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.
$4,476Sale Price|20% Off
1950s French Brutalist Glass Coffee Table By Jean Pierre Ryckaert
Located in High Point, NC
This 1950s French Brutalist glass coffee table by Jean Pierre Ryckaert embodies the designer’s signature balance of rigor, material honesty, and sculptural restraint. The forged meta...
Metal
1960s Mid Century French Brutalist Coffee Table in Solid Oak & Wrought Iron
Located in London, London
A solid oak coffee table dating from the 1960s, combining rustic weight with a distinctly sculptural presence. The table features a thick, circular top with a deeply rounded, bullno...
Wrought Iron
Brutalist Mid Century Modern Dining Table by Adrian Pearsall c. 1970
Located in Saint Louis, MO
For collectors and aficionados of high art furniture that inspires, this 1970s Brutalist Dining Table by Adrian Pearsall hits all the marks. Resin over wood is etched and finished in...
Bronze
Large Coffee Table in copper with Crystal agathe Stone from "Marc D'Haenens" Bel
Located in Waasmunster, BE
An exceptional one-of-a-kind sculptural coffee table by Belgian artist Marc D'Haenens, handcrafted in patinated copper and centered around a spectacular natural agate geode. This rem...
Agate, Copper
$13,593Sale Price / set|20% Off
Round Post Modern Brutalist MCM Beech Dining Table + 6 Chairs, 9 Pcs Set
Located in Basel, BS
Absolutely incredible, and very stylish Brutalist dining table with an additional extendable leaf, and 6 chairs set made of solid beech wood. When the table is without the leaf it se...
Beech
French Modern, Rectangular Desk / Dining Table in Solid Pine, Handcrafted, 1900s
By Pierre Chapo, Philip Arctander
Located in Odense, DK
Large rectangular modern country style working desk / dining table in solid pine. Handcrafted by a French cabinetmaker in the early 1900s. This table has a strong impression, nice ch...
Iron
Heavy Brutalist Style Pedestal, Slate, Wood and Concrete, 1960s Dutch
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Offered is this beautiful rare Brutalist octagonal shaped pedestal, made in the 1960s. A "mosaic" of different sizes slate stone in beautiful autumn colors embedded in concrete. Bold...
Concrete, Slate
$3,080Sale Price|30% Off
Adrian Pearsall Cast Resin Brutalist Dining Table, 1960's
Located in Culver City, CA
Designed by the legendary Adrian Pearsall, this brutalist dining table base was his answer to Evans’ high-end, sculptural designs—because n...
Steel
Sculptural Side Table, Rustic, Burnt Black Wood, Carved, Handmade, Logniture
By Logniture
Located in Stara Gradiška, HR
This commanding side table is a one-of-a-kind functional sculpture, hand-carved from a single solid hardwood log. Its heavy, circular top is designed to serve as a substantial coffee...
Wood
Portuguese Side Table Poppy with Pink Top and White Marble Base 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
Bronze & Glass Brutalist Bonsai Tree Side Table in the Manner of Silas Seandel
Located in Troy, MI
Unique sculptural bronze and glass side table in the style of Silas Seandel Bronze bonsai tree style base with brass leaf accents and a round glass top secured with brass leaf finia...
Brass, Bronze
1960s Brutal Unicorn Horse Head Bases with Original Glass Top Dining Table
Located in Monrovia, CA
2 - Pair of unique brutal fiberglass unicorn horse head bases, with original glass top. 2 large fiberglass horse heads with faux bronze and patina ...
Glass, Fiberglass
Modernist Console in Solid Walnut, Brutalist Design, 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
Original Paul Evans Brutalist PE-11 Cocktail Table
By Paul Evans
Located in North Miami, FL
Welded and patinated steel PE-11 Brutalist coffee table by Paul Evans Studio for Directional, 1966.
Bronze, Iron
James de Wulf Concrete Round Side Table, Standard Colors
Located in Paia, HI
This simple, elegant side table is constructed of one solid piece of concrete. Its low center of gravity offers grounding and stability. This table lends a high level of sophistication to any setting. Available in Natural Tone (as shown), Light Grey, Dark Grey Premium colors available Suitable for Outdoor use James de Wulf has been widely recognized for his original and innovative work with concrete design and rapidly became known for his ability to fuse advanced concrete technology with aesthetic, modern, and natural concrete forms...
Concrete
Large Brutalist Dining Table in Solid Dark Brown Oak - Brut Slim by Mokko
Located in Amsterdam, NL
The Brut Slim table takes cues from Brutalism and Amsterdam School architecture. A balance of raw materiality and subdued forms with geometrically expressive detailing. Designed by ...
Oak, Walnut
Sculptural Hardwood Stool, Side Table, Charred Wood, Hand-Carved, Logniture
By Logniture
Located in Stara Gradiška, HR
This functional sculpture is a one-of-a-kind object, carved from a single log of solid hardwood to highlight the inherent beauty and structural integrity of the natural material. The...
Wood
$15,588 / item
Socle No39 Architectural Console by NONO in Solid Wood
By NONO
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Socle No39 Architectural Console by NONO in Solid Wood ————————————————————— The Socle Console Series by NONO reinterprets the plinth as a family of sculptural consoles in solid woo...
Hardwood
Elefante Console Table 21, Design by Joel Escalona, Organic Elegance
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Elefante Console Table 21, Design by Joel Escalona, Organic Elegance————————————————————— Elefante Collection: A Harmony of Design and Heritage by NONO Crafting Elegance with a Mode...
Hardwood
$6,880
Brutalist Leaf Console
Located in New York, NY
A rare vintage walnut console in the Brutalist style, designed and crafted in Italy circa 1960s. This striking piece is composed of three separate sections that fit together to form ...
Walnut
$4,301Sale Price|20% Off
French Brutalist Cast Iron "Chain" Sofa Table Smoked Glass Top, France 1960s
Located in Salzburg, AT
French Brutalist Iron "Chain" Coffee Table Smoked Glass Top, France 1960s Brutalist sofa table with a heavy iron frame made of large interlocking chain links. The horizontal and upr...
Iron
$18,749 / item
Sculpted Dining Table in Solid Oakwood 'Custom Size S'
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 Console, Solid European Warm Brown Oak, 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...
Walnut
Brutalist Dining Room Set in solid oak by De Puydt, Belgium, 1970s
By De Puydt
Located in Berlin, DE
Dining set consisting of an massive round wooden table and six matching chairs. De Puydt was a Belgian furniture manufacturer known for producing high-quality, modern designs during ...
Oak
Portuguese Console Poppy in Natural Oak Travertino Marble 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
Paul Kingma attributed coffee table, 1980s
By Marcus Kingma
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Brutalist slate and natural stone top coffee table with inlaid copper and brass. Stone base The table is signed but we cant see by who. Good condition. Very much in the style of...
Stone, Slate, Brass
Concrete Circular Dining Table Atlante Ultra High Perfomance Cement Mortar
Located in Rome, Lazio
Atlante is a round dining table with essential lines and a strong inspiration. Completely fashioned in UHPC concrete mortar by a team of expert artisans, this table perfeclty emodie...
Concrete
Console, Solid Walnut, Custom Made in Europe, 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...
Walnut
$15,588 / item
Socle No36 Statement Table, Design by Joel Escalona
By NONO
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Socle No36 Statement Table, Design by Joel Escalona ————————————————————— The Socle Console Series by NONO reinterprets the plinth as a family of sculptural consoles in solid wood. ...
Hardwood
Rustic, Sculptural Coffee Table, Side Table, Burnt Wood, Oak, Black, 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
$12,992 / item
James de Wulf Concrete Split Locking Dining Table, 60"
Located in Paia, HI
The James de Wulf classic Split Locking dining table features a split radius in the tabletop. The table consists of two pieces: table top and base, which...
Concrete
Concrete & Steel Coffee Table, France 1960s
Located in New York, NY
Steel and cast concrete coffee table, the concrete is dyed and patinated. Can be used outdoors. The legs can be removed for shipping.
Concrete, Wrought Iron
Pierre Chapo Inspired Mid-Century Brutalist Oak Nesting Tables Set
By Pierre Chapo
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pierre Chapo Inspired Dutch Mid-Century Brutalist oak nesting tables. Set of three nesting tables that echo Chapo's rustic modern aesthetic, crafted from solid oak with rugged, Bruta...
Oak
Solid Wood Sculptural Side Table, Charred Black Wood, Handmade, Logniture
By Logniture
Located in Stara Gradiška, HR
Unique chainsaw carved wooden functional sculpture usable as a multifunctional piece such as, tabouret, side table, night stand or even pedestal for your art. Carved from a single pi...
Wood
$5,151Sale Price|20% Off
Round Post Modern Brutalist MCM Beech Extendable Dining Table + Leaf
Located in Basel, BS
Absolutely incredible, and very stylish Brutalist dining table with an additional extendable leaf. Extreme attention to detail on these masterfully made chairs and table--Sculptur...
Beech
$5,569Sale Price|30% Off
Brutalist Coffee Table in Solid Black Oak - Hari by Mokko
Located in Amsterdam, NL
This Hari coffee table is a showroom model in excellent condition. This listing is for the specific piece you see on the photos. The coffee table is designed by Aad Bos and crafted i...
Oak
Abecedario Collection, Letter "I" Side Table in Concrete Cherry Cement Color
Located in Rome, Lazio
Coffee Table "I" is the latest addition to the Abecedario Collection presented on the occasion of the Milan Design Week 2023. A new grapheme that...
Concrete
“Dumbell” Sculptural Coffee Table / Sculpture / Object
By Jan Paul
Located in Maastricht, NL
“DUMBELL42” sculptural coffee table / sculpture / object / Two metal spheres seemingly flow like mercury into each other Molded from a self developed metal-based material: “Industri...
Metal, Aluminum, Brass, Copper, Steel
$11,294Sale Price / item|20% Off
Sereno Coffee Table Serie 17 by Joel Escalona – Perfect for Calm Interiors
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Sereno Coffee Table Serie 17 by Joel Escalona – Perfect for Calm Interiors——— Sereno Coffee Table Series – A Note from Joel Escalona What happens when structure becomes art? These...
Hardwood
NONO Elefante Console Table 57, Solid Wood, Contemporary Flair
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
NONO Elefante Console Table 57, Solid Wood, Contemporary Flair ————————————————————— Elefante Collection: A Harmony of Design and Heritage by NONO Crafting Elegance with a Moderni...
Hardwood
Solid Wood Coffee Table Serie 3 – Sereno by Joel Escalona for Elegant Spaces
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Solid Wood Coffee Table Serie 3 – Sereno by Joel Escalona for Elegant Spaces ——— Sereno Coffee Table Series – A Note from Joel Escalona What happens when structure becomes art? Th...
Hardwood
Concrete Side Table "D" Abecedario Collection Aubergine Color by Forma&Cemento
Located in Rome, Lazio
Coffee table D is part of the Abecedario Collection; it marks the beginning of a language in cement that will create a concrete alphabet made up ...
Concrete
$15,920Sale Price / item|20% Off
NONO Sideboard 34, Elefante Range, Joel Escalona's Bold Curves
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
NONO Sideboard 34, Elefante Range, Joel Escalona's Bold Curves ————————————————————— Elefante Collection: A Harmony of Design and Heritage by NONO Crafting Elegance with a Modernis...
Hardwood
Brutalist Round Dining Table with Screw-Press Base and Iron Band, France, 1940s
Located in Split, Splitsko-dalmatinska županija
Brutalist Round Dining Table with Screw-Press Base and Iron Band, France, 1940s. This round brutalist dining table is built around one of the most architecturally forceful base cons...
Iron
$10,800 / item
Cantilever Coffee Table Crafted In Brutalist Style
Located in New York, NY
This handcrafted coffee table is crafted from a composite blend of wood, resin, and fiberglass, it features a distinctive design inspired by the raw and unadorned aesthetics of the b...
Composition
PE-128 Coffee Table by Paul Evans
By Paul Evans
Located in Dallas, TX
Early production PE-128 Coffee Table designed by Paul Evans, 1969. This Incredible brutalist coffee table, part of the"Sculptured Metal Collection" that Paul Evans created for Direct...
Steel
Vintage 20th Century Elm Wood Brutalist Coffee Table in Good Condition
Located in Linkebeek, BE
Wabi Sabi - Vintage - Decoration Measures : 73x62 H:40cm Its elm wood bears the marks and imperfections accumulated over centuries of use, making it unique.This is an ideal decorati...
Wood
$27,750 / item
James de Wulf Custom Concrete Pool Table, Available Now
Located in Paia, HI
**Table available now is in Light Grey** The classic James de Wulf Concrete Billiards Table is a staple to any game room. The regulation sized table is constructed of concrete reinf...
Concrete
Unique Giandomenico Belotti Architectural Table in Chrome and Stone, Italy 1960
Located in Milan, IT
Unique, Sculptural, Piece of Art, Giandomenico Belotti Monumental table made for his wife in the 1960s The pure essence of Italian architectural modernism. Structure, lightness, ...
Stone, Steel, Chrome
Brutalist Marble Capri Side Table by Studio Sam London, Set of 2, 2020s
By Marcel Breuer, Carlo Scarpa, Angelo Mangiarotti
Located in Vicenza, IT
The Capri Side Table by Studio Sam is a contemporary collectible design that merges sculptural presence with refined Italian craftsmanship. Featuring a solid Carrara marble top and b...
Marble, Carrara Marble
Large Brutalist Coffee Table in Solid European Oak - Scalae by Mokko
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Inspired by the timeless and pure form of stairs, the Scalae coffee table is composed of three ascending planes defined by a harmony of scale. Blending architectural influence with r...
Oak
$15,588 / item
Socle No25 Sofa Table by NONO in Solid Wood
By NONO
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Socle No25 Sofa Table by NONO in Solid Wood ————————————————————— The Socle Console Series by NONO reinterprets the plinth as a family of sculptural consoles in solid wood. Under th...
Hardwood
$12,470Sale Price / item|20% Off
NONO Elefante Table 52, Distinctive Solid Wood Base
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
NONO Elefante Table 52, Distinctive Solid Wood Base ————————————————————— Elefante Collection: A Harmony of Design and Heritage by NONO Crafting Elegance with a Modernist Touch N...
Hardwood
Pair of Pine Nightstands by Regain, France 1960's
Located in New York, NY
Pair of Pine nightstands with one drawer and a lower shelf.
Pine
H. A. Larson Brutalist Patchwork Coffee Table with Slate Top
By H.A. Larson
Located in Chicago, IL
Studio made coffee table with patchwork copper and brass clad surface. The metal pieces are patinated and enameled with applied, torch cut, and ground down textures in the finish. Th...
Brass
Danish Cabinetmaker Solid Oak Trestle Desk, Brutalist, 1940s
Located in Rødding, DK
A rare and characterful Danish solid oak trestle writing desk with exposed keyed through-tenon joinery, crafted by an anonymous Danish cabinetmaker circa 1940s — a piece of quiet mat...
Brass
Sculpted Massive Dining Table V2 in Solid Oakwood 'Custom Size'
By Denis Milovanov, Sóha
Located in Paris, IDF
Massive dining table of solid oak (+ linseed oil) (Outdoor use OK) Warm furniture’s made by Russian designer Denis Milovanov from "Soha" studio. Simplicity of shapes. Authentic...
Oak
A BRUTALIST Ceramic COFFEE TABLE, Roger CAPRON style, VALLAURIS, France 1950
By Roger Capron
Located in PARIS, FR
A rigorous and graphic rectangular coffee table, Moderniste, Bauhaus, Reconstruction, impressive constructivist structure in black wrought iron, the tray in lava stripes enameled wit...
Lava, Wrought Iron
Mid Century Brutalist Coffee or Console Table
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Mid Century Brutalist Coffee or Console Table with glass top. 43.5w 22d 21h
Metal
Brutalist Stone & Brass Coffee Table by Marcus Kingma, Netherlands 1986
By Marcus Kingma
Located in Berlin, DE
This sculptural coffee table by Marcus Kingma treats furniture as a composed surface rather than a neutral object. The square top is built from irregular fragments of natural stone s...
Stone