10 Classic Midcentury Pieces That Will Never Go Out of Style
These timeless, iconic midcentury furnishings will elevate the look of any space—and they’ll earn you brownie points from anyone with a keen eye for design.
Midcentury modern furnishings are worth the investment—not only because they’re stylish, but also because they’ll last for generations to come. Classics by brands such as Herman Miller and Knoll have withstood the test of time in the fast-paced design world, and they’re flexible enough to fit in a wide range of interiors today. These are our definitive midcentury design staples.
Herman Miller Noguchi Table
Following his apprenticeship with the legendary Constantin Brancusi, sculptor Isamu Noguchi began to experiment in environmental design, theatrical sets – he was the only designer that choreographer Martha Graham would work with – and, eventually, product design. He created his first furniture prototypes for Herman Miller in 1942 and went on to work with companies such as Steuben and Zenith. The Noguchi Table (1948) conceals nothing, revealing everything about the nature of simplicity. Two smoothly shaped pieces of solid wood interlock to form a tripod that supports a thick glass tabletop. The base is available in black, walnut, natural cherry and white ash, the latter of which is finished with a process that arrests the wood in its freshly cut state, resulting in a creamy white color that will not turn yellow over time. This is the authentic Noguchi Table by Herman Miller. Made in U.S.A.
ShopHerman Miller Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman
Charles and Ray Eames had ideas about making a better world, one in which things were designed to bring greater pleasure to our lives. Their iconic Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman (1956) began with a desire to create a chair with “the warm, receptive look of a well-used first baseman’s mitt.” The result embodies what it really means to lounge. In continuous production since its introduction, this set is widely considered one of the most significant designs of the 20th century. Combining soft, inviting leather or mohair with the sleek form of molded wood, the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman is the culmination of the Eameses’ efforts to create a club chair using the molded plywood technology they pioneered in the ’40s. Even today, each piece is assembled by hand to ensure the highest level of quality and craftsmanship, and you’ll be pleased to discover the set gets even better with use and age. Cushions snap in and can be removed and changed. This is the authentic Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman by Herman Miller. Made in U.S.A.
ShopLouis Poulsen PH 5 Mini Pendant
The PH 5 Mini Pendant by Louis Poulsen was designed by Poul Henningsen in 1958 to create glare-free light. With multiple finishes to choose from, hanging the pendant anywhere is easy. The pendant uses three shades. Because of this, the light is illuminated downward and out, creating a sense that it is lighting itself.
ShopArtek Stool E60
Stool 60 shows off a bit more leg. The stool was originally designed by Alvar Aalto in 1933 with three legs. But the next year, Aalto added another. The result was the Artek Stool E60, which has four bent birch legs supporting the round birch slab seat. Available in an array of colors.
ShopKnoll Wassily Chair
Some designs never age, and the Wassily Chair by Knoll is the perfect case study in this brand of timelessness. Framed in tubular steel, it's a characteristic creation of designer Marcel Breuer, who became intrigued with this material after purchasing his first bicycle. Leather strips stretched between the tubes give the chair its distinctive angles, creating a comfortable and stylish space to sit and relax. Photo Courtesy of Lumens
ShopFLOS Arco Floor Lamp
Inspired by a streetlight, brothers Achille and Pier Castiglioni created the Arco Floor Lamp (1962), which provides overhead lighting without requiring ceiling suspension. It features a polished shade on a swiveling arm for precise lighting control. Arco became an icon when it appeared with Sean Connery in Diamonds Are Forever. It resides in the permanent collection of MoMA. This is the authentic Arco Lamp produced by Flos. Bulb (included): incandescent 100W/A21SB/E26. Made in Italy.
ShopKnoll Saarinen Dining Table
Architect Eero Saarinen was a genius at creating expressive sculptural forms. From his TWA Terminal (now the TWA Hotel) at New York’s JFK Airport to the Gateway Arch in St. Louis to his Pedestal Table (1956), there’s a magic in everything he created. The Saarinen Dining Table began with his observation that “the underside of typical tables and chairs makes a confusing, unrestful world,” and as he explained in a 1956 Time magazine cover story, he was designing a new collection to “clear up the slum of legs in the U.S. home.” Later that year, he completed the Pedestal Table, which stands on a gracefully shaped cast-aluminum base inspired by a drop of high-viscosity liquid. This is the authentic Pedestal Table by Knoll; it’s stamped with the KnollStudio logo and Eero Saarinen’s signature.
ShopKnoll Barcelona Chair
When Ludwig Mies van der Rohe was chosen to create the furnishings for the German Pavilion at the 1929 International Exhibition in Barcelona, he designed an iconic chair that many may not realize was born with royal roots. He built the Barcelona Chair to serve as seating for the king and queen of Spain, while he also designed a stool for the attendees to rest on. He formed an angular, tufted cushion that comes from a single cowhide—either Spinneybeck® or Edelman Leather. The support is made of cowhide belting straps that are dyed to match the color of the chair. In order to create such precise tufting, 40 leather panels are cut individually and are both hand-welted and hand-tufted with leather buttons. In 1953, Mies van der Rohe officially granted the production rights to Florence Knoll, who was a close friend during their time at the Illinois Institute of Technology. Today, Knoll continues to produce the chair in the U.S.A. to the exact specifications of the original design. Photo Courtesy of Knoll
ShopHerman Miller Nelson Saucer Bubble Pendant
While outfitting his office, architect and Herman Miller design director George Nelson discovered a silk-covered Swedish hanging lamp that he coveted but found too expensive. He then recalled seeing a photo in the paper of Liberty ships being mothballed “by having the decks covered with netting and then being sprayed with a self-webbing plastic,” which got him thinking. “And then, Whammo!” Inspiration struck, and by the next night, Nelson had designed his first Bubble Lamp (1952) by spinning a skeleton of steel wires on a turntable and shooting it with translucent plastic until it was covered in a smooth, washable film. “When you put a light in it, it glowed,” he said. This is the authentic Bubble Lamp, produced in partnership with the George Nelson Foundation. Bulb (not included): LED, CFL or incandescent; E26 base; 60W max for small, 150W max for others. UL Listed. Made in U.S.A.
ShopCarl Hansen & Søn Wishbone Chair
Using the best natural materials and refined steam-bent methods, Wishbone is made to last for generations. In 1944, Hans Wegner began a series of chairs that were inspired by portraits of Danish merchants sitting in Ming Chairs. One of these chairs was the Wishbone Chair (1949), also known as the “Y” or “CH-24,” which has been produced by the Danish firm Carl Hansen & Søn since 1950. The son of a shoemaker, Wegner was trained as a cabinetmaker before attending the School of Arts and Crafts in Copenhagen, after which he began his career as an architect. Just three years later, Wegner started his own design office, and his work soon caught the eye of Carl Hansen. The Wishbone Chair fit what the Hansen company was looking for to supplement the heavier forms popular at the time. Made in Denmark.
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