Names to know

Dozens of architects and designers made their mark on midcentury-modern design. A few names worth knowing: Ludwig Mies van der Rohe: A pioneer of modernist architecture and designer of the still-popular Barcelona chair, his many famous works include two buildings he designed for the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston — Cullinan Hall and the Brown Pavilion. Florence Knoll: An architect, she and her husband, Hans Knoll, grew their furnituremanufacturing company into a center for style and design. She’s known for designing buildings and office interiors, but she also designed a number of tables, desks, chairs and other pieces. Charles and Ray Eames: This married couple collaborated on a significant number of design projects using molded plywood and leather, but their best-known work is their Eames lounge and ottoman, which are still popular in homes and offices today. George Nakashima: A Japanese-American, Nakashima was known as a woodworker and one of the fathers of the American craft movement. He designed furniture for Knoll and is known for his butterfly joints, bookmatched wood and free-edge pieces that are still highly collectible. Eero Saarinen: A master of 20th-century architecture, his name is synonymous with modern design. His Tulip, Womb and Pedestal chairs were his biggest successes in furniture design. Warren Platner: Platner’s signature design, lengths of steel rods formed around circular frames, are still copied today. The design was used in tables of all sizes, topped with glass discs. Hans Wegner: This Danish designer helped popularize Scandinavian design and is known for his chair designs, including the Ox and Shell chairs. Vladimir Kagan: A woodworker at heart, Kagan’s pieces used iron, cast aluminum and upholstery, and were known for their use of sculpted wood. His curvy sofas are still highly collectible.