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Mid-Century Modern Stools

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

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 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.

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Style: Mid-Century Modern
Period: 21st Century and Contemporary
DOOQ Mid-Century Modern Counter Chair Alma with Brown Velvet, Walnut and Brass
By DOOQ
Located in Lisbon, PT
DOOQ Mid-Century Modern Counter Chair Alma with Brown Velvet, Walnut and Brass In a piece that combines classic and modern aesthetics we can find a certain harmonic gracefulness paired with an intimate voluptuousness that can embrace you and surprisingly break the frontiers of sophistication and elegance, with a rich Cotton Velvet finish. On another note, Alma Counter Chair...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Brass

Roberts Bar Stool with Wood Inlay Walnut Orange
Located in Cincinnati, US
This sleek stool has a thin carved wooden seat that rests on a steel tubing base. The elegant seat is curved for seamless comfort while displaying a stunning intersecting diagonal ac...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Steel

Madison Bar Stool Maple Navy
Located in Cincinnati, US
A well-designed piece of furniture blurs the line between functionality and art. The Madison stool is a geometrical masterpiece testing the boundary of what we think is possible with...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Steel

Roberts Counter Stool with Wood Inlay Maple Mustard
Located in Cincinnati, US
This sleek stool has a thin carved wooden seat that rests on a steel tubing base. The elegant seat is curved for seamless comfort while displaying a stunning intersecting diagonal ac...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Steel

Roberts Counter Stool with Wood Inlay Walnut Navy
Located in Cincinnati, US
This sleek stool has a thin carved wooden seat that rests on a steel tubing base. The elegant seat is curved for seamless comfort while displaying a stunning intersecting diagonal ac...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Steel

Roberts Bar Stool with Wood Inlay Walnut Mustard
Located in Cincinnati, US
This sleek stool has a thin carved wooden seat that rests on a steel tubing base. The elegant seat is curved for seamless comfort while displaying a stunning intersecting diagonal ac...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Steel

Roberts Bar Stool with Wood Inlay Maple Orange
Located in Cincinnati, US
This sleek stool has a thin carved wooden seat that rests on a steel tubing base. The elegant seat is curved for seamless comfort while displaying a stunning intersecting diagonal ac...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Steel

Roberts Bar Stool Maple Rose Copper
Located in Cincinnati, US
This sleek stool has a thin carved wooden seat that rests on a steel tubing base. The elegant seat is curved for seamless comfort while displaying a stunning intersecting diagonal ac...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Steel

Poul Kjærholm Chair Model Pk8 Leather
Located in Berkeley, CA
For many years, The PK8 existed only as a prototype in the home of Hanne Kjærholm, the wife of Poul Kjærholm. The PK8 was put into production in close collaborati...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Oak

Poul Kjærholm Chair Model Pk91 Stool
Located in Berkeley, CA
The PK91 folding stool designed by Poul Kjærholm epitomizes his ongoing adaption of historical furniture categories into his oeuvre and arsenal of expressions. The designer’s method ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Oak

Roberts Bar Stool with Wood Inlay Maple Green
Located in Cincinnati, US
This sleek stool has a thin carved wooden seat that rests on a steel tubing base. The elegant seat is curved for seamless comfort while displaying a stunning intersecting diagonal ac...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Steel

Arne Jacobsen Lancome Stool
Located in Rochester, NY
Lancome makeup stool for department store make up counters. Designed by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen. Bent plywood seat.
Category

Early 2000s Danish Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Chrome

Space Copenhagen Spine Stool (Backless)
Located in Berkeley, CA
Space copenhagen spine stool (backless) In 2014, Space Copenhagen built onto the Spine series with the backless barstool Spine Stool. The stool is av...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Oak

Madison Hairpin Counter Stool Maple White
Located in Cincinnati, US
A well-designed piece of furniture blurs the line between functionality and art. The Madison stool is a geometrical masterpiece testing the boundary of what we think is possible with...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Steel

Madison Hairpin Counter Stool Maple Blood Red
Located in Cincinnati, US
A well-designed piece of furniture blurs the line between functionality and art. The Madison stool is a geometrical masterpiece testing the boundary of what we think is possible with...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Steel

Madison Bar Stool Walnut White
Located in Cincinnati, US
A well-designed piece of furniture blurs the line between functionality and art. The Madison stool is a geometrical masterpiece testing the boundary of what we think is possible with...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Steel

Roberts Bar Stool with Wood Inlay Walnut Green
Located in Cincinnati, US
This sleek stool has a thin carved wooden seat that rests on a steel tubing base. The elegant seat is curved for seamless comfort while displaying a stunning intersecting diagonal ac...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Steel

Upholstered Cushioned Stool / Ottoman in Velvet Linen or Leather by Filipe Ramos
Located in Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo
The Linha collection was designed from the top to bottom. The first piece of this collection is the planter pedestal. One of the other pieces in this collection is this upholstered s...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Steel

Barstool, 31", Cantilever, Black Danish Cord, Walnut, Mid Century, Semigood
Located in Issaquah, WA
This listing is for a 31" H Walnut with Black Danish Cord Rian Cantilever Barstool. Can be made with any domestic or exotic hardwood of your choosi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Cord, Hardwood

Scout Counter Stool in Walnut and Satin Brass by Steven Bukowski
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The scout stool has a slim design, allowing it to be tucked into small spaces with a minimal footprint. Shown in natural walnut and brass. Domestic hardwood species available include white oak...
Category

2010s American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Brass

Roberts Bar Stool Walnut Rose Copper
Located in Cincinnati, US
This sleek stool has a thin carved wooden seat that rests on a steel tubing base. The elegant seat is curved for seamless comfort while displaying a stunning intersecting diagonal ac...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Steel

Roberts Bar Stool Maple Prairie Green
Located in Cincinnati, US
This sleek stool has a thin carved wooden seat that rests on a steel tubing base. The elegant seat is curved for seamless comfort while displaying a stunning intersecting diagonal ac...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Steel

Roberts Bar Stool Walnut Pink
Located in Cincinnati, US
This sleek stool has a thin carved wooden seat that rests on a steel tubing base. The elegant seat is curved for seamless comfort while displaying a stunning intersecting diagonal ac...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Steel

Roberts Bar Stool with Wood Inlay Maple Gray
Located in Cincinnati, US
This sleek stool has a thin carved wooden seat that rests on a steel tubing base. The elegant seat is curved for seamless comfort while displaying a stunning intersecting diagonal ac...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Steel

Thau + Kallio Yksi Barstool
Located in Berkeley, CA
The Thau + Kallio Yksi barstool stands strong yet appears light with its signature Y-shaped legs positioned upside-down. Crafted from solid oak and availab...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Oak

Mid-Century Modern Rian Cantilever Barstool, Woven Danish Cord Seat Deck
Located in Issaquah, WA
Rian Cantilever Barstool, please specify height when ordering: 24", 25", 26" H Hardwood and woven danish cord come together in this one of a kind ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Cord, Hardwood

Woven Leather Counter Stool in Ebonized Ash and Cream Leather by Mel Smilow
Located in New York, NY
Originally designed by Mel Smilow in 1956 and officially reintroduced by his daughter Judy Smilow in 2017, the woven leather counter stool ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Leather, Ash

Barstool with Black Leather Seat and Walnut Frame, Bensen
Located in Tulsa, OK
Torii barstool with walnut frame and midnight blue B leather seat. This barstool is a simple yet sophisticated design with an arched back rest. The minimal lines and simple construct...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Leather, Wood

DOOQ Mid-Century Modern Counter Chair Alma with Dark Brown Velvet, Walnut Wood
By DOOQ
Located in Lisbon, PT
DOOQ Mid-Century Modern Counter Chair Alma with Dark Brown Velvet, Walnut Wood In a piece that combines classic and modern aesthetics we can find a certain harmonic gracefulness paired with an intimate voluptuousness that can embrace you and surprisingly break the frontiers of sophistication and elegance, with a rich Cotton Velvet finish. On another note, Alma Counter Chair...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Brass

CC Stool in Natural Walnut, solid wood frame and curved seat, H44 cm, D40 cm
Located in Ljubljana, SI
The CC Stool is similar in design and finish to the CC Table and is a perfect match. Ideal for occasional seating, this item is an elaborate take on a wooden ...
Category

2010s Slovenian Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Walnut

Flora Counter Stool in Brown Leather and Black Steel by Steven Bukowski
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Flora bar stool is composed of just three pieces of steel: an L-shaped back piece that touches the floor and rises up again at an angle to create a...
Category

2010s American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Steel

Space Copenhagen Spine Bar/Counter Stool 'w/ Back', Metal Base
Located in Berkeley, CA
Space Copenhagen spine bar/counter stool (w/ back), metal base a clean and modern visual language characterizes the Spine collection, and this latest addition of a metal base strengt...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Oak

Mid-Century Modern Style Brass and Goat Fur Italian Stools
Located in Ibiza, Spain
Modern circular Italian bar stool, made of polished brass structure with bottom footrest ring and upholstered in black Mongolian goat fur.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Brass

Poul Kjærholm Chair Model Pk33 Leather Stool
Located in Berkeley, CA
The three-legged stool PK33 epitomizes Poul Kjærholm’s use of assembly techniques, his exploration of materials and his simplification of structure into a type-form. The stool draws ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Oak

Flora Counter Stool in Brown Leather and Bronzed Steel by Steven Bukowski
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Flora bar stool is composed of just three pieces of steel: an L-shaped back piece that touches the floor and rises up again at an angle to create a...
Category

2010s American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Steel

Woven Leather Backed Bar Stool in Walnut and Tan Leather by Mel Smilow
Located in New York, NY
Originally designed by Mel Smilow in 1956 and officially reintroduced by his daughter Judy Smilow in 2016, the Woven Leather Backed Counter stool...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Leather, Walnut

Space Copenhagen Spine Stool 'Backless', Metal Base
Located in Berkeley, CA
Space Copenhagen spine stool ‘backless’, metal base a clean and modern visual language characterizes the Spine collection, and this latest addition of a metal base strengthens the st...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Oak

Space Copenhagen Spine Stool (Low) – Metal Base
Located in Berkeley, CA
Space copenhagen spine stool (Low) – Metal Base A clean and modern visual language characterises the Spine collection, and this latest addition of a metal base strengthens the stunni...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Oak

Barstool, 26", Cantilever, Black Danish Cord, Walnut, Mid Century, Semigood
Located in Issaquah, WA
Midcentury inspired walnut and black Danish cord Rian cantilever barstool. Can be made with any domestic or exotic hardwood of your choosing. Danish cord comes in three colors: Kraft...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Cord, Hardwood

Barstool, 25", Cantilever, Black Danish Cord, Walnut, Mid Century, Semigood
Located in Issaquah, WA
Midcentury inspired walnut and black Danish cord Rian cantilever barstool. Can be made with any domestic or exotic hardwood of your choosing. Danis...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Cord, Hardwood

Black and Copper Metal Bar Stool with Custom Hand-Painted Upholstery
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Powder coated metal stool featuring true copper or brass support rod. Made in Los Angeles, California. Stool shown in Black powder coated me...
Category

2010s American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Copper, Brass, Steel

Hans Sandgren Jakobsen Gallery Stool
Located in Berkeley, CA
Hans Sandgren Jakobsen The Gallery stool was a major design breakthrough when it was launched in 1998. With striking simplicity, the properties of moulded plywood are pushed to the m...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Oak

Scout Counter Stool in Cerused White Oak and Satin Brass by Steven Bukowski
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The scout stool has a slim design, allowing it to be tucked into small spaces with a minimal footprint. Shown in Cerused white oak and satin brass. Domestic hardwood species avail...
Category

2010s American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Brass

Pair Bar Stool, Black Smoke Metal and Navy Blue Leather, Contemporary Style
Located in Alcoy, Alicante
The Hug contemporary barstool is designed and conceived with a light aesthetic, the slight oscillation of the steel rod of 12 mm is complemented by the flexibility of the double 3.5 ...
Category

2010s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Steel

Modern Handcrafted Modern Stool by Vincent Vincent
Located in Lyon, FR
We are pleased to present our new collaboration with Vincent cabinetmaker. Sculptural design, comfy and robust, each piece is unique. Entirely handcrafted by Vincent in his own warehouse. Every pieces are assembled by traditional Tenon mortise...
Category

2010s French Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Wood

Stool in White Oak Burl by Michael Rozell, USA, 2021
Located in Berlin, DE
Stool completely made out of white oak burl.
Category

2010s American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Oak

Contemporary Circular Cotton Jacquard and Brass Pair of Italian Poufs
Located in Madrid, ES
Contemporary circular Italian poufs. Made of solid wood structure, upholstered in cotton pattern fabric model “Short-Cuts” edited by Dedar, and brass base. Made in Italy. Every item...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Brass

Italian Mid-Century Modern Square Black Lacquered Iron Lime Cotton Velvet Stool
Located in Madrid, ES
Modern square Italian stool. Made of black lacquered iron structure finished in brass details legs. Square seat made of solid wood upholstered in lime green plain cotton velvet. Eve...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Brass, Iron

Mid-Century Modern Bar Chair w/ Dark Green Cotton Velvet, Walnut Wood and Brass
By DOOQ
Located in Lisbon, PT
In a piece that combines classic and modern aesthetics we can find a certain harmonic gracefulness paired with an intimate voluptuousness that can embrace you and surprisingly break ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Brass

Set of 3 Contemporary Sculptural Bar Stool, Aged Brass Metal & Navy Blue Leather
Located in Alcoy, Alicante
The Hug contemporary barstool is designed and conceived with a light aesthetic, the slight oscillation of the steel rod of 12 mm is complemented by the flexibility of the double 3.5 ...
Category

2010s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Steel

Barstool, 24", Cantilever, Black Danish Cord, Walnut, Mid Century, Semigood
Located in Issaquah, WA
Mid-century inspired Walnut and Black Danish Cord Rian Cantilever Barstool. Can be made with any domestic or exotic hardwood of your choosing. Dani...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Cord, Hardwood

Ebonized Oak, Black Leather, and Copper Wood High Stool
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Handcrafted solid wood construction, featuring true copper or brass rods. Made in Los Angeles, California. Shown in walnut, copper and teal felt upholstery. Wood type is avai...
Category

2010s American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Copper, Brass

Woven Leather Backed Counter Stool in Walnut and Tan Leather by Mel Smilow
Located in New York, NY
Originally designed by Mel Smilow in 1956 and officially reintroduced by his daughter Judy Smilow in 2016, the woven leather backed counter stool...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Leather, Walnut

Classic Contemporary Bar Stool Silver Aged Steel & Black Leather
Located in Alcoy, Alicante
The Wanderlust contemporary barstool belongs to a collection of minimalist and serene pieces where exclusivity and precision are shown in small details such as the hand-turned metal ...
Category

2010s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Steel

Set of 3 Contemporary Kitchen Counter Bar Stool Brass Metal & Black Leather
Located in Alcoy, Alicante
The Hug contemporary counter stool is designed and conceived with a light aesthetic, the slight oscillation of the steel rod of 12 mm is complemented by the flexibility of the double...
Category

2010s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Steel

Barstool, 29", Cantilever, Black Danish Cord, Walnut, Mid Century, Semigood
Located in Issaquah, WA
This listing is for a 29"H Walnut with Black Danish Cord Rian Cantilever Barstool. Can be made with any domestic or exotic hardwood of your choosi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Cord, Hardwood

Flora Bar Stool in Black Leather and Black Steel by Steven Bukowski
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The flora bar stool is composed of just three pieces of steel: an L-shaped back piece that touches the floor and rises up again at an angle to create a...
Category

2010s American Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Steel

Mid-Century Modern Counter Chair with Celadon Velvet and Polished Brass Odisseia
By DOOQ
Located in Lisbon, PT
Odisseia counter chair embodies the aesthetic spirit of the space age, a new kind of discreet luxury and comfort inspired by a futuristic era created by new visual experiences and co...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Stools

Materials

Brass

Mid-century Modern stools for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Mid-Century Modern stools for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage stools created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include seating, tables, building and garden elements and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Mid-Century Modern stools made in a specific country, there are Europe, North America, and United States pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original stools, popular names associated with this style include Charlotte Perriand, Lawson-Fenning, Knoll, and Cassina. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for stools differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $132 and tops out at $133,498 while the average work can sell for $1,746.

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