Brutalist Furniture
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
- Brutalism emerged during the mid-20th century
- Term coined by architecture critic Reyner Banham
- Originated in the United Kingdom
- Brutalist architecture gained popularity in the United States beginning in the early 1960s
- Inaugural brutalist projects include Unité d'habitation and the city of Chandigarh, India, both of which owe to influential architect Charles-Édouard “Le Corbusier” Jeanneret
- Le Corbusier’s cousin, Pierre Jeanneret, designed hundreds of chairs, tables, cabinets and lamps for Chandigarh
- Informed by the Bauhaus, constructivism, modernism and the International Style; part of mid-century modernism
- Contrasted starkly with Beaux Arts style
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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Item Ships From: New York
Style: Brutalist
Monumental Marcello Fantoni Brass Brazed Mixed Metal Table Lamp, C. 1960
Located in Bainbridge, NY
Substantial Marcello Fantoni Brazed Mixed Metal Brutalist Table Lamp. Featuring a slender, handcrafted and welded rectangular form with subt...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Metal, Brass
Schmidt Rhea Heart Paperweight, American Studio Art Glass, 1981
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Colorful Post-Modern art glass paperweight features a complex abstract fused glass design enclosed inside the heart-shaped clear glass in sommerso technique. Blue, pink, and white p...
Category
Late 20th Century American Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Glass, Art Glass, Sommerso
Pair of Mid-Century Modern Sculptural Granite Bookends
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous hand chisiled pair of gray green granite bookends in a Brutalist style. Very supportive and elegant. In excellent vintage condition.
Category
1960s American Vintage Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Granite
Faux Metal Brutalist Parsons Coffee Table
By Paul Evans
Located in New York, NY
Brutalist School Parsons style coffee table constructed of textured formica on wood frame structure. Cool period table circa 1970's in very good original condition, showing only ligh...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Formica
"The Frustrated Coffee Table" by Frédéric Saulou
Located in Chicago, IL
Beautiful French Slate coffee table / bench “The Frustrated Coffee Table” with natural edge detail by Frederic Saulou.
Category
2010s French Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Slate
Classic Wrought Iron Chain Motif Table Lamp, France 1960's
Located in New York, NY
A wrought iron table lamp made of welded chain links on a half-round base. Shade not included.
Also available, floor lamp version of same.
Category
Mid-20th Century French Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Wrought Iron
Brutalist Metal Sculpture with Marque Shape
Located in New York, NY
A hand-made brutalist metal sculpture piece in a marque shape, circa late-20th century. Sculpture is relatively tall made of iron metal with an intentional weathered look giving it a...
Category
Late 20th Century Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Metal
Peter Lipman-Wulf Sculptural Vessel
Located in New York, NY
Sculptural, hand-formed vessel of painted and glazed clay, likely for use as a bird bath, by German/American artist and educator Peter Lipman-Wulf. Born i...
Category
1960s American Vintage Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Clay
BD Lumica Brutalist Brass & Chrome Chandelier with Murano Glass Drops 1970s
By BD Lumica
Located in New York, NY
Exceptional Brutalist Chandelier with Murano clear glass drops adorning a mixed metal brass and chrome body by BD Lumica, Spain 1970's. A remarkable chandelier combining styles refl...
Category
1970s Spanish Vintage Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Brass, Chrome
Large Onyx Dish, France 1960's
Located in New York, NY
A large and elegantly carved onyx dish.
Category
Mid-20th Century French Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Onyx
Brutalist Sculpture by Dimitri Hadzi
By Dimitri Hadzi
Located in New York, NY
Bronze, brass and wood cabinet scale Brutalist sculpture by noted sculptor Dimitri Hadzi. Intriguing abstract mixed metal example signed on the base, as shown.
Category
Mid-20th Century American Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Brass, Bronze, Iron
Monumental Bijan of California for Laurel Brazed Brass "Setterah" Table Lamp
Located in Bainbridge, NY
Substantial Bijan of California for Laurel Lamp Company “Setarrah” H-927 Table Lamp. Featuring a tubular (3/8D) Brass column, "original Brass sculpture" with four handcrafted torch ...
Category
1960s American Vintage Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Metal, Brass
Heavy Earthenware Vide Poche with Enmeled Fused Glass Decor, France 1960's
Located in New York, NY
Heavy earthenware vessel with a fused red glass decor.
Category
Mid-20th Century Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Earthenware, Art Glass
Large Sculptural Vase #5 by Dena Zemsky
By Dena Zemsky
Located in New York, NY
Large sculptural vase #5 by Dena Zemsky. Hand-built, glazed stoneware vase form. Signed and dated on underside.
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Stoneware
Brutalist Gouge Carved Stool, France, 1960s
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A 1960s French brutalist style stool. Gauge carved wood with metal fasteners.
Category
1960s French Vintage Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Wood
Iron and Bronze Brutalist Tribal Style Bench
Located in North Miami, FL
Very unique tribal style bronze bench with two sides depicting a warrior. It is heavy and solid with a perfectly finished soft pink boucle fabric. Pretty from ALL sides.
Category
1970s French Vintage Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Bronze, Iron
Pair of Mid Century Modern Sculptural Brutalist Torch Cut Steel Table Lamps
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous and large, 45 inches to the top of the shade. Torch cut and welded steel panels in a random rectilinear form. Sprayed black and in excellent vintage condition with minimal w...
Category
1970s American Vintage Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Steel
Chrome and Lucite Wall Mount Sculpture attributed to Jere
By Curtis Jeré
Located in New York, NY
Stunning folded chrome triangle forms with Lucite balls as decorative elements, wall hanging sculpture, attributed to Curtis Jere. The sculpture can be hung vertically or horizontall...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Chrome
Brutalist Chandelier
By Moe Lighting
Located in New York, NY
Six sided Brutalist chandelier having six exterior candlestick arm lights, and three interior candle bulb lights. The fixture has textured gold toned cast brass panels (each 10 inch ...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Brass
$1,800
Brutalist Oak Mirror, France 1950's
Located in New York, NY
Solid carved mirror with a stylized handle.
Category
Mid-20th Century French Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Oak
Monumental Bijan of California for Laurel Lamp Co. Setterah Table Lamp
Located in Bainbridge, NY
Substantial Bijan of California for Laurel Lamp Company “Setarrah” H-927 Table Lamp. Featuring a tubular (.5D) Brass column, "original Brass sculpture" with four handcrafted torch c...
Category
1960s American Vintage Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Metal, Brass
Brutalist Style Round bronze Studded Mirror, Compatible pair
Located in Plainview, NY
Brutalist Style Round bronze Mirror, Compatible pair :
This elegant pair of round mirrors exudes a refined Brutalist sensibility, masterfully handcrafted in bronze. Each mirror is...
Category
20th Century Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Brutalist Sculpture of a Knight with Sword
Located in New York, NY
Impressive freestanding sculpture of a Knight with his sword drawn. The figure is constructed of various bits of metal, screws, washers, gears etc which at fist glance appear to be r...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Metal
Zabihi Collection Persian Mohtasham Kashan Pillow
Located in New York, NY
Pillow made from a 19th century Mohtasham Kashan rug zipper closure and poly fill insert provided
20'' x 20''
Category
Late 19th Century Antique Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Wool, Cotton, Foam
Brutalist Steel and Brass Faux Bamboo and Glass Coffee Table after Evans c 1970s
Located in New York, NY
Brutalist coffee table, having a faux bamboo steel and brass base, which supports a thick tempered square glass top ( 36 x 36 in. ). Executed in the style of Paul Evans, Silas Seand...
Category
Late 20th Century American Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Brass, Steel
Musical Motif Brutalist Wrought Iron Chandelier Made in Hungary
Located in New York, NY
Great Brutalist wrought iron six light chandelier having a musical note, clef, and staff motif. Marked Made in Hungary, circa 1970's, newly professionally rewired.
Category
Mid-20th Century Hungarian Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Wrought Iron
Torch Cut Mixed Metal Brutalist Mirror
By Curtis Jeré
Located in Tarrytown, NY
Torch cut mixed metal brutalist mirror in the style of C. Jere and Silas Seandel.
Category
1970s American Vintage Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Metal
Persian Mohtasham Kashan Pillow with Lazy Lines
Located in New York, NY
Pillow made from a 19th century Mohtasham Kashan rug with lazy line texture. zipper closure and poly fill insert provided
14'' x 17''
Category
Late 19th Century Antique Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Wool, Cotton, Foam
$229 Sale Price
23% Off
Abstract Copper Table Lamp, France 1960's
Located in New York, NY
Heavy hammered copper table lamp with an abstract decor. Base size only 16x10x4. 18x26 as shown.
Category
Mid-20th Century French Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Brass, Copper
Brutalist Art Pottery Studio Sculpture Man with Gun Riding a Camel signed
Located in New York, NY
1970's Brutalist Studio Art Pottery sculpture depicting a Arab man, carrying a rife, riding a camel. The sculpture is signed illegibly on its base, this example is in very good, or...
Category
Late 20th Century American Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Pottery
Abstract Brutalist Cast Bronze Table Top Sculpture signed EJD c 1960/70's
By Paul Evans
Located in New York, NY
Exceptional solid cast bronze Brutalist School table top sculpture signed EJD, circa 1970's. The sculpture features a textured surface on an abstract vertical structure. Reminiscent...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Mid Century Modern Brutalist Mixed Metals Figurative Sculpture of a Woman C1970
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fantastic steel & iron figurative sculpture of a lifesize nude woman created by artist Hy Suchman. Sculpture is approximately 5ft 2 inches tall with a width and depth of 24 X 20. Am...
Category
1970s American Vintage Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Metal, Steel, Stainless Steel, Iron
Gustave Tiffoche Hand Built Ceramic Box, La Bourne, France, 1960, signed
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Wonderful example of Brutalist Organic Modern Sculpture
Category
1960s French Vintage Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Ceramic
Paul Evans Style Brutalist Iron & Brazed Brass Drip Square Vase, circa 1970
By Paul Evans
Located in Bainbridge, NY
Handcrafted Brutalist Brazed and Flowed Brass on Iron Vase, 1970's Featuring a rectangular form, hand poured brazed Brass atop Metal in mottled Black, Brown, Rust, Gold, and Deep Gre...
Category
1970s American Vintage Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Brass, Iron
Polychrome Brutalist Wall Mount Sculpture
Located in New York, NY
Interesting polychrome iron Brutalist wall mount sculpture. Of diamond form, welded metal abstract forms constitute a large diamond shaped sculpt...
Category
1970s American Vintage Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Iron
Adlin Art Studio Smaller Oxidized Cast Aluminium & Mercury Wall Mirror, 1971
Located in Bainbridge, NY
Adlin Art Studio molded Cast Aluminium art glass Brutalist Wall Relief with oxidized mercury Mirror. Featuring handcrafted, textural sculpted cas...
Category
1970s American Vintage Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Aluminum
Burl Wood Table Lamp, France 1960's
Located in New York, NY
Hand-carved burlwood lamp with a engraved finish. Base only 12x8
Category
Mid-20th Century French Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Burl
Vintage Brutalist Lane "Pueblo" Polychromed Wall Mirror in Oak
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Lane Furniture wall mirror from their "Pueblo" collection in stained oak with molded and polychromed resin panels (ca. 1970s, USA).
Unique, Brutalist piece evoking the designs of Pau...
Category
1970s American Vintage Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Mirror, Resin, Oak
Brutalist Artisan Mirror with Welded Rods, 1970s
Located in New York, NY
Brutalist style artisan mirror in chrome and brass with welded rods on front, American 1970s (artists initials on lower right).
Category
1970s American Vintage Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Metal, Brass, Chrome
Sun Spots by Silas Seandel
Located in New York, NY
Large wall mount sun spots sculpture by Silas Seandel in excellent original condition. Impressive example of Brutalist metal work from recognized and noted ma...
Category
1970s American Vintage Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Brass, Copper, Steel
$18,000
Hand Crafted Brutalist Art Pottery Owl c 1970/1980’s
Located in New York, NY
Intriguing studio made ceramic pottery owl in the Brutalist style. The tonal polychrome mat finish glaze perfectly complements the textural surface. Suitable for use as a flower vase...
Category
Late 20th Century American Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Pottery
Abstract Oak Lamp, France 1950’s
Located in New York, NY
Carved Oak table lamp in abstract forms.
Category
Mid-20th Century French Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Brass
Hand Made Metal Brutalist Bonsai Tree in Rust Finish
By Paul Evans
Located in New York, NY
Brutalist hand made iron Bonsai tree sculpture. The sculpture has wonderful all over rust finish, gained from years of outdoor life, this piece was origina...
Category
1970s American Vintage Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Iron, Wrought Iron
Studio Slab Ceramic Mirror, USA 1950's
Located in New York, NY
Interesting single piece ceramic mirror in a poured technique. Signed
Category
Mid-20th Century American Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Ceramic
Rare Pair of Bronze & Murano Glass Brutal Style Wall Lights by Banci Firenze
Located in North Miami, FL
These Banci Firenze labelled hammered bronze and scavo Murano glass torch wall lights are very much in the style of Garouste & Bonetti's work. They are important, heavy and in wonde...
Category
1950s Italian Vintage Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Paul Evans Brutalist Mirror and Shelf
By Paul Evans
Located in New York, NY
Wall-mount shelf with slate top, and matching Brutalist metal clad mirror. Iconic design from the master of Brutalism, Paul Evans. Great original condition, ready to install. The mir...
Category
1970s American Vintage Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Slate, Metal
$11,000 / set
Brutalist Metal and Wood Horse Bookends
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Unique circa 1970s, USA Brutalist-style horse bookends composed of cut and soldered sheet metal heads and legs with carved wooden bodies and wire tails. Very good, vintage condition,...
Category
1970s American Vintage Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Sheet Metal
$600 / set
Solid Carved Walnut Box In The Style of Marolles, France 1940's
Located in New York, NY
An original solid carved walnut box with a handle and built-in hinge.
Category
Mid-20th Century French Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Walnut
Early Volcanic Brutalist Plaster and Mica Lamp
Located in Garnerville, NY
Tactile chalk/plaster body table lamp with finial. Amazing surface, circa 1960. Possibly French origin. Gray body with white "cobweb" like decoration highlighted with a rope like acc...
Category
1960s French Vintage Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Plaster
$1,560 Sale Price
20% Off
Brutalist Bird + Flower Statuette in Copper & Burl
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Bring home the charm and whimsy of mid-century brutalist decor with this attractive statue of a little bird with flowers. Constructed from wood burl and metal, it features a carved f...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Metal, Copper
Tony Paul Mid Century Bronze Brutalist Lamps
Located in New York, NY
Pair of Mid Century dark bronze Brutalist lamps with a sinuous shaped body on squared bases. Rewired for use in the USA, 100W bulbs.
Category
Mid-20th Century American Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Bronze
$5,400 / set
Brutalist Elm Table Lamp, France 1950's
Located in New York, NY
Carved Elm block with abstract patterns.
Base size only 12x3x3
Category
Mid-20th Century French Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Elm
Substantial Silas Seandel Torched Mixed Metal Brutalist Table Lamp, 1974
Located in Bainbridge, NY
Tall handcrafted torch cut and welded brass and copper table lamp. Featuring a studio made cylindrical form, hand worked in Mixed Metal. With Cord switch. Shade shown for display onl...
Category
1970s American Vintage Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Brass, Copper
Italian Brutalist Perforated Rose Pink Lacquer & Gold Brass Modern Round Mirror
Located in New York, NY
This custom round mirror is an Italian contemporary work, entirely handmade. The design in perforated lace brass is unique. The stepped round frame is edged with a high-quality brass...
Category
2010s Italian Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Metal, Brass
Pair of Marcello Fantoni Torch Cut Iron Brutalist "Skyscraper" Table Lamps
Located in Bainbridge, NY
Tall pair of Marcello Fantoni handcrafted Torch Cut Steel Table Lamps, 1950's. Featuring open pierced, welded and sealed cylindrical pipe type forms with Nickel, Silver coloration an...
Category
1950s Italian Vintage Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Steel, Cut Steel
Mid Century Modern Abstract Bronze Sculpture of a Standing Tree Stump Log
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Spectacular Brutalist expression of a standing tree stump log in Bronze. Artist unknown, but definitely from the early 1970s. Amazing artistic craftsmanship. The stump is well balan...
Category
1970s American Vintage Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Bronze
Handmade Sculptural Iron, Copper, Bronze 4 Piece Railings, by Larry Griffis Sr.
Located in Buffalo, NY
Handmade sculptural iron, copper, bronze 4 piece railings, by Larry Griffis Jr. Stunning artistic railings originally commissioned for downtown Buffalo N...
Category
1970s American Vintage Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Bronze, Copper, Iron
Tall Marcello Fantoni for Raymor Bronzed Brutalist "Branch" Table Lamp, 1960s
Located in Bainbridge, NY
Substantial Marcello Fantoni for Raymor Brutalist Bronzed Metal and Walnut Table Lamp. Featuring a sculptural and welded, torch cut Bronzed metal, branch like, organic tree form desi...
Category
1950s Italian Vintage Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Metal
Abstract Brutalist Wire Horse Sculpture Marcello Fantoni for Raymor
By Raymor, Marco Fantoni
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mid-Century, abstract, Brutalist, horse sculpture by Marcello Fantoni for Raymor is a mixed metal wire sculpture mounted on a walnut base with copper label signed Fantoni Italy for R...
Category
1950s Italian Vintage Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Metal
Bernard Rooke Pottery Lamp, UK 1970's
Located in New York, NY
Brutalist pottery lamp by Bernard Rooke in dual glaze. Size is of the base only. No shade included.
Category
Late 20th Century French Brutalist Furniture
Materials
Brass
Brutalist furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Brutalist furniture 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 furniture created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include tables, decorative objects, lighting and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, wood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Brutalist furniture 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 furniture, popular names associated with this style include Sóha, Paul Evans, Joel Escalona, and David Marshall. 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 furniture differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $29 and tops out at $450,000 while the average work can sell for $2,520.