Cleveland Twist Drill Bit Company

Industrial floor lamps, bar stools, desks and other industrial-style furnishings have experienced a resurgence in popularity with the rise of interest in minimalist design.

It's a look that celebrates the past even as it suggests vigor, productivity and brawn. The newly chic industrial style of decor repurposes the simple, sturdy furniture of an earlier world of commerce — brushed-metal storage cabinets and display shelves, task lamps and pendant lights with enameled shades, work tables with worn wooden tops and cast-iron bases — and couples them with aesthetic touches emblematic of energy and optimism, from bright upholstery fabrics to flowers.

The rise in prominence of the industrial style has come hand-in-hand with the residential repurposing of former manufacturing and warehouse districts throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. In many loft apartments created in shuttered factories, the architectural envelope has been left intact.

Industrial-style interiors feature elements like raw brick walls, exposed steel beams and oak floors whose history is written in every pit and gouge. Iron and glass transom windows give definition and interest to small kitchen areas anchored by kitchen islands made of marble, steel and brass, while taxidermy or vintage neon signs serve as wall art in living rooms dotted with leather club chairs. Patina is the keynote to a decor in sync with such surroundings. 

On 1stDibs you will find industrial furniture designs that wear their age beautifully — and were built to last.

Whether burnished or lacquered, antique, new and vintage brass furniture can elevate a room.

From traditional spaces that use brass as an accent — by way of brass dining chairs or brass pendant lights — to contemporary rooms that embrace bold brass decor, there are many ways to incorporate the golden-hued metal.

“I find mixed metals to be a very updated approach, as opposed to the old days, when it was all shiny brass of dulled-out silver tones,” says interior designer Drew McGukin. “I especially love working with brass and blackened steel for added warmth and tonality. To me, aged brass is complementary across many design styles and can trend contemporary or traditional when pushed either way.”

He proves his point in a San Francisco entryway, where a Lindsey Adelman light fixture hangs above a limited-edition table and stools by Kelly Wearstler — also an enthusiast of juxtapositions — all providing bronze accents. The walls were hand-painted by artist Caroline Lizarraga and the ombré stair runner is by DMc.

West Coast designer Catherine Kwong chose a sleek brass and lacquered-parchment credenza by Scala Luxury to fit this San Francisco apartment. “The design of this sideboard is reminiscent of work by French modernist Jean Prouvé. The brass font imbues the space with warmth and the round ‘portholes’ provide an arresting geometric element.”

Find antique, new and vintage brass tables, case pieces and other furnishings now on 1stDibs.

If you’ve been searching for a unique solution for storage or displaying your serveware or decorative objects, might we prescribe an antique or vintage apothecary cabinet?

With the advent of the modern-day pharmacy, you can often go a long time without running into an apothecary . . . or even seeing the word. Popular in the 15th and 16th centuries, apothecary shops are the predecessors of today’s typical drug stores. An apothecary, in the person sense, was a medical professional, dispensing medicines and remedies for common ailments, but also preparing and mixing said medicines in-house. Too often these shops were quite small and, like most of us constantly seeking savvy storage solutions, apothecaries needed a cabinet to store supplies and medicinal ingredients.

Apothecary cabinets are case pieces similar in size to early dressers or commodes but with uniquely sized shelving and (often numerous) drawers. Indeed, these old-world furnishings — whether it's a small apothecary cabinet or a large version — offer seemingly endless ways to sort and display or just help tidy up a room while maintaining its charm.

Decorating with a vintage metal apothecary cabinet, or one made of solid wood, is a snap.

Pay tribute to the piece’s original purpose by displaying your very own collection of apothecary jars and bottles or decorative art glass. Elsewhere, introduce the cabinet to high-traffic areas such as your living room — two smaller Victorian-era apothecary cabinets could work as side tables — or your entryway much in the way you would a console table. These functional furnishings can work as storage in your home office or as nightstands in the bedroom, and in any interior an apothecary wall cabinet can keep your space orderly and clutter-free.

Browse a collection of antique and vintage apothecary cabinets and chests on 1stDibs today.