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.
$7,200Sale Price / item|20% Off
NONO Elefante Side Table 7, Solid Walnut Wood, Sculptural Elegance
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
NONO Elefante Side Table 7, Solid Wood, Sculptural Elegance ————————————————————— The base product is made of solid walnut wood. Other wood options are also available, which may aff...
Hardwood
Paul Evans Patchwork Cube Side Table, Mixed Metals, 1970s
By Paul Evans
Located in Hamburg, PA
Paul Evans patchwork cube side table in mixed metals. Open cube form with a lower shelf, clad in hammered and studded plates of copper, brass, and pewter-toned metal. Nail-head faste...
Aluminum, Brass, Bronze, Copper, Steel, Pewter
Brutalist Stool in European Oak - 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
Sculptural Unseen Force #62: Joel Escalona's Solid Wood Table, Modern Art Piece
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Sculptural Unseen Force #62: Joel Escalona's Solid Wood Table, Modern Art Piece Sculptural coffee table made of solid wood with a natural water-based or carbonized finish. Due to the nature of the production process, each piece may vary in grain, texture, shape or even size. The dimensions provided refer to the table only. The dimensions and shape of the sculpture may vary. — About the Concept. Unseen Force Coffee Tables and Side Tables, design by Joel Escalona for NONO When Tables Talk Art...
Hardwood
Argente cube side table by Paul Evans
By Paul Evans
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Paul Evans model PE – 37 cube side table. Welded aluminum construction with etched patterns on oxidized and painted panels.. with an inset black slate top. Manufactured by Paul Evans...
Slate, Aluminum
Column Square Coffee Table in Raw Green, handcrafted by VAVA Objects
By VAVA Objects
Located in Saltsjöbaden, SE
The artisanal process of creating our Column Square Coffee Table gives each piece an individual soul and patina, as the temperature, humidity and hands at work all contribute to its ...
Fiberglass
$1,784Sale Price|40% Off
Pair of Brutalist Side Tables in Black Solid Oak - Cadence by Mokko
Located in Amsterdam, NL
These solid oak Cadence side tables are showroom models in excellent condition. - Dimensions per side table: L:34 x W:22 x H:30 cm. - The price includes a custom wooden shipping cr...
Oak
Large Round Dining Table in Solid French Oak - Acer by Mokko
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Bringing lightness and elegance to its heavy materials and shapes. The Acer Table is a balancing act between its heavy solid volumes and light pointing legs featuring semi arched voi...
Oak, Walnut
Brutalist Style Black Lacquer and Gold Leaf Nightstands
Located in New York, NY
Pair of Brutualist influenced sidecabinets with a high gloss black lacquer case and 22-carat gold leaf front panels. The gold panels resemble some wor...
Lacquer
Certosa Modular Dining Table in UHPC white cement by Giuliano Andrea Dell'Uva
Located in Rome, Lazio
Certosa is a UHPC concrete table designed by Giuliano Andrea dell’Uva for Forma&Cemento. It is born from the encounter between the material rigor of concrete and the timeless cha...
Concrete
$9,600Sale Price / item|20% Off
Hand-Crafted Solid Thick Oak Rectangular Coffee Table by Nono Fundamenta 02
By NONO
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Hand-crafted solid thick oak rectangular coffee table / bench By NONO Rectangular coffee table with 2 legs made of solid thick oak. Produ...
Wood, Hardwood, Oak
Side Table, Solid Burnt Wood, Oak, Wine Table, Chainsaw Carved, Rustic
By Logniture
Located in Stara Gradiška, HR
Chainsaw carved side table/wine table/pedestal. Carved from a single piece of burnt oak wood and protected with the highest quality oils, ensuring durability for generations. Such un...
Wood, Oak
$11,706 / item
NONO Elefante Buffet 03, Oak Craft, Bold Statement
$7,200Sale Price / item|20% Off
Joel Escalona Elefante Side Table 2, Rounded Organic Form
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Joel Escalona Elefante Side Table 2, Rounded Organic Form ————————————————————— The base product is made of solid red oak wood, available in natural or black tinted finishes. Other ...
Hardwood
Brutalist Slate Tile Side or Cocktail Table, Belgium, 1970's
Located in Austin, TX
Brutalist side or cocktail table with slate style top and brass and copper inlay in asymmetric pattern. Belgium, 1970's
Slate
Italian Bronze Brutalist Coffee Table in the Style of Luciano Frigerio
Located in London, GB
A high quality Italian bronze & stone coffee table in the brutalist style. Similar in style & quality to the work of Luciano Frigerio. - We offer free shipping to the USA/Canada t...
Stone, Brass, Bronze
Bespoke Patinated Copper Coffee Table
By Sarried Ltd.
Located in Las Vegas, NV
This gorgeous coffee table is a one of kind custom piece, constructed of solid steel with a gorgeous patinated copper finish. If you've been looking for a statement coffee table loo...
Copper
Brutalist Console, Solid Walnut Wood, Customizable, Fenestra by Mokko
Located in Amsterdam, NL
A rhythmic interplay of volumes and voids. The Fenestra collection is inspired by Brick Expressionism, the architectural movement visible in Amsterdam’s ‘South Plan’ area - the city...
Oak, Walnut
Minimalist Solid Walnut Hari Coffee Table - by Mokko
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
Large Monumental Dark Brown Oak Table - Brut by Mokko
Located in Amsterdam, NL
The Brut table takes cues from Brutalism and Amsterdam School architecture. A balance of raw materiality and subdued forms with geometrically expressive detailing. Designed by Aad B...
Oak, Walnut
Jean Tall Side Table with Black Marble Base and Pink Marble Top
Located in Lisbon, PT
Jean tall side table with Nero Marquina top (black marble), Nero Marquina middle part (blackmarble) and Nero Marquina (bottom). Made to Order. Open since 1997 and based in Lisbon, ...
Marble
$11,706 / item
Table Elefante by NONO 02, Oak Pure, Distinctive Style
By NONO
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Table Elefante by NONO 02, Oak Pure, Distinctive Style ————————————————————— Elefante Collection: A Harmony of Design and Heritage by NONO Crafting Elegance with a Modernist Touch...
Hardwood
Brutalist Square Slate Stone Ammonite Coffee Table by Paul Kingma 1994
By Paul Kingma
Located in DE MEERN, NL
Brutalist coffee table designed and made by Paul Kingma †, The Netherlands 1994. Introducing the Brutalist Square Coffee Table by renowned sculptor Paul Kingma, crafted in the Nethe...
Multi-gemstone, Concrete, Slate, Metal, Brass, Copper
$11,294Sale Price / item|20% Off
Unseen Force #38 Solid Oak Coffee Table, Joel Escalona's Art Piece
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Unseen Force #38 Solid Oak Coffee Table, Joel Escalona's Art Piece Sculptural coffee table made of solid wood with a natural water-based or carbonized finish. Due to the nature of ...
Hardwood
$9,600Sale Price / item|20% Off
Round Top Fundamenta Table 53 Abstract Shapes, Oak Elegance by NONO
By NONO
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Round Top Fundamenta Table 53 Abstract Shapes, Oak Elegance by NONO Sculptural coffee table made of solid wood with a natural water-based or black tinted finish. Due to the nature...
Hardwood
Maison Regain Brutalist Elm Coffee Table - France - 1970s
Located in BOULOGNE-BILLANCOURT, FR
Maison Regain Brutalist Elm Coffee Table, France, 1970s Remarkable asymmetrical coffee table in solid elm, produced by Maison Regain in France during the 1970s. Known for its sculp...
Elm
$18,733 / item
Sculpted Dining Table in Solid Oakwood 'Custom Size M'
By Sóha
Located in Paris, IDF
Dining table of solid oak (+ linseed oil) (Outdoor use OK) SÓHA design studio conceives and produces furniture design and decorative objects in solid oak in an authentic style. Insp...
Oak
Vintage French Brutalist Wrought Iron Side Table by Raymond Subes
Located in Antwerp, Antwerp
Impressive and elegant brutalist side table in wrought iron of outstanding production quality. Attributed to Raymond Subes, France circa 1945-1950.
Iron
1970s Roger Sprunger for Dunbar Chrome and Glass Coffee Table
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Sculptural chrome and glass coffee table attributed to Roger Sprunger for Dunbar. Excellent center piece in your living space.
Chrome
Sculptural Solid Oak Wooden Acer Round Dining Table
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Bringing lightness and elegance to its heavy materials and shapes. The Acer Table is a balancing act between its heavy solid volumes and light pointing legs featuring semi arched voi...
Oak, Walnut
Free Form Brutalist Coffee Table, Wood, Wabi Sabi Style, Circa 1960
Located in Linkebeek, BE
Free Form Brutalist Coffee table Wabi Sabi Style - Decoration - Brutalist Measures : 81x67cm H:52cm Weight : ~8kg
Wood
Sculptural Coffee Table, Side Table, Rustic, Burnt Wood, Black, Oak Logniture
By Logniture
Located in Stara Gradiška, HR
Chainsaw carved coffee table. Carved from a single piece of burnt oak wood and protected with the highest quality oils, ensuring durability for generations. Such unique handmade desi...
Wood, Oak
Walnut Coffee Table Brutalist - Hari by Mokko
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
Alwy Visschedyk Rare Brutalist Concrete Cantilevered Dining Table or Desk 1978
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Alwy Visschedyk Vintage Brutalist Cantilevered Concrete Table. Can be a Dining Table, Desk, Game Table or an incredible Foyer/Entry table. This is a rare version that is signed o...
Concrete, Cement
Large Brutalist dining table in solid elm, in the style of Olavi Hanninen, 1960.
Located in JOINVILLE-LE-PONT, FR
Large Farmhouse or Rustic Style Dining Table. Its generous size comfortably seats 10 people. It can be disassembled for easier transport and setup. Beautifully crafted with a superb ...
Elm
Brutalist Kingma style coffee table, 1970s
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Brutalist slate and natural stone top coffee table with inlaid copper and brass. The base is also made from the same material as the top, which is rare. Usually these tables have a ...
Stone, Slate, Brass
In the Manner of Charles Dudouyt, Tripod Plant Stand, Turned Oak, France, 1950s
Located in Kaštel Sućurac, HR
In the Manner of Charles Dudouyt, Tripod Plant Stand, Turned Oak, France, 1950s. This pedestal plant stand is built from solid turned oak, with three bobbin-turned columns rising fr...
Oak
Early 20th C. African Copper and Brass Chess Table + Bronze Game Pieces
Located in North Miami, FL
This Early 20th Century African low chess table/ game table is made of brass, copper and painted metal with a wonderful wood base. Great details by ha...
Metal, Brass, Bronze, Copper
Architectural Solid Oak Fenestra Dining Table
Located in Amsterdam, NL
A rhythmic interplay of volumes and voids. The Fenestra table is inspired by Brick Expressionism, the architectural movement visible in Amsterdam’s ‘South Plan’ area - the city devel...
Oak, Walnut
Minimalist Coffee Table in Solid European Oak - Hari by Mokko
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
Brutalist Solid Elm Side Tables, Set of 2, France, 1960s
Located in Almelo, NL
Exceptional set of two Brutalist side or coffee tables crafted from solid elm wood, originating from France, circa 1960s. Each table is hand-carved from a single solid elm slab, sho...
Elm
$2,461 / item
Portuguese Side Table Poppy with Travertino by Mambo
Located in Lisbon, PT
Poppy table is an emblem of nature and organic growth, behind this design lies an essence of naivety effortlessly found within natural forms. Poppy tables are a finely tuned example ...
Marble
$8,196 / item
Sculpted Bench or Side Table N7 in Solid Oak Wood
By Sóha
Located in Paris, IDF
Bench or side table of solid oak (+ linseed oil) (Outdoor use OK) SÓHA design studio conceives and produces furniture design and decorative object...
Oak
Minimalist Solid Walnut Coffee Table - Hari by Mokko
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
$7,903
Brutalist coffee table
Located in Forest, BE
Rare Brutalist coffee table featuring a solid granite base and a thick glass top with softly rounded edges. The base is composed of two interlocking granite slabs arranged in a cross...
Stone
Brutalist wood and natural stone coffee table, China 1960s
By Pierre Chapo
Located in ECHT, NL
Brutalist square coffee table. Made from solid wood with a natural stone (slate) inlay in the top. Made in China in the 1960s. It is painted in brown/gold paint that gives it a textu...
Slate
$15,720Sale Price|20% Off
Vintage Travertine Cocktail Table with Bronze Accents by Willy Ceysens
Located in North York, ON
This vintage travertine cocktail table is a classic piece of modern brutalist style furniture, designed by Willy Ceysens and crafted in Belgium during the 1970s. Composed of traverti...
Travertine, Marble, Metal, Bronze
Paul Evans Studio Argente PE-37 Cube Tables – Exceptionally Clean Pair - 1970s
By Paul Evans
Located in Dallas, TX
Paul Evans Studio Argente PE-37 Cube Tables – Pair Commanding in form and masterful in execution, this rare pair of Paul Evans Studio Argente series cube tables (Model PE-37) exempli...
Slate, Aluminum
1960s Brutalist Coffee Table, Wrought Iron with Smoked Glass Top
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This Belgian Brutalist coffee table combines rugged wrought iron with a sleek, circular smoked glass top, embodying a raw, industrial aesthetic. Its sculptural form and textural cont...
Iron
Brutalist Oak Side Table, The Netherlands ca 1960s
Located in Utrecht, NL
In the thriving design landscape of the 1960s, the emergence of Brutalist furniture left an indelible mark on design, and this oak side table epitomises the era's aesthetic medley. C...
Oak
$18,733 / item
Sculpted Dining Table in Solid Oakwood 'Custom Size L'
By Sóha
Located in Paris, IDF
Dining table of solid oak (+ linseed oil) (Outdoor use OK) SÓHA design studio conceives and produces furniture design and decorative objects in solid oak in an authentic style. Insp...
Oak
Brutalist Coffee Table, Customizable, Solid Dark Brown Oak, Taes by Mokko
Located in Amsterdam, NL
The Taes coffee table draws inspiration from the majestic sloping-sided architectural platforms, historically used for religious, ceremonial and defensive purposes. In stacked form, ...
Oak, Walnut
Wood and wrought iron tripod Side table - 1960s
Located in Linkebeek, BE
Wood and wrought iron tripod Side table - 1960s Rustic - Wabi Sabi - Brutalist Measures : 41,5x30cm H:45cm Materials : Wood - Iron
Iron
Luciano Frigerio Presidential Writing Desk in Walnut, Italy 1970s
By Luciano Frigerio di Desio, Luciano Frigerio
Located in Almelo, NL
Luciano Frigerio Presidential Writing Desk in Walnut, Italy 1960s This is a rare presidential mid-century desk designed by Luciano Frigerio for the "Norman" series, manufactured i...
Granite
Attributed to Rainer Daumiller, Extendable Dining Table, Pine, Denmark, 1970s
Located in Kaštel Sućurac, HR
Attributed to Rainer Daumiller, Extendable Dining Table, Pine, Denmark, 1970s. This extendable dining table is built in solid pine, stripped back to raw wood and ready to receive a ...
Pine
Sculpted Dining Table 'Hammered' in Solid Oakwood 'Custom Size S'
By Sóha
Located in Paris, IDF
Dining dining table made of solid oak (+ linseed oil) (Outdoor use OK) Made to order - Custom size SÓHA design studio conceives and produces fur...
Oak
Hand Crafted Art Deco Brutalist Dining, Console Table or Desk
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Hand-crafted French Deco wrought iron table with very interesting rolled and hammered disks to the lower portion of each leg. A very versatile piece which could be a small dining tab...
Wrought Iron, Bronze, Gold Leaf
Brutalist Metal Floor Lamp with Table by Harry Balmer for Laurel
By Laurel Lamp Company, Harry Balmer
Located in Buffalo, NY
Brutalist metal lamp table by Harry Balmer for Laurel, welded and patinated steel base, art, sculpture, attached glass tabletop, retains original...
Metal
Nikol Console by Luciano Frigerio for Frigerio di Desio
Located in Conversano, IT
The "Nikol" console by Luciano Frigerio represents one of the highest points of his research between art and design: a perfect balance between architectural structure, sculptural mat...
Brass
Mid-Century Wood Coffee Table in Brutalist Wabi Sabi Style
Located in Linkebeek, BE
Wood side / Coffee Table Wabi Sabi - Vintage - Decoration Measures : 81cmx50cm H:40cm Material : Wood Wear consistent with age and use
Wood