The International Style, a modernist movement within architecture and furniture design that was given its name by American architect Philip Johnson and historian Henry-Russell Hitchcock, was born during the 1920s and ’30s. It gained steam initially in Europe and then in the United States as a response to the first World War. Building projects associated with the movement, as well as vintage International Style chairs, tables and other furnishings, are minimal and pared back.
Pioneers of the International Style — architect Walter Gropius and his Bauhaus colleagues Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Marcel Breuer, De Stijl advocate and Dutch architect J.J.P. Oud and visionary designer Le Corbusier — stripped away decorative elements and placed considerable value on functionality and clean lines, integrating the use of industrial materials like steel, concrete and large sheets of glass in their work. Quite aptly, this mode of design and architectural style coincided with an era now known as the Machine Age and became a global symbol of modernism. The primary motive of its practitioners was to address the changing needs of a rapidly industrializing society, especially the demand for office complexes and apartments in large cities, through economical, technologically advanced, yet aesthetically pleasing designs for furniture and buildings.
“Space and light and order. Those are the things that men need just as much as they need bread or a place to sleep,” said Le Corbusier of the philosophy behind his practical modernist architecture.
The International Style’s designers and architects were inspired by the advantages afforded them by the era’s new technology and industrial machinery as well as state-of-the-art materials. Le Corbusier was fond of framing his buildings in steel but reinforced concrete made far more economic sense. He is probably most admired for the iconic private homes and commercial buildings that he designed or codesigned with his cousin Pierre Jeanneret, which are spread across the world, from New York City to Paris to Chandigarh, India. Today, Breuer’s Wassily Lounge chair; the elegant LC series created by Le Corbusier, Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand; and Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chair, crafted with his romantic partner, designer Lilly Reich, are emblems of progressive modernist design and all make prominent use of tubular steel. Vintage originals are the prized cornerstone of collections.
“The International Style is probably the first fundamentally original and widely distributed style since the Gothic,” posited Johnson in the book that accompanied “Modern Architecture: International Exhibition,” an architectural show he cocurated with Hitchcock that featured the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier, Richard Neutra and others. While the term “International Style” had previously been circulating in Europe, when the show opened at the Museum of Modern Art in 1932, it yielded a much broader application of this important style of design.
Find International Style furniture on 1stDibs.
Pair of Mid Century Modern Bauhaus Wassily Chairs by Gavina - Stendig in Cognac
By Dino Gavina
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Simple and elegant iconic design by Marcel Breur and recreated by Dino Gavina in heavy Cognac Saddle Leather C 1975 Italy. Chairs were in the same family for 2 generations and rarely...
Steel, Chrome
Mies Van der Rohe Knoll custom order chrome with black leather MR chair
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Knoll
Located in Ferndale, MI
MR lounge chair designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe 1927 . This is a licensed Knoll edition maybe 1975 . Custom ordered with contrasting straps . Above average condition some roughn...
Chrome
$1,487Sale Price / item|20% Off
Lola Wicker Chair
Located in Hollywood, FL
The Lola chair is a remarkable testament to the beauty of natural materials and expert craftsmanship. Skilled artisans in the Philippines meticulously weave the chair from wicker, wh...
Wicker
$2,904Sale Price / item|20% Off
Arata Lounge Chair in a Natural Wood Finish
Located in Hollywood, FL
The Arata stands out with its alluring curves and the gentle radiance of pine wood. The left and right limbs are symmetrical counterparts, mirroring the human form with their repetit...
Wood
$1,487Sale Price / item|20% Off
Lola Wicker Chair
Located in Hollywood, FL
The new Lola chair is a remarkable testament to the beauty of natural materials and expert craftsmanship. Skilled artisans in the Philippines meticulously weave the chair from wicker...
Wicker
$1,733Sale Price / item|20% Off
Lola Open Weave Chair
Located in Hollywood, FL
The Lola chair is a true testament to the beauty of design and comfort. The chair features an open weave of leather that covers a sensually shaped frame, creating a striking and eye-...
Leather
$12,000Sale Price / set|38% Off
Pair of Rattan Chaise Lounge Chairs Tito Agnoli for Pierantonio Bonacina, c 1963
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Deland, FL
Constructed from bamboo and rattan and consistent with the line, shape and period materials of Italian designer, Tito Agnoli, for Pierantonio Bonacina, Circa 1963. ---Dimensions--- ...
Bamboo
$1,540Sale Price / item|20% Off
Lola Lampakanai Chair
Located in Hollywood, FL
The Lola chair is a true testament to the beauty of design and comfort. This exquisite combination of materials and design creates a perfect balance between style and comfort, making...
Reed
$1,500Sale Price / item|22% Off
Wing Open Weave Saddle Leather Chair
Located in Hollywood, FL
To enhance both style and comfort, supple woven leather gracefully envelops an intriguingly shaped chair.
Leather
$1,500Sale Price / item|22% Off
Wing Open Weave White Leather Chair
Located in Hollywood, FL
To enhance both style and comfort, supple woven leather gracefully envelops an intriguingly shaped chair.
Leather
$1,500Sale Price / item|22% Off
Wing Open Weave Brown Leather Chair
Located in Hollywood, FL
The chair's distinct shape is enveloped in meticulously woven leather, enhancing both its style and comfort.
Leather
Pair of Italian Loung Chairs Unique
Located in Long Island, NY
A pair of Italian Lounge Chairs , woven wood at the back and sides , suede seat in Tan Color. Unique Pieces made in Italy .
Oak
$1,733Sale Price / item|20% Off
Lola Open Weave Leather Chair
Located in Hollywood, FL
The Lola chair is a true testament to the beauty of design and comfort. The chair features an open weave of leather that covers a sensually shaped frame, creating a striking and eye-...
Leather
$1,733Sale Price / item|20% Off
Lola Open Weave Leather Chair
Located in Hollywood, FL
The Lola chair is a true testament to the beauty of design and comfort. The chair features an open weave of leather that covers a sensually shaped frame, creating a striking and eye-...
Leather
Arco Armchair, by RAIN, Contemporary Armchair, Upholstery on Wood Structure
By RAIN
Located in Sao Paulo, SP
Arco is an upholstered armchair of simple and enveloping geometry. The shape of the piece reproduces the arch of the body, creating a welcoming anatomical shell. The armchair is cove...
Upholstery
$3,432Sale Price|20% Off
Arata Lounge Chair in a Dark Wood Finish
Located in Hollywood, FL
The Arata chair stands out with its alluring curves and the gentle radiance of pine wood.The left and right limbs are symmetrical counterparts, mirroring the human form with their re...
Wood
SOFO Modular Chair by Superstudio: Stackable Polyurethane Design
By Superstudio
Located in Tinton Falls, NJ
SOFO is a seat to place in a row, like a train, or to stack to build solid, colorful mountains. It is simply a block made with an S—shaped cut from a cube of polyurethane, covered wi...
Fabric, Upholstery
McGuire Umbria Rattan and Wicker Lounge Chair with Ottoman
By McGuire
Located in Franklin Park, IL
McGuire Umbria Rattan and Wicker Lounge Chair with Ottoman The chair measures: 33 wide x 43 deep x 38 high, with a seat height of 19 inches and arm height/chair clearance of 23.5 in...
Upholstery, Wicker, Rattan
$3,250
H 31 in W 26.75 in D 29.5 in
Danish Easy Chair with Open Armrests by Alfred Christensen, 1940's
By Alfred Christensen, Slagelse Mobelvaerk
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Classic elegant Danish lowback easy armchair from the 1940s by Alfred Christensen for Slagelse Mobelvaerk with open armrests in beautifully curved mahogany stained beech. Nice low el...
Wool, Beech
$2,750
H 4,275 in W 26.5 in D 25 in
Danish Midcentury Higback Lounge Chair with Open Armrests by Fritz Hansen
By Fritz Hansen, Frits Hansen/Soren Hansen
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Stylistically perfect open armchair designed by Soren Hansen for Fritz Hansen in the early 1940s. Sturdy construction of stained beech wood with the frame being in very good conditio...
Wool, Beech
$5,750 / item
H 29.5 in W 28.75 in D 30.5 in
Lawrence Peabody Wicker Lounge Chair for Craft Associates Furniture
Located in Oak Harbor, OH
Designer: Lawrence Peabody Manufacturer: Craft Associates® Furniture Period/Model: Mid-Century Modern Specs: Walnut, leather Lawrence Peabody wicker lounge chair...
Teak
Mies van der Rohe for Knoll Barcelona Chair and Stool
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Knoll
Located in Dallas, TX
Mies van der Rohe's iconic Barcelona chair with stool. Stamped Knoll.
Metal
$3,750
H 37.75 in W 30 in D 28 in
Alfred Christensen Danish 1940s Easy Chair with Open Armrests in Beech
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Classic elegant Danish high back armchair from the 1940s by Alfred Christensen for Slagelse Mobelvaerk with open armrests in beautifully carved stained beech wood. Nice slim elegant...
Beech
Marcel Breuer Early Canvas Model B3 "Wassily" Chair by Gavina
By Gavina, Marcel Breuer
Located in Dronten, NL
An exceptional early example of Marcel Breuer’s iconic Model B3 “Wassily” chair, produced by Gavina in Italy. This rare edition features the original natural canvas upholstery, highl...
Chrome
60s Wassily Chair by Marcel Breuer for Gavina (Original)
By Gavina, Marcel Breuer
Located in Ljubljana, SI
A true icon of 20th-century design – this original Wassily Chair (Model B3), designed by Marcel Breuer in 1925–26 and produced by Gavina (Italy) in the 1960s, is a rare and highly co...
Metal, Chrome
$3,750
H 37.5 in W 30 in D 32 in
Danish 1940s Easy Chair with Open Armrests in Beech by Alfred Christensen
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Classic elegant Danish high back armchair from the 1940s by Alfred Christensen for Slagelse Mobelvaerk with open armrests in beautifully carved natural beech wood. Nice slim elegant ...
Beech, Wool
$6,200 / set
H 32 in W 24 in D 30 in
1940s Open Arm Lounge Club Chairs Attributed to Fritz Hansen Danish Midcentury
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Superb Danish late Art Deco early midcentury chairs from the early 1930-40s with spring cushions and beautiful open armrests and legs carved in solid Birch with great grain and patin...
Wool, Oak
Pair of Mid-Century Modern Open Arm Walnut Lounge Chairs
Located in Wilmington, DE
Pair of Mid-Century Modern walnut open arm lounge chairs Offered is a beautifully pair of original lounge chairs by Cintique. They are all original and feature the original green ...
Walnut
$2,737Sale Price|25% Off
H 48 in W 38 in D 36 in
1970s Rattan Woven Wicker Peacock Fan Back Lounge Chair
Located in Jensen Beach, FL
Striking vintage peacock chair with rattan frame and woven wicker detail.
Wicker, Rattan
Pair of Knoll Barcelona Chairs by Mies Van Der Rohe
By Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Knoll
Located in San Mateo, CA
Pair of Barcelona chairs manufactured by Knoll. These have a polished stainless steel frame with tan or saddle colored leather. These were purchased in the 1970's. The chair frames s...
Stainless Steel
Knoll Mies Van Der Rohe Barcelona Chair/ ONE LEFT!
By Knoll, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe Black Leather and Stainless Steel Barcelona Chair. All seat straps have been replaced and Leather Cushions are in nice shape. Dated 1976 on label. Stainless ...
Stainless Steel
Clara Wicker Lounge Chair
Located in Hollywood, FL
Introducing the Clara Lounge Chair, one of the latest creations from the talented designer Vito Selma. As part of a trio of exceptional lounge chairs, Clara...
Wicker
Eileen Gray, Transat Lounge Chair, 1970s
By Eileen Gray
Located in Argelato, BO
Eileen Grey, Black leather lounge chair, model Transat, 1970s. Black lacquered wood, brushed metal, black leather.
Metal
Pr. Vintage Barcelona Chairs Ca. 1970's
Located in New York, NY
Chic pair of vintage Barcelona Chairs, having leather seats, and bright chrome frames. These chairs are vintage 1970's probably made in Italy, ...
Steel
Sold
H 30.5 in W 25.8 in D 18.8 in
Handwoven Malawi Cane Lounge Chair in Open Weave with White Linen Cushion
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This lounge chair artfully combines handwoven cane and solid wood with a plush linen and down-filled cushion, bringing long-lasting comfort to nearly any interior setting. Here at Z...
Linen, Cane, Rattan
Pr. LC2 Petite Confort Modele Club Chairs by Le Corbusier
By Le Corbusier
Located in New York, NY
Exquisite pair of LC2 Petite Modele armchairs in bright chrome with black leather cushions. These chairs are vintage 1970's, probably made in Italy, unsigned. Both are in very fine, ...
Chrome
Leather Barcelona Lounge Chair by Ludwig Miles van der Rohe
By Knoll
Located in Cincinnati, OH
A soft leather cream colored Barcelona lounge chair with polished chrome steel frame and matching back and bottom straps. Well crafted with double sewn leather cushions in the manner...
Leather
Breuer Wassily Canvas and Chromed Lounge Chair
Located in Cincinnati, OH
A hard to find canvas slung Wassily lounge chair with sculptural steel chromed frame by Marcel Breuer finished in a yellowish canvas material. Model # B3 designed in the late 1930's ...
Canvas
Pair of Meis Barcelona Chairs by Knoll
By Knoll, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Located in New York, NY
Impressive pair of Knoll (Park Ave.) Barcelona chairs in wonderful baseball glove worn brown leather. Designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, the Barcelona chair practically singularly...
Stainless Steel
Vintage Wassily Chair Attributed to Knoll
By Marcel Breuer, Knoll
Located in New York, NY
Nice early Wassily chair in rich brown patinated leather and chrome. This example shows some cosmetic wear, notably significant wear to chrome ele...
Chrome
Sold
H 30 in W 30 in D 30 in
Mies van der Rohe Barcelona Chairs & Ottoman for Knoll International, circa 1974
Located in Saint Louis, MO
A fantastic pair of labeled and authentic Barcelona lounge chairs and single Barcelona ottoman by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe for Knoll International. Originally created to serve as Mod...
Chrome