Although now dubbed the King of Slovenian Design, Niko Kralj was for many years one of the great unsung heroes of industrial design.
The late architect and furniture designer Kralj was known for groundbreaking seating and tables that seamlessly blend functionality with an elegant economy of line. He received little recognition outside his own country, despite registering 120-plus patents and models, including those for the Mosquito bar stool — named for its winglike seat and first produced in 2012 — and a number of inventive “foldables,” like the Rex coffee table and Rex daybed for children.
Sleek and space-saving, Kralj's iconic foldable Rex rocking chair was created in 1956 — it epitomizes his sleek and laconic minimalism, conveying a sense of strength and fluidity, both in its pleasingly geometric open form and its gracefully arching folded silhouette. A contemporary version of Kralj’s mid-century masterwork is produced by the Ljubljana-based furniture company Rex Kralj.
Over the course of his career, Kralj also established close ties with such design giants as Charles and Ray Eames, Richard Buckminster Fuller, Olof Pira and Ilmari Tapiovaara, all proponents, like him, of an aesthetic that inhabits the sweet spot between elegant simplicity and pragmatism.
Today, Kralj’s timeless rocking chairs are in the collections of a number of international museums, including New York’s Museum of Modern Art, Copenhagen’s Designmuseum Denmark and the National Technical Museum Prague.
Find vintage Niko Kralj furniture on 1stDibs.
CC Stool in Natural Walnut, solid wood frame and curved seat, H44 cm, D40 cm
By Niko Kralj
Located in Ljubljana, SI
The CC Stool is similar in design and finish to the CC Table and is a perfect match. Ideal for occasional seating, this item is an elaborate take on a wooden ...
Walnut
CC Stool in Black Oak, solid wood frame and curved seat, height 44 cm, D40 cm
By Niko Kralj
Located in Ljubljana, SI
The CC stool is similar in design and finish to the CC table and is a perfect match. Ideal for occasional seating, this item is an elaborate take on a wooden ...
Oak
1960 Wood Chair Natural Oak, Solid Frame + Plywood, MidCentury Modern Style
By Niko Kralj
Located in Ljubljana, SI
Designed at a time when the combination of solid wood and plywood led to an unbeatable type of chair, the 1960 wood chair embodies retro chic and is built to last. The chair is easy ...
Oak
Mosquito Dining Chair in Natural Oak, Wooden Frame + Plywood, Mid-Century Modern
By Niko Kralj
Located in Ljubljana, SI
Named after its wing-like seat, the Mosquito chair is a genuine eyecatcher, an elegant piece with a touch of poetry. This innovative design proved too demanding for 1950s manufacturing methods. But thanks to the recent efforts of Rex Kralj...
Oak
1960 Chair in Natural Oak with Metal Frame and Plywood, Mid-Century Modern Style
By Niko Kralj
Located in Ljubljana, SI
Geometric lines meet smooth curves in the 1960 chair. The fluent curves of the plywood are supported by a square frame, which creates a lightweight chair wi...
Oak
Rex Coffee Table in Natural Oak, Solid frame + Plywood, Mid-Century Modern Style
By Niko Kralj
Located in Ljubljana, SI
The story of the Rex furniture collection begins in the 1950s with the Rex foldable chair. Its design incorporates innovation, functionality and beau...
Oak
Jean Prouvé Tabouret Solvay / Bois Stool in solid natural Oak for Vitra
By Jean Prouvé, Vitra
Located in Amsterdam, NL
The Tabouret Bois (Solvay) is designed by Jean Prouvé and manufactured by Vitra. The design of the Tabouret Bois clearly bears the signature of Jean Prouvé. The shape is based on the...
Oak
Mogens Lassen ML 42 Stool Natural Oak for Audo
By Mogens Lassen, Audo
Located in New York, NY
In 1942, Mogens Lassen designed the Stool ML42 as a piece for a furniture exhibition held at the Danish Museum of Decorative Art. Drawing inspiration from the practical stools tradit...
Oak
Bodil Kjaer Natural Oak Principal Stool For Karakter
By Bodil Kjaer
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Bodil Kjaer Natural Oak Principal Stool For Karakter Drawing inspiration from Bodil Kjær's Principal chair from 1961, the Principal Stool maintains the chair’s functional and mini...
Oak
Tabouret No. 307 Stool by Jean Prouvé for Vitra in Oak
By Jean Prouvé
Located in Dronten, NL
An iconic Tabouret No. 307 designed by Jean Prouvé, produced by Vitra in solid oak. Originally conceived in 1951 for the student residences at the Cité Universitaire in Antony, Franc...
Steel
Single Bucket Stool, Seat Side Table with Bentwood Handle in Solid Oak
By Yvonne Mouser
Located in Oakland, CA
The Single Bucket Stool is a single sized, dining table height seat, or side table. The second of four versions from the Bucket Stools collection, a famil...
Brass
Bodil Kjaer White Stained Oak Principal Stool For Karakter
By Bodil Kjaer
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Bodil Kjaer White Stained Oak Principal Stool For Karakter Drawing inspiration from Bodil Kjær's Principal chair from 1961, the Principal Stool maintains the chair’s functional an...
Oak
