Thonet furniture was founded by Michael Thonet in 1819. After years of experimenting, Thonet invented furniture that was made out of bent wood. It was nothing like anything anyone had ever known! Soon, news of the new furniture style spread far and Thonet was invited by the royal family to bring his designs to Vienna, which led to the invention of the no.14 chair (also called the Vienna coffee house chair). This was a landmark invention considering it wasn’t common to have furniture in public spaces. Thank you, Thonet! The next generations of the Thonet family took over and a lot happened in the years that followed: wars, inventions of new furniture materials such as cold-bent tubular steel, the on-boarding of new designers such as Mart Stam, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Marcel Breuer, more wars, loss and revival. Phew! What a spectacular story! This is why experts say (and we agree) that owning a Thonet chair means owning a piece of history. If the rich legacy doesn’t entice you, do it for comfort and style—a Thonet bentwood chair BRINGS the casual-chic vibes. Add a couple to your living room for a pop of color and additional seating. Thonet chairs add functionality and are SO protean. For example, Thonet chairs work beautifully with wood, farm-style dining tables and ultra-mod Tulip Tables (remember: buying dining tables and chairs that aren't matchy matchy is an easy peasy way to add a dash of the avant garde). If you are looking for a seating alternative to chairs for your dining table, check or bar stools and counter stools on Chairish.