15 pieces of mid-century modern furniture for timeless style

Mid-century modern furniture has made a full comeback in today’s home decor scene. With its gentle curves, clean lines, and affinity for different materials, this iconic look is among the most popular design styles today, and that’s not changing any time soon. 

Whether you’d like to add one or two pieces of mid-century modern furniture to your living room or you want to decorate your entire home with mid-century modern design, the look is simple to integrate. A sleek piece of furniture here, colorful wall art there, and you’re in business. 

We’ll help you better understand mid-century style and offer up some attractive furniture options to make your home decor project a snap. 

A closer look at mid-century modern style

The mid-century modern style we know and love originated in the 20th century following WWII, between the 1940s and 1960s. North America enjoyed a booming economy during this time, and young families wanted furniture and homes to reflect new building techniques and a fresh, optimistic outlook. 

Top designers like George Nelson, Arne Jacobsen, and Ray and Charles Eames created classic mid-century modern furniture that still influences home decor today. 

Key characteristics that define mid-century modern style include: 

• A focus on functionality
• Sleek and clean lines 
• Incorporation of both geometric and organic forms
• An emphasis on minimalism and modernism
• A mix of different traditional and non-traditional materials
• Contrast and juxtaposition created with different materials
• A wide range of colors from bold to neutral with prominent use of black and white

Most mid-century modern furniture will feature at least a few of these characteristics, but mid-century style varies widely from piece to piece. There is no one look because the style spans two decades, and that’s OK. Pick what you like, and don’t worry about whether or not it matches the mid-century modern looks you see in magazines.

15 mid-century modern furniture options to make over your home

We’ve compiled a list of our favorite mid-century modern furniture to help you find exactly what you’re looking for. From a whole-home makeover to a small-space glow-up, you’re sure to find something you love.

1. Churchill Button-Tufted Sectional Sofa

This Churchill Button-Tufted Cushion Collection is the perfect addition to any mid-century modern living room. It’ll update your space with clean lines, tapered solid eucalyptus legs, and charcoal grey upholstery. You can purchase the pieces separately to use as stand-alone seats or put them together to create a perfect sectional for your home. For example, the ottoman makes it easy to give your new sectional a chaise-style end. The pieces include the armless chair, ottoman, and corner chair. 

2. Coffee Table with Hairpin Legs

This sleek Coffee Table with Hairpin Legs features classic mid-century furniture elements with hairpin legs in a gunmetal finish and a natural honey-finish wood top. It would work well in any living room or small space as an accent to a mid-century modern sectional or sofa. The wood top is made from a solid hickory and mahogany veneer, giving it a more natural appeal.

3. Channeled Tufted Upholstered Accent Chair

This Channeled Tufted Upholstered Accent Chair in rust would make a lovely accent chair in any living room, home office, reading nook, or guest bedroom. This piece of furniture has a decidedly mid-century modern appeal with rounded tapered legs and vertical tufted velvet upholstery. You’ll love coming home to this colorful beacon of comfort, whether it’s your only piece of mid-century furniture or one of many in your space.

4. 2-Drawer Rectangular TV Console

This 2-Drawer Rectangular TV Console cuts a bold mid-century style silhouette with clean lines and a cool cappuccino finish. It’s built to accommodate modern entertainment with a spacious surface to house a flat-screen TV and two pull-out drawers for accessories. You’ll also enjoy convenient device storage in the open shelving spaces. 

5. 1-Light Floor Lamp with Horn Shade

This 1-Light Floor Lamp with Horn Shade is designed with crisp, clean lines for sleek mid-century modern appeal. It has a bold black finish for a sophisticated appearance with shining brass-like accents to complete the aesthetic. It’s ideal for any home office, den, or living room that features a mid-century modern design, lending a gentle diffused glow to illuminate your home. 

6. Drum Shade Table Lamp

This Drum Shade Table Lamp would work well in any modern or mid-century modern space. It features a bottle silhouette and a teardrop base for a sleek and sensual look. Topped with a stylish white drum shade and operated with a rotary switch, this lamp offers a fashionable way to light your living room, bedroom, reading area, or dining room. 

7. 2-Door Accent Cabinet

This 2-Door Accent Cabinet is crafted in India from solid mango wood. It features a gold geometric pattern that creates an eye-catching diamond design on each cabinet door against a black finish. The stark white finish on the frame adds contrast and the rounded angled legs give it a mid-century modern appeal. It would work well as a sideboard credenza-style addition to add an eclectic vibe to your living room, entryway, or dining room. 

8. 4-Tier Bookcase

This 4-Tier Bookcase will bring an artistic touch to your home decor. With an eye-catching X-shape design, it exudes mid-century modern appeal. Four sturdy shelves allow for versatile storage or display while the dark walnut finish brings the look and feel of natural wood grain into your home. It’s perfect for any den, living room, home office, dining room, or bedroom in need of extra storage or display space. 

9. Abby 5-Piece Dining Set

The Abby 5-Piece Dining Set has a striking, ultra-modern look that can update your dining room in one fell swoop. It comes complete with a round table and four matching dining chairs made from mixed materials. The dining table is supported by a boomerang-shaped, chrome-finished metal base with a glossy white table top. Each of the light-grey dining chairs features a mid-century modern style bucket design with a 360-degree swivel base in a shiny chrome finish. The table also features a removable lazy Susan. 

10. 3-Tier Bar Table

This 3-Tier Bar Table will add a fun, retro feel to any living area. It features a glossy grey finish with tempered glass storage shelves for a clean and open appearance. Convenient guardrails help secure items, and a stainless steel finish adds style to the support pole and tapered legs, giving it a striking mid-century modern look. It’s perfect for adding a bar element to small spaces. 

11. 2-Piece Writing Desk Set

This 2-piece Writing Desk Set will bring mid-century modern flair to any home office. It has a low-profile solid wood frame with slanted legs and a cool walnut finish. The seat features grey leatherette upholstery that can complement almost any room decor. The whole set is built with functionality in mind, with a simple and timeless design. 

12. Higgins V-Shaped End Table

The Higgins V-Shaped End Table has a mid-century modern style perfect for any room. With its beautiful antique grey finish, it would work well as a side table in the living room or beside a sectional or lounge chair. The V-shaped legs make this side table stand out from the rest with an almost sculptural appeal. The tabletop is large enough to hold a table lamp or a few large vases while the lower shelf offers convenient storage for plants or decorations. 

13. Dorian Bedroom Set

The Dorian Bedroom Set features a mid-century modern-inspired design with brown leatherette upholstery on the headboard and bed frame. It has decorative stitching and block-tapered legs. The 4-piece set comes complete with a six-drawer dresser, a two-drawer nightstand, and a mirror. The 5-piece set also includes a chest, and the bed is available in sizes, including twin, full, queen, Eastern king, and California king. 

14. Padded Seat Bar Stools

These Padded Seat Bar Stools come in a set of two, offering the perfect seating option for any mid-century modern home. The bar stool frame is made from heavy gauge steel electroplated in a stainless steel-style finish. Each cushion features comfortable padding with smooth leatherette upholstery. The flared legs and rounded backrest offer a fresh style that’s perfect for adding a mid-century modern look to any bar table or kitchen breakfast bar. 

15. 2-Drawer Wine Cabinet

This 2-Drawer Wine Cabinet is a stylish, mid-century modern way to display your favorite vintages. It features eight open triangular storage compartments with two spacious drawers and a large rectangular compartment below. These lower storage areas are perfect for accessories like linens and glassware. With a warm teak finish and eye-catching design, this wine cabinet would look great in a mid-century modern dining room or home bar.

Create your mid-century modern retreat

By now, you probably have your eye on at least one piece of furniture you want to add to your home. Unless you’re furnishing your home from a blank slate, it’s usually easiest to start with one or two (or three) pieces of furniture and build the rest of the look from there. For more inspiration, check out our guides to designing a mid-century modern space and decorating a mid-century modern living room on a budget.

Also, be sure to check out Coaster Furniture’s full selection of furniture for hundreds of additional options. You can also search our catalog for mid-century modern furniture to browse decor for the whole home.

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