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Modern furniture evolved in the 19th century out of a combination of influences: new, innovative materials, methods of manufacturing, new philosophies and foreign influences, and the creativity of artists and designers of the era. Produced from the 19th century through the present, modern furniture was a departure from all furniture design before it. Furniture produced during this era is today known as Modern Classic Furniture or Mid Century Modern.
Prior to the modernist movement, Western furniture design typically emphasized ornament, dark or gilded carved wood and richly patterned fabrics. The length of time it took to create a piece of furniture was often a measure of its value and desirability. New philosophies began to emerge however, and the idea of furniture as a link to lineage, tradition and history gave way to the new modernist ideas of newness, originality, technical innovation in furniture design. Instead of a link to the past, modern furniture became a statement of the present, and more importantly, future. Furniture design evolved from visually heavy to visually light.
Modernist pioneers of furniture design utilized new production methods and innovative materials in many forms. Steel, moulded plywood and plastics became popular in creating new modern furniture designs. Technology and art became blended, and interest evolved in taking these new materials and using them in such a way that they might be mass-produced.
Good design would now be available to the masses. Growing access to African and Asian design also influenced the modernist design movement. During the last years of the 19th century (the Edo Period in Japan), Japanese isolationist policy began to soften, and trade with the west began in earnest. Emerging artifacts were strikingly simplistic, utilizing solid planes of color without ornament, and contrasting use of pattern. Desire for all things Japanese swept Europe. Some say the Art Nouveau movement evolved from this influence directly.
Some iconic examples of modern furniture:
Eileen Gray Chrome End Table Gray designed this side table in 1927 as a bedside table for her own guest room. The unusual asymmetry is characteristic of her "non conformist" style. It is believed that the original function of the table's adjustable height was so that one could eat breakfast on it in bed.
Noguchi Cocktail Table Isamu Noguchi was a half American, half Japanese sculptor, architect, furniture and landscape designer. He was famous for his organic modern forms. The Noguchi Cocktail Table has become famous for its unique simplicity. Refined and natural, it is one of the most sought after pieces associated with the Modern Classic furniture movement.