Mid Century Modern Server Cabinet

Danish Server

Walnut Server

Server Cart

Dining Room Buffet Cabinet Servers

Flip Top Server

Brass Server

Mid Century Bar Cabinet Walnut

Vintage Server

Thomasville Two Doors Two Drawers Mid Century Modern Server Cabinet Console Mint

$2,200

Thomasville Two Doors Two Drawers Mid Century Modern Server Cabinet Console Mint

By Thomasville

Located in Rockaway, NJ

Thomasville two doors two drawers Mid-Century Modern server cabinet console server.

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dressers

Materials

Brass

Mid-Century Modern Server Cabinet

$1,700

Mid-Century Modern Server Cabinet

Located in Brooklyn, NY

This vintage cabinet offers plenty of storage in a compact design made complete by a handsome

Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Cabinets

Materials

Walnut

Mid-Century Modern Cane Door Server

$1,600

Mid-Century Modern Cane Door Server

Located in Brooklyn, NY

A vintage server full of Mid-Century Modern style, this piece can a brighten a room with its warm

Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Cabinets

Materials

Cane, Wood

Mid-Century Modern Danish Teak Server

$4,500

Mid-Century Modern Danish Teak Server

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Beautiful mid-century modern Danish server crafted from richly grained teak. Features clean

Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Sideboards

Materials

Teak

Oriental Mid Century Modern Black Lacquer Base Modern Walnut Server Cabinet MINT

$4,400

Oriental Mid Century Modern Black Lacquer Base Modern Walnut Server Cabinet MINT

By Henredon, James Mont, Baker Furniture Company

Located in Rockaway, NJ

Quality mid-century modern walnut double doors bachelor chest cabinet dresser with beautiful brass

Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Cabinets

Materials

Brass

White Lacquer, Walnut and Brass Mid-Century Cabinet

$3,000

White Lacquer, Walnut and Brass Mid-Century Cabinet

By Davis Cabinet Company

Located in Miami, FL

A solid walnut off-white lacquered Mid-Century Modern small credenza or oversized night stand made

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Cabinets

Materials

Brass

Tomlinson Mid-Century Modern Walnut Buffet Server or Bar Cabinet, 1950s

$2,595

Tomlinson Mid-Century Modern Walnut Buffet Server or Bar Cabinet, 1950s

By Tomlinson

Located in South Bend, IN

A sleek and stylish Mid-Century Modern sideboard, buffet server, or bar cabinet By Tomlinson

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Credenzas

Materials

Brass

Mid-Century Modern Style Server/Credenza

$4,200

Mid-Century Modern Style Server/Credenza

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Elegant Mid-Century style server with bi fold doors revealing adjustable shelf storage and felt

Category

Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sideboards

Materials

Chrome

Mid-Century Modern Bi Level Long Credenza Server Dresser Cabinet Ebonized Legs

$9,000

Mid-Century Modern Bi Level Long Credenza Server Dresser Cabinet Ebonized Legs

By John Stuart Inc.

Located in Rockaway, NJ

Italian Mid-Century Modern bi level long credenza server dresser cabinet ebonized legs.

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Cabinets

Materials

Teak, Birch

Unique Mid-Century Modern Walnut Server

$2,000

Unique Mid-Century Modern Walnut Server

Located in Brooklyn, NY

This simplistic walnut server will add a breath of fresh style to any space it is in. With bold yet

Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Buffets

Materials

Walnut

Mid-Century Modern Walnut Server by Kent Coffey

$3,300

Mid-Century Modern Walnut Server by Kent Coffey

By Kent-Coffey

Located in Brooklyn, NY

This Mid-Century Modern server by Kent Coffey features rich walnut woodgrain, brass and wooden

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Credenzas

Materials

Brass

Art Deco Mid Century Modern Double Door Large Hardware Walnut Server Cabinet

$4,400

Art Deco Mid Century Modern Double Door Large Hardware Walnut Server Cabinet

By James Mont, T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings

Located in Rockaway, NJ

Art Deco Mid Century Modern Double Door Large Hardware Walnut Server Cabinet MINT. Sliver drawer

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dressers

Materials

Aluminum

Solid Oak Mid-Century Modern Credenza Server Two Door Compartments Cabinet Mint!

$4,000

Solid Oak Mid-Century Modern Credenza Server Two Door Compartments Cabinet Mint!

By Thomasville

Located in Rockaway, NJ

Solid Oak Mid-Century Modern Credenza Server Two Door Compartments Cabinet MINT!

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Credenzas

Materials

Walnut

Mid-Century Buffet Server

$1,900

Mid-Century Buffet Server

Located in Pasadena, TX

A unique retro two-toned wooden cabinet which could be used as a buffet or server. There are two

Category

Vintage 1950s Mid-Century Modern Cabinets

Materials

Laminate, Wood

Pair of Mid-Century Bamboo and Grasscloth Cabinets or Servers

$8,400 / set

Pair of Mid-Century Bamboo and Grasscloth Cabinets or Servers

Located in Palm Beach, FL

Standout pair of Italian cabinets crafted with bamboo frames and grasscloth panels all around in a

Category

20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Cabinets

Materials

Grasscloth, Bamboo

Long Mid-Century Modern Server by Greaves & Thomas

$3,900

Long Mid-Century Modern Server by Greaves & Thomas

By Greaves and Thomas

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Danish furniture design in the mid-20th century. Handsome flame mahogany veneer exterior with a dark

Category

Vintage 1960s Mid-Century Modern Sideboards

Materials

Wood

Flip Top Drop Brass Pulls 3 Drawers Two Door Compartment Server Cabinet on Wheel

$2,800

Flip Top Drop Brass Pulls 3 Drawers Two Door Compartment Server Cabinet on Wheel

By Century Furniture

Located in Rockaway, NJ

Flip Top Drop Brass Pulls 3 Drawers Two Door Compartment Server Credenza Bar Liquor Cabinet on

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sideboards

Materials

Brass

Mid-20th Century Modern Chinoiserie Red Lacquered Four-Door Buffet / Server

$3,400

Mid-20th Century Modern Chinoiserie Red Lacquered Four-Door Buffet / Server

Located in Tarry Town, NY

Mid-20th century modern chinoiserie red lacquered four-door buffet or server, featuring a bold

Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Sideboards

Materials

Brass

Mid-Century Modern Walnut Server Bar Cart By White Furniture Co.

$1,600

Mid-Century Modern Walnut Server Bar Cart By White Furniture Co.

Located in Brooklyn, NY

This Mid-Century Modern server (also referred to as a credenza, bar cart, or console table

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Buffets

Materials

Brass

Mid-Century Rosewood Danish Server

$4,500

Mid-Century Rosewood Danish Server

Located in Brooklyn, NY

This richly designed server cabinet in covered in deep rosewood grain, with sliding doors and Arne

Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Sideboards

Materials

Rosewood

Mid-Century Deco Modern Formica Rosewood Cabinet

$3,350

Mid-Century Deco Modern Formica Rosewood Cabinet

Located in Forney, TX

An impressive, very good quality mid-century cabinet, Art Deco Moderne taste, finished in stunning

Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Cabinets

Materials

Formica, Rosewood

Peter Løvig Mid-Century Danish Wooden Tambour Door Server Cabinet / Credenza

$6,500

Peter Løvig Mid-Century Danish Wooden Tambour Door Server Cabinet / Credenza

By Breaad

Located in Queens, NY

Mid-Century Danish wooden rectangular server cabinet / credenza in a fine veneer with two tambour

Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Sideboards

Materials

Metal

Vintage Danish Modern Server

$2,000

Vintage Danish Modern Server

Located in Brooklyn, NY

With generous storage and two inner drawers that slide out, this vintage server is as functional as

Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Cabinets

Materials

Walnut

Mid-century 6057 Server Mahogany Sideboard Cabinet, John Keal for Brown Saltman

$3,266Sale Price|35% Off

Mid-century 6057 Server Mahogany Sideboard Cabinet, John Keal for Brown Saltman

By John Keal, Brown Saltman

Located in Van Nuys, CA

Rare Brown Saltman "6057 Server " mahogany cabinet/buffet designed by John Keal. The cabinet

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Sideboards

Materials

Mahogany

Mid Century Italian Chippendale Inspired Lacquered Faux Bamboo Server

$6,000

Mid Century Italian Chippendale Inspired Lacquered Faux Bamboo Server

Located in Bridgeport, CT

A long attractive Italian Mid Century server constructed with Chinese Chippendale inspired faux

Category

Mid-20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Cabinets

Materials

Wood

Mid Century Flip Top Oak Liquor Cabinet Server Small Sideboard on Wheels MINT

$2,200

Mid Century Flip Top Oak Liquor Cabinet Server Small Sideboard on Wheels MINT

By Thomasville

Located in Rockaway, NJ

Mid Century Flip Top Oak Liquor Cabinet Server Small Sideboard on Wheels MINT 2x19” leaves with an

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Buffets

Materials

Oak

Lane Altavista Mid Century Slatted Rosewood Walnut Bar Server Credenza Cabinet

$2,295

Lane Altavista Mid Century Slatted Rosewood Walnut Bar Server Credenza Cabinet

By Lane Furniture

Located in Forest Grove, PA

A rare and wonderful Lane Furniture server or dry bar. Rosewood slats with rosewood inlay, walnut

Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Dry Bars

Materials

Chrome

Mid Century Danish Modern Rosewood Credenza Sideboard Server c 1950/60's

$1,400

Mid Century Danish Modern Rosewood Credenza Sideboard Server c 1950/60's

By Brouer Mobel

Located in New York, NY

Exceptional Mid Century Danish Modern rosewood credenza, server, sideboard, server, marked Brouer

Category

Mid-20th Century Scandinavian Modern Credenzas

Materials

Rosewood

Ib-Kofod Larsen Designed Mid-Century Server

$3,000

Ib-Kofod Larsen Designed Mid-Century Server

By Ib Kofod-Larsen

Located in Brooklyn, NY

throughout with sculpted wood handles. Ample storage with cabinets space and drawers. Please confirm location

Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Credenzas

Materials

Teak

Mid Century Carousel Server by Gimsom Slater

$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

Category

Mid-20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Sideboards

Materials

Brass

Mid-Century Heritage-Henredon Walnut Expendable Rolling Buffet Server

$1,995

Mid-Century Heritage-Henredon Walnut Expendable Rolling Buffet Server

By Heritage-Henredon

Located in Germantown, MD

A Mid-Century Heritage-Henredon Walnut Expendable Rolling Buffet Server with two drawers. Measures

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Buffets

Materials

Walnut

Mid Century American of Martinsville Fluted Buffet Server

$2,630 / item

Mid Century American of Martinsville Fluted Buffet Server

By American of Martinsville

Located in W Allenhurst, NJ

Classic American of Martinsville mirror top buffet. Burled ribbed front doors with sleek brass pulls and brass trim. Interior with adjustable shelves and a drawer for ample storage.

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Buffets

Materials

Brass

Lift Flip Top Burl Wood Campaign Style Server Bar Liquor Cabinet Mid Century

$2,600

Lift Flip Top Burl Wood Campaign Style Server Bar Liquor Cabinet Mid Century

By Henredon

Located in Rockaway, NJ

American Light Walnut Tambour Door Cabinet Storage Console King Bed Headboard MINT

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Dry Bars

Materials

Brass

Vintage Modern Walnut Server

$2,400

Vintage Modern Walnut Server

Located in Brooklyn, NY

A solid Mid-Century Modern server made of Walnut. It boasts 6 drawers with 3 of them hidden behind

Category

Vintage 1970s Mid-Century Modern Credenzas

Materials

Walnut

Wonderful Mid-Century Modern Lorin Marsh Geometric Pyramid Double Door Cabinet

$3,450

Wonderful Mid-Century Modern Lorin Marsh Geometric Pyramid Double Door Cabinet

By Lorin Marsh

Located in Roslyn, NY

Wonderful Mid-Century Modern Lorin Marsh Geometric Pyramid double door cabinet sideboard server

Category

20th Century Mid-Century Modern Sideboards

Materials

Wood

Mid Century Scandinavian Modern Style Teak Server With Casters. Circa 1980s

$1,240

Mid Century Scandinavian Modern Style Teak Server With Casters. Circa 1980s

Located in Miami, FL

Vintage Mid-Century Scandinavian Modern Style Teak Server / Dry Bar with Casters by Nordic

Category

Vintage 1980s Canadian Scandinavian Modern Dry Bars

Materials

Teak

Mid-Century Modern French 1960s Long, Low Cabinet, Ameublement NF

$9,750

Mid-Century Modern French 1960s Long, Low Cabinet, Ameublement NF

By N.F. Ameublement

Located in New York City, NY

, credenza, server, case piece, midcentury, Italian design, neoclassical, dining room, entertainment center

Category

Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Cabinets

Materials

Palisander

Mid Century Server Credenza Attributed to Paul McCobb

$2,240Sale Price|20% Off

Mid Century Server Credenza Attributed to Paul McCobb

By Paul McCobb

Located in New York, NY

Nice Mid-Century Modern credenza having a large cabinet bottom and a tall vertical display shelf

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Credenzas

Materials

Brass

Gilbert Rohde Streamline Art Deco Cabinet Credenza Server

$7,800

Gilbert Rohde Streamline Art Deco Cabinet Credenza Server

By Gilbert Rohde

Located in Rockaway, NJ

Mid-Century Modern compact art deco two door credenza server cabinet by Gilbert Rhode. Burl wood

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Cabinets

Materials

Mahogany, Burl

Paul McCobb Connoisseur Collection Mid-Century Modern Mahogany Dry Bar or Server

$4,850

Paul McCobb Connoisseur Collection Mid-Century Modern Mahogany Dry Bar or Server

By Paul McCobb, H Sacks & Sons

Located in St. Louis, MO

Hard to find Paul McCobb dry bar or server for his Connoisseur collection by H. Saks & Sons. To be

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Dry Bars

Materials

Mahogany

Mid-20th Century Thomasville Walnut Drop Leaf Rolling Dry Bar Buffet Server

$1,995

Mid-20th Century Thomasville Walnut Drop Leaf Rolling Dry Bar Buffet Server

By Thomasville

Located in Germantown, MD

A Mid-20th Century Walnut Drop Leaf and Rolling Dry Bar Buffet Server by Thomasville. Measures

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Buffets

Materials

Walnut

Romweber Mid-Century Modern Flip Top Buffet Server or Bar Cart, Circa 1960s

$1,950

Romweber Mid-Century Modern Flip Top Buffet Server or Bar Cart, Circa 1960s

By Romweber Furniture Co.

Located in South Bend, IN

A gorgeous mid-century modern Hollywood Regency flip top rolling buffet server or bar cart By

Category

Vintage 1960s American Hollywood Regency Sideboards

Materials

Brass

Mid-Century Modern Lane "Puzzle Box" Sideboard

$1,600

Mid-Century Modern Lane "Puzzle Box" Sideboard

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Handsome mid-century modern walnut server featuring finely crafted dovetail drawers and distinctive

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Credenzas

Materials

Walnut

Poul Norreklit Dry Bar Cart or Side Table Server Danish Mid Century Modern

$3,500

Poul Norreklit Dry Bar Cart or Side Table Server Danish Mid Century Modern

By Poul Nørreklit

Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL

Rare dry bar table on wheels designed by Poul Norreklit and manufactured by Dyrlund, Denmark 1960. Top slides and reveals storage inside. 33wide 16.5d 19h

Category

Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Dry Bars

Materials

Laminate, Wood, Rosewood

Mid-Century Walnut China Cabinet Buffet Hutch

$1,895

Mid-Century Walnut China Cabinet Buffet Hutch

Located in Baltimore, MD

Beautiful, retro Mid-Century Modern detailed proportioned walnut buffet China cabinet in great

Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Buffets

Materials

Glass, Walnut

Mid Century John Stuart Buffet Server / Bar Cart. Circa 1960s.

$1,650

Mid Century John Stuart Buffet Server / Bar Cart. Circa 1960s.

By John Stuart

Located in Miami, FL

sleek Mid Century Modern Design, two side cabinets, a top drawer, a expandable white laminated top

Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Dry Bars

Materials

Formica, Wood

Bentwood Birch Mid Century Sideboard Server Credenza Thaden Jordan c. 1947-51

$3,500

Bentwood Birch Mid Century Sideboard Server Credenza Thaden Jordan c. 1947-51

By Thaden-Jordan Furniture Co., Herbert Von Thaden, Donald Lewis Jordan

Located in New York, NY

Iconic Mid Century Sideboard, Server, Credenza, designed by Herbert Von Thaden, and Donald Lewis

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sideboards

Materials

Birch, Plywood

Mid Century Ficks Reed Far Horizons Rattan Oak Sideboard Server Console Credenza

$3,290Sale Price|30% Off

Mid Century Ficks Reed Far Horizons Rattan Oak Sideboard Server Console Credenza

By Ficks Reed

Located in Dayton, OH

Mid Century Modern Ficks Reed Far Horizons Collection Hollywood Regency Chinoiserie Credenza, Circa

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sideboards

Materials

Rattan, Oak

Campaign Style Flip Top Fruitwood Server Liquor Cabinet Drexel

$2,800

Campaign Style Flip Top Fruitwood Server Liquor Cabinet Drexel

By Henredon, Baker Furniture Company

Located in Rockaway, NJ

Mid-Century Modern style fruitwood server bar liquor cabinet on wheels with brass pulls.

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sideboards

Materials

Brass

Mid Century Petite Server, Teak & Butternut with Brass Accents by Erno Fabry

$7,875Sale Price|25% Off

Mid Century Petite Server, Teak & Butternut with Brass Accents by Erno Fabry

By Erno Fabry

Located in Philadelphia, PA

Expertly crafted by Erno Fabry in the style of design legend Gio Ponte, this Mid Century Petite

Category

Mid-20th Century European Mid-Century Modern Sideboards

Materials

Wood

Mastercraft Mid Century Brass and Burled Elm Dry Bar Server

$3,447

Mastercraft Mid Century Brass and Burled Elm Dry Bar Server

By Mastercraft

Located in Franklin Park, IL

Mastercraft Mid Century Brass and Burled Elm Dry Bar Server This dry bar measures: 40 wide x 19.25

Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Dry Bars

Materials

Brass

Modernist server / cabinet "Batman Buffet" by American Of Martinsville 1950s

$2,180

Modernist server / cabinet "Batman Buffet" by American Of Martinsville 1950s

By American of Martinsville

Located in Buffalo, NY

Late 1950s early 1960s walnut wood medium size server by American of Martinsville. with

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Buffets

Materials

Walnut

Thomasville Mid-Century Hollywood Regency Campaign Green Lacquered Bar Cabinets

$4,995 / set

Thomasville Mid-Century Hollywood Regency Campaign Green Lacquered Bar Cabinets

By Thomasville

Located in South Bend, IN

A sleek and stylish pair of mid-century modern Hollywood Regency Campaign style bar cabinets or

Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Cabinets

Materials

Brass

Skovby Mobelfabrik Mid-Century Modern Rosewood Sideboard Credenza

$3,995

Skovby Mobelfabrik Mid-Century Modern Rosewood Sideboard Credenza

By Skovby Møbelfabrik A/S 1

Located in Germantown, MD

A beautiful Midcentury Modern buffet or server that would work well as a TV console and is signed

Category

Mid-20th Century American Scandinavian Modern Sideboards

Materials

Rosewood

1960s Solid Wheeled Walnut Flip Top Server Bar Cabinet

$875

1960s Solid Wheeled Walnut Flip Top Server Bar Cabinet

Located in Germantown, MD

Solid walnut wood. High quality construction. Solid brass hardware. Removable Granite top inlay. On wheels for easy handling. Buffet measures 42W X 20D X 31H( flipped top). 68W x 20...

Category

Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Cupboards

Materials

Brass, Other

French Art Deco Rosewood Sideboard Server Buffet Cabinet Credenza MINT

$9,500

French Art Deco Rosewood Sideboard Server Buffet Cabinet Credenza MINT

By Jacques Adnet, Jules Leleu

Located in Rockaway, NJ

French Art Deco Rosewood Sideboard Server Buffet Cabinet Credenza MINT

Category

20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Sideboards

Materials

Brass

Pair of Vintage Bamboo and Grasscloth Two Door Cabinets or Servers

$11,900 / set

Pair of Vintage Bamboo and Grasscloth Two Door Cabinets or Servers

Located in Palm Beach, FL

Handsome pair of mid century cabinets or servers crafted with bamboo frames featuring herringbone

Category

Mid-20th Century Philippine Mid-Century Modern Sideboards

Materials

Grasscloth, Bamboo

Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets Under $3,000

Antique and Vintage Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Mid-Century Modern Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

20th Century Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Wood Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets on Sale

Get Updated with New Arrivals

Save "Mid Century Modern Server Cabinet", and we’ll notify you when there are new listings in this category.

Mid Century Modern Server Cabinet For Sale on 1stDibs

At 1stDibs, there are many versions of the ideal mid century modern server cabinet for your home. A mid century modern server cabinet — often made from wood, metal and walnut — can elevate any home. There are 298 variations of the antique or vintage mid century modern server cabinet you’re looking for, while we also have 1 modern editions of this piece to choose from as well. Your living room may not be complete without a mid century modern server cabinet — find older editions for sale from the 20th Century and newer versions made as recently as the 21st Century. A mid century modern server cabinet, designed in the Mid-Century Modern, Scandinavian Modern or Modern style, is generally a popular piece of furniture. Lane Furniture, Paul McCobb and Drexel each produced at least one beautiful mid century modern server cabinet that is worth considering.

How Much is a Mid Century Modern Server Cabinet?

The average selling price for a mid century modern server cabinet at 1stDibs is $2,795, while they’re typically $10 on the low end and $18,500 for the highest priced.

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 Storage-case-pieces for You

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.

The Ultimate Guide to Types of Tables for the Home

Whether you’re just moving in or ready to give your home a makeover, our guide will give you pointers on tables that are fitting for every room, nook and hallway.