Visionary polymaths Ray and Charles Eames experimented with bent plywood and fiberglass with the goal of producing affordable furniture for a mass market.

“What works good is better than what looks good, because what works good lasts,” said Ray Eames. The Paimio armchair, Swan chair and Panton chair are vintage works of Finnish and Danish seating that left an indelible mark on the history of good furniture design. Other designers of Scandinavian modernist chairs introduced new dynamics to this staple with sculptural flowing lines, curvaceous shapes and efficient functionality. His beloved designs include the Wishbone chair, the wingback Papa Bear chair and many more. The revered Danish cabinetmaker and furniture designer was prolific, having designed nearly 500 chairs over the course of his lifetime. “The chair is the piece of furniture that is closest to human beings,” said Hans Wegner. While craftsmanship and styles have evolved in the past century, chairs have had a singular significance in our lives, no matter what your favorite chair looks like. Art Nouveau chairs, the style of which also originated in those regions, embraced the inherent magnificence of the natural world with decorative flourishes and refined designs that blended both curved and geometric contour lines.

With the exception of rocking chairs, the majority of the seating in our homes today - antique and vintage Windsor chairs, chaise longues, wingback chairs - originated in either England or France. Can you imagine your life without the vintage, new or antique chairs you love? Chairs are an indispensable component of your home and office.

Vintage vinyl dining chairs