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.
Paul Evans Sculpted Bronze "Stalagmite" Coffee Table, Signed brutalist MCM
By Paul Evans
Located in Sayreville, NJ
Paul Evans designed Pe-71 coffee table Stunning designer collectors piece that's in great original condition. The glass top has surface scratches . Dim: 42" D x 16" H
Metal
Large Spanish Sunburst Light Fixture in Wrought Gilt Iron, 1950s
Located in Barcelona, ES
Eye-catching Gilt Iron Foliage Sunburst Ceiling Light Fixture, Spain 1950s. Large size. This piece was entirely made by hand in hammered iron. Richly decorated with leaves in two siz...
Metal, Iron, Wrought Iron, Gold Leaf
Original metal Brutalist wall lamp Octopus by Salvino Marsura, Italy 1980s
Located in Miklavž Pri Taboru, SI
Rare mid-century modern metal Brutalist wall lamp Octopus by Salvino Marsura, made in Italy in the 1980s. Salvino Marsura is an Italian artist born in Treviso in 1938. His career be...
Metal
Tom Greene Brutalist Cocktail Table - Vintage Torch Cut Brass Round Coffee Table
By Paul Evans, Tom Greene
Located in Decatur, GA
Vintage Tom Greene Brutalist style cocktail table, circa 1970s. Torch cut brass brass base with glass top. Base is in excellent condition with no flaws of note. Glass top shows minor...
Metal, Brass
Brutalist pendant lamp by Felipe Delfinger for Feders, Mexico, 1960s
By Longobard, Tiffany Studios, Poliarte, Felipe Delfinger
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
Brutalist Lounge Chair by Abraham Sprij for Sprij Furniture Holland, 1960s
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Stunning and elegant Brutalist lounge chair. Design by Abraham Sprij for Sprij Furniture Holland. Striking Dutch design from the 1960s. Solid oak frame with original black faux leath...
Faux Leather, Oak
Vintage Danish Brutalist Ladder Back Oak Dining Chairs, 1960s. Set of 8.
Located in Asaa, DK
Vintage Danish Brutalist Ladder Back Oak Dining Chairs, 1960s. Set of 8. Scandinavian Mid-Century modern dining room chairs in Nordic oak. Very likely designed by Henning Kjærnulf, ...
Oak
Albano Poli for Poliarte Murano Glass Cube Lamp Amber & Ice 1960s
By Poliarte, Albano Poli
Located in Benalmadena, ES
Table lamp designed by Albano Poli for Poliarte, Italy, produced in the 1960s. The geometric structure is composed of fused Murano glass blocks, alternating between a rough, textured...
Murano Glass
$1,500 / item
Stool 014 (st-ar-014)
Located in Ridgewood, NY
The ST-AR-014 is a small-batch, sculptural concrete stool designed and handmade in Brooklyn, NY. Raw yet refined, it balances functionality with an imagistic presence—serving equally...
Concrete, Cement
Garden Bench, Rustic Blackened Wood, Raw Organic Form Indoor, Outdoor, Logniture
By Logniture
Located in Stara Gradiška, HR
This monolithic bench is a one of a kind piece, crafted from massive, century-old reclaimed oak beams. Its powerful, minimalist form is unified by a deep ebonized finish, transformin...
Wood, Oak
Freestanding Desk in Oak by Henning Kjærnulf, Danish Mid Century Modern, 1950s
Located in Odense, DK
An elegant freestanding writing desk designed by Danish designer Henning Kjærnulf in the 1950s. Crafted in rich oak, the piece showcases a tactile warmth through its finely grained s...
Brass
Sculptural Side Table, Rustic, Burnt Black Wood, Carved, Handmade, Logniture
By Logniture
Located in Stara Gradiška, HR
This commanding functional sculpture is hand-carved from a single, massive hardwood log. It features a substantial, thick circular top supported by heavy legs that have been hand-hew...
Wood
Abstract Modernist Bronze Sculpture Figural with Brutalist Relief Texture 1970s
By Lynn Chadwick
Located in Troy, MI
Unique post-war abstract sculpture in solid bronze Anonymous artist circa 1970's Slab like torso cast in deep relief texture and nuanced patinas Three elongated legs and subtly offs...
Bronze
Japanese Antique Brutalist Side Table 1860s-1900s / Coffee Table Wabisabi
Located in Chōsei District Nagara, JP
This is an old Japanese Brutalist side table. It is composed of materials that were originally used during the Meiji period (1860s–1900s), and it po...
Wood
Scandinavian Modern, Stump Chair / “Kubstol” in Pine, Mid 20th Century, 1950s
Located in Odense, DK
A fine example of a mid 20th-century Swedish Stump Chair, "Kubstol", crafted in pine with a sculptural silhouette and clean lines. The chair’s understated character is enhanced by th...
Pine
HERMAN TALVIK - Surrealist Engraving - Signed - Estonia/Sweden - Circa 1950's
Located in Chatham, ON
HERMAN TALVIK (1906-1984) - Vintage Surrealist engraving - signed lower right - untitled - finished with a single bevel edged matte board under glass - vintage painted wood frame wit...
Glass, Wood, Paint, Paper
Oak Frame Coffee Table with Slate Inset, France 1970s
Located in Berlin, DE
This brutalist coffee table combines a circular slate inset with a solid wood frame, creating a striking contrast between textured stone and warm wood. Its clear geometry and careful...
Slate
Charles Dudouyt Round Side Table in Solid Oak Wood, France, Late 1940s
Located in The Hague, NL
This rare side table was designed by Charles Dudouyt and produced in France in the late 1940s. The different carved shapes of the wood illustrate the craftsmanship and originality of...
Oak
In Stock - STOR Dining Table Stained Solid Ash - 123"x49"
Located in Calgary, AB
Oversized turned legs and exposed joinery make a bold statement. The exposed end-grain joint is both functional and aesthetically pleasing, a detail that visibly confirms solid wood ...
Ash
Handcrafted Dining Table in Solid Warm Brown European Oak, Fenestra by Mokko
Located in Amsterdam, NL
A rhythmic interplay of volumes and voids. The Fenestra table is inspired by Brick Expressionism, the architectural movement visible in Amsterdam’s ‘South Plan’ area - the city devel...
Oak, Walnut
Pair of Ceramic Table Lamps, Soholm, Denmark 1960s
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful ceramic table lamp, 2022. By Soholm, Denmark 1960s. Combined with a custom lampshade from R houben. The green and brown ceramics and green and brown colored lampshade with...
Ceramic
Free Form Organic Designer Coffee Table In Aged Plaster Finish
Located in NEW YORK, NY
A contemporary addition to your living space, this piece radiates the beauty of nature and serves a practical purpose. The coffee table features a captivating organic shape that draw...
Marble
Large Brass Wall Lamp by Svend Aage Holm Sorensen, 1960s, Denmark
By Svend Aage Holm Sørensen, Holm Sørensen
Located in Værløse, DK
Brutalist Sun-Shaped Brass Wall Lamp designed by Svend Aage Holm Sørensen in the 1960s. * Large flame-cut sun-shaped brass sconce * Designer: Svend Aage Holm Sorensen * Model: 5207...
Metal, Brass
Rustic solid oak coffee table with a one piece top, France 1950s
By Axel Vervoordt, Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Charlotte Perriand Cassina
Located in ECHT, NL
Rustic wabi sabi coffee table. Made in France in the 1950s. Made from solid oak. What makes this table special is that the top is a single slab of natural shaped oak. It has an amazi...
Oak
Still Stand Abstract Wood Sculpture, Chainsaw Carved, Walnut, Logniture
By Logniture
Located in Stara Gradiška, HR
This captivating sculpture is a one of a kind piece, hand carved from a single block of solid hardwood. Its form is a continuous, biomorphic loop, an abstract ribbon of wood that twi...
Walnut, Wood
Paul Evans Wall Mounted Sculpted Bronze Brutalist Sideboard, USA, 1969
By Paul Evans
Located in Miami, FL
Paul Evans Wall Mounted Sculpted Bronze Brutalist Sideboard, USA, 1969 An exceptional example from Paul Evans’ iconic sculpted bronze series, this brutalist sideboard was created in ...
Slate, Metal
Large Oval Dining Table - Solid European Oak - Aperta Capsule
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Aperta is inspired by the mystery and attraction of light and space breaking through narrow voids in architectural structures. The objects feature a precise slit, creating a sense of...
Oak, Walnut
Garden Bench, Rustic Blackened Wood, Raw Organic Form Indoor, Outdoor, Logniture
By Logniture
Located in Stara Gradiška, HR
This monolithic bench is a one of a kind piece, crafted from massive, century-old reclaimed oak beams. Its powerful, minimalist form is unified by a deep ebonized finish, transformin...
Wood, Oak
Albano Poli. Brutalist style Murano glass sconce by Poliarte, Italy, 1970s
By Poliarte, AVMazzega, Venini, La Murrina, Albano Poli
Located in SANT ADRIÀ DE BESÒS, ES
Large Brutalist style Murano glass sconce designed by Albano Poli for Poliarte, Italy, 1970s. Composed of several rectangular and elongated pieces of whitish translucent Murano glass...
Metal, Steel
Mid-Century Brutalist Wood and Leather Safari Armchair, 1960s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Imposant armchair with leather covering. A brutalist design. An impressive and cozy solitaire. The material combination of dark stained wood and brown leather is striking. The cheek...
Leather, Wood
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
Brutalist Solid Dark Brown Oak Trigon Chair
Located in Amsterdam, NL
The Trigon Chair is composed of pentahedral volumes; five-faced triangular shapes. The triangle is one of the earliest known geometric forms, with its use dating back to over 5.000 y...
Oak, Walnut
Danish Brutalist Historicism Stool and Side Table Handturned Solid Oak ca 1900
Located in Silkeborg, Silkeborg
Danish stool and side table with frame and legs of hand-turned solid oak. The stool seat s made with a circular shape slight concave form, good to sit on. Crafted by skilled Danis...
Oak
Westal Pair of Swedish Brutalist Flush Mount Ceiling Lamps in Copper, 1970s
By Westal
Located in Prague, New Town
Pair of Brutalist flush mount ceiling lamps, produced by Westal in Sweden, 1970s. Made from copper and glass. Each lamp is designed for a single light bulb. In good original conditio...
Copper
$3,500 / set
French Wood Brutalist Chairs, Set of 8
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful set of 8 wood mountain chairs from France, 1950s. Brutalist style with carved wood back with three wide slates. Formed wood seat rests on four tapered wood legs. Original w...
Wood
$1,080Sale Price / set|40% Off
Mazzega murano glass Wall lighting Brutalist Pair , 1960s
By Mazzega
Located in La xara, VC
Original Period light Original lamp from the 50s/60s in the brutalist trend. a decorative piece that will give a unique atmosphere to your interior . There are several reasons to bu...
Metal, Iron
Paul Evans Sculptural Art Metal Cabinet Model 'PE-40A', Signed & Dated 1974
Located in Los Angeles, CA
An exceptional and monumental cabinet, model PE-40A, designed by American sculptor and furniture master Paul Evans for Directional, signed and dated 1974. This important example repr...
Slate, Steel
Mid 20th Century, Pair of Spanish Brutalist Armchairs, Wood & Leather, 1960s
By Børge Mogensen, Charlotte Perriand
Located in Odense, DK
A beautiful pair of Brutalist armchairs / huntingchairs crafted in Spain during the 1960s, combining architectural form with raw, organic materials. These chairs exemplify early Brut...
Leather, Pine
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
Vintage Brutalist Bronze Candleholder from Gallo, 1970s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Vintage Brutalist Bronze Candleholder from Gallo, 1970s, in Very Good conditions. Designed 1970 to 1979 This piece has an attribution mark. Additional information: Materials: Bronze...
Bronze
$1,200 / set
Pair of Wall lights by Bruno Herbst Sweden 1970s
By Bruno Herbst
Located in Stockholm, SE
A pair of large, heavy 1970s Bruno Herbst metal and glass wall lamps. A rare model clean and simple design executed in its original lacquer metal. Heavy duty style, almost Brutalist ...
Metal
Pair of Stained Glass Lamps in Quadrangular Prism Form, Midcentury Modern
Located in Bochum, NRW
Pair of Stained Glass Lamps in Regular Quadrangular Prism Form, Midcentury Modern Style A vibrant pair of stained glass accent lamps, each crafted in the form of a regular quadrangul...
Metal
Midcentury Italian Brutalist Dragonfly Detailed Green Glass Body Sconce, c 1950
Located in Firenze, Toscana
Extremely rare Dragonfly sconce. Housing one light. Will be rewired with certified UL US socket for the USA and an appropriate socket for all other countries and ready to hang. Wrou...
Wrought Iron
Taurus, Chainsaw Carved, Burnt Oak, Abstract Sculpture, Bull, Handmade, Black
By Logniture
Located in Stara Gradiška, HR
This unique sculptural animal is a one of a kind art piece, carved from a single piece of wood to ensure a monolithic and stable form. It takes the shape of a bull, rendered with a r...
Oak
Luciano Frigerio 1928-1999 Brutalist Bronze Round Coffee Table circa 1975
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Luciano Frigerio 1928-1999 Brutalist Bronze Round Coffee Table circa 1975 Sculptural winged bronze round table with clear cut glass top The table base is made of three bronze butter...
Bronze, Copper
Vintage Wall Mirror by Palladio, Italy, 1960s
By Palladio
Located in Miklavž Pri Taboru, SI
Beautiful Large Vintage Wall Mirror by Palladio, Italy, 1960s. The vintage mirror is in very good vintage condition. The glass is original. The original label has been preserved. Di...
Mirror, Wood
Harry Balmer Harold Weiss Laurel Ribbon Brutalist Table Lamp c. 1960/70's
By Laurel Lamp Company, Harry Balmer
Located in New York, NY
Classic Brutalist school table lamp designed by Harry Balmer and Harold Weiss, for the Laurel Lamp Co. circa 1960/70's. Known as the Ribbon Lamp, this piece features an exaggerated ...
Metal, Copper
Brutalist Oval Sunburst Mirror, Gilt Wrought Iron, 1950
Located in Barcelona, ES
Gilt Oval Eyelash Mirror in Wrought Iron Wrought Iron Oval Sunburst Mirror with Scroll Ended Rays and Brutalist Design, France, 1950-1960. Eye-catching hand forged sunburst iron mirr...
Metal, Iron, Wrought Iron
Warm Brown Oak Brutalist Dining Table - Fenestra by Mokko
Located in Amsterdam, NL
A rhythmic interplay of volumes and voids. The Fenestra table is inspired by Brick Expressionism, the architectural movement visible in Amsterdam’s ‘South Plan’ area - the city devel...
Oak, Walnut
Huge Mid Century Modern William Bowie Brutalist Abstract Wall Art Sculpture
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A show stopper focal piece for any room. Stunning, large welded steel nail and sheet metal wall sculpture by iconic sculptor William Bowie. Brutalist design with brass plating.
Steel, Brass
Brutalist Rustic Small Bench, 1960s
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Stunning and elegant Brutalist Rustic small bench. Striking Dutch design from the 1960s. Solid oak frames which can be dismantled for safe transport. This wonderful Brutalist Rustic ...
Oak
Oak Mid-Century Modern Rustic Brutalist Round Coffee Table, 1960s
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Stunning Mid-Century Modern Rustic Brutalist round coffee table. Striking Dutch design from the 1960s. Solid oak top on four solid oak legs. This wonderful Mid-century Modern Rustic ...
Oak
French Provincial oak chair, 1960s Mid-Century Modern
Located in Nürnberg, Bayern
Solid oak chairs. Slight traces of use.
Oak
Brutalist Sunburst Mirror in Wrought Iron, Spain 1950
Located in Barcelona, ES
Spanish Sunburst Mirror, Wrought Iron, Silver Patinated ____________________________________________________________________________ Hand forged iron round mirror with scrolled detai...
Wrought Iron, Iron
Large Solid dark Oak Rustic Artisan Round Coffee Table, France, 1960s
By Pierre Chapo, Charlotte Perriand
Located in Den Haag, NL
Large Solid dark Oak Rustic Artisan Round Coffee Table, France, 1960s
Oak
Vintage Brutalist Oak Dining Set, Extension Table and 6 Chairs
Located in Lutz, FL
Vintage Oak Brutalist Dining Set circa 1970’s, in the style of Guillerme et Chambron, Maker Unknown. Purchased by original owner in Mainz-Kastel Germany in the 1970’s during his depl...
Oak
Mid-Century Italian Brutalist Bronze Amadeus Series Candleholder, 1960s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Mid-Century Italian Brutalist Bronze Amadeus Series Candleholder by Kurt Jesch for Fratelli Tonini, in Very Good conditions. Designed 1960 to 1969. Additio...
Metal
Pair of 1970's Carl Straub Brutalist pine and leather Lounge chairs
By Carl Straub
Located in Liberty, NY
Fantastic pair of Carl Straub brutalist pine and leather lounge chairs made in 1973 in Germany. The large leather cushions rest on a canvas sling that strap and buckle to the heavy p...
Leather, Canvas, Pine
Brutalist Italian Chestnut Wood and Brass Bar Cabinet, 1970s
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Brutalist-style three-door bar cabinet in chestnut wood. With geometric and harmonious lines, the piece of furniture is also embellished by the underlying brass band.
Brass
$5,131Sale Price|35% Off
Brutalist Coffee Table in Solid Natural Light Oak - Brut by Mokko
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Brut coffee table by Mokko with dimensions L:135 x W:80 x H:30 cm. Made in the Netherlands out of solid European oak. The light oak is finished with a matte varnish. A custom wooden...
Oak
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