The design of brutalist furniture encompasses that which is crafted, hewn and worked by hand — an aesthetic rebuke (or, at least, a counterpoint) to furniture that is created using 21st-century materials and technology. Lately, the word “brutalist” has been adopted by the realms of furniture design and the decorative arts to refer to chairs, cabinets, tables and accessory pieces such as mirror frames and lighting that are made of rougher, deeply textured metals and other materials that are the visual and palpable antithesis of the sleek, smooth and suave.
ORIGINS OF BRUTALIST FURNITURE DESIGN
CHARACTERISTICS OF BRUTALIST FURNITURE DESIGN
BRUTALIST FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW
VINTAGE BRUTALIST FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS
The term brutalism — which derives from the French word brut, meaning “raw” — was coined by architecture critic Reyner Banham to describe an architectural style that emerged in the 1950s featuring monumental buildings, usually made of unornamented concrete, whose design was meant to project an air of strength and solidity.
Le Corbusier essentially created the brutalist style; its best-known iterations in the United States are the Whitney Museum of American Art, which was designed by Marcel Breuer, and Paul Rudolph's Yale Art and Architecture Building. The severe style might have been the most criticized architectural movement of the 20th century, even if it was an honest attempt to celebrate the beauty of raw material. But while the brutalist government buildings in Washington, D.C., seemingly bask in their un-beauty, brutalist interior design and decor is much more lyrical, at times taking on a whimsical, romantic quality that its exterior counterparts lack.
Paul Evans is Exhibit A for brutalist furniture design. His Sculpture Front cabinets laced with high-relief patinated steel mounts have become collector's items nonpareil, while the chairs, coffee table and dining table in his later Cityscape series and Sculpted Bronze series for Directional Furniture are perhaps the most expressive, attention-grabbing pieces in American modern design. Other exemplary brutalist designers are Silas Seandel, the idiosyncratic New York furniture designer and sculptor whose works in metal — in particular his tables — have a kind of brawny lyricism, and Curtis Jere, a nom-de-trade for the California team of Curtis Freiler and Jerry Fels, the bold makers of expressive scorched and sheared copper and brass mirror frames and wall-mounted sculptures.
Brutalist furniture and sculptures remain popular with interior designers and can lend unique, eccentric, human notes to an art and design collection in any home.
Find authentic vintage brutalist chairs, coffee tables, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Folke Ohlsson for Fritz Hansen Lounge Chair in Sheepskin
By Folke Ohlsson, Fritz Hansen
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Folke Ohlsson for Fritz Hansen, easy chair, model '4410', sheepskin, beech, Denmark, design 1957 Designed by Folke Ohlsson for Fritz Hansen in 1957, this easy chair has a generous ...
Sheepskin, Oak
Midcentury brutalist rustic primitive side table, Wanderwood, England. c.1950-60
Located in Bristol, GB
Coffee table or side table by Wanderwood of Norfolk, England c.1950-60 Wanderwood were more commonly known for their stools, rare to find a table of this size. Made of solid Engli...
Elm
Square Giacometti Style Patinated Bronze Finish Coffee Table, USA 1970s-80's
By Alberto and Diego Giacometti
Located in Miami, FL
A vintage 1970-1980s coffee table designed in the brutalist artistic manner of Diego Giacometti. The table's frame features a rough forged surface with a patinated, textured, dark br...
Aluminum
Lane Staccato Brutalist 9-Drawer Credenza, Paul Evans Inspired
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Nine-drawer credenza from Lane Furniture's Staccato series, featuring the bold geometric block patchwork facade associated with Paul Evans's Brutalist aesthetic. The entire front fac...
Oak
$6,450 / set
Pair of Brutalist Lounge Chairs in Solid Oak
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Pair of lounge chairs, solid oak, velvet, Europe, 1960s These armchairs combine traditional cabinetmaking principles with a bold modern vocabulary. Executed in solid oak, the chair...
Velvet, Oak
1970's Brutalist oak sling lounge - arm chair - Carl Straub
By Carl Straub
Located in Liberty, NY
Great 1970's Brutalist lounge chair. Has large dark stained oak frame with through mortis and tenon detail on arms, leather straps hold the canvas sling seat, with a heavyweight wool...
Wool, Canvas, Oak
Suite of 10 Vintage Giacometti Manner Armchairs in Dark Bronze, USA 1970's
By Alberto and Diego Giacometti
Located in Miami, FL
A highly coveted suite of ten matching 1970s-1980s dining armchairs designed in the brutalist artistic manner of Diego Giacometti. Crafted from cast aluminum, patinated in a deep tex...
Aluminum
Brutalist Torch‑Cut Sunburst Coffee Table Mid-Century Modern Silas Seandel Style
By Adrian Pearsall, Daniel Gluck, Silas Seandel, Tom Greene, Paul Evans
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Rare Mid‑Century Modern Brutalist torch‑cut mixed‑metal sunburst cocktail table in the style of Paul Evans, Silas Seandel, Curtis Jere, Tom Greene, Adrian Pearsall, and Daniel Gluck....
Metal
Mid Century Brutalist oak Tan Leather sofa by Hain & Thome Germany
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mid Century Brutalist oak lounge 3 seat sofa by Hain & Thome with padded brown leather upholstery. Marked to underlining Hain & Thome. Made in Germany circa 1970. Very unique Sofa wi...
Leather, Oak
Pair of Brutalist Bronze Wall and Murano glass Sconces by Felix Agostini, 1990s
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Pair of Brutalist Cast Bronze Wall Lamps, Maison Arlus Style, in the style of Felix Agostini. This wall lamp is made of gilded bronze. It is inspired by the bark of trees and their b...
Bronze
Mid Century Brutalist oak Tan Leather lounge chairs by Hain & Thome Germany
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Pair of Mid Century Brutalist oak lounge chairs by Hain & Thome with padded brown leather upholstery. Marked to underlining Hain & Thome. Made in Germany circa 1970. Very uni...
Leather, Oak
Pair of Console Tables Diego Giacometti style, USA 1970's
By Alberto and Diego Giacometti
Located in Miami, FL
A vintage pair of cast aluminum patinated in a deep textured dark bronze finish and glass console tables featuring a tree-of-life motif. The consoles are designed in the brutalist ar...
Aluminum
Single Giacometti style Console Dark Bronze Patina, USA 1970's
By Alberto and Diego Giacometti
Located in Miami, FL
A vintage cast aluminum patinated in a deep textured dark bronze finish and glass console table featuring a tree-of-life motif. The console is designed in the brutalist artistic mann...
Aluminum
Swedish Brutalist Iron & Amber Art Glass Sconce, Attributed to Ahlström & Ehrich
Located in Hannover, DE
A striking sculptural wall light attributed to Swedish design duo Tom Ahlström and Hans Ehrich. Its expressive iron frame surrounds a richly textured art glass centerpiece in clear a...
Wrought Iron
“SHOWSOMEBALLS” Wall mounted heavy metal sculpture.
By Jan Paul
Located in Maastricht, NL
“SHOWSOMEBALLS” Wall mounted heavy metal sculpture. Inspired by classic heavy metal band-logo's and record-sleeve artwork. The object is motivationally telling you what to do / l...
Steel, Stainless Steel
Mid century 1970's Brutalist oak sling lounge chair - Carl Straub
By Carl Straub
Located in Liberty, NY
Great 1970's Brutalist sling lounge chair. Has a dark stained oak frame with leather straps that hold the canvas sling seat, and a brown wool upholstered cushion. Very stylish and co...
Wool, Canvas, Oak
Henning Kjærnulf, Oak Sideboard, Danish Mid-Century, Nyrup Møbelfabrik, 1960s
By Nyrup Møbelfabrik, Henning Kjærnulf
Located in Odense, DK
A beautiful and sculptural sideboard in solid oak, designed by Henning (Henry) Kjærnulf for Nyrup Møbelfabrik, Denmark, during the 1960s. The sideboard features a beautifully carved...
Oak
Vintage French Carved Oak Pedestal Table, Charles Dudouyt Style
Located in Trensacq, FR
Vintage French Carved Oak Pedestal Table, Charles Dudouyt Style. Striking vintage French side table or pedestal, carved throughout from oak and finished in a rich dark brown. The ce...
Oak
Grand Spanish Brutalist Style Wall Unit in Oak and Wrought Iron 578cm/227.56in.
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Storage wall unit, oak, wrought iron, Europe, 1970s An impressive grand-scale wall unit crafted in solid oak and wrought iron, inspired by Spanish Brutalism with references to the l...
Wrought Iron
Costa Antique Reclaimed Fir Dining Table with Trestle Style Base Solid Wood 86"
Located in Old Town Orange, CA
The Costa Dining Table is crafted from solid reclaimed fir & pine and finished in a weathered walunut finish, this oval dining table draws inspiration from traditional European w...
Fir, Reclaimed Wood
Brutalist Design Solid Oak Coffee Table, Belgium 1960's
Located in Oud-Turnhout, VAN
Vintage Mid Century Brutalist Design Solid Oak Coffee Table Made in Belgium, 1960's period. Solid thick heavy oak legs and round top. This comes in very good, all original condition,...
Oak
Pair of Brutalist Bronze and Murano Glass Wall Sconces by Felix Agostini
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Pair of Brutalist Cast Bronze Wall Lamps, Maison Arlus Style, in the style of Felix Agostini. This wall lamp is made of gilded bronze. It is inspired by the bark of trees and their b...
Bronze
Vintage set of 6 Brutalist Oak Dining Chairs, Style of Henning Kjærnulf, 1960s
Located in Store Heddinge, DK
A set of six oak dining chairs from the 1960s, with a strong Scandinavian brutalist character in the style of Henning Kjærnulf. The chairs have a warm and slightly rustic presence. ...
Oak
Small Brutalist Danish Oak Chest of Drawers or Bedside Table, Denmark, 1960s
Located in Store Heddinge, DK
A small oak chest of drawers made in Denmark during the 1960s. This is a charming piece with a strong sense of Danish craftsmanship. The warm oak, carved details and brass handles g...
Brass
Pair brutalist Dutch ceramic leaf wall sconces, 1980s
Located in Zaandam, NL
Beautiful large ceramic leaf wall sconces attributed to The Netherlands, 1980s. We currently have two sets of two pieces available so if you were looking for more than a pair this i...
Ceramic
Substantial Brass Pendant Light by Svend Aage Holm Sorensen, 1960s, Denmark
By Holm Sørensen, Svend Aage Holm Sørensen
Located in Værløse, DK
Substantial Brutalist brass pendant light designed by Svend Aage Holm Sørensen in the 1960s. * Large pendant light with layered flame-cut brass slats * Designer: Svend Aage Holm Sør...
Brass
Set of six 1960's brutalist Danish oak dining chairs - Henning Kjaernulf
Located in Liberty, NY
Beautiful set of six 1960's Danish brutalist oak dining chairs in the style of Henning Kjaernulf. The chairs have solid oak frames with sculptural turned legs, upholstered in a red...
Wool, Oak
Belgian Wenge Wood Brutalist Console Table
Located in Chicago, IL
c. 1970s. Belgium. Console table with no storage that attaches to wall.
Wenge
Mid-Century Dutch Brutalist Oak & Rush Dining Chairs, Set of 6
By Topform, Charlotte Perriand
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Set of six Mid-Century Dutch Brutalist dining chairs in solid oak with woven rush seats. Each chair features a ladder back with three horizontal slats and a distinctive arched top ra...
Rush, Oak
Vintage Brutalist Lauterbach Ashtray & Table Lighter in Bronze, 1970s
Located in Esbjerg, DK
This Vintage Brutalist bronze desk set is a powerful tactile sculptural ensemble, comprising an ashtray with matching table lighter. Both pieces crafted with expressive, raw-edged fo...
Bronze
2 Rustic-Modern BRUTALIST Tripod BAR STOOLS, ARTISANS DE MAROLLES, France 1950
By Aranjou, Jean Touret, Atelier Marolles
Located in PARIS, FR
A pair of "high" tripod bar stools, Mid-Century Modern, Modernist, Rustic Modern, Brutalist, massive wrought iron tripod structures with a circular feet bar allowing great comfort an...
Mahogany
$2,611Sale Price|20% Off
Chain Link Floor Ashtray Drinks Table / Side Table in Wrought Iron and Brass
Located in Barcelona, ES
French chain design drinks side table / floor ashtray, wrought iron, brass France 1950s-1960s. This brutalist floor ashtray, side table or stand features an sculptural construction w...
Iron, Wrought Iron, Brass, Metal
Cathedra Ι Black Cast Stone Coffee Table by Alentes, Handcrafted in Greece
Located in PALEA FOKEA, ATTIKI
The Cathedra I low Table is the first piece in a family of three tables inspired by the quiet gravity of archetypal architecture and ceremonial forms. Its character is defined by int...
Cast Stone
Henning Kjærnulf Style Brutalist Round Coffee Table of Solid Oak 1970s
By Henning Kjærnulf, Axel Einar Hjorth
Located in Silkeborg, Silkeborg
Henning Kjærnulf style round coffee table of heavy solid oak. Brutalist style with carved legs and wavy table rim. Handcrafted by a Danish cabinetmaker in the 1970s. Measurements: D...
Oak
Large Spanish Carved Walnut Sideboard with Geometric Panels, Mid-20th Century
Located in BÉTERA, ES
Impressive Spanish sideboard dating from the mid-20th century, crafted in walnut and measuring 2.2 meters. The substantial case is richly decorated with deeply carved geometric panel...
Iron
Midcentury brutalist sculptural pine wall mirror with scalloped frame 1970s
Located in Zaandam, NL
Vintage wall mirror with a sculptural, scalloped pine frame, circa 1970s. The frame is cut in an irregular wave pattern along all four sides, with pointed, cusped corners and mitred ...
Mirror, Pine
Lane Staccato Brutalist Block Front Side Cabinets, Pair
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of blonde wood side cabinets from Lane Furniture's Staccato collection, manufactured in the USA during the 1970s. Each cabinet features double doors faced with raised geometric ...
Wood
Mármol y Plomo Prints by Eduardo Chillida, Framed, Post-Modern, 1990s
Located in Valencia, VC
Two Prints of Eduardo Chillida’s "Mármol y Plomo" We are offering two prints of Eduardo Chillida’s art works "Mármol y Plomo," created during the 1980s as part of a special edition ...
Paper
1950s French Brutalist Extendable Dining Table in Solid Oak
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Extendable dining table, solid oak, France, 1950s This French dining table from the 1950s has a distinctly rustic and almost brutalist presence. Its appearance is closely connected ...
Oak
$2,519Sale Price|20% Off
Chain Link Drinks Table / End or Side Table in Gilt Iron and Wood, Spain 1940s
Located in Barcelona, ES
Spanish gilt wrought iron chain link drink side table with wooden top, Spain, 1940s. Beautiful hand forged iron occasional table with chain link stem standing on a four footed base ...
Iron, Wrought Iron
Brutalist Torch-Cut Metal Tabletop Sculpture, Manner of Silas Seandel
Located in San Carlos, CA
A dynamic Brutalist tabletop sculpture composed of overlapping torch-cut steel panels mounted on twin brass rods, rising from a rough-hewn plaster base. Each panel bears the irregula...
Brass, Cut Steel
Giacometti Design Coffee Table
Located in Greenwich, CT
Glass topped coffee table with a textured and bronzed iron sled shaped base with four central tie bars hooked to a circular center plate. After a version of Diego Giacometti's Table...
Iron
Pair of 1970's German Brutalist sling lounge chairs - modular sofa
By Carl Straub
Located in Liberty, NY
Great pair of mid century 1970's Brutalist sling lounge chairs, similar to some Carl Straub designs., I believe made in Germany or Belgium. The dark stained angular pine frames have ...
Fabric, Pine
Scalloped Monolithic Coffee Table, High-Gloss Walnut Root-Soft Brutalist Design
By JLC
Located in New York, NY
Crafted as a sculptural statement piece, this monolithic coffee table explores the intersection of organic form and architectural mass. Its distinctive scalloped perimeter creates a ...
Wood
Monumental Kaylien Lustr-Metl Bronze Sunburst Double Doors, circa 1970s
By Kaylien Doors International
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
Monumental pair of sculptural architectural double doors by Kaylien of Santee, California, circa 1970. The doors feature a dramatic radiating sunburst design composed of deeply textu...
Bronzed Resin
Italian Contemporary Brutalist Style Carved Oak Two-Door Cabinet
Located in New York, NY
Italian Contemporary Brutalist Style Carved Oak Two-Door Cabinet. An Artisan Made, Contemporary Brutalist style carved stained oak cabinet. Featuring a striking geometric facade t...
Oak
Spanish Sunburst Foliage Chandelier / Light Fixture in Black Iron, 10 Lights
By Ferro Art
Located in Barcelona, ES
Outstanding XL spanish foliage sunburst flush mount ceiling light in black iron by Ferro Art, 1950s Extra large size ( 35,83 inches diameter). 10 Lights. This stunning 10-light ceili...
Metal, Wrought Iron, Iron
David Marshall Brutalist Brass and Wood Cutting Board, 1970s
Located in Benalmadena, ES
This sculptural cutting board was designed by David Marshall in Spain during the 1970s, showcasing the artist's focus on organic materials and foundry craft. The piece is constructed...
Brass
Vintage Low Sideboard Cabinet, Denmark 1960s Mid-century Modern, Kjærnulf Style
Located in Store Heddinge, DK
This Danish Brutalist sideboard in solid Nordic oak is often attributed to Henning Kjærnulf and made in Denmark during the 1960s. A piece bu...
Oak
Brutalist stained glass pendant lamp by Felipe Delfinger, Mexico, 1960s
By Poliarte, Felipe Delfinger, Longobard, Tiffany Studios
Located in SANT ADRIÀ DE BESÒS, ES
Brutalist pendant lamp by Felipe Delfinger for Feders, Mexico, 1960s. Custom stained glass diffuser in blue, orange, caramel and white tones, combined with a brass structure. Crafted...
Metal, Brass
Mid-Century Brutalist Bar Stool by De Puydt, Dark Stained Oak, T-Back
By De Puydt
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Bar stool by Belgian manufacturer De Puydt demonstrates the Brutalist approach to functional seating through Pierre Chapo-inspired design principles. Constructed entirely from solid ...
Oak
Block Brutal Sculpt Brass Cabinet - Sideboard by Be Brutalist, Handcrafted
Located in Sleman, ID
BLOCK BRUTAL SCULPT — Sculptural Brass Cabinet with Abstract Relief Front - One of a Kind BLOCK BRUTAL SCULPT by Be Brutalist is a brass-clad cabinet - sideboard that combines sculp...
Brass
French Oak Brutalist-Style Cabinet, C. 1960.
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This cabinet having a single paneled door richly decorated with a grid of 25 deeply recessed, geometric square panels, each with concentric stepped detailing. The door opens to a she...
Oak
Brutalist, Handmade Ceramic Table Lamp, Double Decker Lamp by Streicher Goods
By Ethan Streicher, Streicher Goods
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Double Decker lamp is a tall, brutalist-inspired table lamp, perfect for lighting in larger living spaces, created by Streicher Goods in Brooklyn, NY. The lamp is composed of a...
Brass
Lorenzo Burchiellaro Copper Patchwork Coffee Table, Italy, 1960s
Located in Almelo, NL
Lorenzo Burchiellaro Copper Patchwork Coffee Table, Italy, 1960s A striking square coffee table by Italian designer and sculptor Lorenzo Burchiellaro, made in Italy during the 1960s...
Brass, Copper
Paul Evans Sculptural Metal Cabinet Model PE-40, Signed & Dated 1969
By Paul Evans
Located in Roanoke, VA
An exceptional and monumental cabinet, model PE-40, designed by American sculptor and furniture designer Paul Evans for Directional, dated 1969. A compelling example of Evans’ celebr...
Metal
Monumental Patinated Fiberglass Figure Sculpture Style of Alberto Giacometti
By Alberto and Diego Giacometti
Located in Long Island City, NY
Monumental Patinated Fiberglass Figure in the Style of Alberto Giacometti A monumental fiberglass sculpture with a bronze tone patinated finish, executed in the style of Alberto Gia...
Fiberglass
Large Brutalist Coffee Table, Solid Dark Brown European Oak, Taes by Mokko
Located in Amsterdam, NL
The Taes coffee table draws inspiration from the majestic sloping-sided architectural platforms, historically used for religious, ceremonial and defensive purposes. In stacked form, ...
Oak, Walnut
Mid Century Guillerme Et Chambron Style Brutalist Carved Oak Sideboard
Located in Lutz, FL
Large European carved brutalist oak credenza c.1960’s. Maker unknown, likely French, done in the style of Guillerme Et Chambron. Impressive size and solid construction, geometric car...
Oak
Italian Brutalist Geometric Metal Wall Sculpture, 1970s
By Curtis Jeré
Located in Valencia, VC
Italian Brutalist Geometric Metal Wall Sculpture, 1970s A striking Italian Brutalist geometric wall sculpture executed in welded metal, circa 1970s. The composition is formed by an ...
Metal
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