Every year, interior design adopts a new, amazing piece of furniture that is labelled a ‘must-have’ for any home that wants to stay in vogue. That’s fine if you have the disposable income of an A-List celebrity, but otherwise you’ll want your interior and furniture to have a little more longevity than just the year it takes for that item to fall out of favour again and look dated.

As many fashion gurus have said, trends come and go but style is always current. This doesn’t just apply to clothes – the world of furniture is filled with its own fashion fads and classic pieces too, which I like to call the ‘little black dresses of interior design’! To get you started, here are three of the most iconic chairs ever created, as well as tips to incorporate these classic styles into your own home...

The Egg Chair by Arne Jabocsen

Image by Dee Speed

The Egg chair was designed in 1958, epitomising the change in lifestyle that the swinging sixties would bring – formality became unfashionable, and it was all about letting go of the past in favour of a new, modern outlook on life. This spawned the explosion of the modernist style of design, and the Egg instantly became iconic.

While you might not want to emulate the mustard, orange and avocado decor of the time, a brightly hued Egg can provide a pop of colour to most modern designs, or in leather it offers a hint of James Bond style sophistication. The Egg is no small chair and looks best taking centre stage; use it as a statement piece on a background of clean, unfussy, neutral decor, and let the chair do all the talking!

The Ghost Chair by Philippe Starck

Image by Tiffany Terry

At the other end of the spectrum from the Egg, we’ve got a chair that just likes to blend in – literally. The Ghost Chair was designed by Philippe Starck in 2002, and quickly became one of the most popular and iconic chair designs in history.

More a work of art than a piece of furniture, the Ghost Chair characterizes minimalist elegance but has the advantage of fitting in fabulously with virtually any decor scheme. If you like more traditional designs, the Ghost chair can add a splash of modernity to your interior to stop things looking dated, without being as brash as a colorful or obviously modern piece. Why not go for a transparent pink one by your antique French dressing room table, or buy a set to add character to a sleek dining room table?

The Barcelona Chair by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

Image by Rollofunk

The Barcelona chair became iconic way back in 1929 when it was featured in the Barcelona International Exposition, and has maintained popularity ever since. Originally designed for the German Pavilion, this chair encompasses both a regal and a modern look in one.

Because of its sleek yet sumptuous design, it looks brilliant when combined into both traditional and modern rooms! To pay homage to the history of it, try using it an interior with bare stone or brickwork, and polished wooden floors. White, black or chestnut brown leather will add sophistication and grace to any design, though it works best in a room free from clutter.

Do you own one of these iconic chairs? How have you used it in your home?

Estelle Page is an interior designer who writes for Oak Furniture Superstore. She’s constantly on the lookout for new ways to incorporate classics into her modern designs!