Brazilian Seating
More often than not, vintage mid-century Brazilian furniture designs, with their gleaming wood, soft leathers and inviting shapes, share a sensuous, unique quality that distinguishes them from the more rectilinear output of American and Scandinavian makers of the same era.
Commencing in the 1940s and '50s, a group of architects and designers transformed the local cultural landscape in Brazil, merging the modernist vernacular popular in Europe and the United States with the South American country's traditional techniques and indigenous materials.
Key mid-century influencers on Brazilian furniture design include natives Oscar Niemeyer, Sergio Rodrigues and José Zanine Caldas as well as such European immigrants as Joaquim Tenreiro, Jean Gillon and Jorge Zalszupin. These creators frequently collaborated; for instance, Niemeyer, an internationally acclaimed architect, commissioned many of them to furnish his residential and institutional buildings.
The popularity of Brazilian modern furniture has made household names of these designers and other greats. Their particular brand of modernism is characterized by an émigré point of view (some were Lithuanian, German, Polish, Ukrainian, Portuguese, and Italian), a preference for highly figured indigenous Brazilian woods, a reverence for nature as an inspiration and an atelier or small-production mentality.
Hallmarks of Brazilian mid-century design include smooth, sculptural forms and the use of native woods like rosewood, jacaranda and pequi. The work of designers today exhibits many of the same qualities, though with a marked interest in exploring new materials (witness the Campana Brothers' stuffed-animal chairs) and an emphasis on looking inward rather than to other countries for inspiration.
Find a collection of vintage Brazilian furniture on 1stDibs that includes chairs, sofas, tables and more.
1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Brazilian Seating
Stainless Steel
2010s Modern Brazilian Seating
Upholstery, Teak, Fabric
1950s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Brazilian Seating
Leather
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Brazilian Seating
Leather, Hardwood
2010s Post-Modern Brazilian Seating
Leather, Textile, Upholstery, Faux Leather, Cane, Hardwood, Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Brazilian Seating
Fabric, Hardwood
2010s Modern Brazilian Seating
Upholstery, Walnut, Fabric, Teak
2010s Modern Brazilian Seating
Upholstery, Teak, Fabric
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Brazilian Seating
Leather, Fabric, Wood
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Brazilian Seating
Cane, Rosewood
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Brazilian Seating
Leather
1950s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Brazilian Seating
Wood, Mohair
2010s Modern Brazilian Seating
Leather, Textile, Upholstery, Fiberglass, Hardwood
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Brazilian Seating
Steel
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Brazilian Seating
Straw, Laminate, Hardwood
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Brazilian Seating
Bouclé
2010s Modern Brazilian Seating
Upholstery, Fabric, Teak
Late 19th Century Neoclassical Revival Antique Brazilian Seating
Wood
2010s Modern Brazilian Seating
Leather, Upholstery, Walnut, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Brazilian Seating
Bouclé
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Brazilian Seating
Cement
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Brazilian Seating
Bouclé
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Brazilian Seating
Rope, Hardwood
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Brazilian Seating
Leather, Rosewood
2010s Brazilian Seating
Steel
1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Brazilian Seating
Aluminum
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Brazilian Seating
Fabric, Upholstery
1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Brazilian Seating
Leather, Rosewood
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Brazilian Seating
Leather, Hardwood
2010s Brazilian Seating
Linen, Hardwood
1940s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Brazilian Seating
Leather, Rosewood
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Seating
Natural Fiber
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Brazilian Seating
Cane, Rosewood
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Brazilian Seating
Chrome
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Brazilian Seating
Wood, Pine, Reclaimed Wood
2010s International Style Brazilian Seating
Wood, Plywood
2010s Modern Brazilian Seating
Teak, Upholstery, Fabric
2010s Minimalist Brazilian Seating
Hardwood, Plywood
2010s Brazilian Seating
Wool, Foam, Plywood
1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Brazilian Seating
Leather, Rosewood
2010s Modern Brazilian Seating
Fabric, Upholstery
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Brazilian Seating
Chrome
1950s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Brazilian Seating
Wood, Silk
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Brazilian Seating
Upholstery, Rosewood
1950s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Brazilian Seating
Leather, Wood
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Brazilian Seating
Metal
1980s Post-Modern Vintage Brazilian Seating
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Brazilian Seating
Bouclé
2010s Modern Brazilian Seating
Upholstery, Hardwood, Fabric
1970s Post-Modern Vintage Brazilian Seating
Hardwood
2010s Brazilian Seating
Wool, Foam, Plywood
1950s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Brazilian Seating
Cane, Rosewood
2010s Minimalist Brazilian Seating
Metal
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Brazilian Seating
Wood
1950s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Brazilian Seating
Leather, Imbuia
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Brazilian Seating
Hardwood, Linen
2010s Brazilian Seating
Fabric
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Brazilian Seating
Textile, Wood, Fabric
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Brazilian Seating
Aluminum
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Brazilian Seating
Metal
Read More
All the Furniture in This Organic Modern Soho Loft Can Be Yours
Andrianna Shamaris has filled her epic new home with pieces of her own design.
20 Inviting Dining Rooms Perfectly Arranged for Entertaining
Top interior designers show — and tell — us how to create delectable spaces for hosting dinner parties.
Nobody Puts This Sunny Sofa in a Corner
With its plush cushions, cane details and dazzlingly colorful back, it’s inviting from every angle.
The 21 Most Popular Mid-Century Modern Chairs
You know the designs, now get the stories about how they came to be.
Fred Rigby’s Modular Seating Can Be Configured in So Many Handy Ways
The plush Cove Slipper 2.5 Seater sofa is just one of many convenient combinations from the London-based maker.
This Chubby-Chic Quilted Stool Stands on Its Own Two Feet
Sam Klemick's cool stool is edgy, cozy and environmentally sustainable all at once.
Is Lionel Jadot the Willy Wonka of Upcycled Belgian Design?
From his massive collaborative workshop in a former paper factory, the designer concocts funky furniture from disused materials, as well as luxe hotel interiors like the new Mix Brussels.
Rock Your Cares Away on This Sunny Hand-Crocheted Swing
The boho-chic Enchanted Forest Swing, handmade by marginalized women from Turkey and Syria, is uplifting in every way.