The 2000s has seen a rapid growth of technologies which has influenced and altered life as well as transformed the way we think.

Chair_ONE, 2003

Konstantin Grcic (German, born 1965)

Manufactured by Magis (Italian)

78.7 x 55 x 78.7 cm

http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/artwork/189808

 

Ghost, 2003

Philippe Starck

Transparent Polycarbonate

21st c. Icon Chair

The Ghost chair was made by Kartell, and designed by Philippe Starck. It is permanently exhibited at the MoMA and the Pompideau.

It is made from a single injection of transparent polycarbonate to make this light, stackable, weatherproof chair. It is a contemporary take on the classic Louis XVI armchair.

http://www.design55online.co.uk/blog/2014/04/10/101-cool-chair-designs/

Pano, 2008

Studio Lo
Plywood

The Pano arrives as a single sheet of plywood that has been pre-scored using a high-powered water jet so that the parts of the Pano can be separated and assembled. It slots together using mortice and tenon joints and there are no connecting screws or bolts.

This design is not only elegant but also very ecological. The Pano might have evolved in a direct line from Kit Nicholson's Standard Booth's Oritetsu.
The chair achieves style, functionality and green credentials by openly embracing the very last in science and technology.

Studio Lo are Eva Guillet and Aruna Ratnayake, who have been working together since 2003. They work on objects through defining restraints - whether they be ethical, ecological, institutional, techincal, symbolic or a combination of some or all of these.

http://www.design55online.co.uk/blog/2014/04/10/101-cool-chair-designs/

By the time the 1990s hit, the exuberant post-modernist spirit had faded. Designers searched for a much more purposeful approach to design with greater depth and meaning. Some of the designers turned to past styles and drew out elements to incorporate into their new designs.

W.W.Stool. 1990

Philippe Starck

Production: 1922 to the present

Vitra, Switzerland

Manufacturer: Vita AG, Basel

97 x 56 x 53cm

Varnished sand-cast aluminum

Jack Light, 1966

Tom Dixon

Production: Eurolouge

Plastic

Tom Dixon Jack Lamp can be purchased from here.

Bone, 1996

Ross Lovegrove

Maple and leather

This particular chair is known for its one piece frame and armrests made of carved maple which has a cantilevered form.  The saddle-style seat is of stitched leather. It merges Modernism, Post-moderism and Bauhaus together in a manner that is very bold and extravagant. It is amazing as it acts as a beautiful sculptural piece as well as a chair, although this particularly chair is fundamentally informed by function.

http://www.design55online.co.uk/blog/2014/04/10/101-cool-chair-designs/

Postmodernism also influenced the 1980s in terms of The era defines definition with a mix of styles which was visually thrilling yet at times ruinous. This drastic departure from Modernist view of "less is more" opened up windows into a new world of complexity and contradiction.
Modernism demanded a lack of ornamentation when it came to accessories that the postmodernists avoided. There was more than 'one way of life' for the people and post modernists believe a persons ideas show influences their personal spaces. Thus eclecticism was encouraged and adored.

Carlton

Ettore Sottsass Jr.

Room Divider

Production since 1981 to present

Memphis s.r.l., Pregnana

Milanese, near Milan

195.5 x 190 x 40cm

wood, laminated plastic

http://www.design-museum.de/en/collection/100-masterpieces/detailseiten/carlton-ettore-sottsass-jr.html

"Carlton" symbolizes essential traits of the style which as a consequence of Memphis became known almost overnight as New Design. Mundane and depthless laminated materials are trade-marks of Memphis. Carlton presents many decorative aesthetics of patterns, resulting in the blending of graphic and geometric structures, loud colours and comic strips.

As in the world of telecommunications, the view no longer perceives an object in itself, but rather a medium that catches the eye by virtue of its surface and structure, and which triggers sensory perceptions. As a result, the colours of Carlton are carefully matches and the structure is based on the imaginary form of a rhombus.

http://www.design-museum.de/en/collection/100-masterpieces/detailseiten/carlton-ettore-sottsass-jr.html

Verspanntes Regal 1984

Wolfgang Laubersheimer

Production since 1984

Pentagon, Cologne

250 x 42 x 31; base 31 x 31cm

3mm thick sheet steel, steel cable, tensioner

http://www.design-museum.de/en/collection/100-masterpieces/detailseiten/verspanntes-regal-laubersheimer.html

The New Design of the 80s was not based on industrial mass production, but was often home-grown in that design, manufacture and sale were all carried out by the designer himself. Design was able to concentrate on objects manufactured in varying quantities as opposed to creating a longlife product or a design for serial production.  One of the icons of New Design is the Verspanntes Regal. 

Laubersheimer is a cofounder of Pentagon, a group of designer who joined forces in Cologne in 1985 and set up their own gallery there. Today, the shelf is no longer part of the Pentagon collection as the gallery had to close in 1990.

http://www.design-museum.de/en/collection/100-masterpieces/detailseiten/verspanntes-regal-laubersheimer.html

MN-01 LC1, Lockheed Lounge

Marc Newson

Pod, Australia (Manufacturer)

1988-1990 (Production)

86 x 166 x 57cm

Rivited Sheet Aluminum

The origins of Newson's work are often associated with Sydney (his native city) where the sea is omnipresent with his hobby of surfing.

The Lockheed Lounge is primarily made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic. The legs smoothly descend from the natural curves and are covered with rubber, a stylistic principle to be found in many of Newson’s works. The entire surface is covered with thin-walled aluminum sheets attached with blind rivets. These sheets do not overlap but are joined together almost seamlessly, giving the impression of an airplane fuselage.

http://www.design-museum.de/en/collection/100-masterpieces/detailseiten/lockheed-lounge-newson.html

Post Modernism was moving away from the "less is more" aspect of architecture and interior design. Postmodernists believed in making as many references as possible to determine our own individual subjective conclusion. They wanted to challenge audiences and make them ask questions, ultimately allowing them to develop their own particular style incorporating many various elements. This style was a riot of styles, cultures and whimsical collages. The rise of mass media helped postmodernism take off and connect the world together.
The 1970s was also a decade of protest and


1970s Interiors:
- Living spaces were increased in size, despite the fact that most families were decreasing in numbers.
- Family room especially became bigger in order to be used for a multi-functioning room.
- Materials used were Lucite, glass, vinyl, leather, metal, chrome and timber. Chrome and glass created a clean, space age look. Plastic became an acceptable material for furniture. Beanbag chairs became a trend for relaxed seating.
- Fluffy shag rugs became popular and contrasted again the modern lines and materials used for furnishings.
- Kitchens were larger and functioned more efficiently with storage spaces. A dishwasher also became a necessity rather than a luxury.
- Lighting was very innovative and new design solutions included the lava lamp, arc floor lamp in chrome and large white globe lamps. Chrome and plastic were the most popular materials for lighting.


1970s Exteriors:
- Houses became influenced with the owners individuality, emphasize this notion of Post modernism.
- Swimming pools became popular and a common option for most families
- Many homes had double garages as by this stage both partners were working
- Extruded bricks, wrought iron railings and aluminum panels and insert screens fitted to all windows.
- The roofs were shallow pitched, and the 60s' fashion of a flat roof for garages, porches, or anywhere else other than the main roof, was still popular
- Concrete tiles on the roof.
- Steps were concreted and covered in pebblecrete. Homes were either brick veneer or double brick.

'Rhea' 1970s

Designed for Sanderson Fabrics

Medium to heavy weight satinised cotton.

A similar vintage 'Rhea' fabric can be purchased online through Fabulous Vintage. This particular material has been reclaimed from a pair of curtains.

The 'Wiggle' Side Chair, 1972

Frank O Gehry (American)

Part of a series of 17 pieces of furniture called "Easy edge"

East edge series/Collection

Easy Edges, Inc., New York

85 x 42.5 x 60; seat height 45.5cm

Corrugated cardboard, fiberboard, round timber

http://www.design-museum.de/en/collection/100-masterpieces/detailseiten/wiggle-side-chair-frank-o-gehry.html

“One day I saw a pile of corrugated cardboard outside of my office – the material which I prefer for building architecture models – and I began to play with it, to glue it together and to cut it into shapes with a hand saw and a pocket knife.” Gehry

http://www.design-museum.de/en/collection/100-masterpieces/detailseiten/wiggle-side-chair-frank-o-gehry.html

Cardboard furniture came on the scene during the 60s as a cheap and light alternative to traditional furniture. Gehry named this material Edge Board which consisted of glued layers of corrugated cardboard running in alternating directions, and in 1972 he introduced a series of cardboard furniture under the name "Easy Edges."

675 Maralunga. 1973
Vico Magistretti
Cassina (Manufacturer)
166 x 95 x H 72-100/45 cm
Launched in 1973
Found and purchased here.
http://www.architonic.com/pmsht/675-maralunga-cassina/1020488

Tizio Table Lamp. 1972

Richard Sapper (German, born 1932)

10.2 x 76.2 x 76.2 cm

ABS plastic (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer), aluminium, metal alloy

1988.236.10

Sapper, when designing the lamp he sought to redesign the concept of the standard desk lamp. He created a completely adjustable lamp that featured a precise, intense yet small light source.

Using a sensitive counterweight system, Snapper created an adjustable arm on the snap that can be manipulated into almost any position. This makes it easier for the user to direct the light source exactly where it is needed most for them.

The lamp features a halogen bulb, marking one of the first uses of this type of light outside the automobile industry.

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1988.236.10

The 1960s is a decades marked by dramatic inventions and a celebration of colour and designs.

By the early 1960s there was a new generation of designers who were rejecting the solid values of the 1950s organic modernist theme by experimenting with exciting new materials such as plastic. They were using these new materials to creative new furniture in vivid colours with fluid shapes. They emphasized informality and dramatically sculptural outlines.

Builders also began to construct sample homes in the 1960s which were called 'project homes' - constructed very cheaply, were built to meet the needs of middle class people.

Chicago house designed by Richard Himmel in the late 1960s

Features polyurethane floors and furnishings in plexiglas, vinyl and chrome.

http://www.architecturaldigest.com/architecture/2008-09/1960s_slideshow_092008

Garden Egg Chair, 1968

Peter Ghyzczy (Hungarian)

Tangerine and Yellow

Museum no. W.8-2007

Victoria and Albert Museum's Cold war Modern exhibition.

The design incorporates typical elements of the period:

- A space age look, UFO-like form, bright coloured plastic lacquer, portability and the informal lounging quality of the low seat.

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/g/the-garden-egg-chair/

Donna Up5, 1969

Gaetano Pesce

Production: 1970-3

Manufacturer: C & B Italia (Cassina & Busnelli)

92 x 117 x 137; seat height 40cm, circumference 60cm

Polyurethane foam, cold foam-molded, nylon-jersey

http://www.design-museum.de/en/collection/100-masterpieces/detailseiten/ups-und-up6-donna-pesce.html

"Donna" is a fantastic example of Gaetano Pesce's fondness for anthropomorphic shapes. The chair was designed to resembled a "prehistoric, female fertility figure, with a ball attached to symbolize captivity." 

http://www.design-museum.de/en/collection/100-masterpieces/detailseiten/ups-und-up6-donna-pesce.html

Pesce states "In this design I have expressed my idea of women. A woman is always confined, a prisoner of herself against her will. For this reason I wanted to give this chair the shape of a woman with a ball chained to her foot to use the traditional image of a prisoner."Gaetano Pesce, “Progetti n. 34, 44. Serie di imbottiti ‘UP’,” in Mario Mastropietro. Un’ Industria per il Design (Milan, 1982), 212.

Lava Lamp

Edward Craven Walker

Iconic symbol of the psychedelic 1960s

Walker was inspired to create this brightly coloured lamp after admiring an oil and water-based ornament he has spotted.  In 1963 he set up a company (now known as Mathmos) to research, develop and market his invention. Mathmos is named after a lava-like substance.

These lamps were very popular for this "wax shapes that formed, rose and sank because of the heat of tungsten bulbs."

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-23754303

'Floppy Poppy' Marimekko

Art Nouveau inspired print designed in 1967 for Sanderson Fabrics by Diana and Derek Collard.

It's a vibrant pink, red, gold and green psychedelic furnishing fabrics in a gorgeous medium weight sanitized cotton.

http://blog.fabulousvintage.com.au/tag/design/

Marimekko was founded in 1951 by Finnish couple Armi and Viljo and translates to "Mary-dress."

They are renowned for their bold, effusive textiles and readymade product and have become a very respect and popular name within the design industry. 

In the 1960s, bold prints and boxy fashions became the height of all fashion in Finland and abroad, launching Marimekko into the international sphere.

http://www.finnishdesign.com/finnish-design-companies/marimekko/history-of-marimekko

There were many building restrictions as a result of World War II, and as a result house areas were limited to approximately 110m2 and used simpler building designs as well as building materials were limited too. These new homes usually contained only two bedrooms, a sitting room, dining room and a kitchen. As houses were much smaller than pre-war houses, furniture therefore had to stack up or be light enough to move around. As a result trolleys, sofa beds and ironing boards all became 1950s inventions.

Contemporary 1950s saw this style defined by angular appearances and very low pitched skillion roofs. these were typically made from metal or asbestos and often very inexpensive to build. The style usually had fitted kitchen and used many primary or colourful colours. New materials were available such as PVC, formica, fibreglass, rubber, melamine, aluminium, vinyl and plastics and were used to create abstract and geometrical patterns.

The 1950s was the age of the consumer as a result of the post-warm boom which brought massive changes into the house; out with the old and in with the new. The kitchen was one particular space that was seen fitted with brand new appliances which was the housewife's domain.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/homes/design/period_1950s.shtml

An advertisement for a 1950s house 

Note: promotion of Asbestos as a 

building material 

Chest of Drawers. 1950s

Robin Day for Hille Vintage

Walnut and Satin wood 

Depth: 46cm, Width: 92cm, Height: 76cm

This beautifully designed chest of draws was designed by Robyn Day and manufactured for Hille. It was retailed in Heal's during the 1950s and still in original condition.

http://www.retrospectiveinteriors.com/content/walnut-satin-wood-chest-drawers-robin-day-hille-vintage-1950s

Wire Mesh Chair, 1951-53

Charles and Ray Eames

Bent steel, welded steel

Herman Miller, US (Production)

By the early 1950s Charles and Ray began experimenting on the design of wire mesh chairs made from bent and welded steel. By doubling the gauge of the steel for the rim of the chair, the Eames developed a light, airy pieces of furniture, which was also extremly robust. They then applied the 'mix and match' principle by mounting the detachable seats on different bases, such as stackable legs and elegant "Eiffel Tower" pylons.

http://designmuseum.org/exhibitions/online/a-century-of-chairs/1950s

Series 7, Model No. 3017, 1955

Arne Jacobsen

Fritz Hansen, Denmark (Production)

Teak-faced plywood, tubular steel

Arne Jacobsen was a Danish architect renowned for combining rationalist principles of modernism with a Nordic love of organic forms and materials (eg. SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen). He was inspired by the plywood experiments of Charles and Ray Eames.

http://designmuseum.org/exhibitions/online/a-century-of-chairs/1950s

Retro Original Desk Lamp 1950s

Herbert Terry Anglepoise 

Hertbert Terry and Sons.

Designed by automotive engineer George Carwardine.

Selling online here for 95 pounds.

Calyx textile design, 1951

Lucienne Day

Designed for Heals

'Calyx' was designed for London design shop Hea's which was the iconic fabric that was truly to establish Lucienne's name within the industry. It was created in 1951 and launched at the Festival of Britain; a design-historical event. The fabric, whose cupped forms represented flowers in abstracted form and whose bold colour resonated so strongly with the primary-coloured theme of the South bank really captured the public imagination.

The design "electrified the whole of the British textile industry, as well as sending shock waves abroad" (Lesley Jackson).

Modernism (1930 - 1950) is a philosophical movement that arose from transformations in Western society. Modernism rejected the certainty of Enlightenment thinking, and many modernists rejected religious belief. Modernism, in general includes the activities and creations of those who felt the traditional forms of art, architecture, literature, religious faith, philosophy, social organization, and activities of daily life were becoming outdates in the new economic, social and political environment of an emerging fully industrialized world. Modernism explicitly rejected the ideology of realism.

Modernism was inspired by a need to escape from past excessive decoration, a style of the early 20th century that embraced machine technology and favoured geometric forms and smooth uncluttered surfaces. They theory of modern design was deliberately simple as a response to the growing complexity of the world.
Modernist objects look very different to those that came immediately before them: they have no ornament and no overt reference to historical style and they tend to emphasize materials and processes of constructing. The modern period was labelled functionalism, minimalism and even brutalism. The whole style was very geometric in shape and inspiration.

Characteristics of the Modernism Design:

- Primary coloured accessories/decor against neutral coloured walls.

- Aim to create a spacious atmosphere - white was primarily used to give this effect

- Geometrical patterns and shapes were explored and were a common feature within interiors

"A house is a machine for living in"

Le Corbusier

1927 E 1027 Eileen Gray
Atelier Eileen Gray/Galerie Jean Desert, Paris
Height: 61-100cm, Diameter: 50cm
Varnished tubular steel, acrylic glass
A replica can be purchase here with tempered glass and chromed steel.

http://www.design-museum.de/en/collection/100-masterpieces/detailseiten/e-1027-eileen-gray.html


Eileen Gray (1878-1976) was an Irish furniture designer and architect. She was a huge influence upon the Modernist movement and some aspects of the Art Deco movement. She is regarded as "the champion of a singularly free method of expression (August 1917 British Vogue). Gray was designing at a time most leading designers were male and part of one movement or another (eg Congres Internationaux d'Architecture Moderne), Gray preferred to remain an independent designer. As a woman she was denied access to the suportive networks from which her male contemporaries benefited.

She had a very distinctive style, developing an opulent and luxuriant take on geometric forms and industrially produced material used by the International style designers (Le Corbusier etc.)

http://designmuseum.org/design/eileen-gray

Bibendum Eileen Gray 1929

A replica can be found here.

This one of a kind chair is captivatingly harmonious despite its size and unites a majestic impressiveness with charm. It is truly like no other armchair and looks fantastic in an open space.

https://suite.io/christopher-wilson/1c2n2sx

"House of Buildings"

The Bauhaus school was a extension of the Weimar school of design, founded by professor Walter Gropius. Gropius created innovative designs that borrowed materials and methods of construction from modern technology. He is regarded as one of the pioneering masters of Modern Architecture.

The Bauhaus was distinctive for its modern learning and it led to the acceptance of modern architecture and design throughout the world. They adapted the new manufacturing technologies to making items for home, and students had the opportunity for work experience and the concept of working as teams and testing problems. They focused on design to except change and a need to control the machine, by educating the designers. They were also well prepared to meet the challenges of industry and the trade. The Bauhaus revolutionised artistic and architectural thinking and production worldwide, and is considered a headstone of the Modern Age. The Bauhaus was closed in 1933 due to constant pressure from the Nazi regime.

Architecture and Interior Design:

- Rooms predominantly plain, neutral colours using textural contrast to provide interest and a splash of strong use of the primary colours, chrome-plated steel and veneered plywood.

- Shapes - elegant, functional and no extra orientation.

- Philosophy became recognized as the new use of glass and steel - typical geometric shapes of the Bauhaus, important influences on the modern style.

Slatted Chair ti 1a, design 1924. Marcel Breuer

Weimar Classics Foundation

This version of the slatted chair is a further development of a design dating from 1922, which was based on the design principles of De Stijl. The elastic and included seat, as well as the elastic rear belts, was intended to promote a comfortable and ergonomic seated posture.

Siebenbrodt, Michael (Ed.): Bauhaus Weimar. Designs for the Future, Ostfildern-Ruit 2000.

'Long Chair' Marcel Breuer, 1935-1936

Isokon Furniture Company

Reclining chair of laminated (birch) ply, the angled back-rest and shaped seat of one continuous piece of moulded plywood supported by a bent plywood frame consisting of three separate elements.

Height: 730mm Width: 620mm

Powerhouse Museum

Bauhaus Table Lamp original. 1924

Wilhelm Wagerfeld

Milky-glass shade (inside opal glass; outside clear glass) with chromium-plated steel drame on glass base. Gable with black woven fabric. The Wagenfeld table lamp WA 24 continues to be manufactured on this basis, following the original specifications for demensions and materials. All lamps are consecutively numbered under the base and bear the Bauhaus and Technolumen ® logos.

Diffuser Width: 18thcm x Height: 36cm

Light bulb: 1 x max. 75W Incandescent

Glass, metal

Can be purchased from InteriorDeluxe or a replica can be found at MattBlatt for a lower price.

"Gunta Stölzl (5 March 1897 – 22 April 1983) was a German textile artist  who played a fundamental role in the development of the Bauhaus school’s weaving workshop. As the Bauhaus’s only female master she created enormous change within the weaving department as it transitioned from individual pictorial works to modern industrial designs. She joined the Bauhaus as a student in 1920, became a junior master in 1927 and a full master the next year. She was dismissed for political reasons in 1931, a year before the Bauhaus closed under pressure from the Nazis.  The textile department was a neglected part of the Bauhaus when Ms. Stölzl began her career, and its active masters were weak on the technical aspects of textile production. She soon became a mentor to other students and reopened the Bauhaus dye studios in 1921. After a brief departure, Stölzl became the school's weaving director in 1925 when it relocated from Weimar to Dessau and expanded the department to increase its weaving and dyeing facilities. She applied ideas from modern art to weaving, experimented with synthetic materials, and improved the department's technical instruction to include courses in mathematics. The Bauhaus weaving workshop became one of its most successful facilities under her direction."

Source

Art Deco is an influential visual arts design style that appeared in France after World War I, flourishing internationallly in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s before its popularity waned after World War II. It is an eclectic style that combines traditional craft motifs with Machine Age imagery and materials.

Art Deco emerged from the Interwar period when rapid industrialization was transforming culture. One of its makor attributes is an embrace of technology. This distinguishes Deco from the organic motifs favouried but its predecessor. This decorating movement was based on the desire to let go of traditional design aesthetics and to move into a more modern approach to furnishings and decorating. The style is often characterized by rich colour, bold geometric shapes, and lavish ornamentation. Art Deco focused on using non-traditional materials such as glass, mirrors, chrome, bakelite, terrazzo and other human-made materials. Colours were usually lavish and much attention was paid to black and metallics.

Historian Bevis Hiller defined Art Deco as "an assertively modern style that ran to symmetry tather than asymmetry, and to the rectilinear rather than the curvilinear; it responsed to the demands of the machine and of new material and the requirements of mass production". Hillier, Bevis (1968). Art Deco of the 20s and 30s. Studio Vista.

Distinctive features:
- Inlayed wood
- Scrolled ends
- Tassled details
- Nickled bronze hardware
- Marble (rich coloured veining)
- Rose wood

1930s Art Deco Tub Chair

A stunning and unusual vintage Art Deco tub chair in mahogany with inlaid side panels and rosewood feet. A high quality, stylish chair, it has lots of detailing o the stretchers, legs and arm supports. The side panels have mahogany and ebony inlay to form a square central lozenge decoration. it has been newly recovered in a cream linen fabric which has a geometric pattern embroidered on it in bronze lines. 

Mahogany

Very good condition. Solid a few marks commensurate with age. Newly recovered over original upholstery which is sound.

Width: 23" Depth: 2-" Height to seat: 17.5" Overall Height: 37"
Found here.

Vintage 1930s Art Deco Walnut Display Cabinet/Bookcase

A stylish 1930s Art Deco cabinet in beautifully figured pale gold walnut. It has curved glazed doors with deco tracery radiating from a central pillar. 

Walnut.
Width: 42" Depth: 15.5" Height at back: 49" Height at front" 46"
Found here.

Art Deco 1930s Diana Table Lamp Original.

Enrique Molins Balleste (French)

Bronze-patinated spelter on marble, glass

The sculpture measures 37cm high, the oval marble base is 18.5cm by 10.5 cm. Total weight is 1.9kg.

Original selling here.