Harvey Bott

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.

Adding antique and vintage fountains to your home and garden is a great way to accentuate your interiors or landscape design as well as reap the benefits of the calming sound of flowing water.

The design of your outdoor fountain — or the indoor fountain you’ve introduced to your parlor — is going to determine how the water flows into its basin. Whether your new addition is a simple bowl-shaped design, an elaborate wall-mounted Art Deco fountain or a classical tiered tower boasting decoratively carved floral motifs, this will determine the movement of the feature’s water as well as the sounds it makes. If you’re looking to ensure that there is steadily bubbling water, a slow trickle, a waterfall or cascading sheets of water, you’ll want to think about the architecture of your fountain.

Interior and exterior fountains are made from a variety of materials. Cast concrete lends a classical look to your outdoor fountain. Limestone, a component of concrete, is a dense rock with a creamy white finish that calls to mind classical sculptures. If you’ve already adorned your garden or patio and firepit area with Roman statues, this will feel cohesive in your outdoor space. While limestone fountains are low maintenance, these features will require upkeep. A limestone fountain will need to be cleaned out and undergo a water change on occasion — at least every two to four months — in order to prevent algae growth as well as the smell that might accompany it.

Glazed ceramic fountains, which also warrant regular cleaning to reduce buildup of debris and mineral deposits, will add a splash of color to your garden or entryway. A Spanish or Italian fountain adorned with vibrant ornamental tiles will pop against your shrubbery and concrete planters. Lightweight options for outdoor fountains can be found in fiberglass and cast iron if stone seems too heavy for your taste.

By the 19th century, Victorians realized there were health benefits to fountains. The sound of running water can help create a harmonious and soothing environment in your well-appointed outdoor oasis or inviting foyer, and today, we could all use a little relaxation.

It’s time to harness the calming properties of gently flowing water. You will love the serenity that a vintage, new or antique fountain from 1stDibs can add to your home and garden.