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
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.
Contemporary Brutalist Style Wardrobe in Solid Oak and Linseed Oil
By Sóha
Located in Paris, IDF
Wardrobe made of solid oak (+ linseed oil) Measures:175 x 80 x 40 cm SÓHA design studio conceives and produces furniture design and decorative obje...
Oak
Ceramic Table Lamp with Custom Silk Lampshade by Rene Houben
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful ceramic table lamp, combined with a custom silk lampshade made by Rene Houben. The warm colors of the ceramic with the custom made shade complement each other very well an...
Ceramic
$11,294Sale Price / item|20% Off
Oval Coffee Table Serie 5 by Joel Escalona – Designed for Modern Homes
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Oval Coffee Table Serie 5 by Joel Escalona – Designed for Modern Homes ——— Sereno Coffee Table Series – A Note from Joel Escalona What happens when structure becomes art? These ar...
Hardwood
Brutalist Copper Pendant Lamp by Peill & Putzler, Germany, 1960s
Located in Balen, BE
Brutalist Copper Pendant Lamp by Peill & Putzler, Germany, 1960s This striking Brutalist copper pendant lamp, designed by Peill & Putzler/Philips in Germany during the 1960s. This l...
Copper
Brutalist Sunburst Mirror in Wrought Iron, Spain 1950
Located in Barcelona, ES
Spanish Sunburst Mirror, Wrought Iron, Silver Patinated ____________________________________________________________________________ Hand forged iron round mirror with scrolled detai...
Iron, Wrought Iron
XL Brutalist Black Enameled Metal Floor Candle Holder
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Rising from a flat hexagonal base, this floor-standing candle holder takes a cylindrical column form that narrows into a pointed, bullet-shaped top. A narrow vertical slot cut into t...
Metal, Enamel
Dudouyt - Spirit - Architectural - Oak - Desk - France - 1940s
Located in Split, Splitsko-dalmatinska županija
Architectural Oak Desk with Parquet Top, France, 1940s Form distilled to mass and rhythm — a collector’s piece of sculptural restraint. This commanding French oak dining table, craf...
Oak
Brutalist Metal & Stained Glass Midcentury Pendant by Artist Felipe Delfinger
Located in Lisse, NL
Organic design, metal and glass light fixture from the mid-century era. This great workmanship pendant from mid-20th century is another one of our recent great finds. With 20th ce...
Metal, Brass
Danish Brutalist Oak Extendable Dining Table attr. to Henning Kjærnulf, 1960s.
Located in Asaa, DK
Danish Brutalist Oak Extendable Dining Table attr. to Henning Kjærnulf, 1960s. Scandinavian Mid-Century Modern dining room table in light Nordic oak. Attributed to Danish designer H...
Oak
Contemporary Italian Brutalist Style Sideboard
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
Contemporary oak sideboard in the Brutalist style from Italy with two small doors.
Oak
Spanish Brutalist Dining Chairs, Set of 8, Spain, 1970s
Located in New York, NY
A set of eight Spanish brutalist dining chairs from the 1970s, finished in a dark stain. The chairs are sculptural and graphic: strong cubic frames, solid oak construction, and expre...
Oak
Hand-built Raku-Fired Tripod Vessel, Yellow Dalmatian Crackle Glaze
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Tripod is built from stoneware slabs and coils in our Brooklyn studio and fired in the traditional Japanese Raku tradition in New Jersey. A primary yellow crackle glaze is applie...
Stoneware
Pair of Hammered Glass Wrought Iron Sconces by Longobard, Italy, 1970s
By Longobard
Located in SAINT-OUEN, FR
Pair of Mid-Century Modern wall lamp light sconces model Pagode in amber and clear hammered glass and wrought iron, gilding gold copper patina, by the manufacture Longobard in Verona...
Wrought Iron
Hand Carved Primitive Stump Chair in Pine, Swedish Modern, Wabi Sabi, 1960s
Located in Odense, DK
A charming primitive stump chair made in solid pine. Hand carved by an unknown Swedish cabinetmaker in 1960s. A lovely wabi sabi piece for the modern interior. This appealing chair ...
Pine
Brutalist Table Lamp in Cast Aluminium, Europe Mid-20th Century
Located in Utrecht, NL
Postwar European design was defined by a turn toward restraint, elegance, and the intelligent use of materials. Designers of the period emphasized refined proportions, tactile contra...
Aluminum
Pair of Ceramic Brown Tapered Cone Pendants, Denmark 1960
Located in Rijssen, NL
Beautiful set of round ceramic hanging lamps with a beautiful pattern in the style of Axella, manufactured in the 1960s in Denmark. This gorgeous set brings refined elegance and ric...
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century Vintage Brutalist Table Sculpture in Iron and Bronze
Located in Charleston, SC
Vintage Brutalist abstraction Iron and Bronze Table Sculpture. C. 1960’s
Bronze, Iron
Concrete Chair Jonas Bohlin, 1980's
By Jonas Bohlin
Located in Uccle, BE
Iconic chair designed by Swedish designer Jonas Bohlin for Källemo. Signed by designer Provex JB. The chair was produced in 1981 and only 100 chairs were made.
Concrete, Cut Steel
$647 / item
Brutalist Italian Dining Chairs
Located in London, London
Dining chairs Brutalist style Walnut Made in Italy Seat height 44cm Price is per chair and can be ordered in any quantity. These contemporary Italian dining chairs...
Beech
1 of the 3 Green Brown Ceramic Table Lamps, Custom Silk Lamp Shades by R. Houben
Located in Rijssen, NL
One of the three ceramic table lamps, 1970s. This set brings a rich visual appeal to any interior. With its beautiful shapes, it offers a unique presence. The bases with brown and ...
Ceramic
$2,807Sale Price / set|20% Off
Pair of Vintage Brutalist Belgian Metal & Ceramik Entry Door Pull Handle
Located in Warszawa, Mazowieckie
This pair of original door handles was designed and made by the Belgian artist Juliette Belarti during the 1960s. The geometric frame is made of aluminum and the center is filled wit...
Aluminum
Set of 8 Brutalist Bar Stools, Europe, circa 1970s
Located in Hønefoss, 30
Set of 8 Brutalist-inspired bar stools in stained beech and steel, Europe, circa 1970s. The sculpted, saddle-shaped seats are carved with a gentle curvature that embraces the body, w...
Metal
French Elm Three Drawer Brutalist Dresser, C. 1970
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Gorgeous and versatile, this elm dresser is indicative of all the hallmarks of 70's French brutalist design. The honey finish along with the carved wooden drawer pulls provides a nic...
Elm
Brutalist Slate and Stone Coffee Table with Copper Inlay Kingma Style
By Paul Kingma
Located in London, London
Brutalist Slate and Stone Coffee Table with Copper Inlay In the Style of Paul Kingma A striking 1980s Brutalist slate coffee table with ...
Slate, Copper
Handsome Adrian Pearsall Brutalist Goop Sofa Tufted Chesterfield Mid-Century Mod
Located in Pemberton, NJ
Handsome Adrian Pearsall all original Brutalist Goop designed sofa. Black vinyl leather tufted Chesterfield upholstery in amazing vintage condition. The sculpted sides have a brutali...
Faux Leather, Resin
Large Brutalist coffee table in various kinds of stone by Paul Kingma, 1980s
By Paul Kingma
Located in Beograd, RS
In this listing you wilk find a stunning Brutalist table designed by Paul Kingma. The table is done in various kinds of stone, with brass accent and coins inserted in the stone, one ...
Stone, Brass
Paul Evans brutalist welded metal patchwork PE-11 zig zag coffee table
By Paul Evans
Located in Liberty, NY
Beautiful 1960's Paul Evans brutalist zig zag design coffee table with glass top, created as part of his "Sculptured Metal" collection for Directional. Fabricated with artisan welde...
Metal
Story Book Brutalist Wabi Sabi Oak Fire place Lounge / Arm Chairs
Located in Boven Leeuwen, NL
2x Two robust and heavy dark oak chairs. Fit perfectly with the style of designers such as Henning Kjærnulf, Axel Einar Hjorth, Charlotte Perriand, Jea...
Oak
$1,740 / item
Constructivist chair NETHERLANDS - 1960s
Located in Forest, BE
Constructivist Dutch pine chair, 1960s. The solidity of the pine combined with the strength of its construction gives this chair a striking presence....
Wood
Brutalist Solid Oak and Bouclé Three-Seat Sofa, Czechoslovakia 1970s
Located in Praha, CZ
Rare Brutalist three-seat sofa crafted in solid oak and produced in Czechoslovakia during the 1970s. Distinguished by its powerful architectural silhouette, sculptural construction, ...
Bouclé, Oak
$2,500 / item
French Mirrored Hall Tree, circa 1950s
Located in San Antonio, TX
French mirrored hall tree in the style of Charles Dudouyt, circa 1950s, made of walnut. This hallway mirrored hall tree is in great overall condition. Dimensions: 31" x 9" x 76"
Walnut
Giovanni 'John’ Bucci Metal Art Sculpture, 1960s
Located in Savannah, GA
Giovanni 'John' Bucci (Italian-American, 1935-2019) A welded metal sculpture composed of various found metal pieces, 1960s. 20 inches wide by 24 inches tall by 8 ½ inches deep
Metal
Harry Bertoia Gilt Bronze, Brass and Steel Dandelion Sculpture
Located in New York, NY
Bertoia's Dandelion form is widely regarded to be the apex of his career. An overwhelming physical presence is balanced by its truly delicate nature. A gilt bronze central sphere is ...
Granite, Brass, Bronze
Thick crystal vase Argos model by César Baldaccini signed Daum France circa 1970
By Daum
Located in LE CANNET, FR
Brutalist crystal vase, designed by Cesar Baldaccini in the 1970s. Engraved signature "Daum France" on the base. Present with the Cristal Daum label. Luminous turquoise-blue color. N...
Crystal
Contemporary Sculpted and Hammered Wardrobe in Solid Light Oak
By Sóha
Located in Paris, IDF
Contemporary Sculpted High Cabinet / Wardrobe in Solid Light Oak (+ linseed oil) Designer: Denis Milovanov for Soha Concept (COXA) Dimensions: 171 x 78,5 x 42,5 cm Unique piece mad...
Oak
A Sculptural RUSTIC MODERN BRUTALIST Ceramic TABLE LAMP, VALLAURIS, France 1950
Located in PARIS, FR
A very large, spectacular and sculptural, table or floor lamp with 2 lights and 2 handles, Modernist, Free Form, Popular Art, Shabby-Chic, unique piece in thick ceramic with brown an...
Ceramic
New Organic Modern Brutalist Moroccan Carpet with Contemporary Style
By Gerhard Richter
Located in Dallas, TX
31282 New Organic Modern Brutalist Moroccan Rug, 09'02 x 12'00. Indian Moroccan rugs seamlessly merge geometric shapes, contemporary designs, and symbolic motifs, characteristic of M...
Wool
Abstract Modernist Bronze Sculpture Figural with Brutalist Relief Texture 1970s
By Lynn Chadwick
Located in Troy, MI
Unique post-war abstract sculpture in solid bronze Anonymous artist circa 1970's Slab like torso cast in deep relief texture and nuanced patinas Three elongated legs and subtly offs...
Bronze
Henning Kjærnulf, Oak Sideboard, Danish Mid-Century, Nyrup Møbelfabrik, 1960s
By Henning Kjærnulf, Nyrup Møbelfabrik
Located in Odense, DK
A beautiful and sculptural sideboard in solid oak, designed by Henning (Henry) Kjærnulf for Nyrup Møbelfabrik, Denmark, during the 1960s. The sideboard features a beautifully carved...
Oak
Vintage Brutalist with Sculpted Metallic Finish Pendant Light
Located in Farmington Hills, MI
We are very pleased to offer a striking brutalist pendant light, circa the 1980s. This piece features an intensely sculptural surface that mimics the look of hand-troweled metal or ...
Metal
Solid Walnut Brutalist Hari Coffee Table
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Inspired by the simplicity of traditional Japanese architectural timber structures. The low coffee table balances three minimalist volumes composed of solid wooden parts. Designed b...
Oak, Walnut
Brutalist Hand Crafted Carved Oak Coffee Table, Belgium 1960's
Located in Oud-Turnhout, VAN
Vintage Brutalist Hand Crafted Carved Oak Coffee Table. Made in Belgium, 1960's period. Solid heavy oak carved table top slab and bat shaped legs. This comes in good, all original co...
Oak
1930s Italian Art Deco Brutalist Rational Bookmatched Burl Walnut Table, Pagano
By Osvaldo Borsani, Gio Ponti, Paolo Buffa, Gino Maggioni, Giuseppe Pagano Pogatschnig
Located in Grand Cayman, KY
A refined Italian Art Deco occasional table, side table or end table. Circa 1930s, it is veneered in richly figured book matched burl walnut. The piece reflects the transition betw...
Hardwood, Walnut, Burl
Set of 6 Oak Dining Chairs Attributed to Henning Kjærnulf, Denmark, 1960s
Located in Nørre Aaby, DK
Set of solid oak dining chairs attributed to Danish designer Henning Kjærnulf, crafted in Denmark during the 1960s. Designed in a distinctive Brutalist style, the chairs feature beau...
Oak
$400Sale Price|20% Off
French Brutalist Birth Chair, Dark Stained Pine, Hand-Carved, 1970s
Located in Copenhagen, DK
French Brutalist Birth Chair in Dark Brown, ca. 1970s. The Chair is made of dark stained pine and with beautiful carvings and cut outs. Originally the chair was used as a birthing chair...
Oak
Brutalist Brass Wall Sculpture
Located in Mexico City, CDMX
Circa 1960. We offer this Brutalist brass wall sculpture.
Brass
Pine Brutalist architect wood chairs Friis & Moltke, Denmark 1970
By Knud Friis & Elmar Moltke Nielsen
Located in Zevenaar, NL
Knud Friis & Elmar Moltke Nielsen (Friis & Moltke) Pine Brutalist Chairs Getama Set of two very rare comfort Solid Wood Chairs by Brutalist architects Knud Friis and Elmar Mo...
Pine, Plywood
Carolinen Blackburn Brutalist Lava-Glaze Ceramic Vessel, Black, 2010s
Located in Sherman Oaks, CA
DESIGNER - Caroline Blackburn PERIOD - 2010s ORIGIN - United States MATERIALS - Ceramic, HandCrafted STYLE - Brutalist DIMENSIONS - 18.5 H x 20 W x 20 D in (46.99 x 50.8 x 50.8...
Ceramic, Clay
Tenfold Chandelier 32inch Brushed Bronze Perforated Metal Pendant Light
By Luft Tanaka
Located in Brooklyn, NY
TENFOLD CHANDELIER 5 TIER 24inch in Brushed Bronze by Luft Tanaka Studio Brutalism meets glam. Inspired by Brutalist architecture and Op Art, the Tenfold Series features interlockin...
Aluminum, Brass, Steel
$2,600Sale Price / item|20% Off
Cleo Baldon Style Iron Dining Table In Pink / Marble Granite
By Cleo Baldon
Located in Round Top, TX
Iron and pink granite/marble for indoor/outdoor dining. The perfect table for two to four people...truly lovely. The tones range from salmon pink to rusty sienna with veining in ivor...
Granite, Iron
Brutalist Dark Brown Trigon Chair
Located in Amsterdam, NL
The Trigon Chair is composed of pentahedral volumes; five-faced triangular shapes. The triangle is one of the earliest known geometric forms, with its use dating back to over 5.000 y...
Oak, Walnut
$11,718 / item
Contemporary Sculpted Screen in Solid Oak
By Sóha
Located in Paris, IDF
Screen made of solid oak (+ linseed oil) Measures: 150 x 190 x 3 cm SÓHA design studio conceives and produces furniture design and decorative objec...
Oak
Scandinavian Brutalist Pine Dining Table, 1960s
Located in Rosendahl, DE
Characterful Scandinavian dining table crafted from solid pine with a beautiful warm patina. The table stands out through its clean, handcrafted construction and distinctive details ...
Pine
Giulio Lazzotti "Stonehenge" Dining Table, 1970s
Located in Raleigh, NC
A powerful and striking piece. Hand carved and chiseled of solid diorite. This piece date to the 1970s from Italy. A simple yet stunning form by Giulio Lazzotti. Legs are indiv...
Stone
Bernhard Rohne for Mastercraft Acid Etched Metal & Glass Brutalist Coffee Table
By Mastercraft, Bernhard Rohne
Located in Saint Louis, MO
A one of a kind Brutalist style Mastercraft coffee table by Artist Bernhard Rohne features acid etched brass panels set into an ebonized wood table frame with brass piping and temper...
Metal, Brass
Mid-Century Modern, Set of 8 Danish Brutalist Pine Chairs by Dyrlund, 1970s
By Dyrlund
Located in Odense, DK
A beautiful matching set of eight Danish dining chairs from the 1970s, crafted in solid pine and newly upholstered in natural hessian. Designed by Dyrlund, Denmark. The chairs feat...
Burlap, Pine
set of 6 Brutalist Solid Oak stools 1970s Holland
Located in Den Haag, NL
Set of 6 Solid Oak bar stools . Very nice warm Brown color . Heavy and sturdy , Ready for the next 50 years . 1970s Holland
Oak
Curtis Jere "Windswept" Brutalist Sculpture, Brass and Marble
By Curtis Jeré
Located in Miami, FL
Curtis Jere "Windswept" Brutalist Sculpture, Brass and Marble Offered for sale is a vintage Curtis Jere Brutalist "Windswept" sculpture on a black marble base. This brass sculptur...
Marble, Brass
Lothar Klute brutalist coffee table
By Lothar Klute
Located in Saarbrücken, SL
rare and early coffee table by Lothar Klute very good condition with slight signs of use and patina 62.5 cm x 60,5 cm x 41 cm height
Iron
$3,749 / item
Wrought iron lamp by artist Donna handcrafted
Located in Ternay, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Table lamp by French artist Pierre Donna. Patinated and oxidized steel base designed and handmade in the artist's studio. Understated, timeless design with a unique patina for each p...
Iron