Is a tulip table mid century modern?

Yes, the tulip table is considered a mid-century modern design. This table shape has become an iconic statement of the era with a simple sculptural attitude and a practical nature. The first tulip table was created by Eero Saarinen, a noted Finnish designer who was a leader in mid-century modern home decor. Shop a collection of Saarinen furniture from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.

Mid Century Formica Table

Formica Kitchen

Black Formica

Midcentury White Formica Table

Rattan Table With Formica Top

1960s Formica

Italian Formica

Tiered Formica

Midcentury Dining Table With Tapered Legs

Mersman Mid Century Walnut and Formica Top Small Side Table

$766Sale Price|30% Off

Mersman Mid Century Walnut and Formica Top Small Side Table

By Mersman

Located in Germantown, MD

Small walnut and Formica top and tapered legs side table. Manufactured by Mersman furniture in the

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Side Tables

Materials

Formica, Walnut

Mid-Century Mersman Teak and Formica Top Three-Tier Side Table

$822Sale Price / item|30% Off

Mid-Century Mersman Teak and Formica Top Three-Tier Side Table

By Mersman

Located in Germantown, MD

1960s Mersman Furniture three Tier Formica top and Teak table. May be used as coffee table, Side

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Side Tables

Materials

Formica, Teak

Mid-Century Modern Laminate Formica Top and Rattan Coffee Table

$636Sale Price|20% Off

Mid-Century Modern Laminate Formica Top and Rattan Coffee Table

Located in Cincinnati, OH

Mid-Century Modern Laminate Formica Top and Rattan Coffee Table Scratch on one end of table (see

Category

Mid-20th Century American Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Rattan, Laminate, Formica

Mid Century Formica and Iron Cafe Dining Table

$575

Mid Century Formica and Iron Cafe Dining Table

Located in New York, NY

Stylish cafe, restaurant dining tables, originally from a midcentury Poconos Pennsylvania resort

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables

Materials

Iron

Mid-Century Modern Biomorphic Side Table with Formica Top

$828Sale Price|31% Off

Mid-Century Modern Biomorphic Side Table with Formica Top

Located in Van Nuys, CA

Original Googie-era biomorphic three-tier side lamp table, featuring a marbleized white Formica top

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Side Tables

Materials

Brass

Mid-Century vintage 1960s dining / kitchen / Formica drop leaf table

$641

Mid-Century vintage 1960s dining / kitchen / Formica drop leaf table

Located in London, GB

This is a compact Mid-Century vintage dining / kitchen table featuring a rectangular top with

Category

Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables

Materials

Metal

Mid-Century Modern Laminate Formica Top and Rattan End/Side Tables - Set of 2

$788Sale Price / set|20% Off

Mid-Century Modern Laminate Formica Top and Rattan End/Side Tables - Set of 2

Located in Cincinnati, OH

Mid-Century Modern Laminate Formica Top and Rattan End/Side Tables - Set of 2 Top and Bottom Shelf

Category

Mid-20th Century American Side Tables

Materials

Rattan, Laminate, Formica

Mid-century Pink & Black Formica & Polished Chrome Kitchennette Dining Table

$990Sale Price|40% Off

Mid-century Pink & Black Formica & Polished Chrome Kitchennette Dining Table

Located in Van Nuys, CA

A striking Mid-Century Modern chrome and pink Formica dining table featuring a sleek atomic-age

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables

Materials

Steel, Chrome

Gio Ponti Writing Table, Mahogany & Formica, Mid-Century Italy

$9,360Sale Price|20% Off

Gio Ponti Writing Table, Mahogany & Formica, Mid-Century Italy

By Schirolli, Gio Ponti

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

A vintage Mid-Century modern Italian writing table made of hand carved Mahogany, designed by Gio

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Laminate, Formica, Mahogany

Mid-Century forged Triangle shape Coffee Table - Formica Side Table 50s

$275Sale Price|40% Off

Mid-Century forged Triangle shape Coffee Table - Formica Side Table 50s

Located in Bussiere Dunoise, Nouvel Aquitaine

Countries. French Mid-Century forged Triangle shape Coffee Table from the 50s Wonderful Triangle Formica

Category

Vintage 1940s French Mid-Century Modern Console Tables

Materials

Metal, Wrought Iron

Mid-Century Italian Mahogany and Formica End / Side Tables (Style of Gio Ponti)

$7,500 / item

Mid-Century Italian Mahogany and Formica End / Side Tables (Style of Gio Ponti)

By Gio Ponti

Located in Queens, NY

2 Italian Mid-Century (1950s) mahogany small table desk featuring a high slanted backrail, light

Category

20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Side Tables

Materials

Formica, Wood

Mid Century Formica Top Coffee Table c. 1950/60's

$1,400

Mid Century Formica Top Coffee Table c. 1950/60's

By Baumritter

Located in New York, NY

Classic Mid Century coffee, cocktail table having a white formica laminate top on sculptural turned

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Formica, Wood

Mid-Century Formica Waterfall Console Table, attributed to Karl Springer, 1970s

$1,779

Mid-Century Formica Waterfall Console Table, attributed to Karl Springer, 1970s

By Karl Springer

Located in Dublin 8, IE

Originally sourced in the USA this post modern / 1980s waterfall shape formica console table adds a

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Console Tables

Materials

Formica

Mid-Century Dutch Wenge & White Formica Dining Table, Attr. Pastoe, 1960s

$825

Mid-Century Dutch Wenge & White Formica Dining Table, Attr. Pastoe, 1960s

By Pastoe

Located in Los Angeles, CA

This distinctive Mid-Century Modern dining table is attributed to the Dutch manufacturer Pastoe

Category

Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables

Materials

Formica, Wenge

Mid Century Teak Desk with Formica Top

$1,159

Mid Century Teak Desk with Formica Top

By Remploy

Located in Leicester, GB

A fabulous Mid Century modern sideboard / desk with drawers unit in Teak. This sideboard has five

Category

Vintage 1960s British Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Formica, Teak

Vintage Formica Compass Coffee/Side Table, Manner Of Fornasetti, Mid Century

$375

Vintage Formica Compass Coffee/Side Table, Manner Of Fornasetti, Mid Century

Located in Bristol, GB

MID-CENTURY CIRCULAR TABLE A good quality Formica-topped table with an elegant and stylish black

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Metal, Brass, Steel

1950 Italian Mid Century Modernist Design Giulio Zappa Att. Blue Formica Table

$4,119

1950 Italian Mid Century Modernist Design Giulio Zappa Att. Blue Formica Table

Located in Brescia, IT

Formica Table att. Giulio Zappa Italy, 1950 Black enamel solid frame. The metal frame has as a

Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Console Tables

Materials

Formica

Mid-Century Console Table with Tapered Legs and Formica Top, Italy c. 1950s

$3,036

Mid-Century Console Table with Tapered Legs and Formica Top, Italy c. 1950s

Located in Hønefoss, 30

Mid-Century console table with tapered legs and original green Formica top. Wear consistent with

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Console Tables

Materials

Formica, Oak

Restored Mid-century 3/4 Pretzel Rattan & Formica "Grasshopper" Side Table, Pair

$1,440Sale Price / set|40% Off

Restored Mid-century 3/4 Pretzel Rattan & Formica "Grasshopper" Side Table, Pair

Located in Van Nuys, CA

This beautifully restored pair of 3/4 Pretzel Rattan & Formica "Grasshopper" Side Tables, both

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern End Tables

Materials

Rattan, Formica

Hans C Andersen Danish Mid Century Modern Teak & Formica Snack Side Table - Pair

$895 / set

Hans C Andersen Danish Mid Century Modern Teak & Formica Snack Side Table - Pair

Located in Philadelphia, PA

Vintage Hans C Andersen Danish Mid Century Modern Teak & Formica Snack Side Tables - Pair. Item

Category

Mid-20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Side Tables

Materials

Laminate, Teak

Italian mid-century modern Dining table in wood, formica and iron, 1950s

$5,178

Italian mid-century modern Dining table in wood, formica and iron, 1950s

Located in MIlano, IT

Italian mid-century modern Dining table in wood, formica and iron, 1950s Dining table with

Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables

Materials

Iron

Vintage Formica & Walnut Step Tables

$1,700 / set

Vintage Formica & Walnut Step Tables

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Absolutely fantastic pair of unique formica & walnut end tables. A funky two-tiered design is as

Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Side Tables

Materials

Brass

Mid-Century Walnut and Formica Top Writing Desk

$1,800

Mid-Century Walnut and Formica Top Writing Desk

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Elegant mid-century modern writing desk featuring a warm walnut wood frame and a durable Formica

Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Walnut

1950s Mid-Century Table with Drawer, Solid Beech, Top in Formica, Brass Feet

$9,062

1950s Mid-Century Table with Drawer, Solid Beech, Top in Formica, Brass Feet

Located in Vigonza, Padua

Iconic Italian midcentury modern table with drawer in solid beech with the top in formica by

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables

Materials

Brass

Mid-century Eero Saarinen Style Tulip Formica & Aluminum Side Table for Knoll

$840Sale Price|40% Off

Mid-century Eero Saarinen Style Tulip Formica & Aluminum Side Table for Knoll

By Knoll, Eero Saarinen

Located in Van Nuys, CA

Classic mid-century modern Tulip side table in the style of the design made by Eero Saarinen for

Category

Mid-20th Century American Side Tables

Materials

Aluminum

Globe Wernicke Style Mid-Century Modern White Steel Tanker Desk w/ Formica Top

$1,250

Globe Wernicke Style Mid-Century Modern White Steel Tanker Desk w/ Formica Top

By Globe Wernicke

Located in Miami, FL

Globe Wernicke Style Mid-Century Modern White Steel Tanker Desk w/ Formica Top Offered for sale is

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

Milo Baughman for Thayer Coggin Formica Red Side Coffee Table 1960s Mid Century

$1,704

Milo Baughman for Thayer Coggin Formica Red Side Coffee Table 1960s Mid Century

By Milo Baughman

Located in London, GB

A slightly rectangular/near square side table with eye-catching coral red colour made from formica

Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Formica, Wood

Mid-Century Modern Triangle Trolley Brass and Formica Wood

$1,341

Mid-Century Modern Triangle Trolley Brass and Formica Wood

Located in Schöfflisdorf, CH

Mid-Century Modern triangle trolley brass and formica wood.

Category

Vintage 1950s German Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts

Materials

Brass

Mid Century Wrought Iron Formica Top End Table Magazine Rack by Troy Sunshade

$895

Mid Century Wrought Iron Formica Top End Table Magazine Rack by Troy Sunshade

By Troy Sunshade Company, Woodard Furniture Co.

Located in New York, NY

Architectural mid century end table, magazine rack made in the USA, by the Troy Sunshade Company

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Side Tables

Materials

Wrought Iron

Italian mid-century modern worktable in wood and blue formica, 1950s

$1,647

Italian mid-century modern worktable in wood and blue formica, 1950s

Located in MIlano, IT

Italian mid-century modern worktable in wood and blue formica, 1950s Worktable with rectangular

Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Industrial and Work Tables

Materials

Brass

Italian Modern Hexagonal Pink Formica and Metal Bar Tables, 1960s

$2,412 / set

Italian Modern Hexagonal Pink Formica and Metal Bar Tables, 1960s

Located in MIlano, IT

Set of four bar tables, hexagonal in shape, with pink formica top, black edge and tubular metal

Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Tables

Materials

Metal

Jorge Zalszupin, Side Table, Cavuina, Formica, Brazil, 1960s

$4,200

Jorge Zalszupin, Side Table, Cavuina, Formica, Brazil, 1960s

By Jorge Zalszupin

Located in High Point, NC

A caviuna wood, metal and white formica side table designed by Jorge Zalszupin and produced for

Category

Vintage 1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Side Tables

Materials

Formica, Wood

Brazilian Designer, Side Table, Wood, Formica, Brazil, 1950s

$3,800

Brazilian Designer, Side Table, Wood, Formica, Brazil, 1950s

Located in High Point, NC

A wood and black, grey and yellow formica side table designed and produced in Brazil, c. 1950s

Category

Vintage 1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Side Tables

Materials

Formica, Wood

80s Mid-Century Modern Black Formica Swivel Top Sculpture Stand Column Pedestal

$1,250

80s Mid-Century Modern Black Formica Swivel Top Sculpture Stand Column Pedestal

Located in Miami, FL

Swivel top black Formica over wood sculpture stand, column, pedestal or swivel top table. Sturdy

Category

Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Pedestals

Materials

Wood, Formica

Restored Mid-century Stacked Rattan Biomorphic Coffee Table w/ Formica Top

$2,040Sale Price|40% Off

Restored Mid-century Stacked Rattan Biomorphic Coffee Table w/ Formica Top

By Paul Frankl

Located in Van Nuys, CA

This beautifully restored rattan and Formica coffee table boasts a bold amoeba-shaped top

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Rattan, Mahogany

Italian mid-century modern blue formica and black metal desk, 1960s

$706

Italian mid-century modern blue formica and black metal desk, 1960s

Located in MIlano, IT

Italian mid-century modern blue formica and black metal desk, 1960s. Small desk, coming from a

Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Metal

Restored Mid-century Large Square Rattan Coffee Table With Formica Top

$1,917Sale Price|40% Off

Restored Mid-century Large Square Rattan Coffee Table With Formica Top

Located in Van Nuys, CA

This beautifully restored Paul Frankl-inspired Large 31" long square coffee table with pole rattan

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Rattan

60's Formica Pedestal Dining Game Table

$796Sale Price / item|20% Off

60's Formica Pedestal Dining Game Table

Located in Lake Worth, FL

Estate Fine Furniture Acquisitions Of A 1960's Mid Century Modern Formica Pedestal Dining Game Table With

Category

Vintage 1960s Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables

Materials

Formica, Wood

Carlo Hauner, Console Table, Wood, Formica, Brazil, 1950s

$8,800

Carlo Hauner, Console Table, Wood, Formica, Brazil, 1950s

By Carlo Hauner, Forma

Located in High Point, NC

A wood and green formica console table designed by Carlo Hauner and produced by Forma, Brazil, c

Category

Vintage 1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Console Tables

Materials

Formica, Wood

Mid Century c1970s Rattan Bamboo White Formica Top 72” Long Coffee Table MINT

$4,200

Mid Century c1970s Rattan Bamboo White Formica Top 72” Long Coffee Table MINT

By Ficks Reed

Located in Rockaway, NJ

Mid Century c1970s Rattan Bamboo White Formica Top 72” Long Coffee Table MINT

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Bamboo

Swiss Oak Black Formica Side Table Set of 4

$1,059 / item

Swiss Oak Black Formica Side Table Set of 4

By Max Bill

Located in Munich, DE

Wonderful clear designed side tables from the 1960s, in oak and formica, made in Switzerland in the

Category

Vintage 1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Side Tables

Materials

Formica, Oak

Mid-Century Wood and Formica Bar Cart in the manner of Angelo Ostuni, Italy 1950

$1,977Sale Price|20% Off

Mid-Century Wood and Formica Bar Cart in the manner of Angelo Ostuni, Italy 1950

By Angelo Ostuni

Located in Catania, CT

This wood and formica serving trolley, produced in Italy in the 1950s, is in very good vintage

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Serving Tables

Materials

Formica, Wood

Midcentury Country Kitchen Table with Drawer in Solid Oak with Formica Top

$2,353

Midcentury Country Kitchen Table with Drawer in Solid Oak with Formica Top

Located in Vigonza, Padua

1940s midcentury country kitchen table with drawer in solid oak with formica top in excellent

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Country Tables

Materials

Formica, Oak

1960s Side Table with Formica Top and Drawer, Czechoslovakia

$517

1960s Side Table with Formica Top and Drawer, Czechoslovakia

Located in Praha, CZ

- good original condition with minor signs of use

Category

Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Side Tables

Materials

Formica, Wood

Mid Century White Steel Tanker Des w/ Formica Top by Globe-Wernicke

$1,320Sale Price|40% Off

Mid Century White Steel Tanker Des w/ Formica Top by Globe-Wernicke

By Globe Wernicke

Located in Van Nuys, CA

Atomic age white painted steel tanker desk features a wood grain Formica top, 2 pull-out work

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

Mid-Century Golden Aluminum and Formica Italian Bar Cart with Pictures, 1950s

$1,353

Mid-Century Golden Aluminum and Formica Italian Bar Cart with Pictures, 1950s

Located in Roma, IT

Unique mid-century golden aluminium and formica vintage cart. This fantastic item was produced in

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts

Materials

Aluminum

Italian Mid-Century Modern Bar Cart in wood Cherry and top Formica.

$2,706

Italian Mid-Century Modern Bar Cart in wood Cherry and top Formica.

Located in Vigonza, Padua

Elegant Mid-Century Modern bar cart , age 1950s in wood cherry and top in formica with chromed

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Carts and Bar Carts

Materials

Formica, Cherry

Martin Visser Style Modernist White Formica and Chrome Table

$1,150

Martin Visser Style Modernist White Formica and Chrome Table

By Martin Visser

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Modernist, 1960's dining table or desk with attractive white Formica top and a polished chrome

Category

Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables

Materials

Chrome

Pair of customized Formica coffee tables (2 sizes)

$1,765

Pair of customized Formica coffee tables (2 sizes)

Located in Brussels, BE

These stylish vintage tables are a perfect example of mid-century modern design, featuring sturdy

Category

Antique 1660s Belgian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Iron

A wood and formica conference or dining table, Italy, 1960s

$7,414

A wood and formica conference or dining table, Italy, 1960s

Located in Chiavari, Liguria

A large table, produced in Italy during the Sixties, crafted from wood and Formica, is perfect for

Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Conference Tables

Materials

Formica, Wood

1960s Lane Altavista Two Tier Side Tables with Formica Top

$1,312Sale Price / set|30% Off

1960s Lane Altavista Two Tier Side Tables with Formica Top

By Lane Furniture

Located in Germantown, MD

A pair of rectangular 1960s Lane Altavista Two Tier Side Tables with Formica Top in very good

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Side Tables

Materials

Formica, Wood, Hardwood

Midcentury Faux Bamboo Chrome and Formica Dining Table

$2,000Sale Price|20% Off

Midcentury Faux Bamboo Chrome and Formica Dining Table

Located in Rio Vista, CA

Mid-Century Modern dining table featuring a faux bamboo chrome cage base topped with a laminate

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables

Materials

Steel

André Sornay Formica desk table from the 1950s

$2,883

André Sornay Formica desk table from the 1950s

By Andre Sornay

Located in Grenoble, FR

André Sornay Formica desk table from the 1950s model made for Sonacotra fireplaces and available

Category

Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Formica, Wood

Flip Top Balck Formica Serving Cabinet Server on Wheels Mid Century c1970s MINT

$3,600

Flip Top Balck Formica Serving Cabinet Server on Wheels Mid Century c1970s MINT

By American of Martinsville

Located in Rockaway, NJ

Flip Top Balck Formica Serving Cabinet Server on Wheels Mid Century c1970s MINT

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Serving Tables

Materials

Fruitwood

Restored Formica Coffee Table from Drevopodnik Brno, 1960s

$533

Restored Formica Coffee Table from Drevopodnik Brno, 1960s

By Drevopodnik mesta Brna

Located in Żory, PL

This coffee table was produced in the 1960s by Drevopodnik Brno in former Czechoslovakia. It

Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Formica, Wood

Jens Risom Side Tables - Midcentury Modern - Pair Walnut Formica Floating Top

$1,072Sale Price / set|35% Off

Jens Risom Side Tables - Midcentury Modern - Pair Walnut Formica Floating Top

By Florence Knoll, Knoll, Jens Risom

Located in Decatur, GA

Pair of mid century modern side or end tables by Jens Risom for his company, Jens Risom Design

Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Side Tables

Materials

Formica, Walnut

Modernist Formica and Aluminum Coffee Table after Mayen

$2,240Sale Price|20% Off

Modernist Formica and Aluminum Coffee Table after Mayen

By Paul Mayen

Located in New York, NY

Chic architectural coffee table having a rectangular faux marble formica top, on rectangular

Category

Mid-20th Century American Post-Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Aluminum

Tables Under $2,000

Antique and Vintage Tables

Mid-Century Modern Tables

20th Century Tables

European Tables

Tables on Sale

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Mid Century Formica Table For Sale on 1stDibs

With a vast inventory of beautiful furniture at 1stDibs, we’ve got just the mid century formica table you’re looking for. Frequently made of laminate, formica and wood, every mid century formica table was constructed with great care. Your living room may not be complete without a mid century formica table — find older editions for sale from the 19th Century and newer versions made as recently as the 21st Century. A mid century formica table is a generally popular piece of furniture, but those created in Mid-Century Modern, Scandinavian Modern and Art Deco styles are sought with frequency. A well-made mid century formica table has long been a part of the offerings for many furniture designers and manufacturers, but those produced by Herman Miller, George Nelson and Ahrend de Cirkel are consistently popular.

How Much is a Mid Century Formica Table?

A mid century formica table can differ in price owing to various characteristics — the average selling price 1stDibs is $1,812, while the lowest priced sells for $170 and the highest can go for as much as $35,000.

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

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 Tables for You

The right vintage, new or antique tables can help make any space in your home stand out.

Over the years, the variety of tables available to us, as well as our specific needs for said tables, has broadened. Today, with all manner of these must-have furnishings differing in shape, material and style, any dining room table can shine just as brightly as the guests who gather around it.

Remember, when shopping for a dining table, it must fit your dining area, and you need to account for space around the table too — think outside the box, as an oval dining table may work for tighter spaces. Alternatively, if you’ve got the room, a Regency-style dining table can elevate any formal occasion at mealtime.

Innovative furniture makers and designers have also redefined what a table can be. Whether it’s an unconventional Ping-Pong table, a brass side table to display your treasured collectibles or a Louis Vuitton steamer trunk to add an air of nostalgia to your loft, your table can say a lot about you.

The visionary work of French designer Xavier Lavergne, for example, includes tables that draw on the forms of celestial bodies as often as they do aquatic creatures or fossils. Elsewhere, Italian architect Gae Aulenti, who looked to Roman architecture in crafting her stately Jumbo coffee table, created clever glass-topped mobile coffee tables that move on bicycle tires or sculpted wood wheels for Fontana Arte.

Coffee and cocktail tables can serve as a room’s centerpiece with attention-grabbing details and colors. Glass varieties will keep your hardwood flooring and dazzling area rugs on display, while a marble or stone coffee table in a modern interior can showcase your prized art books and decorative objects. A unique vintage desk or writing table can bring sophistication and even a bit of spice to your work life.

No matter your desired form or function, a quality table for your living space is a sound investment. On 1stDibs, browse a collection of vintage, new and antique bedside tables, mid-century end tables and more .

Questions About Mid Century Formica Table

Is a tulip table mid century modern?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
Yes, the tulip table is considered a mid-century modern design. This table shape has become an iconic statement of the era with a simple sculptural attitude and a practical nature. The first tulip table was created by Eero Saarinen, a noted Finnish designer who was a leader in mid-century modern home decor. Shop a collection of Saarinen furniture from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.

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