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.
$8,191 / item
Sculpted Bench or Side Table N6 in Solid Oakwood
By Sóha
Located in Paris, IDF
Bench or side table in solid oak (+ linseed oil) (Outdoor use OK) SÓHA design studio conceives and produces furniture design and decorative objects in sol...
Oak
A Brutalist Art Deco Black Glazed Round Side Table With Curved Steel Frame
Located in Reading, Berkshire
A Bauhaus Black Glazed Round Coffee Table With Curved Steel Frame by PEL England With Makers Mark - Made in England - 1930's Practical Equipment Ltd, k...
Chrome
Sculptural Stool in Solid Black European Oak, Brutalist Style, Cadence by Mokko
Located in Amsterdam, NL
The Cadence stool is inspired by the simplicity and power of the rhythmic stepped brickwork visible in the architecture of Amsterdam's 'South Plan' area; the city development plan de...
Oak
$851Sale Price|20% Off
Spinzi Meccano Side Table, Brutalist Stool, One Off Collectible, Made in Italy
By Spinzi
Located in Milano, IT
Iconic Metal Table - One Off Designer Stool - Mancave Furniture Sharp, masculine and playful are the pieces of Meccano Collection. The technical aspect of the construction world to ...
Steel
Sculptural 1960s Brazilian Coffee Table by Percival Lafer
Located in Long Island City, NY
A mid-century Brutalist style coffee table with a staggered wooden block relief design, protected with a glass top.
Glass, Wood
Brutalist Solid Amorphic Teak Wood Natural Slab Coffee Side Table, 1930s
Located in Antwerp, BE
Wooden tripod tree trunk brutalist coffee side Table, 1960s. An early 20th century French burl wood slab top coffee table. This antique smal...
Teak
Joel Escalona's Elefante Side Table 8, Hefty Organic Look, Walnut Wood
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Joel Escalona's Elefante Side Table 8, Hefty Organic Look ————————————————————— The base product is made of solid walnut. Other wood options are also available, which may affect the ...
Hardwood
$7,200Sale Price / item|20% Off
NONO Elefante Side Table 15, Solid Wood, Bold Organic Forms
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
NONO Elefante Side Table 15, Solid Wood, Bold Organic Forms ————————————————————— The base product is made of solid red oak wood, available in natural or black tinted finishes. Other...
Hardwood
$7,200Sale Price / item|20% Off
Joel Escalona Elefante Side Table 17, Hefty Rounded Form
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Joel Escalona Elefante Side Table 17, Hefty Rounded Form————————————————————— The base product is made of solid red oak wood, available in natural or black tinted finishes. Other woo...
Hardwood
$7,200Sale Price / item|20% Off
Elefante Side Table 13 by NONO, Solid Wood, Dynamic Shapes
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Elefante Side Table 13 by NONO, Solid Wood, Dynamic Shapes ————————————————————— The base product is made of solid red oak wood, available in natural or black tinted finishes. Other...
Hardwood
Fundamenta Round Side Table 49 Solid Wood, Geometric Elegance by NONO
By NONO
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Fundamenta Round Side Table 49 Solid Wood, Geometric Elegance by NONO Sculptural coffee table made of solid wood with a natural water-based or black tinted finish. Due to the natur...
Hardwood
Mid-Century Italian Brutalist Side Tables Iron-Glass-Nickel by Banci, Firenze
Located in Salzburg, AT
Mid-Century Italian Brutalist Side Tables Iron-Glass-Nickel by Banci, Florence 1960s The tables are very refined in design and workmanship. A nickel-plated stainless steel supporting frame is decorated with 4 rounded, solid 1.5 cm thick iron plates. These trays are suspended from the frame and have a ribbed, roughly sawn outer edge. A rectangular, nickel-plated spacer sits in the middle and the glass plate sits on it, which is secured with a large, nickel-plated ring with a ball. The glass plates are also 1.5 cm thick and have a shell decoration on the edge. This decoration is worked by pinching out and must be done by hand. This ensures that the outer edges of the coarse iron are perfectly joined to the glass edge. The nickel-plated support frame adds even more tension to the mix of materials. The design is artistic and chic, the tables can be used both in an elegant interior as a contrast and in a casual-cool area. The tables are very heavy and weigh around 40 kg per table. The table height without the ring is 44cm, the ring with the ball has a height of 8cm. For more than a century, Italian manufacturer Banci Firenze has been known throughout the world for its extensive range of innovative lighting and furniture inspired by geometry, nature and modernist architecture. Founded in 1899 by Giuseppe Banci, Banci Firenze began as a workshop in Florence, initially specializing in the restoration of glass, crystal and iron chandeliers. In the 1900s, the company developed further - Banci Firenze became a manufacturer of exquisite lighting fixtures made of hand-blown glass, hand-crafted wrought iron, bronze with gold leaf. Although the company is best known for its carefully designed chandeliers, sconces, ceiling lights and table lamps, Banci Firenze's range expanded to include other furnishings in the mid-20th century. Particularly popular in the 1950s and 1960s was Banci Firenze's Hollywood Regency-style Collection'S, such as glass-topped side tables with gilded floral accents and bases. In the 1970s, Banci Firenze's most popular designs included dining room tables and cocktail tables characterized by mid-century modernist and Art Deco elements. In the 1980s, Banci Firenze attracted attention for a unique storage piece designed by Italian architect and designer Ugo La Pietra. The so-called "flag cabinet" had the shape of a staircase and featured brass drawers, silver-cast brass ball feet and a brass flag...
Metal, Iron, Nickel
$5,356Sale Price / item|20% Off
21st Hudson Side Table Illuminated Alabaster Steel Made in Portugal by Porus
Located in RIO TINTO, PT
Located on Manhattan’s West Side, Hudson Yards is the largest private real estate development in U.S. history and a landmark of contemporary architecture and innovation. Home to scul...
Alabaster, Steel
$891Sale Price|40% Off
Side Table in Natural Light Oak - Cadence by Mokko
Located in Amsterdam, NL
This solid oak Cadence side table is a showroom model in excellent condition. - Dimensions: L:34 x W:22 x H:30 cm. - The price includes a custom wooden shipping crate. - The thick...
Oak
$1,680Sale Price|20% Off
Vintage Original Brutalist Glass Top End Table
Located in North York, ON
Vintage Brutalist end table with a triangular glass top. Rolling wheels at bottom for mobility.
Metal
$2,473 / set
Jean Side Tables Tall 52 and Low 38 - Set of 2
Located in Lisbon, PT
Jean side tables are unique in their conception. The combination of three different marbles make them a sign of unconformity and originality. The combination in the picture is in Est...
Marble
Striata, Side Table, Carved Lava Stone, Red or Gray, 35cm, Mexico
Located in Ciudad De México, MX
Introducing our striking side table that beautifully combines the strength of volcanic stone with its light and airy design. This captivating stone monolith...
Lava
Clam Small Side Table in Raw Moon, handcrafted by VAVA Objects
By VAVA Objects
Located in Saltsjöbaden, SE
The artisanal process of creating our Clam Side Table gives each piece an individual soul and patina, as the temperature, humidity and hands at work all contribute to its distinctive...
Fiberglass
Percival Lafer Cocktail Tables, Brazilian-Modern Parquet Wood, 1970s
By Paul Evans, Percival Lafer, Giuseppe Scapinelli
Located in Chattanooga, TN
Sold as a pair. Please consider and compare the quality of this set to similar offerings. You won't find a more beautifully restored example anywhere. These 1970's Mid-Century, Br...
Rosewood, Glass, Walnut
Vintage Boho Scored Travertine Side Table
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Discover the raw, architectural beauty of this vintage travertine side table, a stunning example of Italian Postmodern design. This piece celebrates the inherent character of the sto...
Travertine
Clam Medium Side Table in Eclipse, handcrafted in fiberglass by VAVA Objects
By VAVA Objects
Located in Saltsjöbaden, SE
Clam Medium in raw fiberglass, part of our ‘unearthed’ collection. Inspired by the beautiful shells of the north, our Clam side table is made of unmasked fibreglass and plays with it...
Fiberglass
Clam Medium Side Table in Coral, handcrafted in fiberglass by VAVA Objects
By VAVA Objects
Located in Saltsjöbaden, SE
The artisanal process of creating our Clam Side Table gives each piece an individual soul and patina, as the temperature, humidity and hands at work all contribute to its distinctive...
Resin, Fiberglass
CT-1 Blackened Steel Side Table of Walnut and "Cracked" Cast Concrete
By Stefan Rurak
Located in Biddeford, ME
This simple and elegant design is composed of a hand-turned upright piece of wood that is cast into a concrete base. Shown in walnut, the concrete base is a rough "cracked" cast. The...
Cement, Steel
$3,000 / item
CT-1 Cast Concrete and Corian Side Table
By Stefan Rurak
Located in Biddeford, ME
This simple and elegant design is composed of a hand-turned upright piece of wood that is cast into a concrete base. Shown in wenge, the concrete base is either a clean cube or a rou...
Cement
Cast Bronze 1970s Brutalist Side Tables by Peter van Heeck
Located in BUSSUM, NH
Super chic coffee table in solid bronze with glass top designed by Peter Van Heeck. Cast Bronze, heavy and pure quality. 2 identical Tables available !
Bronze
“Running Gun” Accent Table, Iron, James Vincent Milano, Italy, 2023
Located in Milano, IT
“Running Gun” Accent Table, Iron, JAMES VINCENT MILANO, Italy, 2023 Pentagonal accent table with removable tripod legs. For use individually or as extensions to complete “Running G...
Iron
$1,094Sale Price|15% Off
Contemporary Brutalist Style Side Table and Night Stand by Spinzi
By Spinzi
Located in Milano, IT
Designed by Spinzi and hand-made in Italy, this essential geometric side table has a strong personality and can easily conjure up images of peaking skylines and towering heights. Sha...
Metal, Steel
Clam Small Side Table in Coral, handcrafted by VAVA Objects
By VAVA Objects
Located in Saltsjöbaden, SE
The artisanal process of creating our Clam Side Table gives each piece an individual soul and patina, as the temperature, humidity and hands at work all contribute to its distinctive...
Fiberglass
Waveform Sun Stump Wood Carved Table by Bradley Duncan Studio
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Sun Stump Douglas Fir 24” x 27” X 27” 2018 180 LBS Waveform - Burnt with an icon of authenticity Produced by hand in Los Angeles, CA. from regional wood.
Wood