Although now dubbed the King of Slovenian Design, Niko Kralj was for many years one of the great unsung heroes of industrial design.
The late architect and furniture designer Kralj was known for groundbreaking seating and tables that seamlessly blend functionality with an elegant economy of line. He received little recognition outside his own country, despite registering 120-plus patents and models, including those for the Mosquito bar stool — named for its winglike seat and first produced in 2012 — and a number of inventive “foldables,” like the Rex coffee table and Rex daybed for children.
Sleek and space-saving, Kralj's iconic foldable Rex rocking chair was created in 1956 — it epitomizes his sleek and laconic minimalism, conveying a sense of strength and fluidity, both in its pleasingly geometric open form and its gracefully arching folded silhouette. A contemporary version of Kralj’s mid-century masterwork is produced by the Ljubljana-based furniture company Rex Kralj.
Over the course of his career, Kralj also established close ties with such design giants as Charles and Ray Eames, Richard Buckminster Fuller, Olof Pira and Ilmari Tapiovaara, all proponents, like him, of an aesthetic that inhabits the sweet spot between elegant simplicity and pragmatism.
Today, Kralj’s timeless rocking chairs are in the collections of a number of international museums, including New York’s Museum of Modern Art, Copenhagen’s Designmuseum Denmark and the National Technical Museum Prague.
Find vintage Niko Kralj furniture on 1stDibs.
Rex 120 Lounge Chair Natural Oak Solid Frame + Plywood, Mid-Century Modern Style
By Niko Kralj
Located in Ljubljana, SI
The Rex 120 is as stylish today as when it was first produced in 1953. This high-end piece of the Rex Collection displays effortless minimalism and airiness. P...
Oak
1960 Wood Chair Natural Walnut, Solid Frame + Plywood, MidCentury Modern Style
By Niko Kralj
Located in Ljubljana, SI
Designed at a time when the combination of solid wood and plywood led to an unbeatable type of chair, the 1960 wood chair embodies retro chic and is built to last. The chair is easy ...
Walnut
Rex Lounge Chair in Natural Oak, Solid Frame + Plywood, Mid-Century Modern Style
By Niko Kralj
Located in Ljubljana, SI
A chair that has served generations and the cornerstone of Rex Kralj’s foldable furniture collection. To date, over two million Rex lounge chairs have been p...
Oak
1960 Chair in Natural Oak with Metal Frame and Plywood, Mid-Century Modern Style
By Niko Kralj
Located in Ljubljana, SI
Geometric lines meet smooth curves in the 1960 chair. The fluent curves of the plywood are supported by a square frame, which creates a lightweight chair wi...
Oak
Rex 120 Lounge Chair Black Oak, Solid Frame + Plywood, Mid-Century Modern Style
By Niko Kralj
Located in Ljubljana, SI
The Rex 120 is as stylish today as when it was first produced in 1953. This high-end piece of the Rex Collection displays effortless minimalism and airiness. P...
Oak
Mosquito Dining Chair in Walnut, Wooden Frame and Plywood, Mid-Century Modern
By Niko Kralj
Located in Ljubljana, SI
Named after its wing-like seat, the mosquito chair is a genuine eyecatcher, an elegant piece with a touch of poetry. This innovative design proved too demanding for 1950s manufacturing methods. But thanks to the recent efforts of Rex Kralj...
Walnut
Contemporary Lounge Chair 'Z-Chair' by DK3, Walnut, Brown Leather
By DK3, Poul Thorsbjerg Jensen
Located in Paris, IDF
Contemporary Lounge Chair 'Z-Chair' by DK3 Designed by Poul Thorsbjerg Jensen Dimensions: - W.75 x D.82 x H.62 cm - Seating: W.58 x D.52 x H.36 cm Materials: - Frame: Solid wood....
Leather, Walnut
Contemporary Lounge Chair 'Z-Chair' by DK3, Walnut, Black Leather
By DK3, Poul Thorsbjerg Jensen
Located in Paris, IDF
Contemporary Lounge Chair 'Z-Chair' by DK3 Designed by Poul Thorsbjerg Jensen Dimensions: - W.75 x D.82 x H.62 cm - Seating: W.58 x D.52 x H.36 cm Materials: - Frame: Solid wood....
Walnut, Leather
Contemporary Lounge Chair 'Z-Chair' by DK3, Walnut, Cognac Leather
By Poul Thorsbjerg Jensen, DK3
Located in Paris, IDF
Contemporary Lounge Chair 'Z-Chair' by DK3 Designed by Poul Thorsbjerg Jensen Dimensions: - W.75 x D.82 x H.62 cm - Seating: W.58 x D.52 x H.36 cm Materials: - Frame: Solid wood....
Leather, Walnut
Hunter Lounge Chair by Torbjørn Afdal in Oiled Walnut & Leather
By Torbjørn Afdal
Located in Burlington, NJ
Frame in oiled walnut with black saddle leather The Hunter lounge chair, designed by Torbjørn Afdal in 1960, is a refined interpretation of the classic “hunting chair” typology tha...
Leather, Walnut
Contemporary Lounge Chair 'Z-Chair' by DK3, Oil Oak, Brown Leather
By Poul Thorsbjerg Jensen, DK3
Located in Paris, IDF
Contemporary Lounge Chair 'Z-Chair' by DK3 Designed by Poul Thorsbjerg Jensen Dimensions: - W.75 x D.82 x H.62 cm - Seating: W.58 x D.52 x H.36 cm Materials: - Frame: Solid wood....
Leather, Upholstery, Oak
Contemporary Lounge Chair 'Z-Chair' by DK3, Walnut, Balmoral 02
By Poul Thorsbjerg Jensen, DK3
Located in Paris, IDF
Contemporary Lounge Chair 'Z-Chair' by DK3 Designed by Poul Thorsbjerg Jensen Dimensions: - W.75 x D.82 x H.62 cm - Seating: W.58 x D.52 x H.36 cm Materials: - Frame: Solid wood....
Fabric, Upholstery, Walnut
