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Mid-Century Modern Pencil Leg 4 Cushion Sofa
Mid-Century Modern Pencil Leg 4 Cushion Sofa

Mid-Century Modern Pencil Leg 4 Cushion Sofa

Located in Wilmington, DE

Mid-Century Modern pencil leg 93" 4 cushion sofa Offered is an unrestored mid-century modern

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Fabric

Mid-Century Modern Dunbar Style 3 Cushion Sofa
Mid-Century Modern Dunbar Style 3 Cushion Sofa

Mid-Century Modern Dunbar Style 3 Cushion Sofa

By Dunbar Furniture

Located in Wilmington, DE

Mid-Century Modern Dunbar style sofa 85" Offered is a Mid-Century Modern sofa with tapered legs

Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Upholstery, Wood

1960s Danish Mid-Century Oak Frame Sling Sofa With Upholstered Cushions
1960s Danish Mid-Century Oak Frame Sling Sofa With Upholstered Cushions

1960s Danish Mid-Century Oak Frame Sling Sofa With Upholstered Cushions

Located in High Point, NC

This 1960s Danish mid-century sofa embodies the era’s hallmark balance of clean structure and

Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Upholstery, Oak

Mid-Century Modern Turquoise Lawson 4 Cushion Sofa Attr Milo Baughman James Inc.
Mid-Century Modern Turquoise Lawson 4 Cushion Sofa Attr Milo Baughman James Inc.

Mid-Century Modern Turquoise Lawson 4 Cushion Sofa Attr Milo Baughman James Inc.

By James Inc., Milo Baughman

Located in Topeka, KS

Gorgeous vintage mid-century modern turquoise Lawson style 4 cushion sofa attributed to Milo

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Fabric, Foam, Wood

White Garden Sofa Mid-century Worked Shaped  Green Metal Cushion 1950s
White Garden Sofa Mid-century Worked Shaped  Green Metal Cushion 1950s

White Garden Sofa Mid-century Worked Shaped Green Metal Cushion 1950s

Located in Palermo, Sicily

White Garden Sofa Mid-century Worked Shaped Green Metal Cushion 1950s. Fabric Cushion with Leaves

Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Metal

Mid-Century Modern Bamboo Pencil Reed Modular or Sectional Sofa with New Cushion
Mid-Century Modern Bamboo Pencil Reed Modular or Sectional Sofa with New Cushion

Mid-Century Modern Bamboo Pencil Reed Modular or Sectional Sofa with New Cushion

By Comfort Design Furniture

Located in Philadelphia, PA

A handsome and sculptural sofa made by Comfort Design Furniture in the 1970's. The sofa features

Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Fabric, Bamboo

Mid-Century Modern Italian Style Sofa
Mid-Century Modern Italian Style Sofa

Mid-Century Modern Italian Style Sofa

Located in Brooklyn, NY

This four seat midcentury sofa features comfortable two cushion design complete with unique vintage

Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Fabric

Adrian Pearsall Brutalist-Inspired Two-Cushion Sofa (1 of 2)
Adrian Pearsall Brutalist-Inspired Two-Cushion Sofa (1 of 2)

Adrian Pearsall Brutalist-Inspired Two-Cushion Sofa (1 of 2)

By Craft Associates, Adrian Pearsall, Paul Evans

Located in Oklahoma City, OK

A striking example of Adrian Pearsall’s bold design vision, this two-cushion sofa blends clean

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Upholstery, Resin, Wood

Adrian Pearsall Brutalist-Inspired Two-Cushion Sofa Loveseat (2 of 2)
Adrian Pearsall Brutalist-Inspired Two-Cushion Sofa Loveseat (2 of 2)

Adrian Pearsall Brutalist-Inspired Two-Cushion Sofa Loveseat (2 of 2)

By Adrian Pearsall, Paul Evans, Craft Associates

Located in Oklahoma City, OK

A striking example of Adrian Pearsall’s bold design vision, this two-cushion sofa or loveseat

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Upholstery, Resin, Wood

Lime Green Bench Cushion Sofa with Maze Pattern Cushions and Sunflower Feet
Lime Green Bench Cushion Sofa with Maze Pattern Cushions and Sunflower Feet

Lime Green Bench Cushion Sofa with Maze Pattern Cushions and Sunflower Feet

By Jhon Ortiz, The Tailored Home

Located in Greenwich, CT

Parisian style sofa with bench cushion and unusual side cushions which sit on the sofa deck versus

Category

2010s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Maple, Lacquer

Vintage Red Velvet Knole Sofa with Floral Cushions, 1950s
Vintage Red Velvet Knole Sofa with Floral Cushions, 1950s

Vintage Red Velvet Knole Sofa with Floral Cushions, 1950s

Located in Nørre Aaby, DK

A beautiful example of the traditional Knole sofa, featuring rich red velvet upholstery and floral

Category

Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Velvet

Vintage French Neoclassical Cane Daybed Sofa with Bolster Cushions
Vintage French Neoclassical Cane Daybed Sofa with Bolster Cushions

Vintage French Neoclassical Cane Daybed Sofa with Bolster Cushions

Located in Rancho Cucamonga, CA

backrest and delicate turned legs, evoking a mid-century take on classic Neoclassical forms. The design is

Category

Mid-20th Century French Provincial Sofas

Materials

Upholstery, Wood

A Two Cushion Sofa on Runner Legs, William Haines
A Two Cushion Sofa on Runner Legs, William Haines

A Two Cushion Sofa on Runner Legs, William Haines

By William Billy Haines

Located in Palm Desert, CA

with ample loose cushions and resting on Walnut runner legs. The sofa has been reupholstered in a

Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Fabric, Walnut

Postmodern Tobia Scarpa Sofa with Upholstered Cushions Bastiano, 1960s
Postmodern Tobia Scarpa Sofa with Upholstered Cushions Bastiano, 1960s

Postmodern Tobia Scarpa Sofa with Upholstered Cushions Bastiano, 1960s

By Knoll, Tobia Scarpa

Located in Basel, BS

other brand name rare mid century collectible pieces. Additional information: Materials: Fabric

Category

20th Century Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Upholstery, Wood

De Puydt Three-Seater Sofa with Upholstered Cushions, Belgium 1970s
De Puydt Three-Seater Sofa with Upholstered Cushions, Belgium 1970s

De Puydt Three-Seater Sofa with Upholstered Cushions, Belgium 1970s

By De Puydt

Located in Utrecht, NL

rustic, mid-century look as the focus. Clever and high-quality, this mid-century sofa is a design staple

Category

Vintage 1970s Belgian Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Wood

Arflex L Shape Black Lacquered Sofa with Light Suede Orange Cushions
Arflex L Shape Black Lacquered Sofa with Light Suede Orange Cushions

Arflex L Shape Black Lacquered Sofa with Light Suede Orange Cushions

By Arflex

Located in Byron Bay, NSW

Arflex black lacquered L shape design sofa with newly professionally reupholstered suede cushions

Category

Vintage 1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Velvet, Wood, Lacquer

Curvy Danish modern black and white sofa with large seat cushion
Curvy Danish modern black and white sofa with large seat cushion

Curvy Danish modern black and white sofa with large seat cushion

By Hans Olsen

Located in DK

This sofa with a large seat cushion was designed in 1956 by Hans Olsen (1919-1992). The sofa is

Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas

Materials

Wool, Wood

1970s five piece modular sofa in fleece + leather with reversible cushions
1970s five piece modular sofa in fleece + leather with reversible cushions

1970s five piece modular sofa in fleece + leather with reversible cushions

Located in Berkeley, CA

Origin: Germany Designer: Unknown Manufacturer: Unknown Era: 1970s Materials: Leather, Fleece Side Chair Measurements: 27″ wide x 35.5″ deep x 28.5″ tall Corner Chair Dimensions: 63...

Category

Late 20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Leather

2-Person Sofa From Norr11 Made With Black Leather Cushions From 2000s
2-Person Sofa From Norr11 Made With Black Leather Cushions From 2000s

2-Person Sofa From Norr11 Made With Black Leather Cushions From 2000s

By Norr11

Located in Lejre, DK

cushions, which gives the sofa a stylish and durable look. This combination of materials makes the sofa

Category

Early 2000s Danish Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Stainless Steel

Erik Ole Jorgensen for DUX Sofa with Down Cushions in Knoll Fabric
Erik Ole Jorgensen for DUX Sofa with Down Cushions in Knoll Fabric

Erik Ole Jorgensen for DUX Sofa with Down Cushions in Knoll Fabric

By Erik Ole Jørgensen, Dux of Sweden

Located in South Charleston, WV

" deep. Arm height 23". Special attention was paid in the upholstery with the original down cushions and

Category

Vintage 1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Chrome

Illum Wikkelsø Capella Sofa of Oak + Green Cushions Niels Eilersen Denmark 1960s
Illum Wikkelsø Capella Sofa of Oak + Green Cushions Niels Eilersen Denmark 1960s

Illum Wikkelsø Capella Sofa of Oak + Green Cushions Niels Eilersen Denmark 1960s

By Illum Wikkelsø, Niels Eilersen

Located in Silkeborg, Silkeborg

Danish vintage two-seater sofa Capella designed by the Danish furniture designer Kristian Illum

Category

Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Fabric, Oak

French Wooden Two-Seater with Leather Cushions, 1960s
French Wooden Two-Seater with Leather Cushions, 1960s

French Wooden Two-Seater with Leather Cushions, 1960s

Located in Antwerp, BE

French; Sofa Set; Living Room Set; leather cushions; 1960s; armchair; Club Chair; Lounge Chair

Category

Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Leather, Wood

Mid Century Modern Spun Fiberglass Sofa With Foliage Cushions
Mid Century Modern Spun Fiberglass Sofa With Foliage Cushions

Mid Century Modern Spun Fiberglass Sofa With Foliage Cushions

Located in Delray Beach, FL

Mid-Century Modern Spun Fiberglass Sofa with Foliage Cushions, featuring a sculptural open-weave

Category

Vintage 1970s American Patio and Garden Furniture

Materials

Fiberglass

Mid Century  Daybed Sofa by Harvey Probber  with Lavender Leather Cushions
Mid Century  Daybed Sofa by Harvey Probber  with Lavender Leather Cushions

Mid Century Daybed Sofa by Harvey Probber with Lavender Leather Cushions

By Harvey Probber

Located in New York, NY

Exceptional, chic, voguish and rare mid century sofa, daybed, designed by Harvey Probber. This

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Daybeds

Materials

Brass

Small Italian Art Decò Purple Satin Sofa with Roll Cushion
Small Italian Art Decò Purple Satin Sofa with Roll Cushion

Small Italian Art Decò Purple Satin Sofa with Roll Cushion

Located in Milano, IT

Introducing an elegant 20th-century Italian bench or settee, entirely crafted with purple satin

Category

20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Benches

Materials

Silk, Wood

Low Sofa Cushion by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret for Chandigarh, Circa 1955
Low Sofa Cushion by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret for Chandigarh, Circa 1955

Low Sofa Cushion by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret for Chandigarh, Circa 1955

By Le Corbusier

Located in Tokyo, JP

An authentic mid-century piece from Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret’s legendary Chandigarh

Category

Mid-20th Century Indian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Teak

Low Sofa Cushion by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret for Chandigarh, Circa 1955
Low Sofa Cushion by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret for Chandigarh, Circa 1955

Low Sofa Cushion by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret for Chandigarh, Circa 1955

By Le Corbusier

Located in Tokyo, JP

An authentic mid-century piece from Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret’s legendary Chandigarh

Category

Mid-20th Century Indian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs

Materials

Fabric, Teak

Danish Modern 2-seater Sofa of Oak with Cognac Colored Leather Cushions + Strips
Danish Modern 2-seater Sofa of Oak with Cognac Colored Leather Cushions + Strips

Danish Modern 2-seater Sofa of Oak with Cognac Colored Leather Cushions + Strips

By Arne Norell

Located in Silkeborg, Silkeborg

Danish modern sofa with frame of soap treated oak. The cushions are covered with cognac colored

Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs

Materials

Leather, Oak

Set of wooden sofa and armchairs with white cushions, 1960 brown white
Set of wooden sofa and armchairs with white cushions, 1960 brown white

Set of wooden sofa and armchairs with white cushions, 1960 brown white

Located in Milano, Lombardia

Set of small sofa and two wooden armchairs and cotton fabric cushions, 1960, Condition: Good - New cushions. Set consisting of a sofa and two armchairs.

Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Settees

Materials

Cotton, Wood

Restored Paul Frankl Six-Strand Wicker Sofa Rattan Living-Room Set with Cushions
Restored Paul Frankl Six-Strand Wicker Sofa Rattan Living-Room Set with Cushions

Restored Paul Frankl Six-Strand Wicker Sofa Rattan Living-Room Set with Cushions

By Paul Frankl

Located in Van Nuys, CA

Paul Frankl style stick rattan living room set including a matching three-seat sectional sofa

Category

Vintage 1930s American Mid-Century Modern Living Room Sets

Materials

Rattan

1970s Danish Mid-Century Pinstripe Six Cushion Two-Seat Sofa
1970s Danish Mid-Century Pinstripe Six Cushion Two-Seat Sofa

1970s Danish Mid-Century Pinstripe Six Cushion Two-Seat Sofa

Located in London, GB

A super smart original Danish Mid-Century sofa, upholstered in the original grey woollen fabric

Category

Vintage 1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Wool

Mid-Century Danish Modern 3-seats sofa with cognac leather cushions
Mid-Century Danish Modern 3-seats sofa with cognac leather cushions

Mid-Century Danish Modern 3-seats sofa with cognac leather cushions

Located in TOLLEBEEK, NL

This elegant sofa has an architectural slat back stained wood frame fitted with loose cognac

Category

Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas

Materials

Leather, Wood

Spindle Cushion Sofa by George Nakashima
Spindle Cushion Sofa by George Nakashima

Spindle Cushion Sofa by George Nakashima

By George Nakashima

Located in Sea Cliff, NY

A sofa/bench having a deep cushioned seat angled for comfort and full back cushions. This is a

Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Walnut

Midcentury Teak Sofa with Leather Cushions by Grete Jalk for Cado
Midcentury Teak Sofa with Leather Cushions by Grete Jalk for Cado

Midcentury Teak Sofa with Leather Cushions by Grete Jalk for Cado

By Cado, Grete Jalk

Located in Munich, Bavaria

Teak sofa designed by Grete Jalk and produced by Cado. The sofa shows best Danish quality

Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Leather, Teak

Italian Two Cushions Sofa Sapporo by Mario Marenco for Mobil Girgi 1970s
Italian Two Cushions Sofa Sapporo by Mario Marenco for Mobil Girgi 1970s

Italian Two Cushions Sofa Sapporo by Mario Marenco for Mobil Girgi 1970s

By Mario Marenco, Mobil Girgi

Located in Jersey City, NJ

Italian Vintage 'Sapporo' medium two cushions sofa, designed by the renowned Mario Marenco for

Category

20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Bouclé, Walnut

Illum Wikkelso Black Leather and Grey Wool Cushion Three-Seat Sofa, Denmark
Illum Wikkelso Black Leather and Grey Wool Cushion Three-Seat Sofa, Denmark

Illum Wikkelso Black Leather and Grey Wool Cushion Three-Seat Sofa, Denmark

By Illum Wikkelsø

Located in North Hollywood, CA

Semi-rare original black leather tuxedo style sofa with round tapered teak legs. Featuring original

Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Sofas

Materials

Leather, Wool

1960s White Four-Seater Sofa by Dux
1960s White Four-Seater Sofa by Dux

1960s White Four-Seater Sofa by Dux

Located in Hawthorne, CA

Beautiful four-seater mid-century sofa by Dux. Cushions are removable and upholstered on both sides

Category

Vintage 1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Art Deco Style Sectional in Charcoal Velvet w/ Down Cushions & Long Arm Tufting
Art Deco Style Sectional in Charcoal Velvet w/ Down Cushions & Long Arm Tufting

Art Deco Style Sectional in Charcoal Velvet w/ Down Cushions & Long Arm Tufting

By Modshop

Located in Compton, CA

Imagine modern day, Art Deco glamour in your own home. If not, your office. Sophistication has never been so easy, but also think of the cozy comfort, style and space. Seen here in l...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Mid-Century Modern Sectional Sofas

Materials

Velvet, Walnut

Mid-Century Modern Walnut Sofa Daybed with Cushion
Mid-Century Modern Walnut Sofa Daybed with Cushion

Mid-Century Modern Walnut Sofa Daybed with Cushion

Located in Downingtown, PA

Mid-Century Modern walnut sofa daybed with cushion. Walnut sofa with paddle arms and brass slide

Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Daybeds

Materials

Brass

Vintage Ficks Reed Midcentury Sectional Seating
Vintage Ficks Reed Midcentury Sectional Seating

Vintage Ficks Reed Midcentury Sectional Seating

By Ficks Reed

Located in Old Saybrook, CT

Sensational Ficks Reed midcentury rattan sectional sofa with original cushions. This piece is truly

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Patio and Garden Furniture

Materials

Rattan

Mid-Century Three-Cushion Sofa
Mid-Century Three-Cushion Sofa

Mid-Century Three-Cushion Sofa

Located in Wilton, CT

Classic Mid Century sofa with excellent proportions,. Very well made and custom upholstered in a

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Mid-Century Modern Three-Cushion Blue Sofa
Mid-Century Modern Three-Cushion Blue Sofa

Mid-Century Modern Three-Cushion Blue Sofa

Located in Wilmington, DE

This is a midcentury sofa with blue upholster and wooden legs.

Category

Mid-20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Mid-Century Modern Dux Green Tweed Four Cushion Sofa
Mid-Century Modern Dux Green Tweed Four Cushion Sofa

Mid-Century Modern Dux Green Tweed Four Cushion Sofa

By Dux of Sweden

Located in Toledo, OH

Mid-Century Modern green tweed four cushion sofa by Dux. Original fabric in excellent condition. No

Category

Mid-20th Century European Modern Sofas

Materials

Fabric

Mid-Century Modern 3 Cushion Open Arm Walnut Sofa
Mid-Century Modern 3 Cushion Open Arm Walnut Sofa

Mid-Century Modern 3 Cushion Open Arm Walnut Sofa

Located in Wilmington, DE

Mid-Century Modern 3 Cushion Open Arm Walnut Sofa Offered is a unrestored original mid-century

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Wood

Mid-Century Leather Tufted Sofa w/ Loose Cushions
Mid-Century Leather Tufted Sofa w/ Loose Cushions

Mid-Century Leather Tufted Sofa w/ Loose Cushions

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Handsome English leather tufted sofa with tight tufted back and two loose seat cushions. The sofa

Category

Vintage 1940s English Chesterfield Sofas

Materials

Leather

Mid-Century Modern 3 Cushion Vikko Open Arm Walnut  Sofa
Mid-Century Modern 3 Cushion Vikko Open Arm Walnut  Sofa

Mid-Century Modern 3 Cushion Vikko Open Arm Walnut Sofa

Located in Wilmington, DE

Mid-Century 3 cushion vikko sofa Offered is an unrestored Mid-Century Modern sofa. The sofa can

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Wood

Mid-Century Modern Groovy Geometric 3 Cushion Open Arm Walnut Sofa
Mid-Century Modern Groovy Geometric 3 Cushion Open Arm Walnut Sofa

Mid-Century Modern Groovy Geometric 3 Cushion Open Arm Walnut Sofa

Located in Wilmington, DE

Mid-Century Modern geometric 3 cushion open arm walnut sofa Offered is a restored Mid-Century

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Wood

Gold Velvet Lawson Style Three-Cushion Sofa Vintage Mid-Century Modern
Gold Velvet Lawson Style Three-Cushion Sofa Vintage Mid-Century Modern

Gold Velvet Lawson Style Three-Cushion Sofa Vintage Mid-Century Modern

Located in Topeka, KS

sofa no matter your décor. Its simple lines blend with and complement everything from Mid-Century

Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Upholstery

Powder Blue Lawson Style Four Cushion Sofa Vintage, Mid-Century Modern
Powder Blue Lawson Style Four Cushion Sofa Vintage, Mid-Century Modern

Powder Blue Lawson Style Four Cushion Sofa Vintage, Mid-Century Modern

Located in Topeka, KS

Slender and simple Lawson style four cushion sofa in powder or Wedgwood blue upholstery. This

Category

Mid-20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Fabric

Mid-Century Modern Probber Style Low Back 3 Cushion Sofa 82"
Mid-Century Modern Probber Style Low Back 3 Cushion Sofa 82"

Mid-Century Modern Probber Style Low Back 3 Cushion Sofa 82"

By Harvey Probber

Located in Wilmington, DE

Mid-Century Modern Probber Style Low Back 3 Cushion Sofa 82" Offered is a mid-century modern sofa

Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Upholstery, Wood

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Mid Century Couch Cushions For Sale on 1stDibs

An assortment of mid century couch cushions is available at 1stDibs. Frequently made of fabric, wood and upholstery, all mid century couch cushions available were constructed with great care. We have 67 antique and vintage mid century couch cushions in-stock, while there are 3 modern editions to choose from as well. Mid century couch cushions have been produced for many years, with earlier versions available from the 20th Century and newer variations made as recently as the 21st Century. Mid century couch cushions bearing Mid-Century Modern or Art Deco hallmarks are very popular at 1stDibs. There have been many well-made mid century couch cushions over the years, but those made by George Nelson, Hans Hopfer and Roche Bobois are often thought to be among the most beautiful.

How Much are Mid Century Couch Cushions?

Mid century couch cushions can differ in price owing to various characteristics — the average selling price at 1stDibs is $4,100, while the lowest priced sells for $995 and the highest can go for as much as $15,070.

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

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.

Finding the Right Sofas for You

Black leather, silk velvet cushions, breathable bouclé fabric — when shopping for antique or vintage sofas, today’s couch connoisseurs have much to choose from in terms of style and shape. But it wasn’t always thus. 

The sofa is typically defined as a long upholstered seat that features a back and arms and is intended for two or more people. While the term “couch” comes from the Old French couche, meaning to lie down, and sofa has Eastern origins, both are forms of divan, a Turkish word that means an elongated cushioned seat. Bench-like seating in Ancient Greece, which was padded with soft blankets, was called klinai. No matter how you spell it, sofa just means comfort, at least it does today.

In the early days of sofa design, upholstery consisted of horsehair or dried moss. Sofas that originated in countries such as France during the 17th century were more integral to decor than they were to comfort. Like most Baroque furnishings from the region, they frequently comprised heavy, gilded mahogany frames and were upholstered in floral Beauvais tapestry. Today, options abound when it comes to style and material, with authentic leather offerings and classy steel settees. Plush, velvet chesterfields represent the platonic ideal of coziness

Vladimir Kagan’s iconic sofa designs, such as the Crescent and the Serpentine — which, like the sectional sofas of the 1960s created by furniture makers such as Harvey Probber, are quite popular among mid-century modern furniture enthusiasts — showcase the spectrum of style available to modern consumers. Those looking to make a statement can turn to Studio 65’s lip-shaped Bocca sofa, which was inspired by the work of Salvador Dalí. Elsewhere, the furniture of the 1970s evokes an era when experimentation ruled, or at least provided a reason to break the rules. Just about every area of society felt a sudden urge to be wayward, to push boundaries — and buttons. Vintage leather sofas of that decade are characterized by a rare blending of the showy and organic.

With so many options, it’s important to explore and find the perfect furniture for your space. Paying attention to the lines of the cushions as well as the flow from the backrest into the arms is crucial to identifying a cohesive new piece for your home or office.

Fortunately, with styles from every era — and even round sofas — there’s a luxurious piece for every space. Deck out your living room with an Art Deco lounge or go retro with a nostalgic '80s design. No matter your sitting vision, the right piece is waiting for you in the expansive collection of unique sofas on 1stDibs.