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.
Sculptural Side Table, Stool, Rustic, Burnt Wood, Black, Carved, Logniture
By Logniture
Located in Stara Gradiška, HR
Chainsaw carved side table. Carved from a single piece of burnt wood and protected with the highest quality oils, ensuring durability for generations. Such unique handmade design wil...
Wood
Vintage Brutalist Bronze & Glass "Lotus" Coffee Table by Daniel Gluck
By Daniel Gluck
Located in Toluca Ter, CA
Vintage brutalist coffee or cocktail table by California sculptor and artist Daniel Gluck, made in Los Angeles c. 1970s. The original 3/4" glass top sits on a sculpted bronze base, ...
Bronze
Column Square Coffee Table in Raw Green, handcrafted by VAVA Objects
By VAVA Objects
Located in 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
Round Table in Solid European 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
Boho Chain side table Industrial Elegance 1970
Located in Oirlo, LI
Bring character, texture, and bold architectural style into your interior with this exceptional vintage side table. Featuring a striking base crafted from heavy-gauge welded steel ch...
Iron
James de Wulf Concrete Locking Dining Table, 72" - *In stock*
Located in Paia, HI
The table consists of two pieces: table top and base, which are locked together by gravity alone. Equal in art and utility, as a collector's piece and as a functional dining table. T...
Concrete
Varco Concrete Stool by Ernesto Messineo in White Shade for Forma&Cemento
Located in Rome, Lazio
Two identical hollow pieces joined together through a slight contact. The "cut" is brought to the limit of the visible giving the perception of instability. The light that enters ins...
Concrete, Cement
$18,222 / 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
$7,560Sale Price|20% Off
Brutalist Wabi Sabi Dining Table, France, 19th Century
Located in Antwerp, BE
Farmhouse table from 19th-century France, exuding rustic charm with its beautiful patina and showcasing a rich history. The two drawers make this table highly practical, serving as b...
Wood
Solid Walnut Round Table - Aperta by Mokko
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Inspired by light breaking through narrow voids in architectural structures, Aperta features a precise slit, creating a sense of lightness to its solid form. The Aperta Round Table...
Oak, Walnut
1930s Italian Art Deco Brutalist Rational Bookmatched Burl Walnut Table, Pagano
By Gino Maggioni, Giuseppe Pagano Pogatschnig, Osvaldo Borsani, Gio Ponti, Paolo Buffa
Located in Grand Cayman, KY
A refined Italian Art Deco occasional table, side table or end table. Circa 1930s, it is veneered in richly figured book matched burl walnut. The piece reflects the transition betw...
Hardwood, Walnut, Burl
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 Square Coffee Table in Warm Wood Veneer, Podio by NONO
By NONO
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Brutalist square coffee table in red oak wood Veneer, Podio by NONO The NONO design team presents a coffee table that exudes elegance an...
Plywood
$3,893 / set
Brutalist Coffee Table Set, Mobichalet, 1950
By Mobichalet
Located in Santa Gertrudis, Baleares
Sculptural Brutalist coffee table and chairs set has been handmade from solid pine slabs by Mobichalet in Belgium in the 1950s, Made from soldi...
Pine
Brutalist Rustic Alpine Oak Dining Table, 1970s
Located in London, London
Brutalist Rustic Alpine Oak Dining Table, 1970s A substantial oak dining table dating from the 1970s, showcasing the bold architectural forms and exceptional craftsmanship associate...
Oak
Oak Dining Table with Cube Parquetry Top on Fluted Pedestals, France, 1940s
Located in Split, Splitsko-dalmatinska županija
J.A.D.A Galerie presents: A dining table in solid oak, made in France in the 1940s in the architectural manner that Charles Dudouyt brought to French interiors of the period. The t...
Oak
Elefante Console Table 45, Joel Escalona, Bold Wood Silhouette
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Elefante Console Table 45, Joel Escalona, Bold Wood Silhouette ————————————————————— Elefante Collection: A Harmony of Design and Heritage by NONO Crafting Elegance with a Moderni...
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
Low Side Table Jean with White Marble base and Black Marble Nero Marquina Top
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
$7,200Sale Price / item|20% Off
NONO Elefante Side Table 15, Solid Walnut 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 walnut. Other wood options are also available, which may affect th...
Hardwood
$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
$11,294Sale Price / item|20% Off
Oval Coffee Table Serie 36 – Sereno by Joel Escalona for Refined Homes
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Oval Coffee Table Serie 36 – Sereno by Joel Escalona for Refined Homes ———— Sereno Coffee Table Series – A Note from Joel Escalona What happens when structure becomes art? These a...
Hardwood
$7,061 / item
brutalist forged table in the style of Lothar Klute
By Lothar Klute
Located in Saarbrücken, SL
- stunning forged coffee table with cast glass - perfect condition - 120 x 73 x 52 cm
Iron
"Free-form" coffee table in solid elm, France 1970
Located in LYON, FR
More than just a table, this is a slice of nature frozen in time. A stunning example of the 1970s French "Organic Modern" movement, this piece rejects straight lines in favor of natu...
Elm
$11,294Sale Price / item|20% Off
Round Coffee Table Serie 9 – Sereno by Joel Escalona for Elegant Living Rooms
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Round Coffee Table Serie 9 – Sereno by Joel Escalona for Elegant Living Rooms ——— Sereno Coffee Table Series – A Note from Joel Escalona What happens when structure becomes art? T...
Hardwood
NONO Elefante Console Table 49, Sleek Solid Wood, Escalona's Craft
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
NONO Elefante Console Table 49, Sleek Solid Wood, Escalona's Craft ————————————————————— Elefante Collection: A Harmony of Design and Heritage by NONO Crafting Elegance with a Mod...
Hardwood
Round Dining Table, Brutalist, Solid Light Brown European Oak, Acer by Mokko
Located in Amsterdam, NL
The Acer table features a round table top resting on a circle of Acer legs, bringing lightness and elegance to the object. The light pointing legs with semi arched voids balance the ...
Oak, Walnut
Giovanni Offredi "Paracarro" Dining Table for Saporiti, 1970s
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti, 'Paracarro' dining table, glass, concrete, chrome-plated steel, mosaic, Italy, 1970 This sculptural dining table is designed by Giovanni Offredi for ...
Concrete, Chrome
$15,588 / item
NONO Elefante Table 48, Luxurious Solid Wood Finish
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
NONO Elefante Table 48, Luxurious Solid Wood Finish ————————————————————— Elefante Collection: A Harmony of Design and Heritage by NONO Crafting Elegance with a Modernist Touch N...
Hardwood
$3,006Sale Price|20% Off
Large Spanish Butcher Block Table / Wabi Sabi Rustic Tripod Table
Located in Barcelona, ES
Spanish Butcher Block Side Table / Brutalist Wabi Sabi Rustic Tripod Side Table, 1930s- 1940s Originally used as butcher's table.To be used as side table or stand to display sculptures or decorative objects. The Murano glass squirrel...
Iron
Mid-Century French Brutalist Oak Coffee Table, 1960s, Spanish Style
Located in Antwerp, BE
An exceptional French Mid-Century Brutalist coffee table, 1960s, beautifully combining rustic Mediterranean charm with a bold Brutalist aesthetic. The table features a thick, solid o...
Wrought Iron
Brutalist Wrought Iron & Slate End Table, France 1950's
Located in New York, NY
Brutalist slate top table banded in riveted wrought iron on solid wrought iron “bat” legs. Pair available. Sold individually.
Slate, Wrought Iron
Italian Brutalist Terracotta + Iron Console by Mario Giani (Clizia), 1970s
By Mario Giani
Located in Chicago, IL
A rare 1970s Italian Brutalist console by Mario Giani (Clizia). The sinuous, wave-formed base is wrought in patinated iron, its negative space filled with a rhythmic arrangement of t...
Iron
$34,320Sale Price / item|20% Off
Extra Long Brutalist Dining Table Finished With Black Oil By He' Heerenhuis
Located in New York, NY
Handcrafted of solid African Ayous wood and finished with black oil, the table is suitable for indoor use. Top is approx. 5.5cm thick. Made to Measure table – Multiple customization ...
Hardwood
$7,200Sale Price / item|20% Off
Elefante Side Table 1, Joel Escalona, Solid Wood Elegance
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Joel Escalona's NONO Elefante Table 40, Wood Spheres, Elegant Lines ————————————————————— The base product is made of solid red oak wood, available in ...
Hardwood
$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
Joel Escalona Elefante Side Table 17, Hefty Rounded Form, Solid Walnut Wood
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Joel Escalona Elefante Side Table 17, Hefty Rounded Form————————————————————— The base product is made of solid walnut wood. Other wood options are also available, which may affect t...
Hardwood
$11,294Sale Price / item|20% Off
Center Table Serie 42 – Sereno by Joel Escalona with Organic Pebble Legs
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Center Table Serie 42 – Sereno by Joel Escalona with Organic Pebble Legs ———— Sereno Coffee Table Series – A Note from Joel Escalona What happens whe...
Hardwood
Brutalist Square Coffee Table in Warm Wood Veneer, Podio by NONO
By NONO
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Brutalist square coffee table in red oak wood Veneer, Podio by NONO The NONO design team presents a coffee table that exudes elegance and modernity. The foundation of this piece is ...
Plywood
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
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
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
$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
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
21st Century Varco Concrete Stool Designed by Ernesto Messineo for Forma&Cemento
Located in Rome, Lazio
Two identical hollow pieces joined together through a slight contact. The "cut" is brought to the limit of the visible giving the perception of instability. The light that enters ins...
Concrete, Cement
Elefante Side Table 11, Solid Walnut Wood, Heavy Aesthetic, SET OF TWO
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
NONO Elefante Side Table 11, Solid Wood, Heavy Aesthetic ————————————————————— The base product is made of solid walnut wood. Other wood options are also available, which may affect...
Hardwood
Handmade Brass and Iron Brutalist Side Table
Located in Mexico City, CDMX
Circa 1960. We offer this Rare Handmade Brutalist Side Table. made in brass and solid iron plates on the table cover. Beautiful table made a piece of art
Brass, Iron
Socle No31 Architectural Console by NONO for Modern Spaces
By NONO
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Socle No31 Architectural Console by NONO for Modern Spaces ————————————————————— The Socle Console Series by NONO reinterprets the plinth as a family of sculptural consoles in solid...
Hardwood
$12,470Sale Price / item|20% Off
Socle No38 Entryway Table, Design by Joel Escalona
By NONO
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Socle No38 Entryway Table, Design by Joel Escalona ————————————————————— The Socle Console Series by NONO reinterprets the plinth as a family of sculptural consoles in solid wood. U...
Hardwood
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
$15,588 / item
Socle No22 Sculptural Table, Design by Joel Escalona
By NONO
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Socle No22 Sculptural Table, Design by Joel Escalona ————————————————————— The Socle Console Series by NONO reinterprets the plinth as a family of sculptural consoles in solid wood....
Hardwood
Elm Live Edge Trestle Dining Table by Olavi Hanninen, Finland, 1950s
By Mikko Nupponen, Olavi Hanninen
Located in Kaštel Sućurac, HR
Elm dining table with a live edge top and a trestle base, made in Finland in the 1950s, designed by Olavi Hanninen and executed by the cabinetmaker Mikko Nupponen. The top is a singl...
Elm
Turned wood coffee table. French work by Charles Dudouyt. Circa 1950
Located in Marcq-en-Barœul, Hauts-de-France
This very nice coffee table is made of solid turned wood. This is a French work by famous designer Charles Dudouyt. Circa 1950
Wood
Paul Kingma attributed coffee table, 1980s
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Brutalist slate and natural stone top coffee table with inlaid copper and brass. Black wooden base. The table is signed but we cant see by who. Good condition. Very much in the s...
Stone
Hand-Carved, Wabi Sabi, Solid Wood, Sculptural, Log Stool, Side Table, Walnut
By Logniture
Located in Stara Gradiška, HR
Unique chainsaw carved wooden functional sculpture usable as a multifunctional piece such as a stool, side table, pedestal, night table or many more. Carved from a single piece of wa...
Wood, Walnut
Brutalist 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
Hand-Forged Wrought Iron Coffee Table, Brutalist Style, France, 1960s
Located in Barcelona, ES
Hand forged iron low table, France, 1960s. This french coffee table has a gorgeous constuction with scrolled legs and scroll detailings on the top and below the glass. It has a bea...
Metal, Iron, Wrought Iron
Paul Evans Bow-Tie Dining Table
By Paul Evans
Located in Savannah, GA
Bow-tie dining table from the Sculptured Metal series made for Directional in 1970. A variation of this design is published in Paul Evans: Designer and Sculptor, Head, pg. 79. weld...
Steel
Dark Brown 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, Walnut
NONO Elefante Side Table 16, Organic Curves, Solid Walnut Wood Elegance
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
NONO Elefante Side Table 16, Organic Curves, Solid Wood Elegance ————————————————————— The base product is made of solid walnut. Other wood options are also available, which may affe...
Hardwood