Artistic, innovative and entrepreneurial, the self-taught creator Tom Dixon has been a contemporary design-world maverick for more than three decades. From his revolutionary art-meets-design projects of the 1980s and throughout his dynamic and influential career as a designer of furniture, housewares and interiors, the only consistent note has been change. Dixon’s chief fascination is exploring new materials and new ways of constructing things.
Dixon was restless even as a young man. He enjoyed ceramics and drawing in high school but later dropped out of the Chelsea School of Art in London. While repairing his motorcycle in 1983, Dixon learned how to weld and took to the craft. He began making what he has called semi-functional objects from scrap metal (sometime as performance art in a nightclub), then formed a furniture studio–cum–think tank called Creative Salvage. Amid the ritzy excess of the ’80s, Dixon — along with designers such as Tejo Remy and Ron Arad — forged a new, attention-getting aesthetic with furniture made from found materials.
In 1987, Dixon began working for the Italian furniture manufacturer Cappellini, which put his best-known design, the slender, sinuous S chair, into production, followed by such pieces as the Pylon chair (1992), a wire lattice that resembles electrical transmission towers. Starting in the 1990s, Dixon expanded his interests rapidly. He started a company to manufacture the stackable plastic Jack light; joined the housewares retailer Habitat as creative director; and breathed new life into Artek, the venerable Finnish maker that Alvar Aalto and his wife Aino helped cofound. Since 2002, Dixon has run his namesake company fabricating furnishings from novel materials like brass foil-clad wood and “vacuum-metalized” glass.
The hallmark of Dixon’s design is his captivation with the process of creating pieces such as chairs, tables and lighting fixtures. “A kind friend once described me as a ‘vertebrate designer,’” Dixon has said. “That means that I design from the bones outwards and am not really interested in surface.”
Classic Dixon pieces are those that exhibit the manner of their making — from his early work in welded scrap metal to the woven rattan seats and backs of his Fat chair for Cappellini. There are two ways to approach Dixon designs: as a collector, or as a decorator. The former will seek Dixon’s one-off and limited edition works and prototypes. These historical artifacts carry high prices that range from around $8,000 to $50,000 and above. Those more interested in a dynamic look will find that manufactured Dixon designs — such as his Jack lights or his Melt pendant — can be found for prices that range from about $300 to $1,000. Either way, as you will see on 1stDibs, the designs of Tom Dixon have a singular allure that makes them a noteworthy element in any room.
Tom Dixon Black Fan Dining Chair with Leather Seat Pad
By Tom Dixon
Located in Miami, FL
Black stained birch Fan dining chair with a splayed array of machined wood spindles, curved wood back and round base with black leather seat pad. Desi...
Leather, Birch, Paint
Black XI Onceava Chair by Joel Escalona
By Joel Escalona
Located in Geneve, CH
Black XI Onceava chair by Joel Escalona Dimensions: D 50 x W 48 x H 84 cm Materials: oak wood, leather. Chair made of white oak, burnt fini...
Leather, Oak
$706 / item
H 29.53 in W 18.12 in D 19.69 in
The Iconic Black Stained MZO Chair in Beechwood with Upholstery by Mazo Design
Located in Geneve, CH
The Iconic Black Stained MZO Chair in Beechwood with Upholstery by Mazo Design Dimensions: W 46 x D 50 x H 75 cm Materials: Beech. This iconic chair played a leading role in one of the fairy tales of Danish furniture design. However – more curiously – it is also on display at The Workers Museum in Copenhagen. This chair was designed specifically with the ambition to create a chair that working class Danes could afford. With mazo's new edition this classical chair is once again made available to everyone looking for a quality dining chair. Mazo produce and re-launch both the iconic international design classics, and the hidden gems that have only been produced in a small number in this design universe. We are serious about authenticity. We rely on it, as it is the core of our existence. Humbled to be trusted with the exclusive rights to manufacture and launch furniture...
Other
$1,425 / item
H 32 in W 19 in D 22 in
Blackened Steel Dining Chair with Black Leather Upholstered Seat
By Stephen Kenn
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A steel and leather chair with a comfortable seat, easily stackable to save space when needed. This tonal version has a blackened steel frame with a black leather upholstered seat. S...
Steel
$1,366 / item
H 32.29 in W 21.66 in D 19.69 in
Vintola Dining Chair, Black Velvet Adamo and Eva by Dedar, Europe, Poland
Located in 05-080 Hornowek, PL
Cruella Set – “Vintola Dining” Chair A contemporary piece with the soul of the 1960s. Designed by Ola Szewczul for Vintola Studio, this chair blends elegance, nobility, and everyday...
Bouclé, Jacquard, Linen, Velvet, Beech
Black September Dining Chair by Ox Denmarq
Located in Geneve, CH
Black September Dining Chair by OxDenmarq Dimensions: D 54 x W 48 x H 80 cm Materials: Leather, Black Powder Coated Steel Also Available: Different colors available, OX DENMARQ...
Steel
$2,700
H 32.09 in W 18.71 in D 18.12 in
Afra & Tobia Scarpa "121" Dining Chair for Cassina, Total Black, 1965
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Afra & Tobia Scarpa "121" dining chair for Cassina, total black, Italy, 1965 Iconic and charming, the model "121" by Afra & Tobia Scarpa shows once again the Scarpa's typical double...
Leather, Walnut, Plywood
$2,662 / item
H 30.71 in W 21.66 in D 24.02 in
Organic Modern Dining Chair in Black Kvadrat Boucle — Flock CS2 by NOOM
By Kateryna Sokolova, NOOM
Located in Paris, FR
AWARD-WINNING CONTEMPORARY DESIGN The Flock Dining Chair by NOOM is an award-winning contemporary dining chair designed by Kateryna Sokolova. Recognized with the NYCxDESIGN Awards 2024 in the Contract Seating category, the chair combines soft sculptural lines with a refined minimalist aesthetic. Its clean silhouette and solid ash wood legs create a balanced architectural presence that integrates effortlessly into modern residential interiors, restaurants, boutique hotels, and design-driven hospitality spaces. COMFORT AND FUNCTION The chair features a wide upholstered seat and gently curved backrest, offering ergonomic support and comfortable seating for everyday use. Carefully considered proportions and high-quality materials ensure durability in both residential and contract environments. MATERIALS AND CRAFTSMANSHIP Each Flock chair...
Wool, Bouclé, Ash, Faux Fur
Rare pair of “Rubber Band” Chairs by Tom Dixon
By Tom Dixon
Located in DE KWAKEL, NL
An inventive and highly recognizable design by British designer Tom Dixon. The Rubber Band Chair combines industrial materials with an unexpectedly lightweight visual expression. A s...
Metal
$647 / item
H 29.53 in W 18.12 in D 19.69 in
The Iconic Black Stained MZO Chairs in Beechwood by Mazo Design
Located in Geneve, CH
The Iconic Black Stained MZO Chairs in Beechwood by Mazo Design Dimensions: W 46 x D 50 x H 75 cm Materials: Beech. This iconic chair played a leading rol...
Other
Dixon's eponymous London-based brand is known for its distinctive furniture and lighting, but his creativity is boundless.
Kersti Sandin and Lars Bülow want their new endeavor to educate both students and professionals about furniture design.
