned wood, plywood and brass
• Manufactured By - Jacob & Josef Kohn
• More Info - This chair is believed to be inspired by an adjustable chair designed in the 1860s by the English arts and crafts architect Philip Webb. It’s name meaning ‘a machine for sitting’ shows what Hoffmann was trying to achieve with this chair. He wanted to move away from mechanised products that he regarded as inhuman and so used a simple more decorative method of adjusting the chair. The five ball shapes along the back of the curved bentwood form allow the sitter to adjust the angle of the back, giving five options. These balls seen throughout the chair and the square patterns are a big characteristic of Hoffmann’s chairs. Reclining chairs like this were often used by people to pulmonary tuberculosis. This chair was presented at the Vienna Art Show in 1908. The chair was produced until 1916. An example of this chair is shown in the Museum of Modern Art. A small number were produced with a pull out footrest and cushions were also available.

Ox Chair by Hans J. Wegner, 1960

• Designed By - Hans J. Wegner
• When - 1960
• Made From - Italian leather and tubular steel
• Manufactured By - AP-stolen
• More Info - Like many other pieces of Hans J. Wegner’s furniture the Ox Chair was ahead of its time when it was made but is now it is regarded as a modern classic. It is a very powerful masculine chair and was Wegner’s favourite in his home. The dramatic ‘horns’ support the head and the angle of the seat means the sitter has to relax. It was designed to be roomy and inviting. It is one of his more playful designs and he said ‘we must take care that everything doesn’t get so dreadfully serious.’ It represents Wegner’s change in style because before he concentrated on more traditional wood pieces.

Karuselli Chair by Yrjö Kukkapuro, 1964

• Designed By - Yrjö Kukkapuro 
• When - 1964
• Made From - Fibreglass, steel, foam and leather
• Manufactured By - Avarte
• More Info - An iconic Finnish design, this chair both swivels and rocks. It is said that the shape of the chair came from the imprint left in the snow that Kukkapuro made from sleeping in the snow after getting too drunk. It was named the world's most comfortable armchair by The New York Times. It is shown in the permanent collections of many museums all over the world. It is available in black, cream, tan, red, white and brown leather and there is a matching footstool.

Propeller Stool by Kaare Klint, 1927

• Designed By - Kaare Klint
• When - 1927
• Made From - Stained oak and leather
• Manufactured By - Rud. Rasmussens
• More Info - This stool gets it’s name because the legs and twisted like propellers and when folded together they form a smooth perfect cylinder. Although this stool was designed in 1927 it was only officially presented at the Joiners Guild Furniture Exhibition in 1964 and it has been in continuous production ever since. It comes with a tray which can be fitted into the top which turns it into a table. It is also available made from ash and the seat in white, tan or black coloured leather.

CH25 Easy Chair by Hans J. Wegner, 1950

• Designed By - Hans J. Wegner
• When - 1950
• Made From - Black Oak and papercord
• Manufactured by - Carl Hanson & Son
• More Info - The seat and back of this chair is hand woven using more than 400 meters of paper cord (available in natural or black) in a unique pattern. It takes a trained craftsman 10 hours to complete one chair. This chair is very easy to get up from, despite the low seat and reclining back. Paper cord is available in unbleached/natural or black.

Lord Yo by Philippe Starck, 1994

• Designed By - Philippe Starck
• When - 1994
• Made From - Polypropylene and aluminium
• Manufactured By - Driade
• More Info - The shape of this chair resembles a Lloyd Loom basket chair. It is light, portable, stackable and can be used both indoors and out. It is available in white, orange, grey, blue, ivory, red, yellow, purple and black and you can also buy a white slip cover for it. There is also a matching table, the Lord Yi table.

Antelope Chair by Ernst Race, 1951

• Designed By - Ernst Race
• When - 1951
• Made From - Steel rod and moulded plywood
• Manufactured By - Race Furniture Ltd.
• More Info - This chair with it’s minimal frame and ball feet, the Antelope Chair is a classic 1950’s design. It was originally commissioned to furnish the outdoor terraces of the newly built Royal Festival Hall for the 1951 Festival of Britain. It won a silver medal at the Milan Triennale in 1954. The seat is available in six colours, red is the most popular.

Midway Gardens Chair by Frank Lloyd Wright, 1913

• Designed By - Frank Lloyd Wright
• When - 1913
• Made From - Painted iron frame and upholstered seat
• Manufactured By - Vitra
• More Info - This chair was designed for  Frank Lloyd Wright’s Midway Gardens which was built in 1914. A matching table was also designed. The chair’s contrast of circles and straight lines make it very interesting. It was re-introduced by Cassina in 1986 as part of their classic series.

Wooden Chair by Marc Newson, 1988

• Designed By - Marc Newson
• When - 1988
• Made From - Bent natural beech heartwood
• Manufactured By - Cappellini
• More Info - This low lounge chair is a very sculptural piece of furniture, like many of Newson’s chairs. A metal version has also been made. It is shown at the MoMA in New York. 

Model 118 Armchair by Grete Jalk, 1963

• Designed By - Grete Jalk
• When - 1963
• Made From - Teak, upholstery
• Manufactured By - France & Søn
• More Info - This is an iconic vintage Danish armchair. It has a simple wooden frame and removable cushions. It was also made into a 2-seater and a 3-seater sofa.

La Chaise by Charles and Ray Eames, 1948

• Designed By - Charles and Ray Eames
• When - 1948
• Made From - Fiberglass, steel supports, oak base
• Manufactured By - Vitra
• More Info - This elegant, graceful chair was inspired by the sculpture ‘Floating Furniture’ by Gaston Lachaise and it is named after the sculptor, rather than because it is a chaise which is what most people would think. It was designed for a competition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. It is a very ergonomic designed and it can be sat in in many ways. The original design was white, with a matt or glossy finish, and a natural oak base but now versions with a pink, orange or red seat and pink or black bases are available.

Bibendum Chair by Eileen Gray, 1929

• Designed By - Eileen Gray
• When - 1929
• Made From - Chrome-pleated tubular steel, leather
• Manufactured By - ClassiCon for Aram Designs
• More Info - This very unique chair was designed by Gray’s for her own house. It was named after the Michelin Man or Monsieur Bibendum because it looks like him. It is quite enclosed and padded  making the sitter feel protected and comfortable. It is available in black, brown, red or white leather or fabric.

Seagull Chair by Arne Jacobsen, 1970

• Designed By - Arne Jacobsen
• When - 1970
• Made From - Painted plywood and chromed steel
• Manufactured By - Fritz Hansen
• More Info - The original version of the is chair (the 3108) was designed for the Danish National Bank in Copenhagen in 1968 and it had no arms. The model number of this beautiful, curvy chair is 3208. It was re-launched in 2007, named ‘Lily’ and made slightly bigger. It is available painted with red, white or black lacquer, fully upholstered in fabric or brown or black leather.

R160 Contour Chair by Grant Featherston, 1951

• Designed By - Grant Featherston
• When - 1951
• Made From - Solid ash frame, foam padding, wool upholstery
• Manufactured By - ?
• More Info - This chair is an icon of Australian design and is shown in museums all over the world. The design for the Contour Chair came to Featherston while sitting on a tram, casually bending his tram ticket around with his hand. He noticed the shape which was formed by the two ends arched towards each other. It is a very padded, comfortable lounge chair. The big body compared to the thin tapered legs makes the chair look very inviting. The upholstery is available in leather, wool and cashmere in a variety of colours. There is also a matching ottoman. 

LC2 Grand Confort Lounge Chair by Le Courbusier, 1928

• Designed By - Le Courbusier
• When - 1928
• Made From - Stainless steel, leather and polyurethane foam
• Manufactured By - Originally by Thonet, Cassina from 1965
• More Info - This is a very sophisticated, boxy, masculine chair which is very popular for offices and is certainly a design icon. What makes this chair different and interesting is that the tubular framework is on the outside and therefore on show which is quite a statement and it challenges the concept of upholstered furniture, but it makes no difference to the comfort.  Le Corbusier described it as a ‘cusion basket’. The chair was designed for the Salon d’Automne in Paris in 1929. It is included in the design collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The chairs are now foam padded but were originally stuffed with down. They were originally upholstered in black or white leather but now a range of brighter colours are available as well as cow hide. There is a smaller version called the ‘petite modèle. There is also a two-seater and three-seater sofa version of this chair.

Favela Chair by Fernando & Humberto Campana, 1991

• Designed By - Fernando & Humberto Campana
• When - 1991
• Made From - Natural Wood
• Manufactured By - Edra
• More Info - The Favela chair is made by gluing and nailing together rectangular pieces of wood one by one into a simple armchair shape. Because they are hand crafted each chair is unique and special. It is named after the  shanty towns of Brazil which it resembles.

Spiral Chair by Poul Henningsen, 1932

• Designed By - Poul Henningsen
• When - 1932
• Made From - Chrome-plated metal and vinyl
• Manufactured By - Louis Poulsen
• More Info - Also known as the Slangestol this clever, minimal design is one of the few chairs designed by Poul Henningsen, who is predominately a lighting designer. It has a very attractive curvy form and a light look due to the one thin metal bar that holds up the seat. It is available with a black, red or white seat and back.