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Sven Staaf

Sven Staaf, Lounge Chair, Shearling, Wood, Sweden, 1940s
By Sven Staaf
Located in High Point, NC
A beige shearling, wood and brass lounge chair designed and produced by Sven Staaf, Sweden, 1940s
Category

Vintage 1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Slipper Chairs

Materials

Sheepskin, Wood

Wicker Easy Chair by Sven Staaf, Staaf & Almgren, Sweden, 1950s
By Sven Staaf
Located in Hägersten, SE
Easy chair attributed to Sven Staaf. Produced by Staaf & Almgren, circa 1954 in Sweden. Made from
Category

Vintage 1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs

Materials

Metal

Sven Staaf, Lounge Chair, Beige Shearling, Wood, Sweden, 1940s
By Sven Staaf
Located in High Point, NC
A beige shearling and wood lounge chair designed and produced by Sven Staaf, Sweden, 1940s.
Category

Vintage 1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Slipper Chairs

Materials

Sheepskin, Wood

Sven Staaf Easy Chair in Pierre Frey Linen and Elm, Almgren & Staaf, Sweden 1953
By Sven Staaf, Almgren & Staaf, La Maison Pierre Frey
Located in The Hague, NL
This rare easy chair was designed by Sven Staaf in the early 1950s. This particular model number
Category

Vintage 1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs

Materials

Elm, Fabric, Linen, Upholstery

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Model 54 Lounge Chair in Sheepskin by Dagmar
Model 54 Lounge Chair in Sheepskin by Dagmar
H 31.89 in W 31.5 in D 30.32 in
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Swedish Designer, Sconce, Brass, Fabric, Teak, Sweden, 1940s
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Willy Guhl Concrete Vases
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H 9 in Dm 12.5 in
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Recent Sales

Swedish Rosewood Folding Coffee Table by Sven Staaf, 1950s
By Sven Staaf
Located in Malmo, SE
A midcentury Swedish coffee table designed by Swedish designer Sven Staaf. The tables a folding top
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Vintage 1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables

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Rosewood

Lounge Chair by Sven Staaf
By Almgren & Staaf, Sven Staaf
Located in Stockholm, SE
Lounge chair in a striking, broad backed design by Sven Staaf. With its bold, sweeping lines, this
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Vintage 1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs

Lounge Chair by Sven Staaf
Lounge Chair by Sven Staaf
H 32.29 in W 27.56 in D 31.5 in
1940s Easy Chairs in the Manner of Sven Staaf
By Sven Staaf
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Pair of 1940s funky easy chairs in the manner of Sven Staaf. Produced in Sweden.
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Vintage 1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs

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Fabric, Beech

1940s Easy Chairs in the Manner of Sven Staaf
1940s Easy Chairs in the Manner of Sven Staaf
H 33.47 in W 22.05 in D 27.56 in
Sven Staaf, 1940's Wingback Chair Almgren & Staaf, Sweden, Scandinavian Modern
By Almgren & Staaf, Sven Staaf
Located in New York, NY
Sven Staaf’s 1940s wingback lounge chair upholstered in faux sheepskin upholstery. The chair’s
Category

Mid-20th Century Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Chairs

Materials

Upholstery, Beech

Rare Ceiling Lamp by Hans Bergström, Ateljé Lyktan, circa 1952
By Hans Bergström, Ateljé Lyktan
Located in Hägersten, SE
Sven Staafs furniture store. Clear influences from Italian lighting from the same period and especially
Category

Vintage 1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

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Sven Staaf Swedish Modern, Pair of Late 1940s Lounge Chairs, Reupholstered
By Almgren & Staaf, Sven Staaf
Located in Skanninge, SE
Wonderful pair of Swedish modern chairs by Sven Staaf (1909-1993) for Almgren & Staaf. Made in the
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs

Materials

Velvet, Birch

Pair of Mid-Century Modern Swedish Lounge/Slipper Chairs, Sven Staaf, 1950s
By Sven Staaf
Located in Stamford, CT
Pair of Mid-Century Modern Swedish lounge/slipper chairs, Sven Staaf, 1950s Gorgeous pair of
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Vintage 1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs

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Pair of Velvet Blue Chairs by Sven Staaf, Sweden, circa 1940
Located in New York, NY
. Sven Staaf Chairs for Almgren & Staaf, Sweden, circa 1940 Mahogany, new upholstery Measures: 30" W x
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Mid-20th Century Swedish Chairs

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A Close Look at scandinavian-modern Furniture

Scandinavian modernism is perhaps the warmest and most organic iteration of modernist design. The work of the designers associated with vintage Scandinavian modern furniture was founded on centuries-old beliefs in both quality craftsmanship and the ideal that beauty should enhance even the humblest accessories of daily life.

ORIGINS OF SCANDINAVIAN MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN 

CHARACTERISTICS OF SCANDINAVIAN MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN

  • Bold, clean lines and simple, sturdy symmetries
  • Use of natural materials — native woods such as pine, ash and beech
  • Open, airy spaces
  • Promotion of functionality
  • Emphasis on craftsmanship; rooted in cabinetry profession and traditional construction techniques
  • Minimal ornamentation (little to no embellishment)
  • A neutral or light color palette owing to prominence of light woods

SCANDINAVIAN MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW

ICONIC SCANDINAVIAN MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNS

VINTAGE SCANDINAVIAN MODERN FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS

The gentle, organic contours that are typical of Scandinavian design appear in the furnishings and decor created by Danish, Finnish and Swedish designers not as a stylistic gesture, but rather as a practical, ergonomic — and, as importantly, elegant — response to the human form.

Each nation produced exceptional talents in all areas of the applied arts, yet each had its forté. Sweden was home to Greta Magnusson Grossman and Bruno Mathsson — creators of the classic Grasshopper lighting series and Berlin daybed, respectively — but the country excelled most notably at ceramics. In the 1920s at the great Gustavsberg porcelain manufactory, Wilhelm Kåge introduced pieces in the Scandinavian style based on influences from folklore to Cubism; his skills were passed on to his versatile and inspired pupils Berndt Friberg and Stig Lindberg.

Likewise, Finland produced a truly ingenious Scandinavian modern furniture designer in the architect Alvar Aalto, a master at melding function and artistic form in works like the Paimio chair, created in collaboration with his first wife, Aino. Yet Finnish glassware was pre-eminent, crafted in expressive, sculptural designs by Tapio Wirkkala and Timo Sarpaneva.

The Danes excelled at chairs. Hans Wegner and Arne Jacobsen were exemplars of the country’s facility with wood, particularly teak

Wegner created such iconic pieces as the Round chair and the Wishbone chair; Jacobsen — while the revolutionary architect and furniture innovator produced the best-selling plywood Ant chair — designed two classic upholstered pieces of the 1950s: the Swan chair and Egg chair. The list of great Danes could go on and on, including Finn Juhl, a stylistic maverick and maker of the bold Chieftain chair; Poul Kjaerholm, with his lean metal-and-rattan aesthetic; and Verner Panton, who introduced a vibrant Pop note into international design.

Today, decades after their heyday, the prolific, ever-evolving Scandinavian modernists continue to amaze and delight, and interior designers all over the world use their pieces to bring warmth to any given space.

On 1stDibs, you will note both instantly recognizable vintage Scandinavian modern chairs, sofas, rugs and tables — those that have earned iconic status over time — and many new discoveries. 

Finding the Right seating for You

With entire areas of our homes reserved for “sitting rooms,” the value of quality antique and vintage seating cannot be overstated.

Fortunately, the design of side chairs, armchairs and other lounge furniture — since what were, quite literally, the early perches of our ancestors — has evolved considerably.

Among the earliest standard seating furniture were stools. Egyptian stools, for example, designed for one person with no seat back, were x-shaped and typically folded to be tucked away. These rudimentary chairs informed the design of Greek and Roman stools, all of which were a long way from Sori Yanagi's Butterfly stool or Alvar Aalto's Stool 60. In the 18th century and earlier, seats with backs and armrests were largely reserved for high nobility.

The seating of today is more inclusive but the style and placement of chairs can still make a statement. Antique desk chairs and armchairs designed in the style of Louis XV, which eventually included painted furniture and were often made of rare woods, feature prominently curved legs as well as Chinese themes and varied ornaments. Much like the thrones of fairy tales and the regency, elegant lounges crafted in the Louis XV style convey wealth and prestige. In the kitchen, the dining chair placed at the head of the table is typically reserved for the head of the household or a revered guest.

Of course, with luxurious vintage or antique furnishings, every chair can seem like the best seat in the house. Whether your preference is stretching out on a plush sofa, such as the Serpentine, designed by Vladimir Kagan, or cozying up in a vintage wingback chair, there is likely to be a comfy classic or contemporary gem for you on 1stDibs.

With respect to the latest obsessions in design, cane seating has been cropping up everywhere, from sleek armchairs to lounge chairs, while bouclé fabric, a staple of modern furniture design, can be seen in mid-century modern, Scandinavian modern and Hollywood Regency furniture styles.

Admirers of the sophisticated craftsmanship and dark woods frequently associated with mid-century modern seating can find timeless furnishings in our expansive collection of lounge chairs, dining chairs and other items — whether they’re vintage editions or alluring official reproductions of iconic designs from the likes of Hans Wegner or from Charles and Ray Eames. Shop our inventory of Egg chairs, designed in 1958 by Arne Jacobsen, the Florence Knoll lounge chair and more.

No matter your style, the collection of unique chairs, sofas and other seating on 1stDibs is surely worthy of a standing ovation.