Cool Mid Century Modern Furniture
Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Cotton
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Wood
Mid-20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Plastic
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts
Bamboo, Glass
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Brass
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Chrome
Vintage 1960s Magazine Racks and Stands
Iron
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Brass
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Wall-mounted Sculptures
Iron
Vintage 1980s American Mid-Century Modern Benches
Faux Leather, Lucite
Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Cabinets
Walnut
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Walnut
Vintage 1940s American Expressionist Paintings
Canvas, Hardwood, Paint
Vintage 1960s Italian Ceramics
Ceramic, Porcelain, Pottery
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Stools
Aluminum, Chrome
Mid-20th Century European Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount
Metal, Brass
Vintage 1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Side Chairs
Metal
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Iron
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Canvas
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Wall Mirrors
Rattan, Mirror
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Fabric, Wood
Vintage 1970s Mid-Century Modern Wall-mounted Sculptures
Metal, Brass, Iron
Vintage 1970s Canadian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Chrome
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps
Metal
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Brass
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Benches
Metal
Vintage 1950s European Mid-Century Modern Decorative Art
Ceramic
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
Vintage 1960s American Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Leather
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Ceramics
Ceramic
Vintage 1970s Japanese Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Metal
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
Paint, Fiberglass
Vintage 1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Canvas
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Leather
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Serving Tables
Mahogany
Vintage 1950s Adirondack Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wrought Iron
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Wall Mirrors
Mirror
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
Walnut
Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Beds and Bed Frames
Teak
Mid-20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps
Brass, Chrome
2010s North American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Hardwood
Vintage 1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Barware
Plastic
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Stools
Rattan
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Barware
Brass, Chrome
20th Century Vases
Enamel, Chrome
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Rattan
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Side Tables
Marble
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount
Chrome
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Patio and Garden Furniture
Fiberglass, Paint
Late 20th Century American Space Age Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Fabric
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Brass, Metal
Mid-20th Century Spanish Mid-Century Modern Sunburst Mirrors
Iron, Gold Leaf, Wrought Iron, Metal
Mid-20th Century European Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Chrome
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Children's Furniture
Aluminum, Chrome
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Metal, Brass
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Cool Mid Century Modern Furniture For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Cool Mid Century Modern Furniture?
A Close Look at Mid-Century Modern Furniture
Organically shaped, clean-lined and elegantly simple are three terms that well describe vintage mid-century modern furniture. The style, which emerged primarily in the years following World War II, is characterized by pieces that were conceived and made in an energetic, optimistic spirit by creators who believed that good design was an essential part of good living.
ORIGINS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
- Emerged during the mid-20th century
- Informed by European modernism, Bauhaus, International style, Scandinavian modernism and Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture
- A heyday of innovation in postwar America
- Experimentation with new ideas, new materials and new forms flourished in Scandinavia, Italy, the former Czechoslovakia and elsewhere in Europe
CHARACTERISTICS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
- Simplicity, organic forms, clean lines
- A blend of neutral and bold Pop art colors
- Use of natural and man-made materials — alluring woods such as teak, rosewood and oak; steel, fiberglass and molded plywood
- Light-filled spaces with colorful upholstery
- Glass walls and an emphasis on the outdoors
- Promotion of functionality
MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW
- Charles and Ray Eames
- Eero Saarinen
- Milo Baughman
- Florence Knoll
- Harry Bertoia
- Isamu Noguchi
- George Nelson
- Danish modernists Hans Wegner and Arne Jacobsen, whose emphasis on natural materials and craftsmanship influenced American designers and vice versa
ICONIC MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNS
- Eames lounge chair
- Nelson daybed
- Florence Knoll sofa
- Egg chair
- Womb chair
- Noguchi coffee table
- Barcelona chair
VINTAGE MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS
The mid-century modern era saw leagues of postwar American architects and designers animated by new ideas and new technology. The lean, functionalist International-style architecture of Le Corbusier and Bauhaus eminences Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius had been promoted in the United States during the 1930s by Philip Johnson and others. New building techniques, such as “post-and-beam” construction, allowed the International-style schemes to be realized on a small scale in open-plan houses with long walls of glass.
Materials developed for wartime use became available for domestic goods and were incorporated into mid-century modern furniture designs. Charles and Ray Eames and Eero Saarinen, who had experimented extensively with molded plywood, eagerly embraced fiberglass for pieces such as the La Chaise and the Womb chair, respectively.
Architect, writer and designer George Nelson created with his team shades for the Bubble lamp using a new translucent polymer skin and, as design director at Herman Miller, recruited the Eameses, Alexander Girard and others for projects at the legendary Michigan furniture manufacturer.
Harry Bertoia and Isamu Noguchi devised chairs and tables built of wire mesh and wire struts. Materials were repurposed too: The Danish-born designer Jens Risom created a line of chairs using surplus parachute straps for webbed seats and backrests.
The Risom lounge chair was among the first pieces of furniture commissioned and produced by legendary manufacturer Knoll, a chief influencer in the rise of modern design in the United States, thanks to the work of Florence Knoll, the pioneering architect and designer who made the firm a leader in its field. The seating that Knoll created for office spaces — as well as pieces designed by Florence initially for commercial clients — soon became desirable for the home.
As the demand for casual, uncluttered furnishings grew, more mid-century furniture designers caught the spirit.
Classically oriented creators such as Edward Wormley, house designer for Dunbar Inc., offered such pieces as the sinuous Listen to Me chaise; the British expatriate T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings switched gears, creating items such as the tiered, biomorphic Mesa table. There were Young Turks such as Paul McCobb, who designed holistic groups of sleek, blond wood furniture, and Milo Baughman, who espoused a West Coast aesthetic in minimalist teak dining tables and lushly upholstered chairs and sofas with angular steel frames.
As the collection of vintage mid-century modern chairs, dressers, coffee tables and other furniture for the living room, dining room, bedroom and elsewhere on 1stDibs demonstrates, this period saw one of the most delightful and dramatic flowerings of creativity in design history.
- 1stDibs ExpertMay 22, 2019
Mid-century modernism first appeared in 1945 and merged a minimalist aesthetic with practicality. Mid-century modern furniture is distinguishable by its lack of decoration or extravagance and its use of clean lines, organic curves and variety of natural materials.
1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021Mid century modern furniture refers to pieces designed during the middle of the 20th century — specifically 1930s through the mid-1960s. This period represents a design and architecture movement characterized by simple shapes, clean lines, and organic materials. Some of the most famous mid century modern designers include Ray Eames, Charlotte Perriand, Isamu Noguchi and Eero Saarinen. - 1stDibs ExpertSeptember 25, 2019
Mid-century modern furniture combines sleek lines with organic shapes.
- 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2024Mid-century modern furniture is so popular largely because its characteristics align well with the trends and tastes that are dominant today. Many people love its simple look defined by clean lines, and the use of natural materials also adds to its popularity. In addition, designers created mid-century modern furniture to be as functional as it is visually appealing, making pieces executed in the style simple, convenient and comfortable to use. Find a wide range of mid-century modern furniture on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 22, 2024There is not a single year that is mid-century modern. The style emerged during the 1940s and 1950s and remained dominant through the 1960s and into the early 1970s. Some notable designers who contributed to the development of the mid-century modern style include Charles and Ray Eames, Eero Saarinen, Milo Baughman, Florence Knoll, Harry Bertoia, Isamu Noguchi and George Nelson. Shop a wide range of mid-century modern furniture on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertSeptember 25, 2019
Some of the most famous mid-century modern furniture designers were Alvar Aalto, Charles and Ray Eames, Paul Evans, Poul Kjærholm, Florence Knoll, George Nakashima, Giò Ponti, Hans Wegner, Charlotte Perriand, Sergio Rodrigues and Eero Saarinen.
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