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.
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
$3,849Sale Price|30% Off
Linear Chandelier, Patinated Pewter, Ochre London Eucalyptus, England, 2011
By OCHRE
Located in Glasgow, GB
This linear chandelier, known as the Eucalyptus Chandelier by Ochre London and created in 2011, is a sculptural linear pendant that combines organic form with refined contemporary cr...
Brass, Pewter
Brutalist stained glass pendant lamp by Felipe Delfinger, Mexico, 1960s
By Poliarte, Felipe Delfinger, Tiffany Studios, Longobard
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
$8,005Sale Price|20% Off
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, Iron, Wrought Iron
Flower-Shaped Pendant Light by Svend Aage Holm Sorensen, 1960s, Denmark
By Svend Aage Holm Sørensen, Holm Sørensen
Located in Værløse, DK
Flower-Shaped Brutalist Brass Pendant Light designed Svend Aage Holm Sørensen in the 1960s. * Substantial pendant light with layered flame-cut brass slates * Designer: Svend Aage ...
Brass
Brutalist Style Chandelier Lamp / Radius of 120 / Fom the 1950s
Located in Barcelona, ES
Brutalist style chandelier lamp from the 1950s Discover the majesty and timeless charm of our brutalist style lamp from the 50s. With its circular design of 130 cm in diameter. Thi...
Copper, Iron
Brutalist Brass Pendant Lights by Svend Aage Holm Sorensen, 1960s, Denmark
By Holm Sørensen, Svend Aage Holm Sørensen
Located in Værløse, DK
Set of Substantial Brutalist Brass Pendant Lights designed Svend Aage Holm Sørensen in the 1960s. * Set (2) of large pendant lights with layered flame-cut brass slates * Designer: S...
Brass
$11,458Sale Price / set|30% Off
Pair of Tassel 3 Pendant Lights by Apparatus Studio, Oil-Rubbed Bronze
By APPARATUS
Located in Glasgow, GB
A pair of Tassel 3 pendant lights by the New York lighting studio Apparatus Studio, designed with the studio’s distinctive blend of modern minimalism and decorative influence. Inspi...
Bronze
Brutalist Style Chandelier Lamp / Radius of 80 / Fom the 1950s
Located in Barcelona, ES
Brutalist style chandelier lamp from the 1950s. Discover the majesty and timeless charm of our brutalist style lamp from the 50s. With it...
Copper, Iron
Set of 4 Ceramic Pendant lights, Vintage and Contemporary Curated
Located in Rijssen, NL
Stunning set of four vintage and contemporary combined ceramic hanging lamps with a beautiful glaze, made with rich colors. Some lights are made in the 1970s, some pendants are new ...
Ceramic
$2,542Sale Price|20% Off
Brutalist wrought iron and glass pendant lamp by Longobard, Italy, 1970s
By Longobard
Located in SANT ADRIÀ DE BESÒS, ES
Brutalist pendant lamp by Longobard, Italy, 1970s. Wrought iron and welded structure, in a worn gold finish, and multicolored crystals hammered in the shape of a honeycomb. Clearly B...
Wrought Iron, Iron
$33,570 / item
AVRA Chandelier
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Glowing buds of natural alabaster nestle in a Brutalist-inspired solid cast bronze frame. Models in the collection are individually hand-crafted by the skilled artisans in our studi...
Alabaster, Bronze
$6,583Sale Price|20% Off
Huge Sunburst Perforated Flush Mount Light Fixture in Gilt Iron, 1950s (36 in)
Located in Barcelona, ES
Monumental Brutalist Sunburst Ceiling Flush Mount Light Fixture, Wrought Iron, Gold Leaf XXL Sunburst light fixture with perforated holes at the central spherical plate and nail deta...
Wrought Iron, Iron, Gold Leaf
Substantial Brass Pendant Light by Svend Aage Holm Sorensen, 1960s, Denmark
By Svend Aage Holm Sørensen, Holm Sørensen
Located in Værløse, DK
Substantial Brutalist brass pendant light designed by Svend Aage Holm Sørensen in the 1960s. * Large onion-shaped pendant light with layered flame-cut brass slats * Designer: Svend ...
Brass
Brutalist Iron Murano Glass Pendant by Tom Ahlström & Hans Ehrlich Sweden, 1970s
Located in Rome, IT
This Mid-Century Modern indoor and outdoor vintage pendant by Tom Ahlström and Hans Ehrlich, circa 1970 was manufactured by A & E Lights ...
Metal, Iron
Set of 9 Ceramic Pendant lights, Vintage and Contemporary Curated
Located in Rijssen, NL
Stunning set of nine vintage and contemporary combined ceramic hanging lamps with a beautiful glaze, made with rich colors. Some lights are made in the 1970s, some pendants are new ...
Ceramic
$3,531Sale Price|20% Off
Brutalist Sunburst Crown Ceiling Flush Mount Light Fixture in Gilt Iron, 1950s
Located in Barcelona, ES
Sunburst Crown Flush Mount with Foliage Details, Gilt Iron, Frosted Glass Hand-hammered iron sunburst crown ceiling light fixture with frosted glass panel difusser. Spain, 1950s. Th...
Metal, Iron, Wrought Iron
$2,053Sale Price|20% Off
Brutalist Murano glass ice tube chandelier by Doria Leuchten Germany 1960s
Located in Hannover, DE
Arguably one of the most exciting and beautiful ice glass tube chandeliers from the Dutch manufacturer Doria Leuchten. 69 Murano glass tubes with a matte finish make this chandelier ...
Brass
Maurice Chalvignac Ceramic Pendant, circa 1960s–1970s
Located in Montréal, CA
Striking 1960’s vintage ceramic pendant attributed to Maurice Chalvignac, featuring an organic, sculptural form with a richly textured brown glaze and numerous perforations throughou...
Ceramic
Brutalist Verdi Gris Copper Pendant Chandelier by Ron Rezek c. 1980's
By Ron Rezek
Located in New York, NY
Brutalist Conwe form pendant fixture, designed by Ron Rezek, circa 1980's. The chandelier features a rich Verdi Gris finish on the exterior copper metal surface, with an interior whi...
Metal, Copper
Lothar Klute, ceiling lamp, 2004
By Lothar Klute
Located in Saarbrücken, SL
Ceiling lamp by Lothar Klute with two free-form glass shades. A specific bronze alloy enabled the artist Lothar Klute to forge the bronze. Lothar Klute’s signature, “K04,” is sta...
Bronze
1970s Brutalist Modernist Wrought Iron Chandelier with Geometric Design
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A striking Brutalist Modernist chandelier handcrafted in wrought iron, dating from the 1970s. This sculptural fixture features bold geometric panels and sweeping curves that embody t...
Wrought Iron
Tenfold Chandelier 5T 32inch, Waxed Aluminum, Brutalist Pendant, Customizable
By Luft Tanaka
Located in Brooklyn, NY
TENFOLD 5 TIER in Polished Nickel by Luft Tanaka Studio Composed of interlocking perforated sheetmetal panels, the Tenfold Series is inspired by the architectural styles and art mo...
Aluminum, Brass, Steel
Brutalist Oval Sunburst Ceiling Light Fixture in Gilt Iron, Spain 1950s
Located in Barcelona, ES
Sunburst oval light fixture in wrought gilt iron with triangle accents, 1950s. Sculptural gold leaf gilt hand hammered iron oval shaped sunburst flu...
Wrought Iron, Gold Leaf, Metal, Iron
Golden Brass Brutalist Pendant by Moe Lighting
By Moe Lighting
Located in Denton, TX
Golden brass brutal design pendant light for Moe lighting. Very intricate six sided chandelier with six light bulbs perfect for entry way or bathroom fixture. The chain is 22" in len...
Brass
Mexican brutalist Feders Pendant Light
Located in Mexico City, CDMX
Circa 1970, we offer these original pendant light designed by Felipe Delfinger. Made of brass and blue artglass. About Felipe Delfinger: In the year 1860, the German Derflinger fam...
Brass
Brutalist Sunburst Light Fixture with Nails Details, Gilt Iron and Milk Glass
Located in Barcelona, ES
Mini sized sunburst light fixture / flush mount, gilt iron, milk glass, gold leaf. Spain, 1950s Brutalist spanish gilt iron sunburst ceiling light with nails ornamentation topped by ...
Metal, Iron, Gold Leaf
Brutalist Metal & Stained Glass Midcentury Pendant by Artist Felipe Delfinger
Located in Lisse, NL
Organic design, metal and glass light fixture from the mid-century era. This great workmanship pendant from mid-20th century is another one of our recent great finds. With 20th ce...
Metal, Brass
Brutalist Sunburst Ceiling Light Fixture in Gilt Iron with Flower Motif, 1950s
Located in Barcelona, ES
Brutalist Sunburst Light Fixture, Gilt Iron Gold leaf gilt hand-hammered iron sunburst light fixture from the Brutalist period. Spain, 1950s. Richly decorated with the hammer marks a...
Wrought Iron, Gold Leaf, Iron
Brutalist Copper Pendant by Svend Aage Holm Sørensen, Denmark, 1960s
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Handmade Danish Mid Century Modern Brutalist copper pendants by the versatile and acclaimed Danish designer Svend Aage Holm Sorensen. Manufact...
Copper, Metal
Tom Aslström & Hans Ehrlich Brutalist Mid Century Swedish Chandelier Murano
Located in Firenze, Toscana
Swedish designers wrought iron brutalist chandelier. Housing one light. Will be rewired with certified UL US sockets for the USA and appropriate sockets for all other countries. Orig...
Wrought Iron
Hand Blown Glass Chandeliers by Feders
Located in Mexico City, CDMX
This chandelier is one of the most stunning samples of Brutalist art, made of steel and multicolored blown glass, each cube is handwrought in steel which cradles the thick sculptured...
Art Glass
$4,049Sale Price|20% Off
Large Sunburst Light Fixture with Leaves Design in Gilt Iron, 1950
Located in Barcelona, ES
Spanish Sunburst Flush Mount, Gilt Iron, Spain, 1950s. _________________________________________________________________________ Stunning Brutalist Foliage Sunburst Light Fixture / C...
Metal, Iron, Gold Leaf
Modernist Brutalist Gold Chandelier Tom Green for Feldman
By Tom Greene
Located in Hastings, GB
LA based designer and sculptor Tom Greene hand crafted this brutalist chandelier for 'Feldman Lighting Company' in the late 1960s/1970s The design features staggered tiers of torch c...
Brass
Diminutive Brutalist Pendant Chandelier by Nanny Still - Mc Kinney for Raak
Located in New York, NY
Diminutive Brutalist pendant chandelier, by Nanny Still - McKinney for Raak, made in Finland circa 1960's. The cylindrical fixture features a copper exterior with an amber glass int...
Copper
Brutalist Brass Pendant Lights by Svend Aage Holm Sorensen, 1960s, Denmark
By Svend Aage Holm Sørensen, Holm Sørensen
Located in Værløse, DK
Set of Substantial Brutalist Brass Pendant Lights designed Svend Aage Holm Sørensen in the 1960s. * Set (2) of onion-shaped pendant light with layered flame-cut brass slates and s...
Brass
Brutalist Copper Pendant Lamp by Peill & Putzler, Germany, 1960s
Located in Balen, BE
Brutalist Copper Pendant Lamp by Peill & Putzler, Germany, 1960s This striking Brutalist copper pendant lamp, designed by Peill & Putzler/Philips in Germany during the 1960s. This l...
Copper
Pair of Ceramic Brown Tapered Cone Pendants, Denmark 1960
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful set of round ceramic hanging lamps with a beautiful pattern in the style of Axella, manufactured in the 1960s in Denmark. This gorgeous set brings refined elegance and ric...
Ceramic
Tenfold Chandelier 32inch Brushed Bronze Perforated Metal Pendant Light
By Luft Tanaka
Located in Brooklyn, NY
TENFOLD CHANDELIER 5 TIER 24inch in Brushed Bronze by Luft Tanaka Studio Brutalism meets glam. Inspired by Brutalist architecture and Op Art, the Tenfold Series features interlockin...
Aluminum, Brass, Steel
Vintage Brutalist with Sculpted Metallic Finish Pendant Light
Located in Farmington Hills, MI
We are very pleased to offer a striking brutalist pendant light, circa the 1980s. This piece features an intensely sculptural surface that mimics the look of hand-troweled metal or ...
Metal
Danish Vintage Brutalist Copper Pendant in Friis & Moltke Style 1970s
By Fog & Mørup, Svend Aage Holm Sørensen, Jo Hammerborg
Located in Silkeborg, Silkeborg
Danish brutalist or mid-century ceiling lamp/pendant in the style of designers as Jo Hammerborg, Svend Aage Holm Sørensen, or FRIIS & MOLTKE. It's made of copper with light brown patina and has a breaker at the top cover. The inside is covered with orange and white lacquer which reflect a warm cosy light. Friis and Moltke...
Metal, Copper
Large Sunburst Crown Chandelier Flush Mount in Gilt Metal with Leaves Details
Located in Barcelona, ES
Crown Chandelier Foliage Ceiling Light Fixture, Gilt Iron, Gold Leaf, Frosted Glass ____________________________________________________________ Stunning Gilt iron and bronze sunburs...
Metal, Gold Leaf, Iron
$2,241Sale Price|20% Off
Brutalist Hammered Glass Chandelier by Longobard, Italy, 1970s
By Longobard
Located in Catania, CT
This stunning chandelier, crafted by Longobard in Italy during the 1970s, embodies the distinctive Brutalist style. Made from thick, hammered Murano glass and featuring a gilt and br...
Iron
$3,945Sale Price|25% Off
Charles Dudouyt Brutalist Six Arm Chandelier C1940s France
Located in Trensacq, FR
A rare and spectacular six-light Charles Dudouyt chandelier, circa 1940. Masterfully crafted in warm, dark wood, the six horizontal arms and the substantial central stem are adorned...
Wood
French Brutalist Wrought Iron Chandelier, Hand-Crafted, 1930-1950
Located in Antwerp, BE
French red wrought iron chandelier with crown has six candelabra arms with gilt on each arm. This wonderful chandelier is suspended by original chain. This chandelier would work beau...
Wrought Iron
$1,402Sale Price / set|20% Off
Set Brutalist Copper Lamps by Koch & Söhne Germany 1970s
Located in Hannover, DE
Rare set of three brutalist pendant lights. These three master-crafted copper lights are something special. The lampshade is made in the shape of a funnel, decorations were burned in...
Brass, Copper
Tenfold 5T 18inch Chandelier, Polished Nickel Pendant Light, Customizable
By Luft Tanaka
Located in Brooklyn, NY
TENFOLD CHANDELIER 5 TIER by Luft Tanaka Studio Composed of interlocking polished and perforated sheetmetal panels, the Tenfold Series is inspired by the architectural styles and ar...
Aluminum, Brass, Steel
Brutalist Style Chandelier Lamp / Radius of 100 / Fom the 1950s
Located in Barcelona, ES
Brutalist style chandelier lamp from the 1950s Discover the majesty and timeless charm of our brutalist style lamp from the 50s. With its circular design of 100 cm in diameter.This ...
Copper, Iron
Brutalist Swag Pendant Light Lamp Tom Greene Brass Feldman Co Mid-Century Modern
By Tom Greene, Feldman Lighting Co.
Located in Wayne, NJ
Brutalist Swag Pendant Light Lamp Tom Greene Brass Feldman Co. This plugs into a wall outlet. It has approx 13' Cord/chain.
Brass
Large Brutalist Torch-Cut Chandelier by Tom Greene, 1960s
By Tom Greene
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An impressive, monumental brutalist chandelier designed by Tom Greene for Feldman Co., circa 1960s. Made from seven tiers of hand-torched patinated brass, this is a striking statemen...
Brass
Pair of Brutalist Cast Brass Hanging Hall or Porch Lanterns
Located in Toledo, OH
Pair of heavy cast brass Brutalist style porch or hall lanterns. Hammered finish with amber granite back glass inserts. 10" x 4.5" x 4.5"
Brass
$1,285Sale Price|63% Off
1990s Italian chandelier, Longobard
By Longobard
Located in La xara, VC
Superbe Chandelier multicolore glass Murano with brutalisat iron structure . The Design and the quality of the glass make this piece the best of the italian Design . This unique Chan...
Iron
Brutalist Brass Pendant Lamp by Svend Aage Holm Sørensen, Denmark, 1960s
By Holm Sørensen, Svend Aage Holm Sørensen
Located in Karis, Nyland
Striking Danish brutalist pendant lamp designed by Svend Aage Holm Sørensen and produced by Holm Sørensen & Co in the 1960s. The lamp is crafted from brass with a sculptural, layered...
Brass
Iron Sunburst Ceiling Light Fixture with Leaves Design and Rusty Patina
Located in Barcelona, ES
Brutalist Foliage Sunburst Light Fixture in Rusty Iron, Spain, 1950s. This Brutalist hand-hammered iron sunburst flush mount has leafed design with alternating leaves with different ...
Iron
Brutalist Murano Glass Chandelier by Longobard Italy, 1970
By Longobard
Located in Palermo, PA
This striking Murano glass chandelier features a bold and expressive composition of multicolored glass elements, set against a contrasting brutalist iron structure. The interplay bet...
Iron
1 of the 10 Ceramic Green Blue Brown Pendants, Denmark 1970
Located in Rijssen, NL
Several round ceramic hanging lamps with a beautiful pattern, made with rich colored green, blue and brown ceramics, manufactured by Jette Hellerøe for Axella in the 1960s in Denmark...
Ceramic
French Sunburst Leafed Light Fixture in Gilt Iron, 1950s
Located in Barcelona, ES
Terrific handcrafted gold gilt wrought iron sunburst leafed flush mount ceiling light. France, 1950s. This stunning ceiling light fixure has a foliate su...
Wrought Iron, Gold Leaf, Iron
A BRUTALIST Iron Belt TABLE LAMP in the style of Jacques ADNET France 1950
Located in PARIS, FR
An astonishing and elegant table lamp in metal belt, Modernist, Shabby-Chic, Popular Art, in folded wrought iron decorated with a belt buckle, the whole supporting a socket, to be at...
Wrought Iron
Extraordinary Longobard Hammered Glass & Iron Ceiling Fixture 1970s
By Longobard
Located in New York, NY
Vintage, 1970s Longobard chandelier made with hammered glass and wrought iron framing. Typical of Longobard pieces, this chandelier features dark, hand-forged wrought-iron frames a...
Iron
Spanish Sunburst Leafed Ceiling Light Fixture or Pendant, Gilt Iron
Located in Barcelona, ES
Monumental brutalist sunburst foliage gilt metal ceiling light fixture. Spain, 1950s This handcrafted Brutalist ceiling lamp features a triple layered leafed sunburst light fixture.T...
Metal, Iron, Gold Leaf