Barcelona Daybed Replica

The iconic Barcelona Chair and accompanying daybed, stool, and other pieces were designed way back in the late 1920s for the International Exposition of 1929, as modern-day throne room furniture for visiting Spanish royalty in Barcelona, featured in the German Pavilion, as the contribution of the Bauhaus school, by the designer Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and his newly-recognized production partner Lilly Reich.

That, of course, was a long time ago, and back in the 50s, the design firm Knoll purchased the rights to the trademarked name, making them the exclusive rights holders legally able to sell a product labeled "Barcelona Daybed." And they charge a lot of money for, too, in the range of a few thousand dollars.

Luckily for the less wealth-enhanced citizens of today, the rights to the design itself are expired. That means anyone, anywhere, can build an identical piece and sell it for whatever sale price is appropriate.

Because these cheaper replica versions are not officially allowed to use the trademark name, they often go by the term "Barcelona-style Daybed" or "Exposition Daybed," so they can avoid the issues regarding name ownership while they go about their business.

This means that it's easy to find a cheap Barcelona Daybed replica for a fraction of the price, shipped right to your door, and ready for you to relax in style, literally.

So, where's the best place to find a cheap reproduction for sale? Well, if you don't have a modern design showroom in your neighborhood, your best bet is to buy online from Amazon or eBay. The latter often has cheaper options, but it's good to check both.

If you absolutely have to own the real thing, you certainly can. Knoll sells the trademarked version of all Barcelona furniture, stamped with the signature of Mies van der Rohe himself. Except for the minor fact that, originally, the furniture was bolted together rather than built from single, sensuous pieces of metal. So remember that either way, you're not getting the real thing, but that it looks cooler now anyway.

Prepare for sticker shock when shopping for "authentic" versions:

If you're a big fan of the Barcelona furniture design, then the daybed is but one piece of a magnificent set you intend to build. You'll need the chair and ottoman as well, and perhaps the sofa, too.

The first two are available in authentic versions by Knoll, but of course are also available in replica form by a number of manufacturers, testament to the longevity of the product and demand among its fan base to enjoy the classic work of modern design even a century later.

Check out the links below to find cheap Barcelona reproduction furniture of all sorts: