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
CHARACTERISTICS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW
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 celebrated 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.
Generations turn over, and mid-century modern remains arguably the most popular style going. 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.
$8,450 / item
Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno 'D70' Sofas
By Osvaldo Borsani, Tecno
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, sofas, model, 'D70', steel, brass, fabric, Italy, 1954 A sofa that transforms into a daybed designed by Osvaldo Borsani in 1954. Extraordinary elegance in...
Brass, Steel
Rare Mid Century Modern Cube Leather sofa by Percival Lafer Brazil 1970
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Rare Amazing Mid Century Modern Cube Leather sofa Designed by Percival Lafer Made in Brazil. Cube designed Shaped 3 seat fully upholstered Burnt saffron yellow color Soft leather sof...
Leather, Wood
$24,866 / item
Patricia Urquiola Beam Sofa System For Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Patricia Urquiola Beam Sofa System For Cassina An innovative upholstered seating system, supported by a beam that allows sectional elements to be combined i...
Foam
Modernistic Rivaro Sofa with Beige Upholstery And Dark Wood
Located in Freamunde, PT
Rivaro is a refined piece of contemporary design that blends modern minimalism with organic curves. Its uniqueness lies in the sculptural quality of its form — soft, rounded edges co...
Brass
1960s One-Owner Florence Knoll Model 1206 Three-Seat Sofa - For Reupholstery
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in St. Louis, MO
An exceptional mid-century modern design icon: the Model 1206 Three-Seat Sofa, designed by the legendary Florence Knoll in 1954 and manufactured by Knoll Associates circa 1960s. Thi...
Metal, Chrome
Edward Wormley for Dunbar Sofa M#261 with Original Jack Lenor Larsen Upholstery
By Dunbar Furniture, Edward Wormley, Jack Lenor Larsen
Located in St. Louis, MO
Classic mid-century modern sofa designed by Edward Wormley from his 1958 Dunbar - Conversation Pieces Collection, this sofa model #261 still has its original Jack Lenor Larsen colorf...
Brass
Charlotte Perriand LC35 Maison Du Brésil Daybed by Cassina
By Charlotte Perriand, Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Daybed designed by Charlotte Perriand in 1959. Relaunched in 2018. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. This daybed is part of a faithful reproduction of a student room in the Maison du Brésil...
Wood
Patricia Urquiola ''Trampoline' Outdoor Sofa, Steel, Rope and Fabric by Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Outdoor sofa designed by Patricia Urquiola in 2020. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. Patricia Urquiola interprets the happiness of life outdoors with a collection full of playful...
Steel
5 Piece Sofa Set for Reupholstering, Manufactured by Isa Bergamo in the 1950s
By ISA Bergamo
Located in Wolfurt, AT
The sofa set was designed and manufactured by ISA Bergamo in the 1950s. The set with gold lacquered cast aluminum legs consists of a curved sofa, two armchairs, and two smaller side chairs...
Aluminum
$1,114Sale Price|78% Off
Mid-Century Red Curved Sofa 1950s Italian Design Wood Feet
Located in Palermo, Sicily
Mid-century red curved sofa 1950s Italian design wood feet, restored.
Wool, Wood
Horseshoe Sofa by Jules Heumann for Metropolitan
By Metropolitan, Jules Heumann
Located in Chicago, IL
c. 1970s. USA. Reupholstered in nubby white fabric
Fabric, Wood
American Designer, Sofa, Birch, Fabric, USA, 1950s
Located in High Point, NC
A birch and beige fabric sofa designed and produced in the US, c. 1950s. Reupholstered in a brand new fabric. Dimensions: 31” H x 78.5” W x 33” D Seat Height: 20” All items ship ...
Fabric, Birch
Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen Minerva Daybed Sofa France and Sons Denmark
By Peter Hvidt
Located in Lake Worth, FL
Vintage Rare Extra Long Danish modern Minerva Daybed Sofa. Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen for John Stuart circa 1960's. Beautiful sleek Mid Century Design. Rare extra long size...
Teak
Mid Century Danish Brown Leather & Rosewood Sofa
By Galvano
Located in Las Vegas, NV
Simple Mid Century Danish Sofa with an executive sort of feel. Manufactured by Soda Gavano Sofa is dark chocolate leather with a rosewood base. Sofa is well loved. Leather shows ...
Leather, Rosewood
Danish Banana Form Curved Sofa or Loveseat Early 1950s
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Beautiful and very elegant 1940s curved two-seat sofa from the 1940s. Often called banana sofas by the Danes due to the curved shape. This sofa has slightly more straight backrest an...
Brass
Finnish Designer, Sofa, Birch, Fabric, Metal, Finland, 1930s
Located in High Point, NC
A birch, off-white fabric and metal sofa designed in Finland, 1930s. Seat Height (inches): 16” Arm Height (inches): 23.56" All items ship from High Point, North Carolina.
Metal
Danish Mid-Century Two Seater Banana Sofa with Floral Fabric, 1950s.
Located in Asaa, DK
Danish Mid-Century Two Seater Banana Sofa with Floral Fabric, 1950s. Scandinavian Mid-Century Modern banana shaped sofa with curved armrests, made by Danish cabinetmaker in the earl...
Fabric
Mid Century Italian Curved Sofa in Cotton Velvet, 1950s
Located in London, London
Italian Curved Sofa in Cotton Velvet, 1950s A beautifully proportioned Italian sofa dating from the 1950s, distinguished by its elegant sculptural form and refined organic lines. Th...
Velvet
American Designer, Curved Sofa, Iron, Velvet, USA, 1950s
Located in High Point, NC
A curved black-painted iron and green velvet sofa designed and produced in the US, c. 1950s. Reupholstered in brand new velvet. Size of individual section: 30” H x 63” W x 37.5” D ...
Iron
Le Bambole cotton bouclè upholstery sofa by Bellini for B&B Italy 1972 modern
Located in Arezzo, Italy
Le Bambole 3 seater sofa designed by Mario Bellini for C&b Italia , Polyurethane structure, bouclè cotton fabric, restored. Excellent conditions, the Bambole series won the Compa...
Fabric, Rubber
Arne Norell for Westbergs Möbler 'Divina' Sofa
By Arne Norell
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Arne Norell for Westbergs Möbler, 'Divina' sofa, fabric, stained beech, Sweden, late 1950s This 'Divina' sofa is designed by Swedish designer Arne Norell. The seat is characterized ...
Fabric, Beech
Brazilian Modern Sofa in Imbuia Wood & Champagne Camel Mohair, Cimo, 1950s
By Moveis Cimo
Located in New York, NY
An exceptional example of Brazilian Modernism from the 1950s, this sculptural sofa by Cimo embodies the restrained elegance, refined craftsmanship, and architectural clarity that def...
Imbuia, Mohair
Curved Banana Shape Loveseat or Sofa in Floral Wool, Denmark 1940s
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Viggo Boesen style banana shaped or curved Loveseat made in Denmark, around late 1930s or early 1940s. This small sofa will make a strong statement in any room. Beautiful round volup...
Wool, Beech
Viggo Boesen, Sofa, Bamboo, Rattan, Fabric, Denmark, 1950s
By Viggo Boesen
Located in High Point, NC
A bamboo, rattan and blue floral-printed fabric sofa or settee designed by Viggo Boesen and produced by R. Wengler, Denmark, c. 1950s. Wicker wrappi...
Fabric, Bamboo, Rattan
Italian Designer, Sofa, Wood, Fabric, Italy, 1950s
Located in High Point, NC
A wood and floral fabric sofa or settee designed and produced in Italy, c. 1950s. Moderate wear to wood consistent with age and use. Vintage fabri...
Fabric, Wood
Mid-Century Modern Curved or Circular Modular Serpentine Sofa
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A six piece modular sofa circa 1970's. These feature their original burnt orange wool fabric. In usable condition but would look great with updated fabric. We have 2 matching sofas...
Fabric
Midcentury James Mont Style Lacquered Gondola Sofa
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Fantastic mid-century modern upholstered gondola sofa made in the style and manner of James Mont. The chic sofa features a gondola sled inspired wood frame with an ebonized black lac...
Fabric, Wood
Maralunga sofa in alcantara original fabric vico magistretti cassina
Located in Ghedi, IT
Iconico divano Maralunga 3 posti disegnato da Vico Magistretti per Cassina (marchio originale, completo di targhetta).Rivestimento in Alcantara ruggine di grande effetto, un colore c...
Velvet
Togo Sofa by Michel Ducaroy for Ligne Roset, Customised in Green Corduroy
Located in PARIS, FR
When French designer Michel Ducaroy presented the Togo to Ligne Roset in 1973, he described it as "a tube of toothpaste folded back on itself." A graduate of the École des Beaux-Arts...
Fabric, Foam
Christian Liaigre "Augustin" Sofa in Linen and Charcoal Mohair Back Pillow
Located in New Orleans, LA
The Christian Liaigre "Augustin" Sofa embodies the refined simplicity and effortless luxury that define Liaigre's iconic aesthetic. Upholstered in beautiful oyster Belgian Linen with...
Mohair, Linen
Sergio Rodrigues Mole Sheriff Sofa, Jacaranda Rosewood, Leather, 1960's
By ISA Bergamo, Sergio Rodrigues
Located in Culver City, CA
This sofa is absolutely stunning! It’s one of those rare pieces that looks just as beautiful—if not more beautiful—from the back as it does from the front. It floats effortlessly in ...
Leather, Jacaranda
Gio Ponti for ISA Bergamo Three-Seat Sofa with Gilt Metal Legs, Italy 1950s, COM
By ISA Bergamo, Gio Ponti
Located in New York, NY
Gio Ponti for ISA Bergamo elegant and sculptural three-seat sofa with gilt metal legs, Italy, 1950s. The sofa will be fully restored and ready for upholstery in the customer’s own ma...
Metal
$20,055 / item
Patricia Urquiola ''Trampoline' Outdoor Sofa by Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Outdoor sofa designed by Patricia Urquiola in 2020. Manufactured by Cassina in Italy. Patricia Urquiola interprets the happiness of outdoor life with a high-impact product inspired by the little trampolines found in the gardens of homes in Greenland. Trampoline is a striking and elegant love bed...
Steel
$2,812Sale Price|50% Off
Gio Ponti N. 512 Mid-Century Modern Italian Sofa for ISA, 1950s
By Gio Ponti, ISA Bergamo
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Elegant and splendid three-seater sofa with high backrest by Gio Ponti, 1950s, for ISA Edizioni, Bergamo, model N. 512. Carved profile, refined lines, sensual and deep comfort. The u...
Beech, Fabric
$26,800Sale Price|21% Off
'Mole' Brazilian Rosewood Sofa by Sergio Rodrigues for OCA Brazil, 1960s, Signed
By Sergio Rodrigues, OCA Brazil
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A rare signed example of the 'Mole' sofa by Sergio Rodrigues, produced by OCA Brazil in the 1960s (see image gallery for a photo of the OCA stamp). This Mole sofa has an expansive am...
Rosewood, Leather
$32,295 / item
Patricia Urquiola Bowl Sofa For Cassina
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Patricia Urquiola Bowl Sofa For Cassina The soft, welcoming lines of this sofa spell comfort and flexibility. Circular, semi-circular and rectangular shapes alternate to create a dynamic interplay of contours and a graphic silhouette. A sectional floor sofa...
Formica
$3,749Sale Price|20% Off
1960's Midcentury Modern Design Boucle Wool 3 Seat Sofa
Located in Oud-Turnhout, VAN
Vintage Midcentury Modern Belgian Design Boucle Wool 3 Seat Sofa. Made in Belgium, 1960's period. This is custom / bespoke made by a Belgian furniture maker for the previous owners t...
Bouclé
Pair of leather Loto sofas by Luigi Massoni for Poltrona Frau, Italy, 1976
Located in VILLEURBANNE, FR
Pair of model 973 sofas, known as Loto, designed by Luigi Massoni for Poltrona Frau in Italy in 1976. Fully upholstered in cognac calf leather, they feature low and deeply envelopi...
Leather
Lawson-Fenning San Rafael Sofa, Tweed & Solid Oak, Modern Couch
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The San Rafael Sofa is a generously proportioned sofa that excels in comfort. The plush wide-channel tufted cushions are tailored beautifully to interlock with the expertly crafted ...
Upholstery, Oak
Antonio Citterio Esosoft Sofa by Cassina, Mid-Century Modern Design
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Antonio Citterio Esosoft sofa. Manufactured by Cassina in Itlay. A living room system designed to define the domestic landscape in a fluid, flexible manner. This is Esosoft ? the first project by Antonio Citterio for Cassina ? a modular sofa that embodies the timeless elegance and style the Italian designer is known for and, at the same time, is an aspirational tribute to the art of the great masters and to the practice of visualizing furniture by detaching the structural part from its padded interior. In fact, Esosoft consists of an aluminium exoskeleton and a shell with an organic silhouette upon which soft cushions are placed. Past and future coexist in this shape ? reminiscent of the concept of casual comfort typical of the 1960s ? that benefits from cutting-edge production techniques, mindfully chosen to make the system circular and sustainable. Thanks to the work of Cassina LAB, materials like a polyurethane foam that contains a percentage of polyols deriving from biological sources and blown recycled PET fibre in the backrest cushions. The Esosoft collection comprises eight modules that can be used as individual sofas or combined to form corner arrangements, lending the utmost flexibility to the configuration of living spaces...
Fabric
Custom Made Classic Style Sofa In Rich Bronze Brown Velvet
Located in New York, NY
This luxurious sofa offers a modern interpretation of a classic design, distinguished by its deep, all-over button tufting across the back, arms, and front base. Upholstered in a ric...
Upholstery, Velvet, Wood
Brazilian Modern Sculptural Curved Sofa in Burnished Tobacco Mohair, 1950s
Located in New York, NY
A masterclass in organic Brazilian modernism, this exceptional sculptural sofa captures the fluid elegance that defined the country's most innovative furniture of the 1950s. Conceive...
Mohair, Caviuna
Percival Lafer Mid-Century Three-Seat Sofa in Black Leather, 1958
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Percival Later three seat sofa in black leather. This beautiful piece of Brazilian Mid century is in good vintage condition with minimal wear and scuffing throughout. The foam interi...
Steel
Mid-Century Danish Modern Sofa by Kurt Olsen Model 220 Papa Bear Style, 1960's
By Kurt Olsen, Slagelse Mobelvaerk
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Mid-Century Modern Scandinavian designed sofa by Kurt Olsen for Slagelse Mobelvaerk as Model 220. This iconic sofa has a slight curve to it ...
Wool
Lawson-Fenning Ojai Sofa, Solid Oak & Black Leather Cushion, Modern Couch
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The Ojai sofa features a solid white oak or solid walnut base and a single tufted leather cushion with leather straps. The Lawson-Fenning Collection is designed and handmade in Los...
Leather, Oak
Mauro Lipparini for Saporiti 'Ellypse' Sofa in Grey Upholstery
By Saporiti
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Mauro Lipparini for Saporiti, 'Ellypse' sofa, fabric, lacquered wood, chrome, Italy, 1970s Mauro Lipparini, an Italian designer, has created the 'Ellypse' sofa for Saporiti, which s...
Chrome
Modernist Diamond-Jacquard Sofa by Charles Pfister for Knoll, 1970s
By Knoll, Charles Pfister
Located in Winston-Salem, NC
A three-seat vintage sofa with clean, boxy lines and a tailored, tight profile- a hallmark of Pfister’s minimalist, architecturally-driven approach to lounge seating. Designed by Ch...
Upholstery
Vico Magistretti Maralunga 40 Maxi Sofa for Cassina, Italy - new
Located in Berlin, DE
The two-seater is available in 204cm or 214cm width. The three-seater is available in 300cm or 310cm width. The price of the sofa is dependent on the chosen fabric and size. The ic...
Leather, Fabric, Wood
Guillerme & Chambron Véronique Sofa in Oak and Orange Upholstery
By Guillerme et Chambron, Votre Maison
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Guillerme & Chambron for Votre Maison, sofa Véronique, fabric, oak, France, 1970s This sculptural carved oak two-seat sofa is designed by Guillerme and Chambron. The design duo is k...
Fabric, Oak
1960s Organic Modern Custom Sheepskin Sofa with Birch Legs
By Gio Ponti
Located in Dallas, TX
Striking and sculptural, this 1960s organic modern sofa embodies the expressive forms and tactile materials that defined avant-garde interior design of the period. The sofa features ...
Sheepskin
Selig Large 7-Piece Sectional or Modular Parsons Sofa Set, Mid-Century Modern
By Selig
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Designed and made in the USA, this 7-piece sectional sofa was produced by Selig in the early days of the company. Typically Selig is known today for importing Danish furniture and de...
Fabric
$2,997Sale Price|50% Off
Mid-Century Modern Scandinavian Banana Sofa by Kurt Olsen Model 220
By Kurt Olsen, Slagelse Mobelvaerk
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mid-Century Modern Scandinavian designed sofa by Kurt Olsen "Banana" sofa model 220. Manufactured by Slagelse Furnitureworks in Circa 1960. Original red wool fabric with Pirelli rubb...
Upholstery, Teak
$3,300Sale Price|40% Off
Mid Century Danish Modern 3 Seat 205 Sofa by Børge Mogensen Sofa Green
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mid century Danish modern 3 seat sofa by børge mogensen sofa. Great Scandinavian Modern Borge Mogensen model 205 low slung three-seat sofa. Manufactured by Frederica Stolefabrik in 1...
Upholstery, Wood
Adrian Pearsall for Craft Associates 2006-S Mid Century Walnut Sofa
By Craft Associates, Adrian Pearsall
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Adrian Pearsall for Craft Associates 2006-S Mid Century Walnut Sofa This sofa measures: 122.5 wide x 31 deep x 29.25 inches high, with a seat height of 16 inches Good Vintage Condi...
Upholstery, Walnut
Danish Midcentury Sofa Two-Tone Wool with Teak Legs and Wood Accents 1950s
By Kurt Olsen
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Very Classic and ultra cool Danish three-seat sofa epitomizing the 1950s and reminiscent of Kurt Olsen's design style. Built on a sturdy beech wood frame and raised on solid teak leg...
Wool, Teak
Drabert Lobbytop Leather Sofa by Otto Zapf, Black, Modern Design, 1970
This Lobbytop three-seater leather sofa is upholstered in soft, high-quality leather and is in very good condition. The black, smooth leather shows a slight patina on the seat cushio...
Leather
Mid-Century Modern Brazilian Rosewood and Leather Sofa, 1960s
Located in North Hollywood, CA
This exceptional mid-century sofa, crafted in Brazil during the 1960s, captures the warmth and character that define Brazilian modern design. Upholstered in beautifully aged distress...
Leather, Rosewood
$3,563Sale Price|57% Off
Mid Century Modern Sofa by Hartmut Lohmeyer for Wilkhahn, Teak and Cane, 1950s
Located in Rosendahl, DE
1950s sofa by Hartmut Lohmeyer for Wilkhahn. Filigree teak frame with a bast backrest. New upholstery with a coarse weave high quality fabric. Excellent condition with signs of age.
Wool, Rattan, Teak
$4,400 / item
Contemporary Madda Lounge Chair in Velvet
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The Madda is a contemporary interpretation of the Classic club chair. The metal base fully wraps around the chair, as if to squeeze it into its plump and comfortable upper seating ar...
Aluminum, Brass, Steel
Banana Shaped Curved Loveseat or Sofa Covered in Lambswool Denamrk 1940's
By Viggo Boesen, Slagelse Mobelvaerk
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Banana shaped Viggo Boesen style curved two-seat sofa or loveseat made in Denmark in the 1940s. This sofa will make a strong statement in any room despite its smaller size. Beautiful...
Wool, Beech