Industrial and Work Tables
Early 2000s North American Post-Modern Industrial and Work Tables
Stainless Steel
21st Century and Contemporary American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Steel
2010s American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Marble, Bronze, Stainless Steel
2010s American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Brass, Stainless Steel
2010s American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Marble, Stainless Steel, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Industrial and Work Tables
Lucite, Lacquer
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
Mid-20th Century American Industrial and Work Tables
Metal, Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
Early 20th Century American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
19th Century French Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Chestnut, Pine
Early 18th Century Swedish Baroque Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Stone
21st Century and Contemporary American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Steel, Bronze
2010s American Industrial and Work Tables
Metal, Steel
Early 1900s American Industrial Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Wood, Paint
Late 19th Century French Country Antique Industrial and Work Tables
Carrara Marble, Iron
20th Century Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Iron
1950s French Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Beech
1910s American Industrial Vintage Industrial and Work Tables
Vitrolite
21st Century and Contemporary American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Industrial and Work Tables
Steel
Early 2000s American Industrial Industrial and Work Tables
Zinc
2010s French Industrial and Work Tables
Marble, Iron, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Canadian Industrial and Work Tables
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Industrial and Work Tables
21st Century and Contemporary Canadian Industrial and Work Tables
2010s French Industrial and Work Tables
Marble, Brass, Iron
Early 2000s Belgian Mid-Century Modern Industrial and Work Tables
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Canadian Industrial and Work Tables
21st Century and Contemporary Dutch Industrial and Work Tables
Aluminum
Antique and Vintage Industrial Tables and Work Tables
From drafting tables to preparation tables to kitchen islands and more, the collection of antique and vintage industrial tables and work tables on 1stDibs features a wide range of robust furnishings that fit seamlessly into modern interiors.
Work tables, just like most tables, have evolved considerably over the years.
More than 1,000 years before iconic American furniture brand Herman Miller would help shape the way we work — and later, how we live at home — monks who lived and worked in medieval-era monasteries stood at what you might call crude writing desks, translating religious texts and copying them by hand.
While those who practiced the art of handwritten letters definitely needed a suitable writing desk, the world wouldn’t see proper roll-top desks and the like until the 19th century. Owing to the work of architects such as Antoni Gaudí, these monastery “desks” were essentially work tables. (Chairs, much less actual desk chairs, weren’t a part of the workspace until the Renaissance.) It was a far cry from the cozy home office that affords many of us the opportunity to work remotely today.
Near the end of the 18th century, the Industrial Revolution brought with it the founding of mills and factories, and hand production methods gave way to machinery and mass production. Factory workers needed sturdy industrial tables to perform tasks that required precision and to support the manufacturing industry. Spare work tables — durable and easy to clean — were constructed of metal and wood and became essential on assembly lines and in packing facilities. Today, industrial-style furniture celebrates the past even as it suggests vigor, productivity and brawn.
Aside from how well antique and vintage industrial tables and work tables will fit in your industrial-style interior — think raw brick walls, exposed steel beams and oak floors — these furnishings have practical uses. They’re a must-have item for a number of creative endeavors: They’re an ideal food-prep surface in your kitchen or an efficient work surface for any kind of hands-on workshop or painting and drawing studio. With some creativity, you can turn a vintage wood industrial table or work table into a desk, dining room table or coffee table.
At 1stDibs, we love the industrial-style furniture trend, and here you can find a wide range of antique and vintage industrial tables and work tables as well as other furnishings that will look wonderful in your heavenly loft space.