There’s no doubt that Vitra is one of the top design companies of the 20th century. Their designs are still popular today and they’ve influenced so many other companies and individuals over the years.
We’ve featured many of their pieces before on Fresh Design, but in celebration of their many design triumphs, in this post we’re looking at some of the best furniture that’s come out of the Vitra group. Here’s a glimpse into some of our favourites.
Home desk
Ah, the beloved home desk! Elegantly designed and with just the right amount of colour, this piece was originally intended to be a ladies’ desk. Today, though, it’s suitable for anyone to use and makes an excellent home workstation. It was designed by George Nelson.
Panton chair
Verner Panton produced the distinctive plastic Panton chair for Vitra. What makes the chair special is that it’s moulded from plastic in one continuous, ever-flowing shape – quite an achievement in its day. The plastic makes it durable too, so the seat can be used indoors and outside.
Noguchi coffee table
Isamu Noguchi is the man behind the design of the classic noguchi coffee table. Still very much a favoured design today, it features a glass top resting effortlessly on two angled wooden legs and is very sculptural in style.
Amoebe chair
Another piece by Verner Panton, the Amoebe seat is one of the best examples of the low down, close-t0-floor lounge furniture that was popular in the early 70s. The flexible back rest is super comfy and it certainly lives up to its name as being a lounge chair.
The Eames elephant
No post about Vitra is right without including our favourite, the classic elephant, designed by Charles and Ray Eames! It was first made in 1945 from plywood and, although it never made it into mass production, it’s since been made available in plastic. It’s a lovely piece for a child’s room and can be used as a kids seat, toy or decorative accessory.
Elephant stool
Alongside the above elephant, we’ve got to include the classic elephant stool. It was designed in Japan by Sori Yanagi and is one of his most popular pieces. This is a piece of furniture for children and adults alike and is as good used for occasional seating indoors as it is for outdoor picnics, barbecues and garden seating. It’s lightweight, portable and super-functional and as relevant in homes today as it was in the post-war days of 1945.
Of course, Vitra are responsible for bringing more than just furniture to our homes. They’ve also given us stunning lighting, designer clocks, cushions, rugs, decorative accessories and more and have been strong influencers in the design world. It’s so good to see so many of these popular designs still being produced and selling well today.
If you can’t afford to buy all your favourite pieces, we love the fact that you can also buy miniature versions of so many top designs. Check out Skandium to see what’s available in miniature.
Are you a fan of any of the Vitra classics? What’s your favourite piece?
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That desk is absolutely divine. I love the design and the pops of colour. It’s fun but so practical.
I am, I am. I especially love the desk, and who doesn’t love the elephant!
Ooh, such funky designs! Very cool x
Beautiful designs! The shapes and colours of the furniture are absolutely lovely and fresh and would instantly brighten up any room! The great thing about furniture and house decor items is that they can be easily replaced and often cheaply enough for smaller items. The key to having a continuously modern house, is having neutral painted walls that will continue to look fresh and effortless no matter what furniture is placed with it!
Really impressive designs. My favourite piece is the Amoebe chair which looks really comfortable.