“If you want a golden rule that will fit everything, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”
From the start-quality Togo sofa to the Eames chaise lounge masterpiece, discover our list of inspiring 20th-century furniture pieces, their history, and their influence on design.
1. Camaleonda Modular Sofa, 1970s, Mario Bellini
“I crossed two words: camaleonte, or chameleon, an extraordinary animal capable of adapting to its environment, and onda, or wave”, Mario Bellini to Architectural Digest
The Camaelonda debut was at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, in the 1970s. Nowadays, this Italian furniture design is a sought-after collector’s item and a star on social media (it caused a furniture frenzy over Instagram a few years ago). A Mario Bellini Camaleonda has no set shape. The piece is Morpheus, consisting of shifting sectionals positioned by owner preference. It is the intersection between crossing two words: chameleon and wave.
Despite the new version by B&B Italia, new Camaleonda models preserve the elements that have made it an iconic piece of furniture: the 90x90 cm seat module, the backrest and armrest, and the characteristic capitonné design is still manufactured with the innovative system of cables, hooks and rings.
The internal structure is now like a sandwich, with easily disassembled layers of recycled or recyclable materials. The core of the seats, backs and armrests are of wooden panels. The fundamental characteristic of Camaleonda is its unlimited modularity, a geometric nature that allows each element to become a sort of enormous pixel through which to define your home environment. The modules can be unhooked and recombined at will.
2. Panton Chair, 1960s, Verner Panton (Denmark)
Named after its creator Verner Panton, the Panton chair was heralded as the world’s first moulded plastic chair. Colourful, playful, and curvaceous, the sculptural aesthetic of this 20th-century piece is unmistakable.
This iconic piece makes happy decors and landed on numerous magazine covers and movie sets. It doesn’t matter who you are, but if you love furniture, you must know the Panton chair:
“I want to design furniture that grows up out of the floor…to turn the furniture into something organic, which never has four legs,” explained the Danish designer.
Verner Panton was one of the most influential figures in the development of design during the 1960s and ’70s.
3. Snoopy table Lamp, 1960s (1967), Achille e Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
The Snoopy table lamp was designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni in 1967. This legendary lamp, inspired by Schultz’s character Peanuts, is an icon of 1960s Italian design and is produced by Flos.
4. Eames Lounge Chair & Ottoman, 1950s, Charles and Ray Eames
The desire for a proportioned chair that combined comfort with gallery-quality materials and craftsmanship led to the creation of a classic in modern furniture. Top characteristics: Different face veneers, Removable covers in leather, Five-star swivel base, Highly Comfortable, and Matchy grain on the wooden shells.
The Eames Lounge chair and the Ottoman were released by the Herman Miller company in 1956, and are still produced and sold today. Unlike the sleek, spare lines of other Eames designs, this chair was intended to be, first and foremost, inviting.
5. Pumpkin Armchair, 1950s, Pierre Paulin
The Pumpkin chair was designed in the 1970s for French President Georges Pompido's private apartment at the Elysée Palace and rereleased by furniture company Ligne Roset.
As its name suggests, the chair is evocative of a giant pumpkin, welcoming you with its protectively voluptuous and voluptuously protective shell. The Pumpkin chair has a rounded shape reminiscent of the titular vegetable. The chair's rounded shape relies on the moulded strips of wood wrapped in foam, reminiscent of the shape of a pumpkin.
Originals of the chair are rare. But relax. French company Ligne Roset has been producing a reissued version since 2008 and says its organic, round shape makes for the "ultimate lounging experience".
6. Cantilever Chair, Steen Ostergaard
The iconic chair designed by Steen Ostergaard is a simple, refined, and iconic piece with a retro-futuristic styling. It is a celebrity among movie sets and magazine covers.
As a vintage piece full of personality and story, the Cantilever chair is made from plastic and fits the Scandinavian modern design with a classic vibe.
7. MP-211 Sofa, 1950s, Percival Lafer
- Designed by the Brazilian furniture designer Percival Lafer.
- Categorised as fine design for affordable prices.
- Referred to by collectors as the "best-kept secret" of mid-century modern design.
8. Red Boby Cart, 1960s, Joe Colombo
The Red Boby Cart or Trolley is an unusually attainable furniture piece of legendary Italian creativity designed by Joe Colombo in the 1970s. You have probably seen this four-wheel cart before, even if you do not know its name. 
Joe Colombo's '70s storage cart, always with open shelves and sliding compartments, is one of those accessories always on the edge of the frame in photos from movie sets and studios. This unusually attainable furniture piece of legendary Italian design is one of those accessories always on the edge of the frame in photos from artists' studios, Instagram interior design content creators' reels, and movie sets.
There's been a lot of renewed interest in Joe Colombo's legacy over the last several years, raising the resale prices of this midcentury furniture item. Colombo left a legacy of perfect designs with futuristic aesthetics and beautiful shapes. The Red Boby Cart is available in different colours and sizes. For years, vintage Bobyes lined flea markets and Craigslist. It is now in the Legacy Gallery platform.
The only thing cooler than Red Boby Cart is Joe Colombo's legacy.
9. Vintage Lounge Chair with Ottoman, 1970s, Vittorio Introini
- Balance between form and function
- Real leather
- Rare ottoman included
- Original vintage
- Fully upholstered
10. Togo Sofa, 1970s, Michel Ducaroy
Visually appealing, highly comfortable and versatile, Togo sofa design and personality 'no filter needed' is placing this 20th-century furniture item as a celebrity among Instagram interior design influencers, vintage collectors and design history enthusiasts.
Togo is the go-to sofa of the moment that everyone knows and might love. What is the explanation for this hype? Here’s why:
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Industrial furniture collector? Togo accentuates a brick wall and rough-around-the-edges factory-style decor.
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Minimalist fanatic? Togo adds a monotone chic vibe to spaces.
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Statement pieces addict? Togo steals the attention with its curves and electric details.
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Boho lover? Togo fits perfectly with the bohemian interior style.
An original settee has generous, voluptuous folds, completed with small, flat buttons in the same fabric as its body upholstery.
Commonly, it features a genuine Ligne Roset label sewn into the back. If not, then it’s likely to be fake or to have been reupholstered somewhere along the line. This occurs because Togo is made by hand, exclusively in the Ligne Roset workshops in France, with skilled craftspeople dedicated to furniture-making art.
Quick curiosities:
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Designed by the French designer Michel Ducaroy.
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The inspiration was an aluminium toothpaste tube folded over itself.
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Categorised as an iconic creative design for adults and kids.
We hope you enjoyed this curated selection of pieces fabricated within the past 100 years, balancing aesthetics, functionality, innovative materials, and beauty.
You can find them and many others HERE.
If you liked this article you may also like to read more about: The Art of Collecting: Building Your Furniture Collection
