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.
Brutalist Floor Lamp by Temde, Switzerland, 1970's
Located in Bern, BE
1970's Brutalist Floor lamp. Solid wood construction with five smoked glass ball lamps twisting around the central stand. Swiss Brutalist style. Mid cable on-off switch. Produced by ...
Smoked Glass, Wood
Large Chris Haslev Green Ceramic Lamp, Silk Lampshade by R. Houben
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful ceramic table/floor lamp. Custom made silk lampshade by René Houben. The green glazed and brown ceramics with beautiful details fit perfectly with the custom made lampsha...
Ceramic
1940s French Iron Floor Lamp
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Lovely vintage wrought iron brutalist floor lamp from France, 1940s. Heavy iron stem with three curved iron legs. New tapered square paper shade and newly re-wired. Unique and striki...
Iron
French Twisted Iron Floor Lamp c. 1950s
Located in Warminster, GB
A twisted iron floor lamp. French, c. 1950s. Stock ref. #3259 Professionally rewired to UK standards. New tapered calico shade included. Height with shade: 166 cm (65.4 ") Shade...
Iron, Wrought Iron
Pair of Vintage Bronze Floor Lamps After Diego Giacometti's Tête de Femme, 1960
By Alberto and Diego Giacometti
Located in Sleepy Hollow, NY
Pair of Vintage Bronze Floor Lamps After Diego Giacometti's Tête de Femme, Circa 1960 A striking pair of vintage bronze floor lamps inspired by Diego Giacometti's celebrated Tête de...
Bronze
Swedish Mid-Century Modern Organic Floor Lamp in Burned Wood, Wabi Sabi, 1950s
Located in Odense, DK
A beautiful organic shaped table lamp in burned pine wood. Handcrafted by a Swedish Carpenter in the 1950s. The overall impression of this mid century table lamp is really good. It ...
Textile, Pine
Unique James Bearden 'Illuminated Dwelling' Floor Lamp Brutalist Welded Steel
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Designed and studio-made by American designer and craftsman James Bearden, this awesome floor lamp looks like it entered this world from a different dimension. Devoid of any curves w...
Steel
Green Ceramic Floor Table Lamp, Custom Green Lampshade by R. Houben
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful ceramic table/floor lamp. Custom made green lampshade by René Houben. The green and gray glazed ceramics with beautiful details fit perfectly with the custom made green la...
Ceramic
Neo-pop light sculpture or Floor Lamp Egg, French artist Michel Froment c.1990's
Located in leucate, FR
Huge floor lamp or light sculpture by the French artist Michel Froment ( 1951 ) Reproducing a fried egg on both sides. The material used is metal and polyurethane. The artist's wo...
Metal
Scandinavian Mid Century Sculptural Floor Lamp in Solid Pine, 1970s
By Sven Larsson, Roland Wilhelmsson
Located in Odense, DK
Large organic floor lamp in solid pine. Made by unknown cabinetmaker in 1970s - probably Swedish or Danish. This piece is in a great vintage condition. A warm colour and patina th...
Pine
Lothar Klute, floor lamp, 2001
By Lothar Klute
Located in Saarbrücken, SL
Floor lamp with a glass shade by Lothar Klute, signature stamped into the bronze: K2001 The glass used in this floor lamp, like Lothar Klute’s glass panels, was freely shaped while ...
Bronze
$5,273 / item
France Brown Beige Ceramic XL Floor Table Lamp
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful ceramic floor lamp in the style of Georges Pelletier, 2022. The beige ceramics and gold colored details complement each other very well and illuminates beautifully. Ready...
Ceramic
1 of the 2 Holmegaard Lilac Ceramic Lamps, Custom Lampshades by R. Houben
By Holmegaard
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful ceramic table/ floor lamps. Custom made neutral silk lampshades by René Houben. The lilac glazed ceramics with wooden base fit perfectly with the white custom made lampsha...
Ceramic
Set of 2 Multicolor Ceramic Lamps, Custom Made Silk Lampshades by R. Houben
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful ceramic table/ floor lamps. Custom made multicolor silk lampshades by René Houben. Ready to use. This set requires one E27 light bulb per lamp. Also LED compatible. Pleas...
Ceramic
XXL Blue Ceramic Floor Table Lamp, Custom Matching Lampshade by R. Houben
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful XL ceramic table/floor lamp. Custom made matching lampshade by René Houben. The blue ceramics with beautiful details fit perfectly with the custom made lampshade with blue...
Ceramic
Georges Pelletier Bulbous Brown Ceramic Lamp, Custom Silk Shade by R. Houben
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful ceramic table/ floor lamp by Georges Pelletier, 2022. Custom made silk lampshade by René Houben. The brown and honey colored ceramics and the geometric details fit perfect...
Ceramic
1 of the 3 Georges Pelletier Ceramic Lamps, Custom Silk Shades by R. Houben
Located in Rijssen, NL
1 of the 3 beautiful ceramic table/ floor lamps by Georges Pelletier, 2022. Custom made silk and rattan lampshades by René Houben. The brown and honey colored ceramics and the geom...
Ceramic
Two Black Lacquered Welded Marine Chain Floor Lamps - France 1970's
By Franz West
Located in New York, NY
Pair of brutalist floor lamps made of welded marine chain. Black lacquered finish. Wiring for the United States included. In the style of Franz West. These floor lamps will ship from...
Steel
Set of 3 Georges Pelletier Ceramic Lamps, Custom Made Silk Shades by R. Houben
Located in Rijssen, NL
Set of beautiful ceramic table/ floor lamps by Georges Pelletier, 2022. Custom made silk lampshades by René Houben. The brown and honey colored ceramics and the geometric details fi...
Ceramic
Paul Evans Style Brutalist Gilt Iron Floor Lamp, 1950s
By Paul Evans
Located in Barcelona, ES
Brutalist Floor Lamp in Gilt Wrought Iron, 1950s Rare find Outstanding hand forged floor lamp with geometric decorative construction and brutalist design. Inspired in Paul Evans desi...
Iron, Wrought Iron, Gold Leaf
Blue Ceramic and Wood Table Lamp, Custom Rattan Double Lampshade by R. Houben
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful ceramic table lamp. Custom made lampshade by René Houben. The blue ceramics with beautiful details and wooden base fit perfectly with the custom made rattan lampshade with...
Ceramic
A MID-CENTURY-MODERN BRUTALIST Wooden FLOOR LAMP, France 1950
By Charles Dudouyt, George Nakashima
Located in PARIS, FR
A thin, low and elegant brutalist floor lamp, Mid-Century-Modern, Modernist, Brutalist, massive tree slice base mounted on 3 wooden feet, sculptural, thin and very graphic vertical a...
Wood
Bernard Rooke Brutalist Dragon Fly and Leaf Floor Lamp Organic Style 1960-1970
Located in London, GB
An organic and Brutalist style Floor Lamp with Dragon Fly and Leaf design. No chips or cracks. Easily rewired for all regions. Bernard Rooke (born 1938) is a British artist and studio potter. Rooke has exhibited his "Brutalist" ceramics and painting both in the UK and abroad with work in many collections both public and private including the Victoria and Albert Museum, Cleveland Museum of Art, Nuffield Foundation, Röhsska Museum in Sweden and the Trondheim Kunstmuseum in Norway. Bernard Rooke attended Ipswich School of Art studying painting and lithography before going on to study at Goldsmiths College of Art. It was while studying here that he decided to take up pottery. Although unfamiliar with this craft and tradition, he found that working with clay provided new opportunities for freedom of interpretation and creativity. In 1960 Rooke set up his first pottery in Forest Hill in South London along with Alan Wallwork. It was a very small room with enough space for a small electric kiln. He was initially using mainly hand building, coiling, blocking and slabbing techniques. While researching ideas, he was supporting himself by part-time lecturing at London University, Goldsmiths College and St Mary's College. In addition, Rooke's membership of 'The Craftsman Potters' Association' enabled him to show his work in a shop in Carnaby Street in London. In 1967, both the need for a larger working space and becoming disillusioned with living in London spurred Rooke into moving out of the city and to an old mill building in Swilland in Suffolk. Rooke wanted to widen the range of work so as to become more commercial. With the birth of his son, Aaron, and much needed work to be done on the mill, it was important to be able to make a living. In 1968, the Grand Metropolitan Hotel commissioned Rooke to make 120 standard lamps, 120 table lamps as well as a 24 foot long ceramic mural and another 9 foot high, which incorporated interior lighting. The money from the commission helped to pay for much needed restoration work on the mill. By the 1970s, a gallery space was opened in the windmill and run by Susan Rooke, Bernard's wife, selling work to locals and tourists as well as to American airmen based nearby. The vision for Mill Gallery was beginning to develop and alongside this a reputation was building bringing in a good source of income. Sons Aaron and Felix were becoming more involved with the running of the pottery, giving Bernard more time to develop new ideas and designs and more time to continue with his painting. In 2004, the Rooke family decided not to sell to the public through the gallery anymore and close the pottery to concentrate more on painting and printmaking. In 2017 Bernard's lighting was featured in the Exhibition: “Glass, Light, Paint & Clay” at the Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery. The exhibition featured four artists: Bernard Rooke, John Maltby...
Pottery
1 of the 3 Ceramic Floor Lamps, Custom Silk Lamp Shades by R. Houben
Located in Rijssen, NL
Set of three industrial ceramic floor table lamps, 1970s. This set brings an industrial and rich visual appeal to any interior. With its beautiful shapes, it offers a unique presenc...
Ceramic
Georges Pelletier Ceramic Lamp, Custom Double Silk Rattan Lampshade by R. Houben
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful ceramic table/ floor lamp by Georges Pelletier, 2022. Custom made double rattan lampshade by René Houben. The brown ceramics and the warm colored details fit perfectly wit...
Ceramic
Pelletier Baluster Dark Ceramic Lamp, Custom Made Silk Lampshade by R. Houben
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful ceramic table/ floor lamp by Georges Pelletier, 2022. Custom made beige silk lampshade by René Houben. The dark ceramics and the warm colored geometric details fit perfect...
Ceramic
Georges Pelletier Brown Ceramic Lamp, Custom Double Silk Rattan Lampshade
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful ceramic table/ floor lamp by Georges Pelletier, 2022. Custom made double rattan lampshade by René Houben. The brown ceramics and the warm colored details fit perfectly wit...
Ceramic
1 of the 2 Holmegaard Indigo Ceramic Lamps, Custom Tall Blue Shades by R. Houben
By Holmegaard
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful ceramic table/ floor lamps. Custom made silk lampshades by René Houben. The indigo glazed ceramics with a beautiful shape fit perfectly with the custom made lampshade, ill...
Ceramic
XL Pelletier Brown Warm Tones Ceramic Lamp, Custom Silk Lampshade by R. Houben
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful ceramic table/ floor lamp by Georges Pelletier, 2022. Custom made lampshade by René Houben. The brown ceramics and the warm colored details fit perfectly with the custom m...
Ceramic
$5,800 / set
1930's Forge Iron Tripod Italian Floor Lamps
Located in New York, NY
Amazing pair of large forge iron tripod Italian floor lamps, newly rewired and ready to use with some wear and patina due to age and use. One of the lamps is 1' shorter.
Iron
Green Ceramic Floor Table Lamp, Custom Matching Lampshade by R. Houben
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful ceramic table/floor lamp. Custom made beige and green lampshade by René Houben. The green and beige ceramics with beautiful details fit perfectly with the custom made beig...
Ceramic
Georges Pelletier Brown Gold Ceramic Lamp, Custom Silk Lampshade by R. Houben
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful ceramic table/ floor lamp by Georges Pelletier, 2022. Custom made double rattan lampshade by René Houben. The bronzed brown ceramics and the warm colored details fit perfe...
Ceramic
Gaetano Missaglia "Scultura" Floor Lamp, Aluminum & Wood, 1960
Located in Milano, IT
Large "Scultura" Floor Lamp by Gaetano Missaglia, Italy, 1960s More than just a lamp—it’s an architectural feature. The "Scultura" model, designed by Gaetano Missaglia in the 1960s,...
Aluminum
Brutalist Torch Cut Iron Floor Lamp by Richard Barr for the Laurel Lamp Company
By Richard Barr, Laurel Lamp Company
Located in Southampton, NJ
A highly uncommon Richard Barr "Assemblage," torch cut iron floor lamp for the Laurel Lamp Company. This lamp design dates from 1964 and is only the third of its type I have seen in ...
Steel, Iron
G. Pelletier Brown Gold Copper Ceramic Lamp, Silk Custom Lampshade by Houben
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful ceramic table/ floor lamp by Georges Pelletier, 2022. Custom made lampshade by René Houben. The brown ceramics and the shimmering gold/coppered colored details complement ...
Ceramic
Monumental Ceramic Totem Floor Lamp by Potiers of Accolay, France, Circa 1970
Located in leucate, FR
Discover this magnificent and rare floor or table lamp, a sculptural piece by the celebrated Potiers d'Accolay from the 1970s. This impressive lamp stands out with its openwork ceram...
Ceramic, Resin
1 of the 7 Georges Pelletier Ceramic Lamps, Custom Silk Shades by R. Houben
Located in Rijssen, NL
1 of the 7 beautiful ceramic table/ floor lamps by Georges Pelletier, 2022. Custom made silk and rattan lampshades by René Houben. The brown and honey colored ceramics and the geome...
Ceramic
Georges Pelletier Baluster Dark Ceramic Lamp, Custom Silk Lampshade by R. Houben
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful ceramic table/ floor lamp by Georges Pelletier, 2022. Custom made silk lampshade by René Houben. The dark ceramics and the warm colored geometric details fit perfectly wit...
Ceramic
Beige Striped Ceramic Floor Table Lamp, Custom Lampshade by R. Houben
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful ceramic table/floor lamp. Custom made matching lampshade by René Houben. The striped ceramics with beautiful details fit perfectly with the custom made tapered lampshade, ...
Ceramic
XXL Blue Ceramic Floor Table Lamp, Custom Beige Lampshade by R. Houben
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful XL ceramic table/floor lamp. Custom made matching lampshade by René Houben. The blue ceramics with beautiful details fit perfectly with the custom made beige melange lamps...
Ceramic
Georges Pelletier Cylindric Brown Ceramic Lamp, Custom Silk Shade by R. Houben
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful ceramic table/ floor lamp by Georges Pelletier, 2022. Custom made silk lampshade by René Houben. The brown and honey colored ceramics and the geometric details fit perfect...
Ceramic
Large Free-Form Teak Sculptural Table Lamp, France 1970s
Located in ROUEN, FR
Impressive large-scale sculptural table lamp carved from solid teak in an organic free-form design. Created in the 1970s in France, its flowing silhouette and beautifully figured gra...
Teak
$1,600 / set
Pair of Brutalist Copper Patinated Lamps
Located in Hanover, MA
Pair 1960's Mid Century Floor (or tall table) Lamps in the manner of Stewart Ross James for Hansen or Paul Evans. Probably by Laurel Lamp Co. This interesting pair of lamps is each...
Copper
A Supersized Sculptural BRUTALIST Stone FLOOR LAMP by ALBERT TORMOS, France 1970
Located in PARIS, FR
A rare and sculptural floor lamp or rather a luminous sculpture in cast stone by Albert Tormos, France 1970. This massive and heavy piece in cast stone is made of two parts: a cubic ...
Cast Stone
Brutalist copper floor lamp by Holm Sørensen, Denmark 1960s
By Holm Sørensen, Svend Aage Holm Sørensen
Located in ECHT, NL
Rare mid century floor lamp. Designed in Denmark by Svend Aage Holm Sørensen in the 1960s. The lamps has two hand-made shades made from flame-cut copper. The shades are attached to a...
Copper
1 of the 2 Holmegaard Lilac Ceramic Lamps, Custom White Lampshades by R. Houben
By Holmegaard
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful ceramic table/ floor lamps. Custom made neutral silk lampshades by René Houben. The lilac glazed ceramics with wooden base fit perfectly with the white custom made lampsha...
Ceramic
Whimsical and Unique Brutalist Fish Lantern Floor Lamp in Wrought Iron 1960s
Located in Tilburg, NL
Whimsical and Unique Brutalist Fish Lantern Floor Lamp in Wrought Iron, Europe, 1960s. And now for something completely different... This unique and highly exceptional fish floor lamp...
Wrought Iron
1 of the 3 XL Ceramic Floor Table Lamps, Custom Silk Lamp Shades by R. Houben
Located in Rijssen, NL
One of the three ceramic floor table lamps, 1970s. This set brings a rich visual appeal to any interior. With its beautiful shapes, it offers a unique presence. The bases with blue...
Ceramic
Georges Pelletier Baluster Dark Ceramic Lamp, Custom Silk Lampshade by R. Houben
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful ceramic table/ floor lamp by Georges Pelletier, 2022. Custom made silk lampshade by René Houben. The dark ceramics and the warm colored geometric details fit perfectly wit...
Ceramic
1 of the 2 Holmegaard Lilac Ceramic Lamps, Custom Silk Lampshades by R. Houben
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful ceramic table/ floor lamps. Custom made neutral silk lampshades by René Houben. The lilac glazed ceramics with wooden base fit perfectly with the neutral custom made lamps...
Ceramic
Vintage Brutalist Floor Lamp, Hand Forged Wrought Iron 1950s
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Vintage wrought iron floor lamp features a streamlined columnar body on footed base with adjustable sculptural element supporting the socket. The textured abstract leaves accent on t...
Wrought Iron
Pair of Sculptural Brutalist Floor Lamps in Hand-Forged Steel, France, 1970s
Located in SOTTEVILLE-LÈS-ROUEN, FR
This exceptional pair of unique sculptural floor lamps was handcrafted in France during the 1970s by an anonymous artist. More than functional lighting, these one-of-a-kind pieces ar...
Steel
XXL Green Baroque Pattern Ceramic Lamp, Custom Matching Lampshade by R. Houben
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful ceramic table/floor lamp. Custom made matching lampshade by René Houben. The beautiful ceramics with a green baroque pattern fit perfectly with the custom made lampshade, ...
Ceramic
Adjustable wrought iron floor lamp, reading lamp
Located in Linkebeek, BE
Floor Lamp - Wrought iron Measures : Base Ø :38cm - Total H : 166cm - H : 152cm Lampshade : Lampshade included : width : 20cm The lampshade can be adjusted in height. Nice to illu...
Iron
Brutalist Iron and Art Glass Floor Lamp, Longobard, Italy 1970s
By Longobard
Located in Rome, IT
Amazing Floor lamp in gold Iron and colorful art glass, from the Serie Daly by Longobard Made in Italy in the 1970s.
Metal, Iron
Chain Link Floor Lamp, 1950s France
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Brutalist iron chain link floor lamp, made in 1950s France. Just over 5.5 feet tall. Extremely heavy and substantial lamp. Tripod base with rusti...
Iron
Multicolor Striped Ceramic Floor Table Lamp, Custom Green Lampshade by R. Houben
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful ceramic table/floor lamp. Custom made matching lampshade by René Houben. The striped ceramics with colorful details fit perfectly with the custom made green lampshade, ill...
Ceramic
$3,281Sale Price|20% Off
1970s Brutalist Floor Lamp by Salvino Marsura, Wrought Iron Design
Located in Milano, IT
Beautiful Brutalist lamp designed by Salvino Marsura in the 1970s, of fine Italian manufacture. The floor lamp is made entirely of burnished wrought iron, simply charming. The base...
Wrought Iron
Beige Textured Ceramic Floor Table Lamp, Custom Matching Lampshade by R. Houben
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful ceramic table/floor lamp. Custom made matching lampshade by René Houben. The dark and beige ceramics with beautiful details fit perfectly with the custom made lampshade, i...
Ceramic
Brutalist Wrought Iron Floor Lamp Made in Portugal
Located in New York, NY
Interesting wrought iron floor lamp, having candle cup arms which extend off main center piece. The lamp has two standard size sockets ( working ). Marked Mad...
Wrought Iron