The most influential furniture designers of all time

What do we mean by an influential furniture designer? The answer is clear, someone who came up with a new design that has never been seen before on the market. But it is not as simple as something new, he has to change the mindset of decorators and force other designers to "copy" his design.

In this article, we are going to pick out some of those who, for Woodabu are the best designers who changed the furniture market forever. Their designs have also influenced the creation of some of our works such as wooden bed headboards.

Paolo Buffa

Paolo Buffa is one of the most renowned Italian designers. In the middle of the last century he began to mix his rectilinear and subtle shapes in hardwoods to achieve modern furniture without abandoning the classic and the traditional.

The world of furniture was turned on its head in the 20th century by the famous, Milanese Paolo Buffa, known for his expensive and elaborate neoclassical designs.

He was also noted for his way of becoming more efficient in manufacturing, continually collaborating with different cabinetmakers in the Milan area, thus managing to make furniture that previously only the wealthiest people could afford cheaper.

 

 Chairs by Paolo Buffa

Aldo Tura

Another famous Italian is Aldo Tura, a designer who in the mid-20th century surprised us with his work on tables and lamps.

In the 1940s, most designers aspired to mass production, but Aldo Tura always maintained an artisanal approach. He can be considered a creator of unique pieces, more artist than entrepreneur.

Nicknamed "The master of parchment" for the use of parchment in his furniture. for the use of this wood in his furniture, he died in 1963 and is remembered for his handcrafted signature furniture.

Table designed by Aldo Tura

Wendell Castle

This American sculptor and furniture designer is characterised by his bold, colourful style and his use of a multitude of materials, wood, fibreglass and plastic.

He ended up becoming an iconic designer, and for 40 years he was one of the most recurrent designers. His creations were highly original and very expressive.

Far removed from traditional design, Wendell crafted his pieces by hand, and is perhaps the first of the artistic furniture designers.

His designs may seem whimsical, but his pieces were always very functional.

Design by Wendell Castle

Gio Ponti

This Italian master creator of the Cassina Supperleggera chairs was a global creator, not just of furniture, which he came to by chance. His groundbreaking designs established him as one of the most influential designers of all time.

More than 100 companies are still selling their furniture after more than 50 years.

Chair design by Gio Pont

Gio Ponti completely renewed Italian design after the Second World War. Without losing his idea of what Italy meant, this architect and designer has bequeathed us buildings and furniture that will belong to the history of art forever.

The Eames

Certainly the most influential of their time, Charles and Ray Eames, will always be remembered for their "Lounge Chair and Ottoman".Lounge Chair and Ottoman".designed in 1956. This historic combination of plywood and black leather marked a before and after in furniture design.

I think we all know this iconic chair, it was a pioneering design, but we should also remember his children's chair, Elephant and the Eames DSW chair. 

Lounge Chair and Ottoman (Photo by Kevin A. Roberts)

His technique for shaping and bending wood was revolutionary: pressurised heat, together with veneer sheets and resin glue, enabled him to create design furniture that was highly original for the time.

Designs for the Elephant chair were on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The original chair was made of wood, but in 2007 the Vitra company made it out of plastic.

Eileen Gray

Our last two designers are women, one of whom is Eileen Gray, who unfortunately did not get the recognition she deserved until late in life, but with the passage of time has come to recognise some truly memorable designs.

Eileen was an art gallery owner who in the first half of the 20th century began designing furniture, one of the most popular of which was the E-1027 table, made of metal and glass, which was adjustable in height to suit different uses.

Eileen Gray - table E-1027

 

Apart from important collaborations with other designers, this is his best-known work, and at one point he sold more than a thousand of these tables a month.

Florence Knoll

Any furniture design aficionado is familiar with Florence Knoll's sofa, perhaps one of the most important sofas in the history of design. This American designer and architect was extremely famous in the 1950s.

Her work was not limited to furniture design, but she was a creator of spaces, in fact she was the one who changed offices, giving them an efficient and modernist design.

In 1954, to his acclaimed sofa, he later added the Lounge chair, the ensemble is called the Lounge collection, which is still produced in his studio.

Florence Knoll - 3 seater sofa

For our Woodabu team, these are some of the designers who have changed the way we understand furniture. Innovation and design that have inspired many generations and that we still have in one way or another in our homes.