Midcentury furniture is characterized by clean lines and inventive contours, and the right midcentury pieces can add timeless sophistication to any space. There’s a thriving trade in midcentury antiques today, with Palm Springs a renowned midcentury mecca, but several furniture design firms have begun to recreate popular midcentury pieces using high-quality materials. In this post, we’ll look at some iconic midcentury items for your home.
Eames Plywood Lounge Chair and Ottoman
Photo Credit: Manhattanhomedesign.com
Midcentury furniture designers were fascinated with smooth, flowing lines, shorn of the elaborate ornamentation of earlier design eras. With its futuristic curves and burnished wooden surfaces, this plywood lounge chair and ottoman, based on a design by Charles and Ray Eames, is a stellar example. This piece also displays midcentury design interest in contrasting textures, with a rich wooden frame balanced by luxurious leather upholstery.
Florence Chair
Several renowned midcentury designers created chairs using this ultra-minimalist compound cube template. This pioneering version was devised by Florence Knoll in 1954, and similar designs are often known as “Florence Chairs.” This design reduces the basic shape of the armchair down to a few spare lines without sacrificing comfort. The cube shape can balance with almost any interior arrangement, adding solidity without dominating a room. Shown here in classic black, cube chairs can also be found in bright contemporary colors like scarlet or burnt orange, making them a perfect accent piece for a neutral palette.
Bentwood Coffee Table
Photo Credit: Glicksfurniture.com.au
Midcentury designers sought to emphasize functionality without sacrificing visual interest or structural refinement. This Swedish modern bentwood coffee table is a paradigmatic example – the simple curve of the wooden structure bends back on itself to create a seamlessly integrated magazine rack. With its plain design and texture, this piece makes a versatile addition to your living room, working equally well as a coffee table or side table.
Le Corbusier Dining Table
Photo Credit: Nest.co.uk
Glass-topped tables were all the rage in midcentury interior design, combining futuristic steel with the minimalist clarity of transparent glass surfaces. This Le Corbusier Dining Table originally appeared as the popular designer and architect’s “LC6” design, but it and similar pieces have been re-created as high-quality replicas. Its emphatic lines and strong steel base provide a powerful central focus to any dining room. This piece’s cool steel-and-glass palette also provides the perfect companion to an accent piece – for example, a dramatic light fixture or lively silkscreen print.
Adrian Pearsall Sofa
Photo Credit: 1stdibs.com
Sofas were a midcentury design favorite due to the contemporary craze for casual entertaining. Designer Adrian Pearsall was inspired by yacht and shipboard interiors, and his source material shows in the polished wood ornamentation in his sofas and coffee tables. His low-slung gondola sofas became a midcentury favorite, a sleek alternative to blockier minimalist sofa designs. His original was copied, but never outshown – consider making this original design the hub of your living room.
The midcentury modern era inspired a wealth of innovative furniture, so you’ll have an abundance of options to choose from when selecting furniture for your home. This guide should give you a foundation for your midcentury stylebook. Why not add midcentury flair to your home with one of these visionary designs?
About the Author: Real Estate Unlimited is a premiere real estate agency located in Southern California, serving Echo Park and nearby neighborhoods. We pride ourselves on our in-depth local historical and cultural knowledge, ensuring that all of our clients are matched with the perfect home in the perfect area. We are passionate about delivering the best service to all of our clients, finding each purchaser a truly unique Southern California home.