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Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

BRUTALIST STYLE

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 

  • Use of industrial materials — tubular steel, concrete, glass, granite
  • Prioritizes functionalism, minimalism and utilization of negative space
  • Spare silhouettes, pronounced geometric shapes
  • Stripped-down, natural look; rugged textures, modular construction
  • Interiors featuring airy visual flow and reliance on neutral palettes

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.

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Style: Brutalist
Contemporary Brutalist Dresser in Solid Oak 'Custom Size'
Located in Paris, FR
Dresser / Cabinet Sculpted wood (solid oak) Finish: hammered, dark SÓHA design studio conceives and produces furniture design and decorative objects in so...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Russian Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Oak

Contemporary Brutalist Dresser in Solid Oak 'Custom Size'
Located in Paris, FR
Dresser / cabinet Sculpted wood (solid oak) Finish: wavy, medium Warm furniture’s made by Russian designers from "Soha Concept" studio lead by the artist Denis Milovanov. Simpli...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Russian Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Oak

Contemporary Brutalist Style Commode in Solid Oak 'Custom Size'
Located in Paris, FR
Wardrobe made of solid oak (+ linseed oil) Measures: 85 x 122 x 56 cm SÓHA design studio conceives and produces furniture design and decorative objects in solid oak in an authentic ...
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21st Century and Contemporary Russian Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Oak

Italian Brutalist Style Commode in Wood and Brass
Located in New York, NY
An Italian Brutalist style chest of drawers in ash wood and brass. With fantastic geometric embellishments which serve as the drawer pulls for each of the six drawers; with harmoniou...
Category

1980s Italian Vintage Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

Contemporary Brutalist Style Commode in Solid Oak 'Custom Size'
Located in Paris, FR
Wardrobe made of solid oak (+ linseed oil) Measures: 52"W x 15"D x 33.5"H. Finish: 'scratched' SÓHA design studio conceives and produces furniture design and decorative objects in s...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Russian Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Oak

Contemporary Brutalist Style Commode in Solid Oak and Linseed Oil
Located in Paris, FR
Wardrobe made of solid oak (+ linseed oil) Measures: 85 x 140 x 40 cm SÓHA design studio conceives and produces furniture design and decorative objects in solid oak in an authentic ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Russian Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Oak

Solid elm cabinet by Søren Nissen & Ebbe Gehl for Maison Seltz, France 1990s
Located in STRASBOURG, FR
Two-piece base unit from the Fagus series, designed by Søren Nissen & Ebbe Gehl for the Seltz cabinetmaker in the early 90s, entirely in solid elm. Fagus furniture is modular, so yo...
Category

1990s French Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Elm

Rattan and bamboo sideboard
Located in PARIS, FR
Rattan and bamboo sideboard in the style of the 60s. This sideboard has 2 hinged doors with a lock. Very good condition. LP1613
Category

1950s French Vintage Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Bamboo, Rattan

Vintage Italian Chest of Drawers in Cherry Wood
Located in Houston, TX
Unusual vintage chest of drawers from Italy made out of Cherry wood. Very unique design presented on top of the doors. Many wood squares combined together at the different angle to s...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Chrome

Italian Vintage Chest of Drawers in Oak
Located in Houston, TX
Great looking Italian Vintage chest of drawers made out of high quality oak wood. Top is display beautiful wood grain. Chest has 3 spacious draw...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

Contemporary Brutalist Geometric Commode in Solid Oak
Located in Paris, FR
Wardrobe made of solid oak (+ linseed oil) Measures: H. 77 x 170 x 60 cm SÓHA design studio conceives and produces furniture design and decorative objects in solid oak in an authent...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Russian Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Oak

Contemporary Brutalist Geometric Commode in Solid Oak by Soha Concept
Located in Paris, FR
Wardrobe made of solid oak (+ linseed oil) Measures: H. 77 x 170 x 60 cm SÓHA design studio conceives and produces furniture design and decorative objects in solid oak in an authent...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Russian Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Oak

1970s Brutalist Chest of Drawers in Solid Washed Oak by de Puydt, around 1974
Located in Berlin, DE
This fantastic 1970s Brutalist Chest of Drawers in Solid Washed Oak by de Puydt was made around 1974. A unique piece which is a great eye-catcher for your antique, modern, space age ...
Category

1970s Belgian Vintage Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Oak

Pair of bedside tables "Barium" by Luciano Frigerio for Frigerio of Desio
Located in Conversano, IT
Exclusive pair of bedside tables from Luciano Frigerio's prestigious "Barium" series, produced in the 1970s by the design firm Frigerio of Desio. These extraordinary nightstands are ...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Nutwood

Contemporary Brutalist Dresser in Black Oak 'Custom Size'
Located in Paris, FR
Dresser / cabinet Sculpted wood (solid oak) Finish: wavy, medium SÓHA design studio conceives and produces furniture design and decorative objects in solid oak in an authentic style...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Russian Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Oak

Contemporary Brutalist Dresser in Solid Oak 'Custom Size'
Located in Paris, FR
Contemporary Brutalist dresser in solid oak 'Custom Size' Dimensions: Depth 51 cm x Width 167 cm x Height 84 cm Dresser / cabinet Scul...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Russian Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Oak

Pair of Minimalist 'Amboine' Burlwood Night Stands by Design Frères
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of Minimalist 'Amboine' burlwood night stands by Design Frères. Simple, functional design with 2 deep drawers per night stand.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Wood, Burl

Pair of Brutalist Italian Ash Tree and Brass Chest of Drawers
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Brutalist style chest of drawers in ash wood and brass. With geometric and harmonious lines, the piece of furniture is also embellished by the brass band below. The price refers t...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

Oceanic Sculpted Walnut Highboy Dresser by Pulaski Furniture Co., Brutalist
Located in Buffalo, NY
This lovely rare oceanic contour highboy gentlemen’s dresser is by Pulaski Furniture Co is often attributed to Witco. The credenza of this line by Pulaski Furniture Corporation was f...
Category

1960s American Vintage Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Walnut

Paul Evans Style Canadian Brutalist Mid Century Walnut 9 Drawer Lowboy Dresser
Located in Countryside, IL
Paul Evans style Canadian Brutalist Mid Century walnut 9 drawer lowboy dresser Dresser measures: 80 wide x 21 deep x 30.5 high All pieces of furniture can be had in what we call re...
Category

1970s Canadian Vintage Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Walnut

Walnut Side Chest with Solid Drawers
Located in Chicago, IL
This walnut side chest dates to the 1960's and is an example of "brutalist" or "mid-century socialist's" furniture design. The furniture and art of Eastern Europe in the post-war per...
Category

Late 20th Century Czech Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Metal

Steel Veneer, Cast Conrete "Protrusions End Table" with Drawers
Located in Biddeford, ME
This end table is a variation of the S.O. sidetable. The counter-top and base is made from cast concrete. The piece is fully wrapped and fully finished (front and back) with steel th...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Concrete, Steel

Patinated Steel Veneer "Highboy with Protrusions" in Walnut with Drawers
Located in Biddeford, ME
This "high boy" features 4 deep drawers. The counter-top and base is cast concrete. The piece is wrapped and fully finished with steel that is employed as a veneer. The steel is blac...
Category

2010s American Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Concrete, Steel

Set of 2 oak bedside drawer cabinets, 1970s Europe.
Located in Landgraaf, NL
Set of 2 oak bedside drawer cabinets, 1970s Europe. This set is made of solid dark stained oak. A minimalistic brutalist design. Each cabinet has two drawers. Could also function as ...
Category

1970s European Vintage Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Oak

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Two Door 4 Drawer Limed Cerused Solid Oak Board Cabinet Credenza Dresser
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Mid-Century Modern Style Solid Wood Murano Glass and Brass Italian Commode
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Louis XVI Style Commode
Located in Westwood, NJ
A European Louis XVI style commode with a molded edge top with canted corners, carved dental molding frieze above two long drawers with panel inlays, antiqued pewter handles...
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Large Mid-Century Modern Commode in Zebra Wood, Mahogany and Brass - Italy
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French Louis XV Style Tulipwood Commode
Located in Stamford, CT
French Louis XV style tulipwood commode, circa 1930s, the veined rouge marble atop a conforming case fitted with three drawers, the front decorated with parquetry inlaids, raised on ...
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Early 20th Century French Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

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French Louis XV Style Tulipwood Commode
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Danish Mid-Century Commode in Oak by Kai Kristiansen for Aksel Kjersgaard
Located in Lejre, DK
Commode in Oak designed by Kai Kristiansen for Aksel Kjersgaard, Denmark. Great original condition, 1950s.
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1950s Danish Vintage Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

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Oak

Pair of French Provencal Directoire Style Commodes
Located in Kilmarnock, VA
Stylish pair of 1950's Italian fruitwood chests made in the French Provencal Directoire style. Nice clean construction, hand printed paper lined drawers highly detailed cast hardware...
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Mid-20th Century Italian Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

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Fruitwood

Highboy Dresser by Lane Mid-Century Modern Brutalist
Located in Lake Worth, FL
Offering one of our recent Palm Beach Estate fine furniture acquisitions of a Mid-Century Modern Brutalist highboy dresser by Lane Conditio...
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Mid-Century Modern Style Solid Wood and Brass Italian Commodes
Located in Ibiza, Spain
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Previously Available Items
Danish Modern Henning Kjærnulf Oak Ox Art Tile Chest
Located in San Antonio, TX
Brutalist Henning Kjærnulf oak ox art tile chest, Denmark, circa 1960s. Dimensions: 26"x16"x27.50 Henning Kjærnulf b.1911-1975, was a Danish designer that sold many of his works to...
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Mid-20th Century Danish Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

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Tall cream lacquer mid century Brutalist drawer cabinet , USA 1970s
Located in Hastings, GB
Tall cream lacquer drawer cabinet with geometric Brutalist design in relief on drawer fronts. USA, 1970s. Body and drawers are lacquered wood; drawer fronts are lacquered resin. In g...
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1970s American Vintage Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

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Wood, Lacquer

MCM Brutalist Brasilia Lingerie Chest 6130-43 Broyhill Premier Series Walnut
Located in Topeka, KS
Gorgeous Mid-Century Modern Brutalist Brasilia lingerie chest #6130-43 Broyhill Premier Series comprised of walnut and brass hardware. Beautiful condition, keeping in mind that this is vintage and not new so will have signs of use and wear. This piece has been refinished and given a coat of polyurethane for durability, but there are still some signs of age and lovely patina. Specifically, a scratch is still visible by the pull on the top drawer which can’t be felt but any further sanding would have gone through the veneer. Please see photos and zoom in for details. We attempt to portray any imperfections. Circa, 1962-1970. NOTE: If you love this walnut lingerie chest we have other matching Brasilia Broyhill Premier Series pieces listed here for sale if they are still available. What a beautiful way to spoil your lingerie… or other accessories!! This stunning Brasilia #6130-43 Broyhill Premier Series lingerie chest is comprised of gorgeous walnut veneer, and it features fabulous brass pulls in the center of each of the seven graduated size dovetail drawers from smaller at the top to larger at the bottom. This is a classic beauty with a Brutalist style that you are sure to love for years to come. It is going to be EXACTLY what you need in your bedroom dressing area! But maybe you don’t have lingerie?? No worries!! Although it is called a lingerie chest you could certainly use it as a tall, narrow dresser...
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Mid-20th Century American Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

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Brass

LANE Pueblo Oak Mid 20th Century Brutalist Gentleman's Chest
Located in Charlotte, NC
A Mid 20th Century Brutalist style gentleman's chest by Lane Furniture, from their Pueblo Collection. Oak with slightly distressed finish, raised intricately laid, highly textured, c...
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Mid-20th Century American Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

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Brutalist Walnut Chest of Drawers in Solid Brown Walnut, Italy, 1980s
Located in Berlin, DE
This exceptional Brutalist chest of drawers made out of solid walnut was made in Italy in the early 1980s. It is in very good original vintage condition and has got just a little sc...
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Paul Evans Lane Furniture Brutalist Tallboy Cupboard Chest of Drawers Part Suite
Located in GB
We are delighted to offer for sale this stunning original Paul Evans designed for Lane Furniture, Brutalist cupboard with chest of drawers base which is part of a suite Paul Evans...
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20th Century American Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

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Oak, Softwood

Paul Evans Designed Lane Furniture Brutalist Tallboy Chest of Drawers Part Suite
Located in GB
We are delighted to offer for sale this stunning original Paul Evans designed for Lane Furniture, Brutalist tallboy chest of drawers which is part of a s...
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Oak, Softwood

"Brutalist" Style Chest of Drawers in Solid Walnut
Located in Paris, FR
Beautiful chest of drawers in the "Brutalist" spirit in solid walnut. The drawer fronts, whose handles are carved in the mass, are moved.
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1970s French Vintage Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

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Walnut

Mid-Century Cabinet / Vitrine in Nutwood & Oak, by a Danish Cabinetmaker, 1950s
Located in Odense, DK
Exquisite rare vitrine / cabinet in solid oak and nutwood veener. Made by a Danish Cabinetmaker in 1950s. Highlighted details and plenty of storage featured in this beautiful cabinet...
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Located in Chicago, IL
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Pair of Brutalist Italian Ash Tree and Brass Chest of Drawers
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Brutalist style chest of drawers in ash wood and brass. With geometric and harmonious lines, the piece of furniture is also embellished by the brass band below.
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Late 20th Century Italian Brutalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers

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Set of 2 Brutalist Style Solid Oak Nightstands, Italy, 1970s
Located in amstelveen, NL
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Brutalist commodes and chests of drawers for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Brutalist commodes and chests of drawers 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 commodes and chests of drawers created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include case pieces and storage cabinets, more furniture and collectibles, tables and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, oak and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Brutalist commodes and chests of drawers made in a specific country, there are Asia, Caucasus, and Russia pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original commodes and chests of drawers, popular names associated with this style include Sóha, Stefan Rurak , De Puydt, and Design Frères. 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 commodes and chests of drawers differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $1,200 and tops out at $19,417 while the average work can sell for $7,200.

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