Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

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

Emerged during the mid-20th century
Informed by European modernism, Bauhaus, International style, Scandinavian modernism and Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture
A heyday of innovation in postwar America
Experimentation with new ideas, new materials and new forms flourished in Scandinavia, Italy, the former Czechoslovakia and elsewhere in Europe

CHARACTERISTICS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN

Simplicity, organic forms, clean lines
A blend of neutral and bold Pop art colors
Use of natural and man-made materials — alluring woods such as teak, rosewood and oak; steel, fiberglass and molded plywood
Light-filled spaces with colorful upholstery
Glass walls and an emphasis on the outdoors
Promotion of functionality

MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW

Charles and Ray Eames
Eero Saarinen
Milo Baughman
Florence Knoll
Harry Bertoia
Isamu Noguchi
George Nelson
Danish modernists Hans Wegner and Arne Jacobsen, whose emphasis on natural materials and craftsmanship influenced American designers and vice versa

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.

Style: Mid-Century Modern

Customizable Items Only

Modernist Night Stand in Oak and black steel

By Alex de Rouvray

Located in PARIS, FR

The Mayet bedside table consists of a drawer veneered in oak, levitating on a mat black steel base, hand polished and welded. A shelf also hand veneered in oak nests below the drawer...

Category

2010s Romanian Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Steel

Modernist Night Stand in Oak and black steel

Wonderful White & Gold Mid-Century Murano justfurnituress Study Available

Located in Guazzora, IT

Imagine walking into a tastefully decorated room and immediately noticing two beautiful white and gold bedside tables that catch the eye with their refined elegance. The nightstan...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Wonderful White & Gold Mid-Century Murano justfurnituress Study Available

Sunday Daybed Oak and Boucle

Located in Plymouth, GB

Part of the Sunday collection exclusive to Alexander & Ellis, and designed by Founder Oliver A-J, the Sunday Day Bed was designed and handcrafted in hou...

Category

2010s British Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Bouclé, Oak

Sunday Daybed Oak and Boucle

Handcrafted Mid-Century Modern Dansk Bed

By Chris Earl

Located in North Hollywood, CA

Posted bed with solid wood construction, hand-cut joinery and custom Dutchman brass joint. Handmade in Los Angeles, California. Bed frame available in King or Queen, inquire for o...

Category

2010s American Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Handcrafted Mid-Century Modern Dansk Bed

Mid-Century Modern Round Bedside Table Abstract Black Yellow Wood One Drawer

By Hommes Studio

Located in Porto, PT

Brooklyn Bedside Table is bold, elegant and modern bedside table. The nightstand features one drawer made in marquetry technique and rests on drop-shaped legs. This bedside table wil...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Wood

Mid-Century Modern Round Bedside Table Abstract Black Yellow Wood One Drawer

Mid-Century Modern Round Bedside Table Black Contemporary Abstract Pattern

By Hommes Studio

Located in Porto, PT

Cabeza Bedside Table is a modern marquetry piece for contemporary interior design projects. It features three drawers, and its round silhouette with contrasting black and white enhan...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Wood

Mid-Century Modern Round Bedside Table Black Contemporary Abstract Pattern

Mid-Century Modern Round Bedside Table Black Geometric Pattern Wood Nightstand

By Hommes Studio

Located in Porto, PT

Marpha Bedside Table is a statement piece for a modern bedroom, with its remarkable pattern and chromatic choice. Modern, bold, and elegant at the same time, this bedside table will ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Wood

Mid-Century Modern Round Bedside Table Black Geometric Pattern Wood Nightstand

Modern Organic Oval Round Bedside Table Surrealist Figures Wood Marquetry Black

By Hommes Studio

Located in Porto, PT

Birds Bedside Table is hand-crafted and boldly decorated using marquetry. Featuring one drawer, its round silhouette with contrasting colors enhances any modern bedroom design. A cap...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Wood

Modern Organic Oval Round Bedside Table Surrealist Figures Wood Marquetry Black

Modern Hug Bed Light Blue Italian Leather Handmade in Portugal by Greenapple

By Rute Martins, Greenapple

Located in Lisboa, PT

Hug Bed, Handcrafted in Portugal - Europe by Greenapple. Upholstered in light blue, high quality Italian leather, Hug bed was designed for you to let yourself...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Oak

Modern Hug Bed Light Blue Italian Leather Handmade in Portugal by Greenapple

Light Blue Murano Glass Bedside Tables, Brass & Gray Velvet Interior Available

Located in Guazzora, IT

Discover the exquisite craftsmanship of our Light Blue Murano Glass Bedside Tables, a testament to the timeless elegance of Italian design. Handcrafted in 2022, these unique pieces...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Brass

Light Blue Murano Glass Bedside Tables, Brass & Gray Velvet Interior Available

21st Century Contemporary Headboard Abstract in Wood Marquetry for Queen Bed

By Hommes Studio

Located in Porto, PT

Austria Bed, where the timeless art of marquetry meets contemporary aesthetics. Its statement modern bed design with a meticulously crafted headboard in the ancestral art of marquetr...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Wood, Ash, Birdseye Maple, Cherry, Maple

21st Century Contemporary Headboard Abstract in Wood Marquetry for Queen Bed

Minimal Modern Wood Headboard Abstract Balck & White Marquetry for Queen Bed

By Hommes Studio

Located in Porto, PT

Ruiz Bed is meticulously hand-crafted and boldly adorned with a modern marquetry pattern. Its dynamic, cubist pattern is ideal for minimalist or mid-century modern bedrooms. This cap...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Wood, Ash, Maple

Minimal Modern Wood Headboard Abstract Balck & White Marquetry for Queen Bed

Mid-Century Modern Wavy Shape Headboard Black & White Pattern Wood for Queen Bed

By Hommes Studio

Located in Porto, PT

Santiago Headboard is a tribute to the 20th-century art movement Cubism, crafted with handcrafted expertise inspired by its leader, Pablo Picasso. With its seamless blend of wood typ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Fabric, Velvet, Wood

Mid-Century Modern Wavy Shape Headboard Black & White Pattern Wood for Queen Bed

Custom bed "Ovington" by foley&cox HOME

Located in Hudson, NY

Curved side-rails and headboard with upholstered insert. Finished in café walnut and shown in natural linen. Custom finishes also available in cerused oak, ebonized walnut and medium...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Fabric, Oak

Custom bed "Ovington" by foley&cox HOME

Bend Goods - Triangle Throw Pillow in Yellow Sunbrella

Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

2010s Romanian Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Modernist Night Stand in Oak and black steel

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Wonderful White & Gold Mid-Century Murano justfurnituress Study Available

2010s British Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Sunday Daybed Oak and Boucle

2010s American Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Handcrafted Mid-Century Modern Dansk Bed

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Mid-Century Modern Round Bedside Table Abstract Black Yellow Wood One Drawer

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Mid-Century Modern Round Bedside Table Black Contemporary Abstract Pattern

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Mid-Century Modern Round Bedside Table Black Geometric Pattern Wood Nightstand

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Modern Organic Oval Round Bedside Table Surrealist Figures Wood Marquetry Black

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Modern Hug Bed Light Blue Italian Leather Handmade in Portugal by Greenapple

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Light Blue Murano Glass Bedside Tables, Brass & Gray Velvet Interior Available

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

21st Century Contemporary Headboard Abstract in Wood Marquetry for Queen Bed

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Minimal Modern Wood Headboard Abstract Balck & White Marquetry for Queen Bed

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Mid-Century Modern Wavy Shape Headboard Black & White Pattern Wood for Queen Bed

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Custom bed "Ovington" by foley&cox HOME

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Bend Goods - Triangle Throw Pillow in Yellow Sunbrella

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Bend Goods - Triangle Throw Pillow in Walnut Sunbrella

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Bend Goods - Triangle Throw Pillow in White Sunbrella

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Bend Goods - Triangle Throw Pillow in Teal Sunbrella

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Bend Goods - Triangle Throw Pillow in True Blue Sunbrella

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Bend Goods - Triangle Throw Pillow in Palm Sunbrella

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Bend Goods - Triangle Throw Pillow in Pacific Blue Sunbrella

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Bend Goods - Triangle Throw Pillow in Navy Blue Sunbrella

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Bend Goods - Triangle Throw Pillow in Melon Sunbrella

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Bend Goods - Triangle Throw Pillow in Macaw Sunbrella

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Bend Goods - Triangle Throw Pillow in Granite Sunbrella

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Bend Goods - Triangle Throw Pillow in Forest Green Sunbrella

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Bend Goods - Triangle Throw Pillow in Burgundy Sunbrella

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Bend Goods - Triangle Throw Pillow in Black Sunbrella

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Bend Goods - Triangle Throw Pillow in Aruba Sunbrella

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Pair of bedside tables with 2 drawers in wood and brass

2010s Unknown Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Mid Century Modern Platform Bed With Upholstered Headboard

2010s Unknown Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Mid Century Modern Platform Bed With Upholstered Headboard

21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Watercress Green Modern Nightstand

21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Storm Gray Modern Nightstand

21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Dark Silver Modern Nightstand

21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Marlin Blue Modern Nightstand

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

coppia comodini in wood , colore nero stile anni cinquanta

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Striking Pair of Mid-Century style Night Stands or Side Tables

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles

Bend Goods - Round Throw Pillow in Macaw Sunbrella

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern More Furniture and Collectibles