American designer Lawrence Peabody imbued his mid-century modern furniture with flair and style. His vintage lounge chairs, side tables and credenzas feature sleek silhouettes and chic curves. At the same time, every piece has an easy and comfortable appeal reflective of a designer known to be humble and pragmatic.
Peabody was born in 1924 in Haverhill, Massachusetts. As a young man, the story goes, he joined the Navy partly because he found the uniforms aesthetically appealing. After World War II, Peabody used the benefits offered by the G.I. Bill to attend the Rhode Island School of Design. There, he studied under Austrian designer Ernst Lichtblau, who introduced Peabody to the Bauhaus style.
After completing his studies in America, Peabody moved to Denmark and attended the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. Here, he met his wife, Bette, who he married in 1952. By 1955, Peabody had moved back to America and settled in Boston, where he created Danish-inspired seating for the Selig furniture company and opened a design firm called Lawrence Peabody & Associates.
One of the firm's earliest designs was a walnut and rattan cradle chair for Richardson Nemschoff, which earned the 1962 International Design Award. Peabody became known for using walnut in his work and drew on Scandinavian modernist influences in his designs.
For the next three decades, Lawrence Peabody & Associates developed an extensive client list that included names like Kohler, Richardson Brothers, Chapman Lamps and Boyd Lighting.
Throughout his life and career, Peabody also developed a love of Haiti and Haitian art. On one trip to Port-Au-Prince, he met and befriended a man named Dewitt Peters, founder of Le Centre d'art, a haven for local artists. Peabody and Dewitt collaborated to promote handcrafted Haitian art and furniture at overseas museums. Peabody even became one of the organization's directors. He eventually purchased a home in Port-Au-Prince and spent much time there later in life.
Today, Craft Associates Furniture holds the license to produce Peabody designs.
On 1stDibs, find vintage Lawrence Peabody seating, tables, storage cabinets and other furniture.
Lawrence Peabody Modern Coffee Table for Craft Associates Furniture
By Lawrence Peabody, Craft Associates
Located in Oak Harbor, OH
Lawrence Peabody modern coffee table for Craft Associates Furniture This Lawrence Peabody modern coffee table for Craft Associates Furniture is expertly crafted. The coffee table ...
Walnut
Petrified Wood Coffee Table or Bench with Sleek Modern Metal Base
Located in Atlanta, GA
A petrified wood top modernly designed coffee table (or bench). This custom coffee table has been fashioned from a gorgeous single thick slab of smoothly polished petrified wood, wit...
Metal
$2,400Sale Price|22% Off
H 14.25 in W 60 in D 18 in
Mid-Century Modern Walnut Slatted Bench or Coffee Table, 1960s, Refinished
By Herman Miller, Maruni, George Nelson
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A beautifully refinished Mid-Century Modern slatted wood bench in richly toned walnut, offering the perfect combination of clean architectural lines and functional versatility. Craft...
Wood
$2,500
H 13.98 in W 47.25 in D 19.69 in
Swedish Modern Square Solid Pine Coffee Table by Sven Larsson, Brutalist, 1970s
By Sven Larsson
Located in Odense, DK
Large bench / coffee table in solid pine, crafted by Swedish designer Sven Larsson in 1970s. Signed underneath. Great craftmanship, perfectly suited for any interior style. A Mode...
Pine
On Hold|$3,920
H 14.18 in W 42.52 in D 15.36 in
English Arts & Crafts Cotswolds School Oak Bench Coffee Table Console, C.1950
Located in London, GB
English Arts & Crafts Cotswolds School Oak Bench Coffee Table Console, C.1950 Good solid construction. In good condition with some signs of wear commensurate with age (Please refer ...
Oak
$2,500
H 13.5 in W 79 in D 14.5 in
Torbjorn Afdal for Bruksbo Norway Teak "Krobo" Long Coffee Table, Bench, 1960's
By Torbjørn Afdal, Bruksbo
Located in Bainbridge, NY
Long Torbjorn Afdal solid Teak Table, Bench by Bruksbo Mellenstrands Norway. Featuring a longer lower lipped rectangular framework in smoothly grained Teak, with Steel supported legs...
Steel
$6,595 / set
H 27 in W 30 in D 32 in
Yellow Leather Lawrence Peabody for Selig Danish Modern Danish Lounge Chairs
By Lawrence Peabody, Selig, Folke Ohlsson, Ib Kofod-Larsen
Located in Chattanooga, TN
Imagine a pair of iconic Mid-Century Modern masterpieces, whose elegant silhouettes speak to a golden era of Danish design: these are the Number 596 lounge chairs, conceived by the v...
Leather, Upholstery, Beech
$2,200
H 13.5 in W 71 in D 19 in
Edward Wormley for Dunbar Style "Long John" Walnut Bench, Coffee Table, 1950s
By Dunbar Furniture, Edward Wormley
Located in Bainbridge, NY
Long Edward Wormley for dunbar style walnut "long john" Bench. Coffee Table. Bed End. Featuring a longer rectangular slat-style Walnut surface, turned edge...
Walnut
Harry Bertoia for Knoll Birch & Black Iron Bench / Coffee Table
By Knoll, Harry Bertoia
Located in Bainbridge, NY
Harry Bertoia for Knoll Light Wood Slat Bench / Table with Black Frame, Circa 1970's. Featuring an open rectangular form with Birch slats atop a geometric black enameled Iron framewo...
Iron
$10,510
H 8.08 in W 45.28 in D 10.04 in
Contemporary Ceramic modern Coffee Table Bench Glazed Stoneware Yellow Black
By Xavier Mañosa, Apparatu
Located in Rubi, Catalunya
Handmade stoneware coffee table manufactured at the workshop of Apparatu in Barcelona. Different clay bodys are mixed with natural fibers like corn, straw, or heather straw. The piec...
Ceramic, Earthenware, Stoneware
Mid-Century Modern Walnut Coffee Table with Brass Trim by Imperial
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Beautiful vintage modern walnut coffee table/bench with brass trim. This sleek and slender coffee table would make a beautiful addition to any space, and could also double as a bench. Made in Grand Rapids, Michigan by Imperial Furniture Co...
Walnut
$4,635
H 18.75 in W 44 in D 21 in
Polished Petrified Wood Coffee Table or Bench with Nice Modern Metal Base
Located in Atlanta, GA
A petrified wood top modernly designed coffee table (or bench). This custom coffee table has been fashioned from a gorgeous single thick slab of smoothly polished petrified wood, wit...
Metal
$1,380
H 31 in W 26.5 in D 23 in
Lawrence Peabody Fiberglass Lounge Chair / Classic Mid Century Modern
By Lawrence Peabody, Selig
Located in Buffalo, NY
Classic Modernist Design. Lawrence Peabody fiberglass arm lounge chair. Nice shade of burnt orange with the more desirable wrought iron bla...
Iron
Oak Bench by Lawrence Peabody for Nemschoff, C. 1950s
By Lawrence Peabody
Located in Westport, CT
A handsome walnut bench inspired by the classic mid-century designs of Lawrence Peabody for Nemschoff Chairs, Inc., circa 1950s. This refined piece features a solid walnut frame with...
Cotton, Oak
Sold
H 20.5 in W 52.5 in L 20.5 in
Lawrence Peabody for Selig Mid Century Tufted Black Leather Upholstered Bench
By Selig, Lawrence Peabody
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Lawrence Peabody for Selig mid century tufted black leather upholstered bench Bench measures: 52.5 wide x 19.5 deep x 20.5 inches high All pieces of furniture can be had in wha...
Leather, Upholstery, Wood
Lawrence Peabody Bench in Teal Twill, 1950s
By Richardson Nemschoff, Lawrence Peabody
Located in Westport, CT
Rarely see three-seater bench designed by Lawrence Peabody for Nemschoff, circa 1950s. Walnut frame fully restored, newly upholstered in...
Twill, Walnut
Lawrence Peabody for Selig Mid Century Tufted Black Leather Bench
By Selig, Lawrence Peabody
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Lawrence Peabody for Selig mid century tufted black leather bench Bench measures: 52.5 wide x 19.5 deep x 20.5 inches high All pieces of furniture can be had in what we call rest...
Leather, Wood
Mid-Century Modern Upholstered Bench by Selig
By Lawrence Peabody
Located in San Francisco, CA
Mid-Century Modern bench by Selig, newly upholstered in a light gray/oatmeal wool felt on a walnut frame. In very good condition and ready to install, perfect for the end of the bed.
Walnut