$4,400Sale Price|20% Off
Italian Sofa after Marco Zanuso, circa 1960s Divano Sleep-o-Matic
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Italian sofa or daybed. New upholstery vintage Bordeaux wine color mohair, brass and metal legs, pule up mechanism handle on the back of the sofa converts the sofa in to the bed. US ...
Metal, Brass
$5,239Sale Price / set|45% Off
Amanta Modular Sofa in Orange Leather for C&B Italy, from Mario Bellini 1960s
By Mario Bellini
Located in Oirlo, LI
Mario Bellini Amanta modular sofa in orange leather for C&B Italy, 1960s. Four separate elements can be used as lounge chairs or sofa. The shells are white fiberglass and the s...
Leather, Fiberglass
$6,856Sale Price / item|20% Off
Mid-century Modern Nancy Twin Seat Velvet Handmade in Portugal by Ottiu
Located in RIO TINTO, PT
Nancy Wilson was an American singer whose career spanned over five decades. Although she did not consider herself a jazz vocalist, many others did, including the Grammy awards judges...
Velvet
Sofa DS-600 by Eleanora Peduzzi-Riva, De Sede, 1972, Switzerland
By Eleanora Peduzzi-Riva, Heinz Ulrich, and Ueli Berger
Located in Dallas, TX
Custom ordered sofa DS-600 designed by Eleanora Peduzzi-Riva, Ueli Berger, and Heinz Ulrich, De Sede, 1972, Switzerland. This unique design is comprised of fifteen elements total, fi...
Velvet
Italian Red ‘Maralunga’ Loveseat by Vico Magistretti for Cassina, 1970s
By Vico Magistretti
Located in Chicago, IL
An Italian ‘Maralunga’ loveseat designed by Vico Magistretti for Cassina in the 1970s. The silhouette sits low to the ground with soft, folded arms and generous seats. An adjustable ...
Upholstery
Original Togo & poof (2007) in red leather by Michel Ducaroy for Ligne Roset.
By Michel Ducaroy
Located in Buggenhout, Oost-Vlaanderen
This 2007 Togo sofa boasts a stunning red leather upholstery that would be a stunning addition to any interior design. The high-quality craftsmanship and classic style of this vintag...
Leather
$10,561 / item
Patricia Urquiola Red Ardys Armchair for Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Ardys Armchair for Cassina. AN AESTHETIC THAT ENVELOPS THE GAZE Patricia Urquiola designs Ardys, a low-slung sofa that expresses softness as a visual quality as much as a tactile o...
Upholstery
$5,496 / item
Mood Armchair with arms Red by Mambo Unlimited Ideas
By Mambo Unlimited Ideas
Located in Lisbon, PT
Open since 1997 and based in Lisbon, Portugal, a country with a long crafts tradition, Mambo Unlimited Ideas' design team researches for innovation and creativity developments around...
Upholstery, Wood
Pair of Finnish Design Curved Armchairs in Red Velvet, Attr to Boman Circa 1940s
By Boman OY
Located in Helsinki, FI
A stunning pair of vintage Scandinavian armchairs from the 1940s, attributed to Boman Oy. Featuring plush upholstery in a luxurious red fabric. The chairs feature a beautifully sculp...
Metal
Ray Kappe RK10 Coffee Table in Red Oak by Original in Berlin, Germany, 2020
By Original in Berlin
Located in Berlin, DE
Ray Kappe RK10 coffee table in red oak by Original in Berlin, Germany, 2020 California Modernism is synonymous with sophisticated minimal structures, featuring open plan design an...
Glass, Oak
Divano Camaleonda in velluto rosso di Mario Bellini per B&B Italia
By Mario Bellini, B&B Italia
Located in Ghedi, IT
Scopri il fascino intramontabile del divano Camaleonda, capolavoro di design firmato Mario Bellini per B&B Italia. Questo esemplare iconico degli anni ’80 è composto da 4 moduli ...
Velvet
"711" three-seater sofa by Tito Agnoli for Cinova, from the 1960s, in red fabric.
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Milano, IT
The '711' sofa, designed in the late 1960s by Tito Agnoli for Cinova, features a wooden frame that combines elegance and functionality. The seat is supported by metal springs, provid...
Fabric
"711" three-seater sofa by Tito Agnoli for Cinova, from the 1960s, in red fabric.
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Milano, IT
The '711' sofa, designed in the late 1960s by Tito Agnoli for Cinova, features a wooden frame that combines elegance and functionality. The seat is supported by metal springs, provid...
Fabric
$4,130 / item
Camaleonda by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia
By Mario Bellini, B&B Italia
Located in Wien, AT
The Camaleonda sofa by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia, designed in 1970, is a seminal work of radical Italian design, defined by its fully modular system and soft, sculptural articulat...
Velvet, Foam
Gio Ponti attr Velvet Loveseat
By Gio Ponti
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Stunning vintage modern living room loveseat. The red velour upholstery and brass drumstick legs are sure to make an impression in any seating arrangement. A sleek design that featur...
Brass
$4,059Sale Price|20% Off
Divano Superonda di Archizoom per Poltronova Anni 70 rosso
By Archizoom Associati, Poltronova
Located in Milano, IT
Iconico divano componibile, imbottitura in espanso, rivestimento in tessuto plastificato nella tonalità del rosso.
Fabric
1950s sofa with teddy bear upholstery still original
Located in SAN PIETRO MOSEZZO, NO
1950s sofa with black painted iron frame and brass feet. Original red bear cover. For better performance of this furniture we recommend replacing the upholstery and padding.
Iron
$885
1960s Sofa
By Marco Zanuso
Located in SAN PIETRO MOSEZZO, NO
Italian-made sofa from the 1960s Red-colored fabric-covered frame with brass feet. A small break on the backrest is reported. The seat structure is slatted so that the sofa turns i...
Brass
Large vintage 1950s red velvet curved sofa Italian design
Located in Torino, Piemonte
Large curved sofa with red velvet upholstery, black metal legs with gilt brass finials, Italian design, 1950s.
Metal, Brass
Ligne Roset by Michel Ducaroy Orange Togo, Set of Three
By Michel Ducaroy
Located in Rochester, England
The iconic Togo sofa, originally designed by Michel Ducaroy for Ligne Roset in 1973 has become a design Classic. This three-piece modular set is incredibly versatile and can be conf...
Fabric
Red Upholstery Brass Legs Mid century Italian Modern Sofa Loveseat
By Ico Parisi, Marco Zanuso
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Mid century Italian modern brass sputnik shape legs bright red upholstery sofa.
Brass
Mid Century Danish Modern Small Red Leather loveseat Sofa oak Legs
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mid century Danish modern beautiful soft Red leather loveseat sofa oak legs.
Leather, Oak
Red Mid-Century Modern Sofa/Bench by Gastone Rinaldi, Italy, 1960s
By Gastone Rinaldi
Located in Almelo, NL
Red Mid-Century Modern sofa/bench by Gastone Rinaldi, Italy 1960s Gastone Rinaldi designed this beautiful and iconic sofa made in 1954, Italy.
Fabric
Mid-Century Modern Red Mohair Sofa and Daybed, 1950s Asymmetric Design
Located in San Francisco, CA
Dramatic mid-century red mohair sofa that converts to a daybed in a great size.
Mohair, Wood
$2,400Sale Price|20% Off
Mid Century Norwegian Post Modern Ekornes Red Leather Amigo Loveseat sofa
By Ekornes
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mid Century Norwegian Post Modern Ekornes 'Amigo' Redish burnt orange leather 2 seat loveseat sofa.
Leather, Foam, Birch
Set of Four Red Leather Mid century Lounge Chairs, Sofa , Italy 1970
Located in Almelo, NL
Set of Four Red Leather Mid century lounge chairs/sofa, Italy 1970 This design is characterized by an L-shaped form based on two connected tufted cushions.
Leather
$2,643Sale Price / set|20% Off
Mid-century Italian red and blue metal and plastic sofa and armchairs 1950
By RIMA
Located in Palermo, Sicily
Mid-century Italian red and blue metal and plastic sofa and armchairs 1950
Iron, Metal
6' Faux Bamboo Metal Silver Gilt & Red Mid Century Modern Console Sofa Table
Located in Rockaway, NJ
6' Long Faux Bamboo Metal Silver Gilt & Red Mid Century Modern Console Sofa Table
Steel
Mid Century Scandinavian Modern Red Leather tufted low loveseat sofa chrome legs
By De Sede
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mid Century Scandinavian Modern Space Age Red Leather tufted loveseat sofa chrome legs.
Chrome
Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofa by Piero Lissoni, circa 1970
By Piero Lissoni
Located in New York, NY
An Iconic Italian Mid-Century Sofa / Settee / Pair of Lounge Chairs by Piero Lissoni in a sleek, contemporary, low, square form circa 1970-1975. The sofa is modular, multi-functional...
Plastic, Rubber
Antique Style Chesterfield Button-Tufted Red Leather Armchair Sofa Brass Castors
Located in Nottingham, GB
A handsome antique-style Chesterfield wingback armchair, upholstered in rich deep red leather with the classic deep button-tufted finish that has made the Chesterfield one of the mos...
Leather
Mid-Century Modern Italian Maurice Villency Club Chairs & Settee / Sofa - 3 Piec
By Maurice Villency
Located in Kennesaw, GA
This is a pair of Italian mid-century modern club chairs by Maurice Villency. They rest on a black painted wooden plinth. The garnet velvet is original and shows wear, They do have ...
Velvet
$2,240Sale Price|20% Off
Mid Century Iron Patio Garden Poolside Gondola Sofa Loveseat att. to Woodard
By Woodard Furniture Co., Salterini
Located in New York, NY
Chic Mid Century Gondola form loveseat, sofa attributed to The Woodard Furniture Company. The sofa features a metal frame constructed of wrought iron with repeating metal straps, wi...
Metal, Wrought Iron
Title: 1950s Danish Red Velvet Sofa and Lounge Chair Set
Located in Nørre Aaby, DK
A beautifully preserved Danish sofa and lounge chair set from the 1950s, upholstered in vibrant red velvet.
Velvet
$3,600Sale Price|20% Off
Stunning Swedish Modern Beautiful tall Red Leather loveseat Sofa pine frame
By Arne Norell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mid-Century swedish Scandinavian Modern Beautiful tall Red Leather loveseat Sofa with solid pine frame.
Leather, Pine
Set of mid century french style SPACE AGE cocktail sofa and chairs - 1970s
Located in Praha, CZ
- Czechoslovakia, around 1970s - beautiful space age design - dimensiosn of chairs : height: 80cm, depth: 67, width: 63cm - the set is predestined to be newly upholstered in new tex...
Chrome
Joseph-andré Motte Sectional Sofa Two Seat Red Original Upholstery France, 1950
By Joseph-André Motte, Steiner
Located in Almelo, NL
Joseph-Andre´ Motte Sectional Sofa Two Seat Red Original Upholstery France, 1950s This is a set of two sectional sofa seats designed by Joseph-Andre´ Motte in France in the 1950s and...
Steel
Italian Two-Seater Red Sofa, Produced by I.S.A. Bergamo, Att. Gio Ponti, 1950s
By Gio Ponti
Located in Argelato, BO
Italian two-seater red sofa, produced by I.S.A. Bergamo, Att. Gio Ponti. Rare and elegant 1950s Italian sofa produced by I.S.A. of Bergamo, a company for which Gio Ponti worked fo...
Brass
$3,186Sale Price|40% Off
Gorgeous Sofa
Located in Munich, DE
A cosy organic design i never saw before. Very low and comfortable seating.
Fabric
Loveseat Sofa Ammanati Vitelli Rossi di Albizzate White Lacquered Wood Red
By Giampiero Vitelli, Titina Ammanati, Rossi di Albizzate
Located in Sacile, PN
"Sporting" loveseat sofa designed by Titina Ammanati and Giampiero Vitelli for Rossi di Albizzate, white lacquered wood and cherry velvet upholsytery. Two lounge chairs from the sam...
Velvet, Wood
Cesare Lacca, two-seater conversation sofa
By Cesare Lacca
Located in Milano, IT
COD-2605 Cesare Lacca Two-seater conversation sofa upholstered in cardinal red velvet. Italian manufacture ca. 1950.
Velvet
strips sofa by cini boeri for arflex reupholstered
By Arflex, Cini Boeri
Located in Ghedi, IT
The Strips two-seater sofa, designed by Cini Boeri for Arflex in 1968, is an iconic piece of Italian design that revolutionized modern seating with its innovative modular concept. Th...
Velvet
Post Modern Molded Fiberglass Molar Sofa by Wendell Castle
By Wendell Castle
Located in New York, NY
Iconic Postmodern Molar sofa, by Wendell Castle, executed in saturated red molded fiberglass. This example is in good condition, however does have a repaired flaw at the front of one...
Fiberglass
Olivier Mourgue Djinn Sofa in Mohair for Airborne, France 1960's
By Airborne International, Olivier Mourgue
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Olivier Mourgue 'Djinn' Sofa / Settee for French company Airborne, 1960's. This piece has new foam and new fabric. The fabric is from Maharam and is referenced as the "Mohair Sup...
Mohair, Stained Glass
Modular Sofa Set Model 9000 by Tito Agnoli for Arflex, 1970
By Tito Agnoli
Located in BAUD, FR
Modular sofa set, Model 9000 by Tito Agnoli, 1970 Produced by Arflex Distributed by Mobilier International A series of compact, modular seating units with a modern design. Reduced d...
Fabric
Two-Seat Djinn Sofa by Olivier Mourgue for Airborne
By Olivier Mourgue
Located in Little Burstead, Essex
Another classic piece by Mourgue, this one a two seat sofa, completely reupholstered including foam webbing and fabric, and the fabric used is top quality 'Stretch' by Knoll.
Upholstery
Ico Parisi, pair of rare egg sofas model 812, 177x77 cm, for Cassina, 1953
By Ico Parisi
Located in Como, CO
Ico Parisi (1916-1996) Pair of rare egg sofas Model 812 with brass feet Figli di Amedeo Cassina, Meda, 1953 The measurements of both are approximately 177x77 cm – height 80 cm Origi...
Brass
Pair of Large Oversize 4x4 Orange Upholstery Square Benches by Steelcase Sofa
By Steelcase, Knoll
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Pair of oversize mid century modern benches by Steelcase.
Upholstery
Mario Bellini for B&B Italia Amanta Sectional Sofa/Lounge Chairs, 1973
By B&B Italia, Mario Bellini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A pair of 'Amanta' cognac brown leather and fiberglass lounge chairs, originally designed in Italy by Mario Bellini for C&B Italia in 1966. The design was extremely popular and i...
Leather, Fiberglass
$8,260 / item
20th Century Navy Red Velvet Atlantis Sofa, 1960s
Located in 05-080 Hornowek, PL
Atlantis sofa from the 1960s, produced in Czech Republic - at the moment they are unique. Due to their dimensions, they perfectly blend in even in small apartments providing comfort ...
Velvet
20th Century Red Velvet German Sofa, Europe, 1960s
Located in 05-080 Hornowek, PL
Beautiful club sofa from the 1960s, produced in Germany - at the moment they are unique. Due to their dimensions, they perfectly blend in even in small apartments providing comfort a...
Velvet
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.
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.
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