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Mid-Century Modern Patio and Garden Furniture

MID-CENTURY MODERN STYLE

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 legendary 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.

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.

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Style: Mid-Century Modern
Creator: Mathieu Matégot
Mathieu Matégot 'Anthéor' Bench in Green Lacquered Wrought Iron
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Mathieu Matégot, bench model 'Anthéor', lacquered wrought iron, France, 1951 This rare bench is designed by the French artist Mathieu Matégot. The designer (1910-2001) was born in H...
Category

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

Materials

Wrought Iron

Mathieu Matégot Metal Heart Chair
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Rare metal chairs by French designer Mathieu Matégot. White metal chairs with hairpin legs, signature Mategot perforated metal seat and heart sha...
Category

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

Materials

Metal

Mathieu Matelot Trolley
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Cart in original condition from the 1950s Pink lacquer had been added later on Located in Brooklyn.
Category

Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Patio and Garden Furniture

Materials

Metal

French Mid-Century Modern Armchair by Mathieu Matégot
Located in Paris, FR
A 20th-century vintage garden armchair by the iconic French designer Mathieu Matégot was designed with his distinct perforated sheet metal and steel tube structure. In white lacquer....
Category

20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Patio and Garden Furniture

Materials

Steel

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Mid-century Modern patio and garden furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Mid-Century Modern patio and garden furniture for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage patio and garden furniture created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include building and garden elements, seating, tables and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, iron and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Mid-Century Modern patio and garden furniture made in a specific country, there are North America, United States, and Europe pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original patio and garden furniture, popular names associated with this style include Russell Woodard, Woodard Furniture Co., Brown Jordan, and John Salterini. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for patio and garden furniture differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $125 and tops out at $195,000 while the average work can sell for $2,000.

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