Mid Century Modern Credenza Sideboard in Sculpted Walnut by Greta Grossman 1950s
By Glenn of California, Greta Magnusson Grossman
Located in Troy, MI
Stunning Mid Century modern sideboard in walnut designed by Greta Magnusson - Grossman for Glenn of California circa 1950s Fully restored three panel front door cabinet on a floatin...
Walnut
$4,320 / item
Midcentury Burl Credenza
Located in Westwood, NJ
Midcentury Burl Credenza. This tall narrow three-door sideboard credenza has a warm 'rustic' hand-rubbed mappa burl veneer, a beveled frame surrounding the doors, an interior fitted ...
Burl
Spanish Sideboard Credenza Navarro Argudo Baroque Tuscan Mid Century Walnut Iron
Located in London, GB
An attractive and impressive Spanish solid walnut sideboard-credenza in lovely vintage condition. Crafted in Spain around 1960 by Spanish designer Navarro Argudo, this striking and v...
Wrought Iron
18th Century Important Tuscany Renaissance Sideboard Credenza, in Solid Walnut
Located in Vigonza, Padua
Code: FR45 Antique Tuscany heavy and massive sideboard in solid walnut. In two parts: the top with two doors and two internal shelves with spiral walnut columns lateral; lower part t...
Walnut
1960s British Everest Teak & Black Coated Metal 4-Drawer Sideboard Credenza
By Everest
Located in London, England
A well-made and quality, fully-functional, teak sideboard featuring sleek clean lines and a lovely patina. Manufactured by British furniture maker Everest of Long Eaton during the 19...
Metal
Large Vintage Robert Heritage Mid Century Teak, Afromosia and Sapele sideboard
By Archie Shine, Robert Heritage
Located in Highclere, Newbury
A very large Vintage Mid Century Teak, Afromosia and Sapele Knighstbridge sideboard/credenza designed by Robert Heritage for Archie Shine.
Teak, Sapele Wood
Tall and Narrow Original French Macassar Ebony Inlaid Cabinet
By N.F. Ameublement
Located in New York City, NY
An outstanding French Art Deco / Mid Century Modern tall cabinet. with N.F. Ameublement seal. The armoire features stunning Macassar ebony in a geometric parquetry inlaid pattern wi...
Macassar, Cedar
$2,240Sale Price|20% Off
Mid Century Carousel Server by Gimsom Slater
By Gimson and Slater Ltd
Located in New York, NY
Chic and stylish server sideboard by noted English maker Gimson and Slater, as part of the Carousel line, retailed by Heals of London. The case has four drawers, each having cast bra...
Brass
Umberto Mascagni Sideboard or Credenza
By Umberto Mascagni
Located in Stamford, CT
This narrow sideboard or bar cabinet is an interesting example of Italian Mid-Century design. Unusual mix of traditional chinoiserie decoration with Italian Mid-Century lines. Umbert...
Aluminum
Sold
H 45 in W 48.25 in D 17 in
Mid Century Modern Vintage Tall Buffet Teak Credenza Sideboard Danish Style
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Introducing the Mid Century Modern Vintage Tall Credenza by , a stunning piece of furniture. This tall credenza is the perfect blend of mid century modern design and vintage flair, m...
Wood, Teak
Sold
H 44.49 in W 64.97 in D 17.72 in
18th Century Bleached Walnut Italian Credenza, Buffet, Sideboard
Located in Carmine, TX
Walnut credenza handcrafted in Italy in the mid 1700s and bleached recently. Don't let its delicate overall appearance fool you because, as my lower back can attest, this baby is hea...
Walnut
Umberto Mascagni Sideboard or Credenza
By Umberto Mascagni
Located in Stamford, CT
This narrow sideboard or bar cabinet is an interesting example of Italian midcentury design. Unusual mix of traditional chinoiserie decoration with Italian midcentury lines. Umberto ...
Wood
Midcentury Danish Modern Teak Sliding Door Low Credenza Sideboard
By Poul Hundevad
Located in BROOKLYN, NY
Midcentury Danish modern teak sliding door credenza by Poul Hundevad. Has 2 front sliding doors with round carved teak handles. Has 2 adjustable shelves w/pins in each section also h...
Teak
Sold
H 33.75 in W 67.5 in D 18.75 in
Very Rare Mid-Century Modern Maple Predictor Credenza by Paul McCobb for O’hearn
By Paul McCobb, O'Hearn Furniture 1
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Beautiful unique Mid-Century Modern solid maple credenza sideboard #8354 designed by Paul McCobb for O'Hearn "Predictor" collection, circa 1950.
Steel
Sold
H 36 in W 59 in D 19 in
1940s Pear Wood credenza or sideboard with Abstract Designs by Osvaldo Borsani
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in London, GB
Impressive and rare 12-drawer credenza of exceptional craftsmanship and design by Osvaldo Borsani, with drawers painted by Adriano Spilimbergo. Top eight drawers are fronted with rev...
Brass
Vintage Danish Teak Credenza by Axel Christensen, 1960s
By Aco Møbler
Located in Asaa, DK
Vintage Danish teak Ccredenza by Axel Christensen for ACO 1960s. Classic Mid-Century Modern sideboard with loads of storage space. Interior with shelves and drawers. Easy access thr...
Teak
Carlo Scarpa masterpiece credenza in walnut, Italy 1960s
By Carlo Scarpa
Located in Antwerp, BE
Carlo Scarpa, sideboard, solid walnut and walnut veneer, mid-century modern, brutalist Similar to his architectural masterpiece, the Brion Vega cemetery, he uses graphical lines a...
Brass
Sold
H 19 in W 71.5 in L 19 in
Mid Century Danish Modern Tambour Doors w/ Display Top Designed by Grete Jalk
By Grete Jalk
Located in Las Vegas, NV
Designed by Grete Jalk, this superb mid-century sideboard / credenza, is an iconic piece, finished in beautiful, book-matched, teak veneers, features two narrow drawers (each inset w...
Glass, Teak
Sold
H 29.93 in W 90.16 in D 20.08 in
1950s Sapele Hamilton Sideboard by Robert Heritage for Archie Shine Midcentury
By Archie Shine, Robert Heritage
Located in Sherborne, Dorset
Robert Heritage designed the "Hamilton" sideboard for Archie Shine and in the process won a Design Centre Award for this sideboard in 1958. Robert Heritage is synonymous with great B...
Mahogany
A 1960s Mid Century Button Handled Teak Sideboard 6 drawer Credenza
Located in Llanbrynmair, GB
A small but stylish 1960s mid century sideboard, has a great look with central pair of wide drawers flanked by narrower drawers, drawer fronts feature large solid teak wood button ha...
Teak
Sold
H 42 in W 86.625 in D 18 in
Mid Century Danish Modern Tall Teak Credenza or Sideboard by Arne Vodder 1960s
By Arne Vodder
Located in Troy, MI
Monumental sideboard or credenza by Arne Vodder circa 1960 Tall and stately four door cabinet in rich teak with unique recessed finger pulls Elevated open frame base in solid teak ...
Glass, Teak
Sold
H 30.71 in W 90.56 in D 19.69 in
1950's Rosewood Hamilton Credenza Sideboard Robert Heritage Archie Shine
By Archie Shine
Located in London, GB
Mid-century rosewood Hamilton sideboard / credenza designed by Robert Heritage and manufactured by Archie Shine, England, circa 1950s, this elegant Danish style design with long rect...
Rosewood
A Mid Century Teak Sideboard with Two Drawers and Cabinet
Located in Astoria, NY
A vintage teak credenza or sideboard with two shallow drawers over a double-door cabinet. The interior has a narrow shelved space on the left and a large shelved space to the right.
Wood
Mid-Century Pierre Chapo R08 Sideboard in Solid Elm, 1960s
By Pierre Chapo
Located in amstelveen, NL
Pierre Chapo, sideboard, Model R08, elm, France, circa 1964. This stunning credenza combines a simplified yet complex design with nifty, solid construction details that characterize...
Elm
Mid Century Pierre Chapo R08 Sideboard in Solid Elm
By Pierre Chapo
Located in amstelveen, NL
Pierre Chapo, sideboard, Model R08, elm, France, circa 1964. This stunning credenza combines a simplified yet complex design with nifty, solid construction details that characterize...
Elm
Rustic Antique French Scrubbed Pine Sideboard Sofa Table or Credenza
Located in Hopewell, NJ
A versatile long narrow rustic French scrubbed pine sofa table, sideboard or credenza with antique ceramic pulls, circa mid-late 1800s. Measures: Skirt 26.25” #4734.
Pine
Sold
H 30.71 in W 89.77 in D 20.48 in
Midcentury Hamilton Sideboard Credenza Robert Heritage for Archie Shine 1950s UK
By Robert Heritage, Archie Shine
Located in Sherborne, Dorset
This elegant, extra long “Hamilton” sideboard was designed in 1958 by Robert Heritage for Archie Shine as part of the ‘Hamilton’ Rosewood series, which won a Design Centre Award. Rob...
Brass
Sold
H 29.93 in W 90.16 in D 20.08 in
Midcentury Hamilton Sideboard Credenza Robert Heritage for Archie Shine 1950s UK
By Archie Shine
Located in Seaford, GB
Mid Century Sideboard By Robert Heritage For Archie Shine The mid-Century Sideboard by Robert Heritage for Archie Shine is a stunning example of vintage design that immediately capt...
Rosewood
Venetian Burl Patchwork Bookcase Cabinet Narrow Server
Located in Forney, TX
Dimensions: (approx) 43.75" High, 50" Wide, 13.25" Deep Versatile: As warm and attractive as it is useful, having the ideal size and proportions for a variety of different uses, in...
Beech, Maple, Olive, Walnut, Burl
Sold
H 30.25 in W 78.78 in D 17.75 in
Kofod-Larsen Danish Teak Long Sliding Door Sideboard with Drawers
Located in Kensington, MD
Stunning Danish modern credenza in deep dark teak by Kofod-Larsen. Column of drawers on the far right, each having two narrow slits framed in darker teak for pulls. Two sliding door...
Teak
Sold
H 31 in W 60 in D 18 in
Mid Century Danish Modern Teak Sliding Door Credenza Sideboard by Dyrlund
By Dyrlund
Located in BROOKLYN, NY
Mid century Danish modern teak sliding door credenza by Dyrlund - Has 2 front sliding doors with carved teak handles. Has 2 adjustable shelves w/pins in each section also has 1 narro...
Teak
Morgonton Mid-Century Modern Dresser in the Style of Jens Risom
By Jens Risom
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Six drawers, three wide and three narrow. Branded Morgonton. Also serves as a credenza or sideboard.
Enamel, Steel
Sold
H 35.75 in W 55.5 in D 21 in
Op Art Murano Black and White Glass Clad Chest of Drawers with Brass Hardware
Located in Troy, MI
Italian glass clad credenza, sideboard or buffet cabinet, circa 1960s. Underlying cabinet structure is wood and piece is entirely covered (with exception of back and legs) in black a...
Brass
Pierre Chapo Sideboard in Solid Elm R08
By Pierre Chapo
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Pierre Chapo, sideboard, Model R08, elm, France, circa 1964. This exquisitely crafted credenza combines a simplified yet complex design combined with nifty, solid construction det...
Elm
Sold
H 30 in W 90 in D 20 in
Mid-Century Credenza Hamilton Sideboard, Robert Heritage for Archie Shine, 1958
By Robert Heritage
Located in Longdon, Tewkesbury
A beautiful Mid-Century Hamilton sideboard designed by Robert Heritage and manufactured by Archie Shine, England, circa 1958, this elegant Danish style design with long rectangular t...
Rosewood
1960 American Mid Century Modern Sideboard
Located in Southampton, NY
1960 AMERICAN MID CENTURY MODERN CREDENZA-- SIDEBOARD RAISED ON 4 SPLAYED LEGS-- CENTERED BY 2 CUPBOARD DOORS WITH ZIG ZAG PROFILE THAT FUNCTIONS AS PULLS , BEHIND ARE 3 LINEN SLIDES...
Sold
H 31 in W 90 in L 31 in
Vintage British Mid-Century Modern Teak Modular Credenza by Robert Heritage
By Robert Heritage
Located in San Marcos, CA
Here is a very rare british MCM modular sideboard designed by Richard Heritage and manufactured by Archie Shine in UK in the 1960s. This very special piece, recently imported from E...
Teak
Sold
H 30 in W 90 in D 20 in
Robert Heritage Rosewood and Teak Hamilton Sideboard Credenza by Archie Shine
By Archie Shine, Robert Heritage
Located in Longdon, Tewkesbury
Robert Heritage rosewood and teak Hamilton sideboard credenza by Archie Shine, circa 1950s Midcentury rosewood and teak Hamilton sideboard designed by Robert Heritage and manufact...
Rosewood
Sold
H 35 in W 69.5 in D 18.5 in
Finn Juhl Walnut & Blue Sideboard Credenza by House of Finn Juhl, Denmark
By Finn Juhl
Located in Longdon, Tewkesbury
Finn Juhl walnut & blue sideboard credenza by House of Finn Juhl, Denmark Finn Juhl walnut & blue sideboard credenza designed by Finn Juhl in Denmark 1955 for Danish furniture man...
Walnut
Sold
H 35 in W 69.5 in D 18.5 in
Finn Juhl Walnut and Blue Sideboard Credenza by House of Finn Juhl Denmark
By Finn Juhl
Located in Longdon, Tewkesbury
Finn Juhl walnut and blue sideboard credenza by House of Finn Juhl Denmark Finn Juhl walnut and blue sideboard credenza designed by Finn Juhl in Denmark 1955 for Danish furniture ...
Walnut
Sold
H 32 in W 90 in D 20 in
Robert Heritage Hamilton Rosewood & Teak Sideboard by Archie Shine, circa 1950s
By Robert Heritage, Archie Shine
Located in Longdon, Tewkesbury
Robert Heritage Hamilton rosewood and teak sideboard by Archie Shine, circa 1950s Midcentury rosewood and teak Hamilton sideboard designed by Robert Heritage and manufactured by A...
Rosewood
Sold
H 31 in W 84 in D 18 in
Mid-Century John Herbert for Younger Blonde Teak Sideboard Credenza, 1970s
By Younger Furniture
Located in Longdon, Tewkesbury
Stunning quality Mid-Century John Herbert for Younger Blonde teak sideboard credenza circa 1970s, the long rectangular top over four central drawers and double cupboards to the right...
Teak
Sold
H 30 in W 90 in D 20 in
Robert Heritage for Archie Shine Sideboard Credenza Mid Century Hamilton 1960s
By Robert Heritage, Archie Shine
Located in Longdon, Tewkesbury
A beautiful mid century Hamilton Rosewood sideboard designed by Robert Heritage and manufactured by Archie Shine, England circa 1960, this elegant Danish style design with long recta...
Rosewood
Sold
H 31 in W 78 in D 17 in
Mid-Century Ercol Blonde Teak Sideboard Credenza G Plan Danish Design, 1970s
By Ercol
Located in Longdon, Tewkesbury
A superb quality Mid-Century Scandinavian styling Ercol for G Plan blonde teak sideboard credenza, circa 1970s, the long rectangular top over four drawers to the left side and two cu...
Teak
Steelcase Credenza Desk/Sofa Table, 8-ft long
By Steelcase
Located in Madison, WI
Rare 8-foot long, vintage Steelcase desk with cabinet and leg support. Underside track allows both leg and cabinet to be positioned anywhere along the 8-ft. length. Narrowness of the...
Steel
Sold
H 29 in W 84 in D 29 in
Midcentury Rosewood and Teak Sideboard BCM British Cabinet Makers, circa 1960
Located in Longdon, Tewkesbury
Midcentury rosewood and teak sideboard circa 1960 BCM British cabinet makers. A truly stunning BCM (British Cabinet Makers) 7ft teak and rosewood sideboard credenza manufactured i...
Rosewood
Sold
H 29 in W 84 in D 29 in
Midcentury Rosewood and Teak Sideboard BCM British Cabinet Makers, circa 1960
Located in Longdon, Tewkesbury
Midcentury rosewood and teak sideboard circa 1960 BCM British Cabinet Makers A truly stunning BCM (British Cabinet Makers) 7ft teak and rosewood sideboard credenza manufactured in...
Rosewood
Sold
H 30 in W 90 in D 20 in
Robert Heritage Rosewood and Teak Hamilton Sideboard Credenza by Archie Shine
By Robert Heritage, Archie Shine
Located in Longdon, Tewkesbury
Robert heritage rosewood and teak Hamilton sideboard credenza by Archie Shine, circa 1950s Midcentury rosewood and teak Hamilton sideboard designed by Robert Heritage and manufact...
Rosewood
Hight quality exotic wood Franch signed sideboard 1940's1950's-
Located in Firenze, Toscana
exotic inlaid wood black laquer wood and bronze details (keys and feet). Intersting shape, not too narrow proportions. inside on mahogany whit shelves and drawer. signed by the Fr...
Sold
H 32 in W 90 in D 20 in
Robert Heritage Hamilton Rosewood & Teak Sideboard by Archie Shine, circa 1950s
By Robert Heritage, Archie Shine
Located in Longdon, Tewkesbury
Robert Heritage Hamilton rosewood and teak sideboard by Archie Shine, circa 1950s Midcentury rosewood and teak Hamilton sideboard designed by Robert Heritage and manufactured by A...
Rosewood
Burlwood Sideboard Credenza by Mastercraft (USA)
By Mastercraft
Located in Denver, CO
Stately, rolled-edge sideboard in exotic, swirling amboyna wood veneers. 78" long, five doors, concealed drawers left side, narrow center cabinet single shelf, right side double ca...
Brass
$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
Pair of Modern Walnut Side Tables
By Theodore Alexander
Located in Westwood, NJ
A Pacific walnut side table, the square top with rounded corners and a reeded edge above a similar under tier, on bobbin turned legs. Dimensions: 26" W x 26" D x 28.5" H.
Wood
Bertu Counter Stools, White Oak Counter Stool, Chile Stool
By Bertu Furniture
Located in Oak Harbor, OH
Bertu Counter Stools, White Oak Counter Stool, Chile Stool This White Oak Chile Counter Stool is beautifully constructed from solid wood in Ohio, USA. The stool is chunky and modern...
Wood, Oak
The 'Matisse' Etagere
Located in London, GB
The 'Matisse' wrought iron side table. A hand made and patinated wrought iron etagere with whimsical Matisse style cut-out decoration. Made to order based on a 1960s original. Avail...
Wrought Iron
Sideboard "Bar Buffet" in the Style of Paolo Buffa, 1950
By Paolo Buffa
Located in Budapest, HU
A wonderful multifunctional Italian sideboard cabinet bar style of Paolo Buffa, 1950s. Measures: H 37.41 in. x W 70.87 in. x D 19.69 in. H 95 cm x W 180 cm x D 50 cm.
Wood
Brutalist Coffee Table with Slate top France, 1960s
Located in Berlin, DE
Round coffee table with dark slate stone top and oak frame. The stone has a natural textured surface, contrasting with the warm oak wood. The table stands on four sturdy square legs ...
Slate
$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
$3,990 / item
H 15.75 in W 74.81 in D 29.14 in
Mustard Velvet Daybed with V-Shaped Beechwood Base, Model V
By Dusty Deco
Located in Los Angeles, CA
DD V daybed is an exclusive daybed made by hand in Bosnia and Herzegovina by skilled craftsmen with long experience in wood and upholstery. Both frame and the characteristic V-shaped...
Fabric, Beech, Velvet
$2,800
H 43.31 in W 59.45 in D 16.93 in
Mid-Century Cabinet / Sideboard in Teak & Oak, Danish Cabinetmaker, 1960s
Located in Odense, DK
Lovely rare cabinet in teak & oak. Made by a Danish Cabinetmaker in 1960s. Highlighted details and plenty of shelves featured in this beautiful cabinet. A fine vintage object that...
Oak, Teak
On Hold|$4,500
H 36 in W 66 in D 16 in
Mid-Century Modern Milo Baughman with Burl Tortoise Shell Credenza or Buffet
By Milo Baughman, Thayer Coggin
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A stately masterpiece designed by Milo Baughman in the 1970s and produced by Thayer Coggin. It features a beautiful faux tortoise shell finish. Interior is chocolate brown. Signed wi...
Wood
$2,400Sale Price|20% Off
H 18 in W 78 in D 14 in
Mid century Jack Cartwright for Founders Long wall mounted Bar desk credenza
By Jack Cartwright, Founders Furniture Company
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mid century Jack Cartwright for Founders Long wall mounted Bar desk credenza. Left side has 2 cabinet doors and the right side has a fold down bar or desk with white laminate surface...
Faux Leather, Walnut, Lacquer
$5,900 / set
H 20.25 in W 7.5 in D 4.25 in
Murano Glass Alligatore Sconces, Hand-Blown, Modern Design, Italy
Located in Austin, TX
Pair of sconces, Italian, from the island of Murano. This pair is made of hand-blown glass with a beautiful “alligatore” texture. They have been newly wired to fit US standards. T...
Murano Glass
Mid-Century Modernist Sculptural Walnut Side Table by Adrian Pearsall
By Adrian Pearsall
Located in New York, NY
This sleek and elegant Mid-Century Modernist Sculptural Walnut Side Table by Adrian Pearsal originates from the United States, Circa 1960. This piece features three beautiful sculptu...
Walnut
19th Century French Renaissance Henry II Walnut Buffet
Located in Forney, TX
A most impressive antique, circa 1880, French carved walnut marble-top top buffet- sideboard server with nicely aged patina. Born in France during the late 19th century Renaissan...
Marble, Brass
Ceiba Table Lamp
By Chuch Estudio
Located in Mérida, MX
The Ceiba Lamp embodies the essence of artisanal craftsmanship, meticulously crafted entirely by hand. Inspired by the sacred Tree of Life in the Yucatan Peninsula, renowned as the C...
Clay, Linen
1950s Mid Century Walnut Credenza by Florence Knoll
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Mid-century walnut credenza designed by Florence Knoll and manufactured by Knoll Associates Inc. circa 1950s. This exceptional piece showcases a gorgeous walnut frame supported by fo...
Chrome
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.
Of all the vintage storage cabinets and antique case pieces that have become popular in modern interiors over the years, dressers, credenzas and cabinets have long been home staples, perfect for routine storage or protection of personal items.
In the mid-19th century, cabinetmakers would mimic styles originating in the Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI eras for their dressers, bookshelves and other structures, and, later, simpler, streamlined wood designs allowed these “case pieces” or “case goods” — any furnishing that is unupholstered and has some semblance of a storage component — to blend into the background of any interior.
Mid-century modern furniture enthusiasts will cite the tall modular wall units crafted in teak and other sought-after woods of the era by the likes of George Nelson, Poul Cadovius and Finn Juhl. For these highly customizable furnishings, designers of the day delivered an alternative to big, heavy bookcases by considering the use of space — and, in particular, walls — in new and innovative ways. Mid-century modern credenzas, which, long and low, evolved from tables that were built as early as the 14th century in Italy, typically have no legs or very short legs and have grown in popularity as an alluring storage option over time.
Although the name immediately invokes images of clothing, dressers were initially created in Europe for a much different purpose. This furnishing was initially a flat-surfaced, low-profile side table equipped with a few drawers — a common fixture used to dress and prepare meats in English kitchens throughout the Tudor period. The drawers served as perfect utensil storage. It wasn’t until the design made its way to North America that it became enlarged and equipped with enough space to hold clothing and cosmetics. The very history of case pieces is a testament to their versatility and well-earned place in any room.
In the spirit of positioning your case goods center stage, decluttering can now be design-minded.
A contemporary case piece with open shelving and painted wood details can prove functional as a storage unit as easily as it can a room divider. Alternatively, apothecary cabinets are charming case goods similar in size to early dressers or commodes but with uniquely sized shelving and (often numerous) drawers.
Whether you’re seeking a playful sideboard that features colored glass and metal details, an antique Italian hand-carved storage cabinet or a glass-door vitrine to store and show off your collectibles, there are options for you on 1stDibs.