2004
1STDIBS EXPANDS TO THE WEST COAST.
From its earliest days, 1stDibs has been a premier source for mid-century design and California modernism, from photographs of Hollywood icons to the Eameses’ playful furniture to the elegant wood engravings of Paul Landacre. The perfect mix of clean lines, organic elements and effortless glamour continues to resonate with our customers today.
What could evoke the streamlined glamour of California mid-century modernism more vividly than this sun-splashed image of a poolside party at a Richard Neutra house in Palm Springs? The distinctive aesthetic, indoor-outdoor entertaining and honest materials of the era remain timeless and always alluring through the decades.
What could evoke the streamlined glamour of California mid-century modernism more vividly than this sun-splashed image of a poolside party at a Richard Neutra house in Palm Springs? The distinctive aesthetic, indoor-outdoor entertaining and honest materials of the era remain timeless and always alluring through the decades.
A Golden State of Affairs
Ready to soiree like Slim Aarons? We’ve curated a top-notch selection of midcentury entertaining essentials, from luxe bar carts to glam fashion.
CREATOR Spotlight
5 California Modern Makers
It’s easy to get starstruck in Southern California. The combined genius of these design luminaries shaped the very soul of modernism — and gave rise to some of the most influential architecture and furniture in the country.
5 California Modern Makers
Though this LA-based design duo is perhaps best known for their iconic lounge, their Pacific Palisades residence is one of several “Case Study” homes built in the city between 1945-1966. Each of these modernist masterpieces featured open plans, panoramic views, and steel frames.
As one of the few female professionals to play an integral role in the Los Angeles Modern movement, Grossman was the city’s only female architect and designer to have her own independent design studio until the 1960s.
A frequent collaborator of Greta Magnusson Grossman, Baughman’s aesthetic was similarly minimalist and often conceptual. However, his furniture was more approachable and breezy — warm qualities that he traced to his childhood growing up in Long Beach.
This Hungarian-born designer and architect was a go-to for Hollywood A-listers and entrepreneurs. He designed homes for everyone from Cary Grant to Barbara Stanwyck and worked on commercial properties such as Bullock’s Wilshire and Beverly Hills Saks Fifth Avenue.
This Arcadia-based furniture company was at the forefront of the California Modernist design movement in the 1940s and 1950s. It specialized in tables and cabinets made from wood — most often walnut — with each piece embodying the laid-back Los Angeles lifestyle.
Seller Spotlight
For over 40 years, JF Chen has built a reputation around its eclectic curation of pieces that span styles and periods. Its impressive showrooms — 54,000 sq feet of everything from Chinese antiques to Bauhaus furniture — are prime hunting grounds for Hollywood’s set decorators and chic designers.
Paul McCobb
Bleached Mahogany Shelf, 1950s
Ahlstrom
Ceramic Vases, 1960s
Greta Magnusson-Grossman
B-4 Table Lamp, 1945
A Modernist Mirage
Modernism Week is held every February in Palm Spring and aims to support the documentation, preservation and promotion of residential Modernist architecture. Devotees of midcentury homes, art, fashion and culture descend on the desert oasis for a series of home tours, hikes and lectures that bring their design dream to life.
From Introspective
A new book and five leading Black designers in L.A. shine a light on this trailblazing African-American creative's gifts and growing influence.
The Best of Both Worlds
Five imaginative design professionals talk about how they blur the line between indoor and outdoor living.
"This 1960’s Knoll credenza is the perfect piece for our foyer. The original grasscloth doors and saddle leather pulls make this iconic design ideal for an entryway more than an office. We fell in love when we found it on 1stDibs — it's a great place to store our dozens of vintage Vera napkins and placemats."
AJ, 1stDibs Employee
