The modern retro swivel chair is an enduring icon

The swivel chair was actually invented by in the 18th century by Thomas Jefferson, but until the 1950s it was generally used in office furniture only and rarely seen in the home.

The mid century modern design aesthetic of convenience, comfort, and streamlined efficiency made the swivel style a natural, however, and retro decorating featured swivel chair for everything from lounging to dining.

Sleek lines, innovative use of materials, and streamlined design are the earmarks of retro modern design, and the swivel chairs that gained great popularity during the period are excellent examples.

Arne Jacobsen Egg Chair

Designed by famed Danish modern furniture creator Arne Jacobson in the late 1950s, the Arne Jacobsen Egg Chair remains a classic style that has never lost its popularity.

Jacobsen was known for spare, no-nonsense designs that used materials in new and exciting ways, and the Egg Chair is one of his finest and most well-known designs.

Combining the gleam and sparkle of the steel swivel base with smooth upholstery in bright eye-popping primary colors, the Egg Chair is built on a curving steel framework that gently hugs the user.

Eames Lounge Chair

The swivel lounge chair created by modern furniture designers Charles and Ray Eames has become a true design classic. It has the rare distinction of being recognized by organizations like New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Design Institute of Chicago, but it also remains a consumer favorite.

When it was first introduced in the 1950s, everything about the chair was revolutionary, from its sleek modern shape to its molded wood construction. But though it was on the cutting edge of modern design, the Eames Swivel Lounge Chair was developed with comfort and usability in mind. Charles Eames said he wanted the chair to be 'a special refuge from the strains of modern living'.

The shell of the classic style is made of molded wood, meticulously finished to highlight the natural grain. Cushioned with smooth and supple leather, the shape is sleek yet enveloping. The design of the Eames Lounge Chair is absolutely timeless, fitting in perfectly with today's decor.

Eero Aarnio's Ball Chair

The Ball Chair is one of the most iconic of all retro modern furniture designs. Created in 1966 by Eero Aarnio, the Ball Chair takes the body-hugging design of the Eames and Egg chairs a step further.

The hollow-ball shell of the chair, which is set on a swivel pedestal, completely envelops the user. The design radically expanded the concept of what furniture can be and do, by using a chair to create a private 'space within a space'.

The shells of the original Ball Chairs were made of fiberglass, with the inside upholstered in bright primary colors.