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 The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics.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 chair — crafted 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.
Pleats Design Nesting Table (Set of 3) in Repoussé Copper by Robert Kuo
By Robert Kuo
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pleats Design Copper Nesting Tables (Set of 3) Antique Copper Hand Repoussé Limited Edition Contemporary NESTING TABLE MEASUREMENTS: Large: 30.5"L x 16"D x 24"H Medium: 26. 5"L x 16...
Copper
Sass Nesting Tables from Souda, White, Wood Side, End Tables, Made to Order
This listing is for a pair of Sass Side Tables from Souda in White. We also make it in black. The totem-like shapes of each piece in the Sass Series are inspired by Ettore Sottsass....
Wood, Ash
$18,800 / item
Tri-Nesting Column Tables by MSJ Furniture Studio
Located in Vancouver, BC
Our Tri-Nesting column tables are inspired by columns left behind by ancient Greek and Roman architecture. Fitting well in many interiors the tables whitened finish allows you to adm...
Maple
Set of Three Teak Nesting Tables by Svenn Eske Kristensen for Ludvig Pontoppidan
Located in San Francisco, CA
Set of Three Teak Nesting Tables by Svenn Eske Kristensen for Ludvig Pontoppidan Set of three teak nesting tables, Model 14-EK by Svenn Eske Kr...
Teak
$1,718Sale Price / set|20% Off
Vintage Set of 5 Nesting Cubes, Italian Decorative Nest Table, Late 20th Century
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a vintage set of 5 nesting cubes. An Italian, faux crocodile leather decorative nest table, dating to the late Victorian period, circa 1980. On trend late 20th century desig...
Faux Leather
Polished Bimetal Two-Tone Brass and Stainless Steel Handcrafted Nesting Tables
By Corinna Warm, WARM
Located in Santa Monica, CA
A set of nesting tables as part of the Transition collection, featuring unique, artistic mirror polished tabletops, crafted from brass and stainless steel on tubular bases. Studi...
Brass, Stainless Steel
Contemporary Travertine "C" shaped Nesting Table, Hive I by Paola Valle
By Paola Valle
Located in Ciudad De México, MX
Contemporary marble nesting tables with beautiful hand carved dotted pattern. This tables are surely fun and easy to look and will definitely be an outstanding addition to any space....
Travertine, Marble
Vintage 1970's Italian Greek Key Nesting Tables Set of Three, Brass and Glass
Located in North Miami, FL
These set of 3 vintage Italian Greek key nesting tables are polished brass with original mirrored bronze glass tops. They were made in Italy. The G...
Brass
Nest Side Table, Aged Silver & Black Glass, Contemporary Design
Located in Alcoy, Alicante
Modern style wanderlust side nested table. Aged silver and Black Glass Serene pieces where exclusivity and precision are shown in small details such as the hand-turned metal...
Steel
Bordeira Nesting Coffee Table, Set/3, Dover White Marble, Handmade by Greenapple
Located in Lisboa, PT
Bordeira Nesting Coffee Table, Set/3, Contemporary Collection, Handcrafted in Portugal - Europe by Greenapple. The Bordeira nesting coffee table was designed to bring the essence of...
Onyx, Quartz, Travertine, Granite, Marble, Carrara Marble, Brass, Stainl...
$3,000
Lucia Eames Heart Table
By Lucia Eames
Located in Highland, IN
This wonderful little table is by Lucia Eames, daughter of Charles Eames. Lucia created a diverse body of work in a range of media– from photography to works in textile, paper and st...
Steel
$28,530 / item
Set of 3 Nesting Tables
By Zanaboni
Located in Milan, IT
This precious set of three tables will be a versatile and stunning addition to a modern and contemporary home. Either positioned together, nested in one another, or in different area...
Glass
$2,750 / item
Disfatto Two Coffee Tables by Dennis Guidone
By Biosofa
Located in Milan, IT
With endless combinations, this delightful pair of Disfatto Coffee Tables never look the same. Fun and easy, they will brighten the mood in any contemporary living space. Crafted in ...
Wood, Plywood
1990s Italian Metal and Wood Nesting Tables, Set of 3
Located in Germantown, MD
Set of 3 Italian nesting tables with metal frames and parquetry oak tops. Larger table measures 22w x 16D x 20H Medium table measures 18W x 15D x 18H, smaller table measures 14W x 1...
Iron
Nesting Tables w/ Pleats Design in Red Lacquer (Set of 2) by Robert Kuo
By Robert Kuo
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Nesting Tables with Pleats Design Red Lacquer Copper Base Hand Repoussé One of a Kind Each piece is individually crafted and is unique. Repoussé is the traditional art of hand-ham...
Copper
Oni - Carved Green Onyx Designer Contemporary Nesting Tables
Located in Paris, IDF
Oni - Carved Green Onyx Designer Nesting Tables are sculptural collectible tables that explore balance, modularity, and the coexistence of natural stone with architectural geometry. ...
Onyx, Aluminum, Stainless Steel
Sass Side Table Pair from Souda, Short and Tall, Made to Order
This listing includes a short Sass side table (16" in height) with a 14" diameter Carrara marble top and a tall side table (20" tall) with a 14" diameter top. The Sottsass-inspired ...
Marble, Carrara Marble
Sass Side Table Pair from Souda, Short and Medium, Made to Order
This listing is for a pair of tables. One table is 16" tall with a 14" marble surface. The other is 18" tall with a 14" surface. The Sottsass-inspired “Sass Tables” are simple, scul...
Marble, Carrara Marble
$1,560Sale Price / set|40% Off
21st Century Set of Two Iron Nesting Tables with Glass and Wood Tops, Spain
Located in Miami, FL
21st century set of two iron nesting tables with glass and wood tops, Spain Frame material: Extruded and hand-welded Iron rods Frame finish: Black Iron rods dimensions: 1.96 in...
Iron
Pair of Kreten Nesting Tables, Accent Tables in Black from Souda, Made to Order
By Isaac Friedman-Heiman, Souda
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Industrial, organic and sculptural, the Kreten side tables are concrete furniture like you haven’t seen before. Original pieces are created in Souda's Brooklyn studio by casting conc...
Cement, Concrete
$950 / set
Modernist Black Cube Nesting Tables
Located in Atlanta, GA
Set of three modernist black cube nesting tables or boxes. The smallest cube measures 6" x 6" x 6". The largest measures 13" x 13" x 13". Signed Margareth Lang on the underside.
Wood
Organic Modern Bordeira Nesting Coffee Table, Set/2 Onyx, Handmade by Greenapple
By Greenapple
Located in Lisboa, PT
Organic Modern Bordeira Nesting Coffee Table, Set/2, Contemporary Collection, Handcrafted in Portugal - Europe by Greenapple. The Bordeira nesting coffee table was designed to bring...
Travertine, Granite, Marble, Carrara Marble, Onyx, Brass, Stainless Steel
$5,758Sale Price / item|20% Off
Art Noveau rosewood & brass, Four... for Luck coffee table by Insidherland
By Joana Santos Barbosa, InsidherLand
Located in Maia, Porto
Four… for Luck is an interpretation of the Legend of the four-leaf clover, in which each petal represents a meaning. The concept of independence was explored so that the four parts,...
Metal, Brass
Kurt Østervig Nesting Tables in Solid Oak for KP Møbler
Located in Kastrup, DK
Kurt Østervig Design. Set of nesting tables (3) crafted in solid oak for KP Møbler, circa 1970. In beautiful condition with a light refinish. Dimensions: Coffee table: 48 x 91 x 45 ...
Oak
Instock Nesting Side Table Set Modern Contemporary Round Table Blackened Steel
Located in Bronx, NY
TABLE NO. 1 - NESTING PAIR J.M. Szymanski d. 2017 A striking design composed of two separate side tables. Each table has only two legs! This nesting side table set...
Steel, Iron
Pair of Kreten Nesting Tables, Accent Tables in Grey from Souda, Made to Order
By Souda, Isaac Friedman-Heiman
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Industrial, organic and sculptural, the Kreten side tables are concrete furniture like you haven’t seen before. Original pieces are created in Souda's Brooklyn studio by casting conc...
Concrete, Cement
$16,400 / item
Nesting Tricolumn Coffee Tables by MSJ Furniture Studio
Located in Vancouver, BC
Our Nesting Tri-column coffee Tables are inspired by columns left behind by ancient Greek and Roman architecture. Consisting of a line of three columns and balanced on the opposite s...
Beech
Modern Saara Nesting Coffee Table, Set/3, Buffon French Limestone, by Greenapple
Located in Lisboa, PT
Modern Saara Nesting Coffee Table Set/3, Contemporary Collection, Handcrafted in Portugal - Europe by Greenapple. The Saara nesting coffee table is a tribute to Africa’s scenic beau...
Limestone, Travertine, Granite, Marble, Carrara Marble
$1,250 / set
Two Nesting Tables by Baker Furniture
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
Two elegant nesting tables by Baker Furniture, ca' 1960's. Beautiful bookmatched, elmwood tops with raised edge. Cabriolet legs with original speckled finish.
Elm
Contemporary Modern Nesting Tables in Argentine Rosewood by Costantini, Dorena
By Costantini
Located in New York, NY
The Dorena Nesting Tables feature a cascading zig-zag outer profile and a smooth inside finish that can be painted in gold. Custom finishes and sizing available. Priced as a set of t...
Wood
Contemporary Modern Nesting Tables in Argentine Rosewood by Costantini, Dorena
By Costantini
Located in New York, NY
The Dorena nesting tables feature a cascading zig-zag outer profile and a smooth inside finish that can be painted in gold. Custom finishes and sizing available. Priced as a set of t...
Wood
Triptych Nesting Tables in Monaco Brown Marble with Cedar Green Frame
By All The Way To Paris, Please Wait to be Seated
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Triptych literally means ‘threefold’. This table has been particularly inspired by Francis Bacon, who used the form to show a single subject in three different ways. The three components can make up a distinct unity, nested like a matryoshka doll (a table [inside a table {inside a table}]). Or unfolded to reveal their interlinked parts. When you pull the tables out, the curving, airy ‘n’ of their frames takes on a distinctive and dynamic wave-form. These powder coated steel frames support a trio of table tops in warm Monaco Brown marble or Sicilian grey raw lava stone. Giving every surface a unique, unparalleled swirl. Delivered in 2 packages. 1 with table tops and 1 with frames. Additional information: Materials: Cedar green...
Marble
$1,500 / set
Set of Rosewood Nesting Tables
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
An unusual set of three nesting tables, rosewood or chrome cantilevered legs.
$12,010 / item
Set of 2 Nesting Tables with Mirror
By Zanaboni
Located in Milan, IT
This elegant set of two side tables is an elegant exercise in minimalism and sophistication and will be a versatile addition to any home. Either in a Classic or contemporary living r...
Brass
$18,125 / item
Set of 3 Nesting Tables in Black
By Zanaboni
Located in Milan, IT
Sophisticated and timeless, these three side tables are a celebration of exquisite craftsmanship. Their wooden structure, veneered in striking ebony, support an Estremoz marble top. ...
Wood
1960s Set of 3 Kai Kristiansen Skovmand & Andersen Danish Nesting Tables, Teak
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a Set of Three Nesting Tables, designed by Kai Kristiansen for Skovmand & Andersen in the 1960s. The set was produced in Denmark, and was imported by Edgaard Inc. in Los ...
Teak, Walnut
Fold Nesting Coffee Tables, Blackened Steel and Smoked Glass, by Force/Collide
Located in Seattle, WA
Fold Coffee Tables are a signature example of Force/Collide modern geometric, minimal and modular style. Finely constructed and finished with blackened steel and smoked gray glass, t...
Steel, Cut Steel
Carrocel Custom Shagreen and Stainless Steel Cocktail Nesting Tables
By Carrocel
Located in North York, ON
These cocktail nesting tables are part of the Carrocel custom collection. The larger coffee table has a faux shagreen finish with brushed stainless-steel ends and two smaller tables ...
Metal
Domino Coffee Table, Blackened Steel Smoked Glass, by Force/Collide
Located in Seattle, WA
The Domino Coffee Table is part of a nesting duo of tables finely constructed and finished with satin black oxide steel and smoked glass. This table is as functional as it is an art ...
Metal, Steel, Cut Steel
Bevan Funnell Burr / Burl Oak Nest of Tables Absolutely Stunning
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Wimbledon-Furniture Wimbledon-Furniture is delighted to offer for sale this stunning brand new Bevan Funnell burr oak nest of tables These are...
Oak
$3,169 / item
Rara Avis Large Side Table by Editiio
Located in Geneve, CH
Rara Avis large side table by Editiio Limited edition of 24 pieces, numbered Materials: French oak and 24K gold plated steel Dimensions: D 35 x H 81 cm Rara Avis is the result ...
Gold, Steel
Edward Wormley Dunbar Mahogany, Brass and Walnut Nesting Tables
Located in Toledo, OH
Mahogany and walnut nesting tables by Edward Wormley for Dunbar. Square brass supports. Very nice condition with light oxidation on brass. Main table measures 20" x 28" x 22" tall. T...
Walnut
Handmade Nesting Tables, Set Side Coffee Tables Handcrafted by French Designer
Located in LANGUEUX, FR
The beauty and high quality of handmade concrete and metal tables made in France are unparalleled in the world of furniture. The blending of these two materials results in pieces tha...
Concrete, Metal
Handmade Nesting Tables, Set Side Coffee Tables Handcrafted by French Designer
Located in LANGUEUX, FR
The beauty and high quality of handmade concrete and metal tables made in France are unparalleled in the world of furniture. The blending of these two materials results in pieces tha...
Concrete, Metal
Handmade Nesting Tables, Set Side Coffee Tables Handcrafted by French Designer
Located in LANGUEUX, FR
The beauty and high quality of handmade concrete and metal tables made in France are unparalleled in the world of furniture. The blending of these two materials results in pieces tha...
Concrete, Metal
Handmade Nesting Tables, Set Side Coffee Tables Handcrafted by French Designer
Located in LANGUEUX, FR
The beauty and high quality of handmade concrete and metal tables made in France are unparalleled in the world of furniture. The blending of these two materials results in pieces tha...
Concrete, Metal
$5,831 / set
Unique Toprack Nesting Table by Ekin Varon
Located in Geneve, CH
Unique Toprack nesting table by Ekin Varon Dimensions: 32 D x 60 H cm 28 D x 50 H cm Materials: wood, metal. Custom materials, sizing and finishes avai...
Metal
Large Glass and Nickel Coffee Table "Arctic Slab" by Yves Maxx
By Yves Maxx
Located in New York City, NY
A limited edition, twenty-first century coffee table in glass, metal and wood created by Yves Maxx. Strong lines and inspirational design personify a slab of Arctic ice with two floa...
Nickel
$5,692 / set
Tables Gigognes - ModèleT61
By Tecno, Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Paris, FR
Set of three side tables in rosewood, veneer and metal legs by Italian designer Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno
Metal
Nesting Domino Coffee Tables, Blackened Steel, Gray Glass, by Force/Collide
Located in Seattle, WA
The Domino Nesting Coffee Tables are a versatile set, finely constructed and finished with satin black steel and smoked glass. These tables are as functional as they are art furnitur...
Steel, Cut Steel
Three Danish Rosewood Nesting Tables Kai Kristiansen
Located in Toledo, OH
Three Danish rosewood nesting table by Kai Kristiansen. One corner as shown in photo has a bit of damage. Dimensions of 16" depth x 16' W x 16.5" H. Due to CITES, this listing canno...
Rosewood
Handmade Nesting Tables, Set Side Coffee Tables Handcrafted by French Designer
Located in LANGUEUX, FR
The beauty and high quality of handmade concrete and metal tables made in France are unparalleled in the world of furniture. The blending of these two materials results in pieces tha...
Concrete, Metal
Handmade Nesting Tables, Set Side Coffee Tables Handcrafted by French Designer
Located in LANGUEUX, FR
The beauty and high quality of handmade concrete and metal tables made in France are unparalleled in the world of furniture. The blending of these two materials results in pieces tha...
Concrete, Metal
Handmade Nesting Tables, Set Side Coffee Tables Handcrafted by French Designer
Located in LANGUEUX, FR
The beauty and high quality of handmade concrete and metal tables made in France are unparalleled in the world of furniture. The blending of these two materials results in pieces tha...
Concrete, Metal
Handmade Nesting Tables, Set Side Coffee Tables Handcrafted by French Designer
Located in LANGUEUX, FR
The beauty and high quality of handmade concrete and metal tables made in France are unparalleled in the world of furniture. The blending of these two materials results in pieces tha...
Concrete, Metal
Handmade Nesting Tables, Set Side Coffee Tables Handcrafted by French Designer
Located in LANGUEUX, FR
The beauty and high quality of handmade concrete and metal tables made in France are unparalleled in the world of furniture. The blending of these two materials results in pieces tha...
Concrete, Metal
Handmade Nesting Tables, Set Side Coffee Tables Handcrafted by French Designer
Located in LANGUEUX, FR
The beauty and high quality of handmade concrete and metal tables made in France are unparalleled in the world of furniture. The blending of these two materials results in pieces tha...
Concrete, Metal
Handmade Nesting Tables, Set Side Coffee Tables Handcrafted by French Designer
Located in LANGUEUX, FR
The beauty and high quality of handmade concrete and metal tables made in France are unparalleled in the world of furniture. The blending of these two materials results in pieces tha...
Concrete, Metal
Handmade Nesting Tables, Set Side Coffee Tables Handcrafted by French Designer
Located in LANGUEUX, FR
The beauty and high quality of handmade concrete and metal tables made in France are unparalleled in the world of furniture. The blending of these two materials results in pieces tha...
Concrete, Metal
Handmade Nesting Tables, Set Side Coffee Tables Handcrafted by French Designer
Located in LANGUEUX, FR
The beauty and high quality of handmade concrete and metal tables made in France are unparalleled in the world of furniture. The blending of these two materials results in pieces tha...
Concrete, Metal