What Is a Minimalist Style Chair?

Background

• Influenced by the principles of modernism -- simplicity, refinement and functionality -- minimalism takes the ethic even further. Minimalist architects designed with attention to the perfect relationship between planes, used sophisticated technology to hide fixtures and fittings and gave thoughtful consideration to the negative space. To furnish these perfect spaces, architects designed chairs that fit the ideas behind the design.

Form, Structure and Materials

• A minimalist chair will have clean, elegant lines based on simple geometric shapes. Materials will have integrity and not pretend to be something that they are not. Industrial materials like leather, tubed steel and wood are popular material choices for minimalist chairs, and joints and fixtures are designed to be as simple as possible. A minimalist chair will have no carving, beading or decoration in any form.

Futuristic Influences

• Some minimalist chair designs reflect a futuristic influence. Characterized by simple, egglike shapes in molded plastic, these were especially popular in the 1960s and often deviated from the traditional minimalist color palette by employing bright, primary colors. In a minimalist interior, these pops of color would be used sparingly.

Designers to Look out for

• Key names in minimalist chair design include Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, who used buttoned leather and steel to create the Barcelona chair -- often seen in lobbies. Dieter Rams designed the 620 lounge chair and Luis Barragán is famous for designing the Butaca chair.