Modern Furniture

Furniture that has been produced from the late 19 th century up until the present, falls into the category of modern furniture. The influence of modernism can be seen in the furniture in these times. One characteristic that is evident in modern furniture the way in which the furniture has changed from being visually heavy, to visually light.

Modern furniture is simplistic in design, making use of polished metal and glittering surfaces. This is a far cry from the furniture produced in the ages before modernism. The furniture of this time was made from gilded wood, and contained rich patterned materials. One’s taste in furniture will differ from person to another, and there are many people who do like modern furniture, but rather decorate their homes with furniture from the times before modernism.

Modern furniture seeks to display a sense of newness, originality and technical innovation. It is important for modern furniture to be the pinnacle of the here and now, rather than the has been of history. There are a number of influences that determined an interest in modernist designs. These influences are a combination of new materials and manufacturing methods, the creativity of the artists from the Art Nouveau movement and many foreign ideas.

The materials of modern furniture is an interesting aspect. New materials are constantly being tried and tested to produce furniture that is beautiful in its simplicity. Steel is a fascinating material to experiment with, as is moulded plywood and various kinds of plastics. There is no end to the creativity of modern furniture. Unconventional methods were favoured, to make furniture that was different, yet unique.

Modern furniture is meant to stand in contrast to the older forms of furniture design that were conventionally accepted. By using new material and methods, modern furniture was produced by means of blending technology and art. Early designers prided themselves in producing modern furniture by finding new ways of blending technology and art.

The history of modern furniture dates as far back as the end of the 19 th century, and the beginning of the 20 th centurey. A group of people - Mies Ludwig van der Rohe, Eileen Grey, Charles Edouard Jeannert and Lilly Reich – can be seen as the pioneers of modern furniture. The Bauhaus School of Art and Architecture taught students to make furniture that is known today as Modern Classic Furniture or Mid Century Modern.

Three prominent pieces of furniture emerge as modern furniture. Namely, the Eileen Grey side table, the Barcelona chair and the Noguchi coffee table. These pieces of furniture classics of the modernism era. The Eileen Grey side table was named after Eileen Gray and was designed in 1927. As was the Noguchi coffee table, which was designed by Isamu Noguchi who lived from 1904 until 1988.