Modern Leather Furniture Styles - Bari Leather Furniture

Modern furniture arose from the modernism style that gained popularity in the late 19th Century. Furniture prior to this era was visually heavy with large carved or ornate dark wood and the fabric was lavish and quite often heavily patterned. Modernist designers wanted to rebel against this style by bringing looks that were visually light into the forefront. New materials were explored as metals, plastics, and even molded plywood started making their way into home furnishings. Instead of overstuffed lavish cushions designers went very simplistic and had no cushions at all or very simple ones made out of quality fabrics that were both durable and attractive without being at all fussy. Leather became a prime choice for modern furniture as witnessed by one of the most famous pieces of modern furniture.

The Barcelona Chair

The Barcelona Chair was created by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe as a German entry at the Ibero-American Exposition in 1929 in Barcelona, Spain. The original Barcelona chair was constructed of metal that was bolted together at the legs but advances in stainless steel manufacturing in the 1950s made it possible to eliminate the bolt so the legs have a seamless beauty and simplicity. The original fabric was an ivory pigskin but eventually was made of the more cost effective cattle hide. You can still purchase a Barcelona Chair through the Knoll company and the style is still remarkably popular and relevant but the price isn't. Originally modern furniture was conceptualized as being inexpensive and accessible to all, an actual Barcelona Chair today will cost you more than $6,000.

">Eames Lounge Chair

Charles and Ray Eames were also great contributors to the modern furniture movement with their molded plywood and sleek curved plastic furniture, but it's their Eames Lounge Chair that is not only an attractive representation of the modern movement but also a comfortable staple piece that works wonderfully in a modern design home. Designed in 1956 the chair was first seen on television on the Arlene Francis' Home show, later known as the Today Show. Today the chair can be purchased through the Herman Miller furniture company and you can expect to pay several thousands for this comfy leather treat.

The Jacobsen Egg Chair

The Jacobsen Egg Chair was created in 1958 for the Radisson SAS hotel in Copenhagen and was originally designed as a chair and sofa but very few sofas were ever created as they are simply too large and require several cow hides, which means unattractive stitching is visible. The chair is the perfect size and the leather fits beautifully. In 2008 the egg chair celebrated its 50th year and the authorized dealers, Fritz Hansen, issues a special 999 anniversary egg chairs which came with a book detailing this history of this incredible piece of furniture and the designer, Arne Jacobsen. If you're thinking about the Egg Chair by Jacobsen you may also find yourself drawn to the Swan, which is a similar style. Both of these items can still be purchased through Fritz Hansen but expect to pay around $10,000 for the chair and matching ottoman.

">Kubus Sofa and Armchair

Josef Hoffman created a modern design that was all about the leather with his Kubus Sofa and Armchair. The armchair had its debut in 1910 at the International Exhibition in Buenos Aires. It's immediately evident that Hoffman had a particular fondness for the square form, in fact he created his own term, quadratstil, to describe the influence of this shape upon his designs. Hoffman's Kubus style furniture and pieces inspired by his vision can be found in a number of places and for a variety of budgets.

Basculant Chair

Le Corbusier's magnificent Basculant Chair is complete simplistic beauty and truly typifies the modern furniture movement. The minimalist design is immediately evident as is the ubiquitous metal frame. To add a touch of lavish class to this piece, Le Corbusier used both leather and cow hide to give each piece a different look and feel. During his lifetime Le Corbusier made an agreement with Cassina S.p.A. wherein the furniture company is the only company authorized to manufacture and retail official Le Corbusier designs so you can purchase one of these chairs through Cassina, but if the price tag is too high there are a lot of replicas on the market that also use top quality leather and hides, giving you relatively the same look and feel.