Vintage Space Age furniture captured post–World War II optimism with swooping shapes, bowed lines and experimentation with new materials including plastic and fiberglass.
From the launch of the Sputnik 1 satellite in 1957 to the landing of Apollo 11 astronauts on the moon in 1969, the space race between the Soviet Union and the United States propelled advancements in technology that transformed culture. Space Age design encompassed fashion, architecture, cars, furniture and objects for the home, bringing wonder and hope for the future into everyday life.
Coinciding with Pop art, Space Age style featured bold colors and forms. Eero Aarnio’s Ball chair, which debuted in 1966, used molded fiberglass for a capsule-like space while Verner Panton’s 1959 Panton chair was a single piece of molded plastic for a gravity-defying S shape. Red versions of Olivier Mourgue’s 1964 Djinn chair were futuristic enough to appear on the space station in Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey. Today, Joe Colombo is revered as a master of modern Italian design thanks to the provocative modular furniture pieces he created, such as the Tube chair and the Elda armchair, both of which embody the future-forward spirit of the Space Age.
The Space Age spirit extended to home building too. The futuristic Case Study Houses, which were designed by the likes of Pierre Koenig, Charles and Ray Eames, Richard Neutra and Whitney R. Smith, are considered a high point of modernism and the Southern California lifestyle.
Sometimes the nods to space exploration were more literal, like moon and star motifs or the 1965 Eclisse lamp by Vico Magistretti that saw the mid-century Italian designer integrating a movable inner shade to “eclipse” the light source. Alongside the pioneering moon missions, JVC manufactured the Videosphere portable television reminiscent of the Apollo 11 space helmets.
Although the style faded in the 1970s — with the 1975 joining of the Apollo and Soyuz spacecrafts signaling a new era of cooperation and the global oil crisis impacting the availability of plastics — the era’s innovations influenced designers into the 21st century such as Zaha Hadid and Djivan Schapira.
Find a collection of vintage Space Age seating, tables, lighting and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Lusch Erzeugnis Space Age Swivel Mushroom Stool, Gray Chenille, 1960's
Located in Hanover, MA
Space Age West German 1960’s stool or ottoman with an upholstered domed mushroom cap seat in gray chenille that swivels on a plastic tulip form base. Marked Lusch Erzeugnis on the u...
Upholstery, Plastic
Stool in wood, Sign Denmark, 1950
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
Stool / Sign: Denmark You want to live in the golden years, this is the stool that your project needs. We have specialized in the sale of Art Deco and Art Nouveau styles since 1982....
Wood
Stool in Wood, Country France, 1950
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
Stools. Material: iron and wood You want to live in the golden years, this is the stool that your project needs. We have specialized in the sale of Art Deco and Art Nouveau and Vin...
Iron
Wood Tripod Heart Stool, 1950s France
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Unique heart tripod stool made in France, circa 1950s. Substantial and chunky heart shaped seat with three sturdy club legs with faceted sides. Perfe...
Wood
$600
H 19.69 in W 14.57 in D 14.57 in
Tall Stool in Oak, Reupholstered in Lambswool, Danish Cabinetmaker, 1950s
By Flemming Lassen, Viggo Boesen
Located in Odense, DK
Danish modern tall stool in oak with curly legs, reupholstered seat in long haired lambswool. Made by a Danish Cabinetmaker in circa 1950s. A great object for the Scandinavian int...
Wool, Oak
$593 / item
H 15.75 in W 25.2 in D 14.97 in
Mid-Century Yellow-Gray Pattern Velvet Vintage Stool, Edmund Homa, 1960s
Located in 05-080 Hornowek, PL
Stool from the turn of the 1960s. The stool consist of an upholstered part, a seat and wooden legs narrowing downwards, characteristic of the 1960s style. Stool was designed by Ed...
Fabric, Velvet, Beech
Iconic Eero Aarnio Small Black Mushroom Stool
By Eero Aarnio
Located in New York, NY
He mushroom is one of Eero’s oldest designs and in its fibreglass form is part of the same design family that includes the ball chair, Pastil and Tomato. It can be used as a stool or...
Fiberglass
$4,035 / set
H 17.33 in W 19.69 in D 19.69 in
Scandinavian Modern Triangular Stools in Blue Floral Tapestry, 1950s
Located in Odense, DK
Pair of triangular stools made by a Danish cabinetmaker in the 1950s. The stools are made of an elegant curved wooden frame, that has been reupholster...
Tapestry, Oak
Leopard Vintage Stool, 1960s
Located in 05-080 Hornowek, PL
Stool from the turn of the 1960s and 1970s. Beautiful soft velvet leopard print upholstery. The stool consists of an upholstered part, a seat and wooden legs narrowing downwards, cha...
Velvet, Beech
Mini Heart Stool, Blue Velvet, Dark Wood, Europe
Located in 05-080 Hornowek, PL
Small stool called "Heart" with dark brown walnut stained beech legs and fully upholstered seat in beautiful velvet italian fabric. This stool can be customized to your specificatio...
Fabric, Jacquard, Beech
On Hold|$1,580 / set
H 14.18 in Dm 16.54 in
Pair of Danish Mid-Century Oak Stools with Shearling Lambswool Upholstery, 1950s
By Viggo Boesen, Henning Kjærnulf, Flemming Lassen
Located in Odense, DK
This elegant pair of stools is a refined example of Danish Modern design, crafted by a skilled Danish cabinetmaker in the 1950s. Each stool features a distinctive hexagonal seat and ...
Lambskin, Sheepskin, Wool, Oak
19th Century Oriental Carved Wood Stool
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A wonderfully stylish 19th century Oriental style stool, with pierced fretwork decoration to the frieze, stuff over upholstered seat, raised on classical carved cabriole legs with my...
Mahogany
Burgundy Vintage Stool, 1960s
Located in 05-080 Hornowek, PL
Stool from the turn of the 1960s and 1970s. Beautiful soft velvet burgundy upholstery. The stool consists of an upholstered part, a seat and wooden legs narrowing downwards, characte...
Leopard Vintage Stool, 1960s
Located in 05-080 Hornowek, PL
Stool from the turn of the 1960s and 1970s. Beautiful soft velvet leopard print upholstery. The stool consists of an upholstered part, a seat and wooden legs narrowing downwards, cha...
Velvet
1960’s ‘Balloon Chair’ - Lusch & Co., Germany
By Lusch Erzeugnis, Lusch & Co
Located in Bern, CH
1960’s ‘Balloon Chair’ designed by Lusch Erzeugni and produced by Lusch & Co., Germany. Tubular enameled metal base with laced sling suede leather seat pad.
Metal
Chrome Maroon bouclé Stools Space Age Midcentury Vintage Retro, 1970s
Located in London, GB
A pair of amazing low-slung stools, in a bold chrome mushroom shape and topped with a bouclé seat. The bouclé is from the prestigious Isle Mill, and is made from organic wool, colour...
Stainless Steel, Chrome, Iron
Sold
H 38.19 in W 17.72 in D 16.54 in
Pair of 1970s chrome spaghetti bar stools by Giandomenico Belotti for Alias
By Alias, Giandomenico Belotti
Located in München, DE
Two rare original 1970s Spaghetti bar stools with chrome frames. Design by Giandomenico Belotti for Alias. Made in Italy. Beautiful minimalist Ita...
Metal, Chrome
Pair of White Lacquered Plywood Stools by Opal Germany, 1960s
Located in Vienna, AT
Charming white lacquered plywood circular stools. They are produced in Germany by Opal Kleinmöbel in the late 1960s and show the original manufacturers...
Fabric, Plywood