Senta Armchair and Ottoman by Gerard Van Den Berg for Wittmann

Modern Dutch design owes a great deal to Gerard van den Berg. While the Netherlands has a rich furniture-making tradition, it took a maverick like Van den Berg to bring it into a new era. His innovative armchairs, lounge chairs and sofas offer a reinterpretation of mid-century modern Dutch designs and have found wide appeal among international customers. 

Van den Berg was born in 1947 to a family of designers. His father owned a furniture company in Hellevoetsluis where Van den Berg worked as an apprentice and then designer until he and his brother, Ton, founded their own workshop, in 1974. That company, named Montis, produced mostly upholstered seating for homes and businesses.

At Montis, Van den Berg challenged traditional Dutch furniture forms. Rather than starting with the piece's frame, which he felt was restrictive, he focused on the silhouette. This inspired Van den Berg to create slim and elegant furniture, often featuring angular metal legs and leather upholstery. In 1983, he pioneered the "jacket technique," consisting of a zipped leather cover around a metal frame. Several iconic Montis seats use this technique, including the Chaplin chair, the Butterfly lounge chair and the Rocky sofa.

In 1989, Van den Berg launched his own design studio and began designing for companies like Wittmann, Molteni and Perobell. He left Montis in 1990 to cofound a new company, called Label, with Ton the following year. Label furniture captures the essence of no-nonsense Dutch design. It is comfortable and relaxed, featuring simple forms that are pleasing to the eye.

Van den Berg's irreplaceable contributions to furniture design have garnered multiple awards over the years. Some of the most notable include the Kho Liang Prize, the Mobilia Innovation Award and the Prize for Interior Architecture. 

Today, Van den Berg's son Jasper and Ton's daughter, Marieke, manage Label. Van den Berg's other son, Ivo, is also a designer at the company.

On 1stDibs, find Gerard van den Berg seating, case pieces and more.

Wittmann has a long tradition of uncompromising commitment to producing furniture of the highest quality. From its beginning, the Austrian company’s seating and bedroom furniture, such as armchairs and daybeds, have been fashioned from the most durable woods, like teak and oak, and upholstered in fine leather and fabrics. 

Wittmann started in 1896 as a saddlery. In the 1950s, under the direction of Franz Wittmann, it began creating upholstered furniture. The company quickly made a name for itself by manufacturing quality pieces, with a focus on seating and bedroom furnishings. 

Wittmann has regularly worked with major designers, with many collaborations leading to long-term partnerships. Austrian architect Johannes Spalt, French architect Jean Nouvel and Italian architect Paolo Piva have all had successful partnerships with the company.

The company’s most enduring collaboration was with Austrian designer Josef Hoffmann, a central figure in the modern furniture movement of the mid-20th century. Hoffmann moved away from extravagant ornamentation and embellishment in favor of showcasing the beauty of construction that shows through with a simple, well-crafted design. Though its mid-century modern furniture was intentionally simplistic, Wittmann incorporated color and texture into its offerings, providing some added flair compared to the popular Scandinavian modern works coming out of Denmark. 

Drawing on this rich heritage, Wittmann continues to hand-make furnishings. It has stores in Vienna, Hamburg and Seon in Switzerland, and exports over 15,000 pieces each year to over 50 countries worldwide.

On 1stDibs, explore Wittmann’s Austrian take on modern furniture with seating, tables, storage pieces and more.