$6,995
H 30 in W 66.75 in D 17 in
Kipp Stewart for Calvin Furniture Mid-Century Sideboard Credenza, Refinished
By Kipp Stewart, Calvin Furniture
Located in South Bend, IN
An exceptional Mid-Century Modern sideboard, bar cabinet, or credenza By Kipp Stewart for Calvin
Brass
$2,850
H 38 in W 22.5 in D 20 in
Handsome Pair Kipp Stewart for Calvin Walnut Dining Chairs Mid-Century Modern
By Kipp Stewart
Located in Pemberton, NJ
Dining chairs in Walnut by Kipp Stewart for Calvin. Very well made, elegant and comfortable. Each
Upholstery, Walnut
$6,500
H 16 in W 76 in D 30 in
Kipp Stewart for Calvin Furniture Blue Leather Diamond Tufted Daybed 1960
By Kipp Stewart
Located in Chicago, IL
Kipp Stewart for Calvin Furniture Blue Leather Diamond Tufted Daybed 1960c Original blue leather
Leather, Walnut
$3,800
H 29 in W 39.13 in D 39 in
Vintage Walnut and Rosewood Directional Dining Table by Kipp Stewart for Calvin
By Calvin Furniture, Kipp Stewart
Located in San Jose, CA
Mid Century Modern Directional dining table designed by Kipp Stewart for Calvin Furniture in walnut
Rosewood, Walnut
$2,600Sale Price|20% Off
H 38 in W 23.75 in D 21 in
Stunning Pair Kipp Stewart Dining Armchairs Jack Lenor Larsen, Calvin Furniture
By Kipp Stewart, Calvin Furniture
Located in Pemberton, NJ
Stunning pair of Jack Lenor Larsen dining chairs, designed by Kipp Stewart for Calvin, American
Upholstery, Wood
$6,959 / set
H 43.5 in W 23.5 in D 21 in
Set of 6 Kipp Stewart Mid-Century Modern High Style Dining Room Chairs Restored
By Kipp Stewart
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous set of six totally restored chairs by Kipp Stewart for Calvin. Refinished walnut and
Velvet, Walnut
$5,595
H 29 in W 72 in D 39 in
Kipp Stewart for Directional by Calvin Mid Century Walnut Executive Desk
By Calvin Furniture, Kipp Stewart
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Kipp Stewart for Directional by Calvin Mid Century Walnut Executive Desk This desk measures: 72
Walnut
Kipp Stewart for Calvin Walnut and Rosewood Credenza
By Calvin Furniture, Kipp Stewart
Located in South Bend, IN
Stewart for Calvin Furniture. This rare credenza was produced for Calvin's American Design Foundation line
Rosewood, Walnut
Sold
H 30.25 in W 38 in D 17 in
Kipp Stewart for Calvin Furniture Mid-Century Modern Walnut Bachelor Chest, 1950
By Calvin Furniture, Kipp Stewart
Located in South Bend, IN
Offering a very nice Kipp Stewart for Calvin Furniture dresser chest. The chest has a nice ebonized
Walnut
Kipp Stewart for Calvin Mid Century Small Sideboard Buffet Credenza
By Calvin Furniture, Kipp Stewart
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Kipp Stewart for Calvin Mid Century Small Sideboard Buffet Credenza Credenza measures: 54 wide x
Wood
Sold
H 29 in W 107 in D 40 in
Kipp Stewart for Calvin Walnut and Rosewood Boat-Shaped Dining Table, Refinished
By Calvin Furniture, Kipp Stewart
Located in South Bend, IN
A sleek and stylish Mid-Century Modern boat-shaped extension dining table By Kipp Stewart for
Rosewood, Walnut
Walnut and Rosewood Cabinet by Kipp Stewart for Calvin
Located in Pawtucket, RI
Credenza or cabinet designed by Kipp Stewart for Calvin. Cabinet features four doors with leaf
Rosewood, Walnut
Kipp Stewart for Calvin Mid Century Dining Chairs, Set of 6
By Calvin Furniture, Kipp Stewart
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Kipp Stewart for Calvin mid century dining chairs - Set of 6 Each chair measures: 21 wide x 18
Wood
Sold
H 33.25 in W 26.25 in D 24.5 in
Kipp Stewart for Calvin Furniture Armchairs, Pair, circa 1960, Reupholstered
By Calvin Furniture, Kipp Stewart
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of newly restored armchairs by Kipp Stewart for Calvin Furniture. These lounge chairs feature
Fabric, Walnut
Kipp Stewart for Calvin Mid Century Modern Dining Chairs Set of 8
By Kipp Stewart, Calvin Furniture
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Set of 8 Kipp Stewart for Calvin dining room chairs. 2 Arm and 6 armless models. Chairs need to be
Upholstery, Walnut
Sold
H 37 in W 19 in D 21 in
Kipp Stewart for Calvin Furniture Sculpted Walnut Dining Chairs, Newly Restored
By Calvin Furniture, Kipp Stewart
Located in South Bend, IN
by Kipp Stewart for Calvin Furniture. The set includes two captain armchairs and four side chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
Sold
H 16 in W 66 in D 19 in
Kipp Stewart for Calvin Style Mid Century Walnut and Rosewood Inlay Coffee Table
By Kipp Stewart, Calvin Furniture
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Kipp Stewart for Calvin style Mid Century walnut and rosewood inlay coffee table This coffee table
Rosewood, Walnut
Bachelor Chest by Kipp Stewart for Calvin
By Kipp Stewart, Calvin Furniture
Located in Chicago, IL
c. 1960s, made with golden walnut and featuring ebonized pulls
Walnut
Kipp Stewart for Calvin Furniture Wall Mirror, circa 1950s
By Calvin Furniture, Stewart MacDougall, Kipp Stewart
Located in Peabody, MA
Stewart and Stewart MacDougal for Calvin Furniture. Can be oriented vertically or horizontally.
Mirror, Walnut
Kipp Stewart for Calvin Mid-Century Modern Walnut Nightstand, 1950s
By Calvin Furniture, Kipp Stewart
Located in South Bend, IN
An outstanding Mid-Century Modern walnut nightstand designed by Kipp Stewart for his American
Walnut
Sold
H 50.25 in W 25 in D 17 in
Kipp Stewart for Calvin Mid-Century Modern Walnut and Cane Lingerie Chest
By Calvin Furniture, Kipp Stewart
Located in South Bend, IN
Offering an amazing and rare Kipp Stewart for Directional ten-drawer dresser or lingerie chest by
Cane, Walnut
Sold
H 29.25 in W 62 in L 29.25 in
Kipp Stewart for Calvin Walnut and Rosewood Boat-Shaped Extension Dining Table
By Calvin Furniture, Kipp Stewart
Located in South Bend, IN
Stewart for his American Design Foundation line for Calvin Furniture. The table features stunning walnut
Rosewood, Walnut
Sold
H 37 in W 19 in D 21 in
Kipp Stewart for Calvin Furniture Mid-Century Modern Dining Set, Newly Restored
By Calvin Furniture, Kipp Stewart
Located in South Bend, IN
A rare and exceptional Mid-Century Modern dining set designed by Kipp Stewart for his American
Upholstery, Rosewood, Walnut
Sold
H 30.25 in W 72 in D 17 in
Kipp Stewart for Calvin Mid-Century Modern Walnut and Cane Dresser or Credenza
By Calvin Furniture, Kipp Stewart
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous Mid-Century Modern walnut and cane dresser or credenza designed by Kipp Stewart for his
Cane, Mirror, Walnut
Rare Kipp Stewart for Calvin Bench Walnut and Ebony
Located in Kilmarnock, VA
This bench or stool is super light weight but very sturdy. It was designed by Kipp Stewart. Often
Teak, Ebony, Cane
Pair of Stools by Kipp Stewart for Directional
By Kipp Stewart
Located in Pawtucket, RI
Kipp Stewart for Calvin. Rarely seen form from Kipp Stewart.
Cane, Ebony, Walnut
Sold
H 29.13 in W 69.75 in D 42.5 in
Kipp Stewart Walnut and Rosewood Drop Leaf Harvest Dining Table, Refinished
By Calvin Furniture, Kipp Stewart
Located in South Bend, IN
An exceptional Mid-Century Modern drop leaf harvest dining table By Kipp Stewart for Calvin
Rosewood, Walnut
Set/8 Dining Chairs by Kipp Stewart, Calvin Furniture
Located in Peabody, MA
Set of eight walnut and rosewood dining charis by Kipp Stewart for Calvin, two arm chairs and six
Walnut, Rosewood, Upholstery
Kipp Stewart Chesterfield Tufted Leather Daybed, Calvin Furniture 1960s
By Dunbar Furniture, Edward Wormley
Located in Chicago, IL
Chesterfield tufted daybed bench. Designed by Kipp Stewart for Calvin Furniture. Original tufted
Leather, Wood
Kipp Stewart Petite Chest
Located in Chicago, IL
Slender chest of drawers with woven cane doors designed by Kipp Stewart for Calvin Furniture. From
Sold
H 38 in W 22.5 in D 21 in
Set of 8 Kipp Stewart Dining Chairs - Refinished & Reupholstered in Your Fabric
By Kipp Stewart, Calvin Furniture
Located in Atlanta, GA
Set of Eight Curvaceous Dining Chairs, designed by Kipp Stewart for Calvin, American, circa 1960s
Upholstery, Wood, Walnut
Kipp Stewart Marble Top Cabinet
By Directional, Kipp Stewart
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Seldom-seen marble and walnut cabinet designed by Kipp Stewart for Calvin Directional. The cabinet
Marble
Sold
H 37.5 in W 18 in D 19 in
Kipp Stewart Mid-Century Dining Chairs for Calvin Furniture- Set of Four Chairs
By Kipp Stewart, Calvin Furniture
Located in Trenton, NJ
, these chairs are attributed to Kipp Stewart's visionary genius and manufactured with quality standards
Upholstery, Wood
Mid-Century Modern Kipp Stewart Dining Chairs
By Kipp Stewart
Located in San Francisco, CA
Mid-Century Modern Kipp Stewart design dining chairs for Calvin. Perfectly refinished walnut frames
Walnut
Sold
H 20.63 in W 24 in D 15 in
Kipp Stewart for Calvin Furniture Mid-Century Modern Walnut Nightstands, Pair
By Kipp Stewart, Calvin Furniture
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous pair of Mid-Century Modern walnut nightstands or end tables By Kipp Stewart for
Walnut
Sold
H 50.25 in W 25.13 in D 17 in
Kipp Stewart for Calvin Furniture Walnut and Cane Ten-Drawer Dresser Chest
By Kipp Stewart, Calvin Furniture
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous Mid-Century Modern ten-drawer dresser or chest of drawers By Kipp Stewart for Calvin
Cane, Walnut
Sold
H 30.25 in W 72 in D 17 in
Vintage Mid Century Modern Walnut Credenza by Kipp Stewart for Calvin Furniture
By Calvin Furniture, Kipp Stewart
Located in Chino Hills, CA
Now available is an amazing dresser/credenza designed by Kipp Stewart for Calvin Furniture c1950s
Walnut
Six Rare Dining Chairs by Kipp Stewart for Calvin Furniture, 1950s
By Calvin Furniture, Kipp Stewart
Located in New York, NY
Six gorgeous and rare dining chairs by Kipp Stewart for Calvin / Directional Furniture, 1950s
Walnut
Sold
H 30 in W 66.5 in D 18 in
Rosewood and Walnut Credenza designed by Kipp Stewart for Calvin, 1960s
By Kipp Stewart
Located in Hamburg, PA
An organic modern Credenza designed by Kipp Stewart for Calvin. This beautiful cabinet has four
Rosewood, Walnut
Sold
H 38 in W 22.25 in D 24.25 in
Set of Six Dining Chairs by Kipp Stewart for Calvin Furniture, circa 1960
By Calvin Furniture, Kipp Stewart
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Set of six (6) dining chairs by Kipp Stewart for Calvin Furniture. These fantastic Mid-Century
Fabric, Walnut
Kipp Stewart for Calvin Mid-Century Modern Walnut Nightstands, Pair
By Kipp Stewart, Calvin Furniture
Located in South Bend, IN
An outstanding pair of Mid-Century Modern walnut nightstands designed by Kipp Stewart for his
Metal
Sold
H 30.13 in W 66.25 in D 17 in
Kipp Stewart for Calvin Furniture Walnut and Rosewood Sideboard Credenza
By Calvin Furniture, Kipp Stewart
Located in South Bend, IN
An exceptional Mid-Century Modern credenza or bar cabinet designed by Kipp Stewart for his American
Glass, Rosewood, Walnut
Sold
H 58.63 in W 31.63 in D 18 in
Mid-Century Modern Kipp Stewart for Calvin“Directional” Walnut 10-Drawer Dresser
By Directional, Kipp Stewart
Located in Shippensburg, PA
An interesting ten-drawer tall dresser designed by Kipp Stewart for the “Directional“ collection of
Walnut
Kipp Stewart Nightstands for Calvin Furniture
By Kipp Stewart
Located in Brooklyn, NY
For your consideration is this handsome pair of Kipp Stewart nightstands from the American Design
Wood
Sold
H 58.5 in W 36 in D 18 in
Kipp Stewart for Directional by Calvin Matching Ten-Drawer Dressers in Walnut
By Directional, Calvin Furniture, Kipp Stewart & Stewart MacDougall
Located in Los Angeles, CA
These are amazing and very rare matching dressers designed by Kipp Stewart and Stewart McDougall
Walnut
Kipp Stewart for Calvin Pair of Stools
By Calvin Furniture, Kipp Stewart
Located in Waltham, MA
Walnut stools or diminutive benches with cane seats and ebony details designed by Kipp Stewart for
Walnut, Ebony, Cane
Kipp Stewart for Calvin Sideboard or Credenza
By Kipp Stewart
Located in Atlanta, GA
Credenza or sideboard by Kipp Stewart for Calvin. Walnut case with inlaid rosewood leaf design and
Small Walnut and Rosewood Dresser by Kipp Stewart for Calvin
By Calvin Furniture, Kipp Stewart
Located in Long Beach, CA
A very understated small chest of drawers by Kipp Stewart for Calvin. Walnut case and legs with
Walnut and Rosewood Six-Drawer Dresser by Kipp Stewart for Calvin
By Calvin Furniture, Kipp Stewart
Located in Long Beach, CA
A very understated chest of drawers by Kipp Stewart for Calvin. Walnut case and legs with
Set of Four Dining Chairs by Kipp Stewart for Calvin
By Calvin Furniture, Kipp Stewart
Located in Long Beach, CA
Beautiful set of four walnut and upholstered dining chairs designed by Kipp Stewart for Calvin
Walnut and Rosewood Cabinet by Kipp Stewart for Calvin
By Calvin Furniture, Kipp Stewart
Located in Waltham, MA
Credenza or cabinet designed by Kipp Stewart for the American Design Foundation and Calvin
Brass, Enamel
Kipp Stewart Night Calvin Night Tables
By Kipp Stewart
Located in New York, NY
Pair of Kipp Stewart for Calvin night tables in restored condition. Single drawer with brass
Brass
Kipp Stewart Night Calvin Night Tables
By Kipp Stewart
Located in New York, NY
Pair of Kipp Stewart for Calvin night tables in restored condition. Single drawer with brass
Brass
Kipp Stewart Night Calvin Night Tables
By Kipp Stewart
Located in New York, NY
Pair of Kipp Stewart for Calvin night tables in restored condition. Single drawer with brass
Brass
Kipp Stewart Night Calvin Night Tables
Located in New York, NY
Pair of Kipp Stewart for Calvin night tables in restored condition. Single drawer with brass
Brass
Kipp Stewart Night Calvin Night Tables
Located in New York, NY
Pair of Kipp Stewart for Calvin night tables in restored condition. Single drawer with original
Aluminum
Credenza by Kipp Stewart
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This credenza, designed by Kipp Stewart for Calvin, is of obvious high quality. The beautiful
Walnut
Kipp Stewart "Directional" Dining Table and Chairs for Calvin
By Kipp Stewart
Located in Phoenix, AZ
This exceptional dining table and chairs are from Kipp Stewart's "Directional" line by Calvin
Fabric, Walnut
Mid-Century Modern Kipp Stewart Dining Table for Winchendon
By Kipp Stewart, Calvin Furniture, Paul McCobb, Winchendon, Kipp Stewart & Stewart MacDougall
Located in Framingham, MA
Excellent drop leaves table in a farmhouse rectangle style with rosewood inlay by Kipp Stewart
Wood
Walnut Dresser by Kipp Stewart for Calvin Furniture Company
By Kipp Stewart, Calvin Furniture
Located in Chicago, IL
Perfectly scaled walnut six-drawer dresser by Kipp Stewart for Calvin Furniture. Bookmatched drawer
Walnut
Twelve Dining Chairs in Walnut by Kipp Stewart for Calvin
By Kipp Stewart
Located in Hadley, MA
Twelve Dining chairs in Walnut by Kipp Stewart for Calvin. Ten side chairs, two arm chairs. Very
Walnut
$1,650 / item
H 16.1 in Dm 11.5 in
'Plissé White Edition' Pleated Textile Table Lamp by Folkform for Örsjö
By Örsjö Industri AB
Located in Glendale, CA
'Plissé White Edition' pleated textile table lamp by Folkform for Örsjö. This unique table lamp was awarded “Lighting of the Year 2022” by Residence Magazine Sweden, who called it “...
Textile
$7,000 / item
H 26.5 in W 72 in D 17 in
Mid-Century Modern Inspired "Victoria" Credenza, Boho Stereo Cabinet in Walnut
By Pete Deeble
Located in Long Beach, CA
This design is a celebration of, and homage to, the geometric patterns that so often inspired Mid Century design. With this piece we also brought in a little bit of a Boho spirit as ...
Walnut
Modern Burl Buffet Sideboard
Located in Westwood, NJ
Modern burl buffet sideboard with four doors framed by a beveled edge, with interior drawers and shelves and finished in a lightly distressed rustic warm hand-rubbed finish. Dimensi...
Wood
Oval Dining Table in Natural White Oak
By Bloom Home Inc
Located in Old Town Orange, CA
Introducing our exquisite Amber oval dining table, crafted from beautiful white oak for a touch of elegance. Its solid construction ensures durability and longevity, perfect for ever...
Wood, Oak
American Designer, Sideboard, Oak, USA, 1960s
Located in High Point, NC
A sizeable dark-stained oak sideboard or cabinet designed and produced in the US, c. 1960s. Overall Dimensions (inches): 29.0"H x 88.125"W x 19.0"D All items ship from High Point, ...
Oak
$4,895 / item
H 24.5 in W 72 in D 18 in
Mid-Century Modern Style Tambour-Door Credenza by Danish Modern LA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Introducing our first-ever modern credenza designed and crafted by Danish Modern L.A.'s artisans' house in Los Angeles, CA. Our skillfully crafted credenza showcases a solid American...
Walnut
$13,690 / item
H 49.22 in Dm 70.87 in
Brass and Parchment Paper Chandelier by Diego Mardegan for Glustin Luminaires
By Diego Mardegan
Located in Saint-Ouen, IDF
Impressive chandelier made of white enameled brass arms holding six beautiful parchment paper shades, which can be adjusted thanks to the handle of each socket. Signed by the arti...
Brass
Jarvits Arched Console Table in Espresso Walnut
Located in New York, US
The minimal, stylistic arches of Jarvits Consoles give it a sculptured appearance, transforming it into both an artistic accent and a functional table — a nod to classical architectu...
Wood, Walnut
Daybed GE-19 by Hans Wegner for GETAMA, 1960
By Hans J. Wegner, GETAMA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Wonderful daybed GE-19 by Hans J. Wegner for GETAMA, 1956, solid oak frame with tapered legs and brass end rail accents, felt covered flat springs, marked.
Brass
Mid century Rosewood Danish Modern Extension Dining Table 2 Leaves
By H. Sigh & Søns Møbelfabrik AS, Arne Vodder
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mid century Rosewood Rectangle Danish Modern extension dining table with (2) nesting pull out leaves. This table has Solid rosewood round tapered legs. This table is in good vintage ...
Birch, Rosewood
Rosewood Tambour Door Credenza by Dyrlund
By Dyrlund
Located in Denton, TX
Rare Danish modern rosewood tambour door credenza with center dovetailed drawer section and adjustable shelf on each side.
Mahogany, Oak, Rosewood
$2,600Sale Price|20% Off
H 29 in W 60 in D 36 in
Mid century modern walnut extension dining table by George Nelson Herman Miller
By George Nelson, Herman Miller
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mid century modern original walnut extension dining table designed by George Nelson for Herman Miller with 2 leaves. This dining table has a walnut top with 2x walnut leaves that sto...
Steel
$3,295
H 28.25 in W 104.5 in D 39.5 in
Skovby MCM Danish Rosewood Hidden Leaf Expanding Dining Table with 2 Leaves
By Skovby Møbelfabrik A/S 1
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Skovby Mid Century Danish Rosewood Hidden Leaf Expanding Dining Table with 2 Leaves This table measures: 65 wide x 39.5 deep x 28.25 inches high, with a chair clearance of 26.5 inch...
Rosewood
96" Columbia Trestle Table by Studio Moe in Oregon Walnut
Located in Portland, OR
Purpose and design align in our Columbia Trestle Table. A solid trestle base is the grounding feature in this beautifully crafted modern take on a traditional form. Sleek with a stro...
Walnut
Oak Parquetry Extension Dining Table
Located in Westwood, NJ
An oak parquetry extension dining table with tapered oak legs. The beautiful table has a mirrored herringbone oak parquetry top with a molded edge. Shown in Dusk Finish Dimensio...
Wood
$4,050
H 29.5 in W 98 in D 42 in
John Stuart Mid-Century Modern Walnut Extension Dining Table, Newly Refinished
By Mount Airy Furniture Company, John Stuart
Located in South Bend, IN
An exceptional Mid-Century Modern walnut extension dining table By John Stuart for Mount Airy "Janus Collection" USA, 1960s Measures: 62" W x 42" D x 29.5" H. Extends up to ...
Walnut
The ultimate multi-hyphenate, Kipp Stewart counted painting, photography, architecture and furniture design among his talents. Known to furniture obsessives for the Declaration series he codesigned for North Carolina’s Drexel Furniture, Stewart was actually born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1928 and is most commonly associated with mid-century design movements of his adopted home state of California. There, in 1972, Stewart designed the Ventana Big Sur, a luxury resort near Montecito for which he oversaw architecture, planning, furniture and interior design across 160 acres of land.
By the time Stewart spearheaded the Ventana, he was already well versed in furniture design. After briefly serving in the U.S. Navy as a teenager, Stewart enrolled at the Chouinard Art Institute (present-day CalArts) in Los Angeles.
By the time he graduated, Stewart was steeped in the world of modern seating design, experimenting with new chair models that bridged form and function. Charles and Ray Eames were important influences on his early work, which included a chrome-framed lounge chair whose reclined shape bears a striking resemblance to the Eameses’ iconic lounge.
In the late 1950s, Stewart partnered with another West Coast furniture designer, Stewart MacDougall, on a line of modern furniture for Drexel. (The pair were also producing case pieces and more for Glenn of California.)
Drexel soon unveiled Stewart and McDougall’s Declaration line, which was constructed entirely of natural walnut and featured the choice of white porcelain or brass drawer pulls and cabinet door handles. Although its stylish credenzas and other pieces reflect the kind of slim-lined, low-slung silhouettes for which mid-century design has become known, there are also elements that nod to earlier American and European furniture design, such as the dining chairs whose flattened spindle backs recall Shaker and Windsor chair design, distinguishing them from the modern designs becoming prolific in Scandinavia at the time.
The Declaration pieces were so indicative of a particularly American style, in fact, that several items from the collection were selected by the U.S. government to represent the country at the Brussels World’s Fair in 1958.
While Stewart found success as a painter and with his Ventana hotel project — and had also designed chairs, chests and more for Directional — the Drexel Declaration line is his best-known furniture collection and remains highly sought after by collectors today.
Find a wide range of vintage Kipp Stewart furniture on 1stDibs, including dining room chairs, end tables and more.
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
CHARACTERISTICS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW
ICONIC MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNS
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 celebrated 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.
Generations turn over, and mid-century modern remains arguably the most popular style going. 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.