The Best Selling Mid-Century Modern Furniture for Over Decades
I’m sure you’ve heard of mid-century modern furniture that is highly desirable. However, if you are one of the people who has not heard of this type of soft contemporary furniture before, it’s time to learn more about it.
In this article, I will show you the all-time favorite mid-century modern furniture that I think belongs in everyone’s house.
If you are thinking about buying some Mid-Mod style furniture, don’t hesitate. Mid-century modern furniture pieces haven’t gone out of style for around 60 years. And they aren’t going out of style anytime soon.
I think these furniture pieces in the article are not only best-selling mid-century modern pieces over decades but also preferable ones among all interior styles.
Do you think why?
Because they will match any decor, be it modern or traditional. Even if the design of these furniture pieces is older than me and probably you, mid-century furniture has a far-out look out of our time.
Don’t get me wrong; it’s easy to see why some people might be intimidated by mid-century style. It was pretty different back then, and some designs are considered strange.
However, you are not buying a museum piece. Instead, you will have furniture built using the same techniques originally used fifty years ago.
I’m sure you are wondering by now what the best mid-century modern furniture is. There is indeed an overabundance of options. But don’t worry, I’ve done my homework for you and collected the best examples from all the original manufacturers and other similar options.
Before we discover the iconic pieces, I want you to know this style of furniture’s features to ensure you are in the right way when searching.
What are the Features of Mid-Century Furniture?
There isn’t any furniture style that I find to be more effortless to work with other interior design styles.
Mid-century modern is ‘the style’ that makes raw wood very popular.
Natural materials, such as wood, are predominantly used in Mid-century furniture pieces. The most common wood varieties are walnut and teak.
Mid-Century sofas and chairs feature wood or metal frames exposed from top to bottom.
Mid-century modern furniture can signify with its clean, simple lines (either straight or curved) and is often lifted off the floor with longer legs.
Often used Mid-century furniture leg types are:
- Splayed Legs
- Hairpin Legs
- Tapered Legs
When shopping for your mid-century modern design home, look for the furniture pieces that include at least some of the features above.
The lines of some of the most famous mid-century modern items cannot be mistaken for anything else. So here are the most iconic mid-century modern furniture pieces which preferred over decades.
Bertoia Side Chair
Design: Harry Bertoia
Year: 1952
Price of Original Piece: $790-$1604
The collection was an experiment with open forms and metal, becoming one of the most recognizable contributions to modern furniture design. In addition, the beautiful filigreed construction is incredibly stable.
Cause it has a Rilsan finish (not Chrome), you can use this chair in outdoor and indoor mid-century dining experiences.
Here are some replica versions of Bertoia chairs(below) between $349-$550. Don’t forget that if you are willing to buy a replica of this chair, the materials and durability can’t be the same as the original Bertoia collection.
Arco Floor Lamp
Design: Achille Castiglioni
Year: 1962
Price of Original Piece: $ 3,695
Arco Floor lamp is the perfect example of task lighting. You can easily arch over a dining table, sofa, chair, or book nook. Arco floor lamp is a functional light fixture that adds drama and beauty to modern design.
You can find tones of floor lamps inspired by the original Arco Lamp. Here are some of my picks (Under $750):
Saarinen Womb Chair and Ottoman
Design: Eero Saarinen
Year: 1946
Price of Original Piece: $4,800-$8,000
The original Womb chair has a single-piece form made out of a foam-covered fiberglass shell. This material was not fully discovered in furniture industries until Eero Saarinen and Knoll did it.
This curved chair was invented to cradle the human body. You may easily draw your knees and lay your leg on the chair for ultimate comfort. You can sit in 100 positions with maximum comfort.
For me, it is the ultimate accent chair for a piece of mid century modern bedroom furniture. It is the perfect chair for spending time on your own, reading or even working with your laptop.
Here is the replica of the Womb chair if you have a limited budget but also love this design (starting price $1,700):
Tulip Chair and Tables
Design: Eero Saarinen
Year: 1956
Price of Original Piece: $2,105-$18,100
Authentic Tulip tables and chairs have become an iconic dining room collection since they were designed. I believe you can be noticed that this is another sculptural furniture piece that makes an art statement in the room they are in.
Designs like Tulip and Womb chairs have eco-friendly certifications. I believe we should consider sustainability in any part of our lives.
Here is a tip if you love to mix and match dining room chairs: mix tulip chair with tulip armchair and other mid-century modern dining room chairs like Pantone chair and Bertoia chair. Then, for an ultimate look, match the color but mix the chairs.
Here are some quality replicas of tulip tables and chairs starting at $279 to $2,300:
Noguchi Table
Design: Isamu Noguchi
Year: 1948
Price of Original Piece: $2,195 – $2,495
The original Noguchi Table is a remarkable modern sculpture that is as sturdy as it is beautiful. Its interconnecting solid wood framework explores balance and proportion from every viewpoint.
It has become an iconic piece for homes and offices. The sculptural base appears to be distinct from every perspective.
This iconic mid-century living room furniture has served a modern look for homeowners since 1948. It is an art piece that will look stunning even after 200 years.
You can find coffee tables that the Noguchi Table inspires at much more affordable prices. Here are some examples between $719-$1232:
Sputnik Inspired Chandeliers
Design: Gino Sarfatti
Year: 1939
Price of Original Piece: Unknown
The light’s characteristic design was inspired by the same-named Soviet satellite, which featured four long antennae emanating from a center spherical.
The design is breathtaking, and it reminds me of an explosion of fireworks, a burst of light. There are tones of light fixtures out there that are inspired by the original Sputnik chandelier.
Today most mid-century modern light fixtures are a great example of an inspiring Sputnik chandelier.
Here are some of the perfect examples (Under $600):
Jacobsen Egg Chair
Design: Arne Jacobsen
Year: 1958
Price of Original Piece: $9,995-$18,836
The Egg Chair is a softer, more feminine alternative to the geometric lines of Modernism. This sculpted chair cradles the human body and is the ultimate example of function and aesthetics.
This furniture is not just an iconic mid-century modern accent chair; it will serve you the comfort of a sofa.
You can combine this chair with other mid-century modern living room furniture or other styles like Scandinavian or contemporary.
Upholstery options vary, so I am sure you can choose the perfect material and color combination for your house.
If you can think the original Egg Chair is pricey because it is a popular chair, you can find quality replicas between $1399-$2100:
Tree Trunk Tables
Wood is a predominant material of mid-century modern homes and designs. However, as I mentioned before, raw wood has become popular with the mid-century style.
Tree trunks are now even more popular than ever. This is because they are adaptable to almost every interior style. For example, you can place a coffee table made with tree trunks in Scandinavian interiors because it is minimalist and very natural, like the industrial or bohemian style.
Tree trunk tables are the ultimate choice if you want to warm up your space and feel nature.
Check out these coffee tables, side tables, and console tables made out of tree trunks (starting price of $190) :
Eames Lounge Chair
Design: Charles and Ray Eames
Year: 1956
Price of Original Piece: $4,995-$9,495
The Eames Lounge chair and ottoman is undoubtedly the most famous furniture design of the 20 century. This is a seat you can sink into now and for many years.
The Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman, which combines soft, welcoming leather, mohair, or fabric with the sleek form of molded wood, is the pinnacle of the Eameses’ efforts to develop a club chair utilizing the molded plywood technology they pioneered in the 1940s.
Even today, each piece is handcrafted to assure the greatest quality and craftsmanship, and you’ll be glad to learn that the set positively affects use and age.
I don’t think there is any mid-century modern accent chair like the Eames Lounge chair. So if you need a lounge chair, get the original piece or try to find a vintage one.
Panton Chair
Design: Verner Panton
Year: 1960
Price of Original Piece: $485
Verner Panton had a desire to push materials to their limits, and he constantly handled design challenges in unexpected ways.
It’s as eye-catching as a modern sculpture and is made of a single piece of thick, flexible polypropylene that’s both strong and simple to maintain.
Vitra still produced the original chair since it was designed.
You can find other mid-century modern furniture made with plastic in different versions or replicas of a Pantone chair for between $200-$350:
You can find other mid-century modern furniture made with plastic in different versions or replicas of a Pantone chair for between $200-$350:
Barcelona Collection
Design: Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Year: 1929
Price of Original Pieces: $3,505-$14,759
The Barcelona furniture collection has 3 items: a Barcelona chair, ottoman, and daybed. The chair was designed for the king and queen of Spain.
The Barcelona chair is an icon of Modernism and Mastercraft. I am not expecting less than that cause it was designed for royalty.
These are the perfect furniture pieces for your modern homes or offices if you have the taste of kings and queens.
(+1) George Nelson Clock
Design: George Nelson
Year: 1949
Price of Original Pieces: $460-$1800
Besides the mid-century modern furniture, I wanted to add a piece of accessories that would compliment this style.
George Nelson, an American designer, was commissioned to construct a clock collection.
Although the models all had one thing in common – the lack of numbers – the variety of their shapes, colors, materials, and designs could not have been greater.
This clock is a fun way to add color to your mid-century modern home. I think that it fits beautifully in mid-century modern kitchens.
You can check out these clocks, which are inspired by George Nelson clocks; the price range is between $149-$299:
Modern Era’s Mid-Century Furniture Pieces
All the mid-century modern furniture designs I mentioned above are timeless, and the pieces were designed in that era. These furniture pieces inspire today’s modern designs in many ways.
So you can see a lot of furniture pieces influenced by mid-century style almost in any store.
If you’re in the market for great-looking, affordable mid-century modern furniture, then the best place to look is online.
Many sites are selling mid-century modern furniture, offering lots of different pieces. So if you don’t see what you want on one site, don’t worry! They’re all connected, so your favorite design might be on another site.
Check out these modern mid-century furniture pieces first:
If you are looking for the original mid-century furniture pieces, Knoll, Herman Miller, and Vitra are the primary producers since these iconic furniture pieces were designed.
However, there are other authentic sellers like Design Within Reach, which is a vetted retailer. So, if you live in the US or Canada, it will be wiser to purchase from these companies to reduce the shipping cost.
I’m mid-century modern furniture crazy, myself. I have been for years now and will likely continue to be that way for a long time.
Mid-century furniture is timeless, classy, simple, and elegant in its design. It works beautifully in modern spaces and more traditional rooms and can work anywhere.
Overall, mid-century modern furniture is warmer and more stylish than most other types of furniture. It has a bit more character and lets an individual’s personality shine through.
The appeal will not lessen after you get it home – it will actually grow on you later as you enjoy the style and comfort of these quality pieces.
I hope this guide has helped make your decision easier regarding what you want for your home and your budget.
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