Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Italian
The Italian design giant Kartell transformed plastic from the stuff of humble household goods into a staple of luxury design in the 1960s. Founded in Milan by Italian chemical engineer Giulio Castelli (1920–2006) and his wife Anna Ferrieri (1918–2006), Kartell began as an industrial design firm, producing useful items like ski racks for automobiles and laboratory equipment designed to replace breakable glass with sturdy plastic. Even as companies like Olivetti and Vespa were making Italian design popular in the 1950s, typewriters and scooters were relatively costly, and Castelli and Ferrieri wanted to provide Italian consumers with affordable, stylish goods.
They launched a housewares division of Kartell in 1953, making lighting fixtures and kitchen tools and accessories from colorful molded plastic. Consumers in the postwar era were initially skeptical of plastic goods, but their affordability and infinite range of styles and hues eventually won devotees. Tupperware parties in the United States made plastic storage containers ubiquitous in postwar homes, and Kartell’s ingenious designs for juicers, dustpans, and dish racks conquered Europe. Kartell designer Gino Colombini was responsible for many of these early products, and his design for the KS 1146 Bucket won the Compasso d’Oro prize in 1955.
Buoyed by its success in the home goods market, Kartell introduced its Habitat division in 1963. Designers Marco Zanuso and Richard Sapper created the K1340 (later called the K 4999) children’s chair that year, and families enjoyed their bright colors and light weight, which made them easy for kids to pick up and move. In 1965, Joe Colombo (1924–78) created one of Kartell’s few pieces of non-plastic furniture, the 4801 chair, which sits low to the ground and comprised of just three curved pieces of plywood. (In 2012, Kartell reissued the chair in plastic.) Colombo followed up on the success of the 4801 with the iconic 4867 Universal Chair in 1967, which, like Verner Panton’s S chair, is made from a single piece of plastic. The colorful, stackable injection-molded chair was an instant classic. That same year, Kartell introduced Colombo’s KD27 table lamp. Ferrierei’s cylindrical 4966 Componibili storage module debuted in 1969.
Kartell achieved international recognition for its innovative work in 1972, when a landmark exhibition curated by Emilio Ambasz called “Italy: The New Domestic Landscape” opened at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. That show introduced American audiences to the work of designers such as Gaetano Pesce; Ettore Sottsass, founder of the Memphis Group; and the firms Archizoom and Superstudio (both firms were among Italy's Radical design groups) — all of whom were using wit, humor and unorthodox materials to create a bracingly original interior aesthetic.
Castelli and Ferrieri sold Kartell to Claudio Luti, their son-in-law, in 1988, and since then, Luti has expanded the company’s roster of designers.
Kartell produced Ron Arad’s Bookworm wall shelf in 1994, and Philippe Starck’s La Marie chair in 1998. More recently, Kartell has collaborated with the Japanese collective Nendo, Spanish architect Patricia Urquiola and glass designer Tokujin Yoshioka, among many others. Kartell classics can be found in museums around the world, including MoMA, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. In 1999, Claudio Luti established the Museo Kartell to tell the company’s story, through key objects from its innovative and colorful history.
Find vintage Kartell tables, seating, table lamps and other furniture on 1stDibs.
33
3
1
to
2
35
2
37
20
25
33
1
3
34
3
1
Height
to
Width
to
Depth
to
23
34
21
33
20
33
20
33
20
33
20
33
29
16
11
8
4
37
37
1,097
167
165
109
59
Creator: Kartell
Postmodern Chair model Dr.Glob by Philippe Starck for Kartell, Italy 80s
By Philippe Starck, Kartell
Located in Lucija, SI
Very RARE Postmodern plastic Chair, model Dr Glob, was designed by Philippe Starck for Kartell Italy in '80s; exactly 1986.
This retro, plastic Chair is in very good vintage conditi...
Category
1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Metal
Philippe Starck for Kartell Clear Lucite Eros Swivel Italian Chairs, Set of 3
By Kartell, Philippe Starck
Located in Miami, FL
Set of 3 transparent Lucite Eros swivel chairs designed by Philippe Starck for Kartell and made in Italy.
The seat is made out of acrylic and the base is aluminum.
Marked at the se...
Category
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Black Polypropylene Stackable DR. Yes Chair by Philippe Starck & Eugeni Quitllet
By Kartell, Philippe Starck
Located in High Wycombe, GB
Philippe Starck & Eugeni Quitllet Designed For Kartell Black Polypropylene Stackable DR. Yes Chair Two In Stock Price Per Chair
Juxtaposing varying form...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Futurist Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Rare Grey Postmodern "Dr Glob" Chair by Philippe Starck for Kartell, Italy, 1990
By Philippe Starck, Kartell
Located in Miami, FL
Iconic Dr Glob chair. Post Modern design rendered in rare grey molded propylene with a grey powder coated steel frame back and legs. Designed by Philippe Starck for Kartell, 1990.
Category
Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Steel
Set of 2 Kartell Lizz Matt Orange Chair by Piero Lissoni
By Piero Lissoni, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A light, essential and rigorous chair. Its square line is designed by Piero Lissoni, with a wide seat and a wide, low backrest. Created for use around tables, it was born in a range ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Kartell Spoon Chair in Black by Antonio Citterio & Toan Nguyen
By Toan Nguyen, Antonio Citterio, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A monoshell light office chair on castors, spoon chair is the result of a totally avant-garde production process. The innovative dual-component injection m...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Kartell Maui Swivel Chair Adjustable in Zinc White by Vico Magistretti
By Kartell, Vico Magistretti
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Maui chairs form a family with a rich variety of colours and shapes, both hard and soft, capable of satisfying specific needs, at home or in professional environments. Thanks to ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Kartell Maui Swivel Chair Adjustable in Pale Blue by Vico Magistretti
By Vico Magistretti, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Maui chairs form a family with a rich variety of colours and shapes, both hard and soft, capable of satisfying specific needs, at home or in professional environments. Thanks to ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Set of 2 Kartell Lizz Matt White Chair by Piero Lissoni
By Piero Lissoni, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A light, essential and rigorous chair. Its square line is designed by Piero Lissoni, with a wide seat and a wide, low backrest. Created for use around tables, it was born in a range ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Kartell Sparkle Stool in Smoke by Tokujin Yoshioka
By Kartell, Tokujin Yoshioka
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Tokyjin Yoshioka's new Sparkle stool collection are as striking as a brilliant ray of sunlight. The plastic's unique pleating (both inside and out) is reflected in the end result: tw...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Resin
Set of 2 Kartell Lizz Matt Black Chair by Piero Lissoni
By Kartell, Piero Lissoni
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A light, essential and rigorous chair. Its square line is designed by Piero Lissoni, with a wide seat and a wide, low backrest. Created for use around tables, it was born in a range ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Set of 2 Kartell Lizz Matt Gray Chair by Piero Lissoni
By Piero Lissoni, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A light, essential and rigorous chair. Its square line is designed by Piero Lissoni, with a wide seat and a wide, low backrest. Created for use around tables, it was born in a range ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Kartell Sparkle Stool in Amber by Tokujin Yoshioka
By Tokujin Yoshioka, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Tokyjin Yoshioka's new Sparkle stool collection are as striking as a brilliant ray of sunlight. The plastic's unique pleating (both inside and out) is reflected in the end result: tw...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Resin
Kartell Maui Swivel Chair Adjustable in Pale Grey by Vico Magistretti
By Kartell, Vico Magistretti
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Maui chairs form a family with a rich variety of colours and shapes, both hard and soft, capable of satisfying specific needs, at home or in professional environments. Thanks to ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Kartell Maui Swivel Chair Adjustable in Anthracite by Vico Magistretti
By Kartell, Vico Magistretti
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Maui chairs form a family with a rich variety of colours and shapes, both hard and soft, capable of satisfying specific needs, at home or in professional environments. Thanks to ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Kartell Maui Soft Trevira Armchair in Blue by Vico Magistretti
By Kartell, Vico Magistretti
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Maui chairs form a family with a rich variety of colours and shapes, both hard and soft, capable of satisfying specific needs, at home or in professiona...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Steel
Kartell Maui Swivel Chair Adjustable in Navy Blue by Vico Magistretti
By Vico Magistretti, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Maui chairs form a family with a rich variety of colours and shapes, both hard and soft, capable of satisfying specific needs, at home or in professional environments. Thanks to ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Set of 2 Kartell Maui Armchair in Black by Vico Magistretti
By Vico Magistretti, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Its elegant lines, sober colours and practical usage make Maui an extremely versatile chair, capable of satisfying the widest demands of the business and residential market. Maui cha...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Steel
Set of 2 Kartell Audrey Chair by Piero Lissoni in Sand
By Piero Lissoni, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Audrey is a versatile and contemporary chair which because of its simple, clean lines obtained through a special die-casting process is composed of only two parts and made without we...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Kartell Maui Swivel Chair Adjustable in Purple Red by Vico Magistretti
By Kartell, Vico Magistretti
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Maui chairs form a family with a rich variety of colours and shapes, both hard and soft, capable of satisfying specific needs, at home or in professional environments. Thanks to ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Kartell Maui Soft Trevira Armchair in Acid Green by Vico Magistretti
By Kartell, Vico Magistretti
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Maui chairs form a family with a rich variety of colours and shapes, both hard and soft, capable of satisfying specific needs, at home or in professiona...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Steel
Set of 2 Kartell Audrey Chair by Piero Lissoni in Black & White
By Piero Lissoni, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Audrey is a versatile and contemporary chair which because of its simple, clean lines obtained through a special die-casting process is composed of only two parts and made without we...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Kartell Maui Soft Trevira Armchair in Beige by Vico Magistretti
By Kartell, Vico Magistretti
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Maui chairs form a family with a rich variety of colours and shapes, both hard and soft, capable of satisfying specific needs, at home or in professiona...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Steel
Kartell Sparkle Stool in Crystal by Tokujin Yoshioka
By Tokujin Yoshioka, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Tokyjin Yoshioka's new Sparkle stool collection are as striking as a brilliant ray of sunlight. The plastic's unique pleating (both inside and out) is reflected in the end result: tw...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Resin
Kartell Maui Soft Trevira ArmChair in Teal by Vico Magistretti
By Vico Magistretti, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Maui chairs form a family with a rich variety of colours and shapes, both hard and soft, capable of satisfying specific needs, at home or in professional environments. Thanks to ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Steel
Kartell Maui Soft Trevira Armchair in Orange by Vico Magistretti
By Kartell, Vico Magistretti
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Maui chairs form a family with a rich variety of colours and shapes, both hard and soft, capable of satisfying specific needs, at home or in professiona...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Steel
Set of 2 Kartell Maui Soft Trevira Chair in Red by Vico Magistretti
By Kartell, Vico Magistretti
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Maui chairs form a family with a rich variety of colours and shapes, both hard and soft, capable of satisfying specific needs, at home or in professiona...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Set of 2 Kartell Maui Soft Trevira Chair in Acid Green by Vico Magistretti
By Vico Magistretti, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Maui chairs form a family with a rich variety of colours and shapes, both hard and soft, capable of satisfying specific needs, at home or in professiona...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Kartell Maui Soft Trevira ArmChair in Red by Vico Magistretti
By Vico Magistretti, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Maui chairs form a family with a rich variety of colours and shapes, both hard and soft, capable of satisfying specific needs, at home or in professional environments. Thanks to ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Steel
Set of 2 Kartell Audrey Chair by Piero Lissoni in White
By Piero Lissoni, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Audrey is a versatile and contemporary chair which because of its simple, clean lines obtained through a special die-casting process is composed of only two parts and made without we...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Aluminum
Set of 2 Kartell Maui Soft Trevira Chair in Blue by Vico Magistretti
By Kartell, Vico Magistretti
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Maui chairs form a family with a rich variety of colours and shapes, both hard and soft, capable of satisfying specific needs, at home or in professiona...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Steel
Set of 2 Kartell Maui Soft Trevira Chair in Beige by Vico Magistretti
By Kartell, Vico Magistretti
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Maui chairs form a family with a rich variety of colours and shapes, both hard and soft, capable of satisfying specific needs, at home or in professiona...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Steel
Set of 2 Kartell Maui Soft Trevira Chair in Teal by Vico Magistretti
By Kartell, Vico Magistretti
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Maui chairs form a family with a rich variety of colours and shapes, both hard and soft, capable of satisfying specific needs, at home or in professiona...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Kartell Maui Soft Trevira Chair in Grey by Vico Magistretti
By Vico Magistretti, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Maui chairs form a family with a rich variety of colours and shapes, both hard and soft, capable of satisfying specific needs, at home or in professiona...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Kartell Spoon Chair in Grey & Black by Antonio Citterio & Toan Nguyen
By Toan Nguyen, Antonio Citterio, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A monoshell light office chair on castors, spoon chair is the result of a totally avant-garde production process. The innovative dual-componen...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Kartell Spoon Chair in White & Black by Antonio Citterio & Toan Nguyen
By Toan Nguyen, Antonio Citterio, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A monoshell light office chair on castors, spoon chair is the result of a totally avant-garde production process. The innovative dual-componen...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Plastic
Set of 2 Kartell Maui Armchair in Anthracite by Ludovica and Roberto Palomba
By Ludovica + Roberto Palomba 1, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Its elegant lines, sober colours and practical usage make Maui an extremely versatile chair, capable of satisfying the widest demands of the business and residential market. Maui cha...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
Materials
Steel
Kartell office chairs and desk chairs for sale on 1stDibs.
Kartell office chairs and desk chairs are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of plastic and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Kartell office chairs and desk chairs, although gray editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 3 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 27 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original office chairs and desk chairs by Kartell were created in the modern style in italy during the 21st century and contemporary. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider office chairs and desk chairs by Vico Magistretti, Piero Lissoni, and Enrico Pellizzoni. Prices for Kartell office chairs and desk chairs can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $395 and can go as high as $1,775, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $820.
Creators Similar to Kartell
Questions About Kartell Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
- What is the history of Kartell?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertFebruary 21, 2024The history of Kartell starts with an Italian chemical engineer named Giulio Castelli and his wife, Anna Ferrieri. The couple founded Kartell in Milan as an industrial design firm, producing utilitarian items like ski racks for automobiles and laboratory equipment designed to replace breakable glass with sturdy plastic. Even as companies like Olivetti and Vespa were making Italian design popular in the 1950s, typewriters and scooters were relatively costly, and Castelli and Ferrieri wanted to provide Italian consumers with affordable, stylish goods. They launched a housewares division of Kartell in 1953, making lighting fixtures and kitchen tools and accessories from colorful molded plastic. Buoyed by its success in the home goods market, Kartell introduced its Habitat division in 1963. Kartell achieved international recognition for its innovative work in 1972, when a landmark exhibition curated by Emilio Ambasz called "Italy: The New Domestic Landscape" opened at New York's Museum of Modern Art. Castelli and Ferrieri sold Kartell to Claudio Luti, their son-in-law, in 1988, and since then, Luti has expanded the company's roster of designers. On 1stDibs, explore a large selection of Kartell furniture.
- What is Kartell known for?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Kartell is known largely for producing contemporary furniture out of plastic. The Italian company, founded in 1949, helped elevate the material, proving that it was suitable for designer furniture. You can find a collection of Kartell furniture and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 25, 2024How you clean Kartell plastic depends on the piece. Often, the best way to clean plastic furniture is with lukewarm water and mild dish soap. However, recommended cleaning methods vary. For the best results, refer to the manufacturer's care instructions that accompany your furniture. Shop a collection of Kartell furniture on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Kartell Louis Ghost chairs are made of lucite. Designed by Phillipe Starck for Kartell in 2002, this clear chair is crafted from a single piece of plastic, making it a beautifully elegant piece. On 1stDibs, find a range of authentic Kartell Ghost chairs from top sellers.