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Modern Furniture

MODERN STYLE

The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw sweeping social change and major scientific advances — both of which contributed to a new aesthetic: modernism. Rejecting the rigidity of Victorian artistic conventions, modernists sought a new means of expression. References to the natural world and ornate classical embellishments gave way to the sleek simplicity of the Machine Age. Architect Philip Johnson characterized the hallmarks of modernism as “machine-like simplicity, smoothness or surface [and] avoidance of ornament.”

Early practitioners of modernist design include the De Stijl (“The Style”) group, founded in the Netherlands in 1917, and the Bauhaus School, founded two years later in Germany.

Followers of both groups produced sleek, spare designs — many of which became icons of daily life in the 20th century. The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics. While Bauhaus principals Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created furniture from mass-produced, chrome-plated steel, American visionaries like Charles and Ray Eames worked in materials as novel as molded plywood and fiberglass. Today, Breuer’s Wassily chair, Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chaircrafted with his romantic partner, designer Lilly Reich — and the Eames lounge chair are emblems of progressive design and vintage originals are prized cornerstones of collections.

It’s difficult to overstate the influence that modernism continues to wield over designers and architects — and equally difficult to overstate how revolutionary it was when it first appeared a century ago. But because modernist furniture designs are so simple, they can blend in seamlessly with just about any type of décor. Don’t overlook them.

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Style: Modern
Creator: Venini
Creator: Frigerio
Venini 'Where Are My Glasses?' Glass Vase in Aquamarine & Crystal by Ron Arad
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Venini glass vase with round body and glass glasses sculpture. Featured in red colored glass. Perfect for indoor home decor as container or strong statement piece for any room. Di...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Art Glass

Venini Idria Medium Vase in Amber Milk White Murano Glass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Idria medium vase in Amber Murano glass by Venini. The Ancient Greek water vessel sheds its skin, as terracotta gives way to glass, thanks to Venini. Its design speaks of bygone days...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Murano Glass

Fazzoletto Opalino Large Glass Vase in Red/Opaque Pink by Fulvio Bianconi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Created from the collaboration between Fulvio Bianconi and Paolo Venini, characterized by a soft shape with a graceful wavy lip, always unique, obtained using the free-hand technique...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Glass

Venini, Murano Glass Paperweight / Abstract Sculpture, Signed
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful Venini paperweight / abstract sculpture with a traditional swirl ribbon design. This is signed and is shown with circle marker in last picture, very faded, but is (Venini I...
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Modern Furniture

Materials

Glass

Incisi Glass Vase in Bronze by Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A multitude of shapes and colours. Apparently, Paolo Venini had a knack for experimenting with Incisi. They are countless. The vase owes its name to the "Incisione a Freddo" glassmak...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Glass

Venini Deco Glass Vase in Acquamarine by Napoleone Martinuzzi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Venini glass vase in aquamarine designed by Napoleone Martinuzzi in 1930. Perfect for indoor home decor as container or statement piece for any room. Dimensions: 26 cm diameter x...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Art Glass

Monofiore Balaton Short Glass Vase in Amber with Horizon Thread Rim by Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Venini glass vase with full body and textured surface with hexagonal shaped pattern in gold designed in 1970. Perfect for indoor home decor as container or strong statement piece for...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Art Glass

Venini Tall Tessuti Battuti Vase in Red by Carlo Scarpa
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Tessuti Battuti vases, designed by Carlo Scarpa and manufactured by Venini, feature a blown handmade glass body with bicolored “Filigrana” stripes then...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Blown Glass

Monofiore Balloton Glass Vase in Sapphire with Red Thread Rim by Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Venini glass vase with full body and textured surface with hexagonal shaped pattern in cobalt blue designed in 1970. Perfect for indoor home decor as container or strong statement pi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Art Glass

Gemme Vase in Green Balloton Blown Glass by Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
In the expert hands of the blowers, glass turns into precious gemstones of various colours – green, grass green, purple, red, aquamarine, sapphire, tea and gray. Unique and sparkling...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Blown Glass

Venini Monofiore Balloton Small Vase in Grape Red Thread Murano Glass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Monofiore Balloton vase in Amber Murano glass by Venini. It looks soft, but it’s not; it’s glass. The optical illusion of Monofiori by Venini from 1970 lies in its name: Balloton, a ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Murano Glass

Venini Fazzoletto Opalino Medium Vase in Red Murano Glass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Fazzoletto Opalino medium vase in Horizon Murano glass by Fulvio Bianconi and Paolo Venini. An exclusive new take on the Opalini technique from the ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Murano Glass

Venini Small Bolle Glass Vase in White and Red by Tapio Wirkkala
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Venini glass vase in white and red designed by Tapio Wirkkala in 1966. Perfect for indoor home decor as container or statement piece for any room. ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Art Glass

Venini Battery Lamp in Milk-White, Rechargeable, Dimmerable, Touch
Located in murano, IT
Skillful glasswork gives back this object a slight movement, as if it were suspended in space. Its iconic silhouette comes from an exclusive archival prototype and brings a playful t...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Metal

Venini Clessidra Hourglass in Apple Green Straw Yellow Murano Glass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Clessidra hourglass in amber murano glass by Paolo Venini and Fulvio Bianconi. Little grains of sand, impalpable and unnoticeable as a whole yet so real, like time ticking away. In 1...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Murano Glass

Incise Glass Bottle in Ocean by Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A multitude of shapes and colours. Every bottle has its own, chosen with care by Paolo Venini in 1956. Skilfully etched to conceal their imaginary content, they pique the curiosity o...
Category

20th Century Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Glass

Fazzoletto Opalino Large Glass Vase in Indigo/Orange by Fulvio Bianconi & Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Created from the collaboration between Fulvio Bianconi and Paolo Venini, characterized by a soft shape with a graceful wavy lip, always unique, obtained using the free-hand technique...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Glass

Peter Marino Parallelo Medium Pendant in Crystal, Tea and Black Murano Glass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Parallelo Murano glass medium pendant in crystal with black and tea bands by Peter Marino for Venini. Bold shades of black blend together with the hues of crystal or tea of the recta...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Murano Glass

Venini Opalino Small Vase in Apple Green Milk White Inside Murano Glass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Opalino small vase in Amber Murano glass by Venini. The Opalino vase is all about sophisticated and unique colors, thanks to the use of the traditional Op...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Murano Glass

Monofiore Balloton Glass Vase in Apple Green Red Thread by Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Venini glass vase with full body and textured surface with hexagonal shaped pattern in cobalt blue designed in 1970. Perfect for indoor home decor as container or strong statement pi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Art Glass

Venini Fazzoletto Opalino Small Vase in Black Murano Glass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Fazzoletto Opalino small vase in Amber murano glass by Fulvio Bianconi and Paolo Venini. An exclusive new take on the Opalini technique from the 15t...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Murano Glass

Venini Monofiore Balloton Small Vase in Apple Green Red Thread Murano Glass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Monofiore Balloton vase in amber murano glass by Venini. It looks soft, but it’s not; it’s glass. The optical illusion of Monofiori by Venini from 1970 lies in its name: Balloton, a ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Murano Glass

Deco Small Vase in Rio Green Glass by Napoleone Martinuzzi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Historic vase designed by Napoleone Martinuzzi in opalino glass characterized by round horizontal ribs. The model is proposed in three shades of colour and in three sizes. Rhythm"...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Glass

Incise Glass Bottle in Raspberry by Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A multitude of shapes and colours. Every bottle has its own, chosen with care by Paolo Venini in 1956. Skilfully etched to conceal their imaginary content, they pique the curiosity o...
Category

20th Century Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Glass

Fazzoletto Opalino Large Glass Vase in Milk-White by Fulvio Bianconi and Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Created from the collaboration between Fulvio Bianconi and Paolo Venini, characterized by a soft shape with a graceful wavy lip, always unique, obtained using the free-hand technique...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Glass

Anelli Crystal Glass with Marine Blue & Red Bands by Venini Riedizione
Located in Brooklyn, NY
“The master skilfully plays with sheer glass: four red rings alternating with four light blue or blue ones, running its full length. A new glass star is born in 2019: Anelli. Color is hot-applied before blowing the glass, thanks to the exclusive Fasce (bands) technique.” Additional Information: Material: Crystal glass Color: Crystal with marine blue & red bands...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Glass

Monofiore Balaton Sabbiato Glass Vase in Rio Green Ox Blood Thread by Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Venini glass vase with full body and textured surface with hexagonal shaped pattern in gold designed in 1970. Perfect for indoor home decor as container or strong statement piece for...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Art Glass

Peter Marino Parallelo Small Pendant in Crystal, Tea and Black Murano Glass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Parallelo Murano glass small pendant in crystal with black and tea bands by Peter Marino for Venini. Bold shades of black blend together with the hues of crystal or tea of the rectan...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Murano Glass

Incisi Glass Vase in Brass by Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A multitude of shapes and colours. Apparently, Paolo Venini had a knack for experimenting with Incisi. They are countless. The vase owes its name to the "Incisione a Freddo" glassmak...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Glass

Monofiore Decorative Jar with Cap in Green Blown Glass by Laura de Santillana
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Different shapes, different colours. But all bursting with energy. Their caps recall the shapes and patterns of nature. Every Monofiore by Laura de Santillana is unique: a small prec...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Blown Glass

Venini Idria Large Vase in Horizon Milk White inside Murano Glass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Idria large vase in horizon Murano glass by Venini. The ancient Greek water vessel sheds its skin, as terracotta gives way to glass, thanks to Venini. Its design speaks of bygone day...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Murano Glass

Monofiore Balloton Glass Vase in Grape Red Thread Rim by Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Venini glass vase with full body and textured surface with hexagonal shaped pattern in cobalt blue designed in 1970. Perfect for indoor home decor as container or strong statement pi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Art Glass

Venini Opalino Small Vase in Grey Milk White Inside Murano Glass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Opalino small vase in Amber Murano glass by Venini. The Opalino vase is all about sophisticated and unique colors, thanks to the use of the traditional Opalino technique. This method...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Murano Glass

Monofiore Balloton Glass Vase in Grey Red Thread by Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Venini glass vase with full body and textured surface with hexagonal shaped pattern in cobalt blue designed in 1970. Perfect for indoor home decor as container or strong statement pi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Art Glass

Venini Monofiore Balloton Small Vase in Grey Ox Blood Thread Murano Glass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Monofiore Balloton vase in Amber Murano glass by Venini. It looks soft, but it’s not; it’s glass. The optical illusion of Monofiori by Venini from 1970 lies in its name: Balloton, a ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Murano Glass

Monofiore Carnevale Tall Glass Vase in Sapphire by Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Venini glass vase with full body and thin funneled neck with textured hexagonal shaped pattern atop surface of glass in sapphire. Featured in sapphire colored glass and designed in 2...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Art Glass

Venini Fazzoletto Opalino Small Vase in Horizon Murano Glass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Fazzoletto Opalino small vase in amber Murano glass by Fulvio Bianconi and Paolo Venini. An exclusive new take on the Opalini technique from the 15th century makes its color unique. ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Murano Glass

Venini Balloton Table Light in Aquamarine with Shade
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Balloton table lamp, designed and manufactured by Venini, is available in three different colors and features an handmade blown glass body with fabric shade. Indoor use only. Dime...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Blown Glass

Venini Satin Large Vase in Horizon Crystal Murano Glass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Satin large vase in glazed horizon/crystal Murano glass by Venini. Sheer glass is hand blown and crafted by the master glassblowers using the sophisticated Satinatura technique, whic...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Murano Glass

Venini Occhi Vase in White Glass by Ludovico Diaz de Santillana, Tobia Scarpa
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Venini Occhi glass vase in crystal by Ludovico Diaz de Santillana, Tobia Scarpa. Blown handmade glass vases with the “Murrine” technique. Color: Cryst...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Blown Glass

Labuan Small Glass Vase in Apple Green by Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A classical form inspired by faraway places, magically projected in the contemporary world by the new colours. It draws inspiration from faraway places, halfway between fantasy an...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Blown Glass

Battuti/Canoe Bowl in Aquamarine Glass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
It reveals itself like a shell gaping open, in tones of crystal, aquamarine and shaded pink Alexandrite. Its translucent appearance is the result of t...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Glass

Peter Marino Rotondo Small Ceiling Lamp in Crystal, Tea and Black Murano Glass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Rotondo Murano glass small ceiling lamp in crystal with black and tea bands by Peter Marino for Venini. Bold shades of black blend together with the hues of crystal or tea of the sph...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Murano Glass

Venini Small Black Belt Triangular Glass in Crystal and Tea by Peter Marino
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Venini glass vase in transparent crystal and tea with black decoration designed by Peter Marino in 2017. Perfect for indoor home decor as container or statement piece for any room. A...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Art Glass

Italian modern yellow glass chandelier Firenze, Ettore Sottsass for Venini, 1990
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern yellow glass chandelier Firenze, Ettore Sottsass for Venini, 1990. Florence model chandelier composed of a series of transparent and yellow glass spheres of different ...
Category

1990s Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Metal

Gemme Glass Vase in Tea by Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Venini glass vase with shaped body and neck in tea designed in 2017. Perfect for indoor home decor as container or statement piece for any room. Also available in other colors on 1st...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Art Glass

VENINI Chandelier - Murano Glass - Metal Crome - 1970 - Made in ITALY.
Located in Milano, IT
Venini chandelier.
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Modern Furniture

Materials

Chrome

Important Large Chandelier Venini, Model Triedro, Murano, 1960
Located in Milan, Italy
A beatiful and important chandelier with triedri element glass pendants (about 1000 pieces). Signed and stamped Venini in the metal structure.
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Modern Furniture

Materials

Glass

1980s Modern Hand-Blown Green and Gray Murano Glass Vase by Venini
Located in Aci Castello, IT
This striking hand-blown Murano glass vase by Venini, crafted in the 1980s, is a refined example of modern Italian glass artistry. Its bold flared rim and clean, fluid form are enhan...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Murano Glass

Calo Scarpa "Corroso Vase" by Venini Murano Glass, Signed
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This is a very well-known piece by Carlo Scarpa, acid signed four lines underside, Murano Venini made in Italy. Mint condition.Rare piece .
Category

1950s Italian Vintage Modern Furniture

Materials

Glass

Red Italian Venini Art Glass Vase, 1981 8.5" Tall
Located in Toledo, OH
Red Venini Italian art glass vase signed and dated 1981. 8.5" tall x 8" in diameter.
Category

1980s European Vintage Modern Furniture

Materials

Glass

Fulvio Bianconi for Venini "Fazzoletto" Vase in Murano Glass, Italy 2003
Located in Naples, IT
Large Vase Mod. Handkerchief designed by Fulvio Bianconi for the well-known Murano firm Venini, in Murano Glass in shades of blue and turquoise, engraved signature at base, Venini ...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Murano Glass

21st Century Fantasmino Rechargeable, Dimmerable, Touch Table Lamp Aquamarine
Located in murano, IT
Skillful glasswork gives back this object a slight movement, as if it were suspended in space. Its iconic silhouette comes from an exclusive archival prototype and brings a playful t...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Metal

3 Venini Grey Sconces
Located in Los Angeles, CA
(3) 1960s modern Venini grey sconces from Italy with hand blown Venini glass shades. Single E26 medium based socket per sconce. Original finish, partially ...
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Modern Furniture

Materials

Aluminum, Steel, Nickel

'Abaco' wall scone by Monica Guggisberg & Philip Baldwin for Venini
Located in MIJDRECHT, NL
Abaco wall sconce in handmade blown glass. Simple and decorative lighting solution for any room or environment. There’s no distinction really between an idea and its manner of exp...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass

Tapio Wirkkala Cup Filigrana for Venini Murano Signed, 1980s
Located in Milano, IT
Rare Murano hand blown dark amethyst/black "Filigrana Nera" cup. Excellent and very fine cylindrical cup with "black filigree" designed by Tapio Wirkkala for Venini, Murano, circa 19...
Category

1980s Italian Vintage Modern Furniture

Materials

Murano Glass

Murano Blown Glass Contemporary Pendant Light Design by Peter Marino for Venini
Located in murano, IT
Cilindro 893.65 Peter Marino’s work is notoriously provocative. The Rotondo, Cilindro, and Parallelo lamps are no exception: using the “Fasce” technique, the artist hot-works colour...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Blown Glass, Murano Glass

Murano Blown Glass Contemporary Pendant Light Design by Peter Marino for Venini
Located in murano, IT
ROTONDO 893.50 Peter Marino’s work is notoriously provocative. The Rotondo, Cilindro, and Parallelo lamps are no exception: using the “Fasce” technique, the artist hot-works coloure...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Furniture

Materials

Blown Glass, Murano Glass

Modern furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Modern 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 seating, lighting, tables and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, fabric and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Modern furniture made in a specific country, there are Europe, Italy, and North America pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original furniture, popular names associated with this style include Rug & Kilim, Schumacher, Vistosi, and Kartell. 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.

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