TL;DR
- Five named designs come closest to the Barcelona chair: the Tugendhat chair, PK22, Wassily chair, LC4 and Eames Lounge Chair.
- The Tugendhat chair is the closest relative: same designers, same strapped leather cushions on flat steel.
- The PK22 needs about a third less floor space, so it suits small rooms best.
- A licensed Barcelona chair starts at €8,666 in Germany (smow, 2026), so a replica makes sense when you want the exact X-frame on a normal budget.
Looking for chairs similar to the Barcelona chair? Five come closest: the Tugendhat chair, Poul Kjærholm’s PK22, Marcel Breuer’s Wassily chair, the LC4 chaise longue and the Eames Lounge Chair. All five pair steel or leather with modernist design from 1925 to 1956. If what you love is the X-frame itself, a faithful replica is the better fit.
Each is still made under licence. We sell replicas of two of them, the LC4 and the Eames, but not the other three.
Table of Contents
Which Barcelona Chair Alternative Should You Choose?
The right Barcelona chair alternative depends mostly on your floor space and how you like to sit.
- Choose the Tugendhat chair if you want the same designers in a less familiar shape.
- Choose the PK22 if your room is small.
- Choose the Wassily chair if you need armrests to push up from.
- Choose the LC4 if you want to lie back fully.
- Choose the Eames Lounge Chair for long reading sessions.
- Choose a Barcelona chair replica if the X-frame is the point.
1. Tugendhat Chair – Best for a Same-Designer Alternative
The Tugendhat chair is the closest relative of the Barcelona chair. Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich designed it in 1929-30 for the Tugendhat House in Brno (Wikipedia, 2026).
It rests the same padded leather cushions on leather straps over flat steel. The difference is the base: a C-shaped cantilever with a slight spring and a more upright seat. Arms are optional, and Knoll first made it under licence in 1948.
The trade-off: the cantilever looks lighter and less formal than the crossed Barcelona legs.
Best for: fans of Mies and Reich who want something less familiar.
2. PK22 – Best for Small Rooms
The PK22 is the Barcelona chair alternative for tight spaces. Danish designer Poul Kjærholm drew it in 1956, and Fritz Hansen still makes it on a brushed stainless spring steel base (Fritz Hansen, 2026).
It looks like a low, slim, armless cousin of the Barcelona chair. At 63 × 63 cm, it needs about 34% less floor area than our 77 × 78 cm Barcelona replica.
The trade-off is height: its 35 cm seat sits around 11 cm lower than our replica’s 46 cm seat (Sederica product data, 2026), so it is harder to stand up from.
Best for: small flats and reading corners.
3. Wassily Chair – Best Bauhaus Option With Arms
The Wassily chair is the Bauhaus pick if you want armrests. Marcel Breuer designed it at the Bauhaus in 1925 as the B3, and Knoll has made it since 1968 (MOHD, 2026).
Breuer borrowed bent tubular steel from bicycle frames and stretched leather or canvas slings across it. The chair was later renamed after his Bauhaus colleague, the painter Wassily Kandinsky.
The trade-off: thin slings feel firmer than deep Barcelona cushions.
Best for: Bauhaus collectors and anyone who needs arms to get up.
4. LC4 Chaise Longue – Best for Reclining
The LC4 suits you if you like the chrome-and-leather look but want to lie back. Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand designed it in 1928, and Cassina has made the licensed version since the mid-1960s.
A curved chrome cradle sits on a black steel base, and you slide it to any angle from nearly upright to almost flat.
The trade-off is length: it needs about 1.6 metres of floor (Cassina product data, 2026). Our LC4 chaise longue replica range has a black replica and a Le Corbusier-style version in chocolate brown.
Best for: reading and napping in a room with space to stretch out.
5. Eames Lounge Chair – Best for Long Reading Sessions
The Eames Lounge Chair is the alternative for comfort over a long evening. Charles and Ray Eames designed it in 1956. Vitra makes the licensed version for Europe, and Herman Miller for other markets (Vitra, 2026).
It shares the leather, but moulded plywood shells, a reclined seat and an ottoman make it far more relaxed.
The trade-off is style: wood veneer looks warmer and more mid-century. Our Eames lounge chair replica range comes in several veneers, including walnut and rosewood.
Best for: long reading sessions and anyone who wants an ottoman.
Barcelona Chair Alternatives Compared at a Glance
Here are the five alternatives beside the Barcelona chair, with the main difference for each.
| Chair | Designers and year | Arms | Main difference from Barcelona |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barcelona chair | Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich, 1929 | No | (reference) |
| Tugendhat chair | Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich, 1929-30 | Optional | Springy cantilever base |
| PK22 | Poul Kjærholm, 1956 | No | Smaller, 35 cm seat |
| Wassily (B3) | Marcel Breuer, 1925 | Yes | Thin slings, no cushions |
| LC4 | Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand, 1928 | No | Reclines, about 1.6 m long |
| Eames Lounge Chair | Charles and Ray Eames, 1956 | Yes | Plywood shells, reclined seat |
Replica vs Lookalike: What Is the Difference?
A replica copies one specific design as closely as possible. A lookalike borrows the mood, such as chrome and black leather, but changes the shape. An alternative is a different named design, like every chair above.
For the Barcelona chair, the test is quick. A replica keeps the crossed, curved X-shaped legs and the grid of tufted, piped leather squares. If either is missing, it is a lookalike.
Neither is made under licence. Knoll makes the licensed chair, and each frame carries a stamped Mies van der Rohe signature (Wikipedia, 2026). Our guide explains how originals, replicas and reproductions differ.
When Does a Barcelona Chair Replica Make More Sense?
A replica makes more sense when none of the five alternatives gives you the shape you want. If the X-frame and tufted cushions are why you started looking, a well-made replica gives you that shape for about a twentieth of the licensed price.
A licensed Barcelona chair starts at €8,666 in Germany (smow, 2026). Our single chairs cost €409 to €445 on sale at the time of writing (Sederica, October 2026).
Many shops sell a “Barcelona style lounge chair”, but the label tells you little. Check the spec:
- The frame should be polished stainless steel. Ours is a one-piece X-frame.
- The leather should be stated. Ours uses Italian leather on the seating faces and faux leather on the sides.
- The size should be listed. Ours is 77 × 78 × 83 cm and weighs 19 kg.
Black and white are our most-ordered single chairs. The black leather Barcelona chair suits darker rooms, the white leather Barcelona chair brightens a pale one, and a rich brown leather Barcelona chair sits warmly beside wood. The Barcelona single seater range has seven colours in all.
To put your feet up, a Barcelona chair set adds the matching footstool; the black Barcelona chair with ottoman is our most-ordered set. Or compare every colour in our replica Barcelona chair collection.
What you give up is the licence and any collector resale value. If those matter, save for a licensed chair; if not, a replica is the honest middle ground.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chairs Similar to the Barcelona Chair
What chair looks most like a Barcelona chair?
Apart from replicas, the Tugendhat chair. Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich designed both, and both rest leather cushions on straps over flat steel.
What is a cheaper alternative to the Barcelona chair?
A replica is the cheapest route to the same shape: from €409 at Sederica at the time of writing, against €8,666 for a licensed chair in Germany (smow, 2026).
What is the difference between a replica and a lookalike?
A replica copies one design closely, down to the frame and cushion pattern. A lookalike only borrows the style.
Is a Barcelona style lounge chair the same as a Barcelona chair replica?
Sometimes. Shops use “Barcelona style” for anything from a close replica to a loose lookalike, so check the spec, not the label.
Did Mies van der Rohe design other chairs like the Barcelona chair?
Yes. With Lilly Reich, he designed the Tugendhat chair and the Brno chair in 1929-30 for the Tugendhat House. Both use a cantilever frame.
Which Barcelona chair alternative is best for a small room?
The PK22. At 63 × 63 cm (Fritz Hansen, 2026), it needs about a third less floor than a Barcelona chair.
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