Mid-Century Furniture

Mid-Century Furniture | Melbourne & Sydney

When asked what sort of furniture we create at Icon By Design, we reply that our furniture is a mix of Mid-Century Modern and Scandinavian design. We make our Mid-Century-inspired furniture from solid walnut timber – it’s warm, it’s durable, it’s strong. Our Mid-Century Modern pieces are perfect for your office, bedroom, living or dining rooms with tons of storage ideas, seating and table options that all adhere to the aesthetic.

But what exactly is Mid-Century Modern design? 

As the name suggests, the Mid-Century Modern style gained prominence post-World War II, from the late 1940s to the 1960s. The Mid-Century furniture from this era was defined by simple sleek lines, organic shapes, minimal ornamentation and high functionality which makes it highly appealing even today. These well-designed objects have stood the test of time. Mid-Century designers such as Charles and Ray Eames, Harry Bertoia, Arne Jacobsen and Isamu Noguchi created iconic furniture and lighting that are highly coveted and replicated to this very day! At its heart, our Mid-Century Modern furniture is not only beautifully constructed and functional but also priced to be affordable and designed to make everyday living easy. Whether it’s your kids perched on our Jensen Mid Century barstools eating breakfast at your kitchen island benchtop, you working from home at the Jolanda Mid Century office desk, or the entire family gathered round the Magnus Mid Century dining table, and matching Mid Century dining chairs to share food and company.

‘Form follows function’ is one of its guiding principles, which means that the shape of the furniture should relate to its intended function or purpose. Our Mid-Century Modern style furniture is designed so that every piece serves a purpose and adds value to your home. Today, more than ever, this look is still very popular. It sits very well in contemporary homes and suits modern living by melding the past with the present with its clean lines, organic curves, mix-and-match materials and multifunctional designs.

But how do you furnish your home in the Mid-Century Modern style without going overboard? The simple answer? Less is best. Resist the urge to decorate your entire home with furniture from this era. Instead, look for pieces that tell a story and let it become part of your life as it unfolds. Don't be afraid to mix mid century with other styles. Choose a few key pieces and let the other furniture and accessories in the room work around it. Browse our range of affordable mid century furniture available online or in our Melbourne & Sydney stores; with home delivery Australia wide.

What is considered Mid-Century Modern furniture?

Mid-Century Modern furniture is a design aesthetic that is known for juxtaposing sleek lines with organic shapes with rich, warmer walnut tones.

Why is Mid-Century Modern design so popular?

Just as the name suggests, the Mid-Century Modern movement influenced everything from architecture to textiles, spanning a period from the mid-1940s to 1970. While it captured the zeitgeist of the era, its ethos remains relevant to this very day. It values simple forms, honest use of the materials, and focusing on function while still respecting the impact of form. Born from a spirit of post-war optimism, there was an emphasis on ergonomics and efficiency in its choice of pared-down forms, contemporary patterns and natural materials to create functional comfort, easy living and chic style.

Who were the most famous Mid-Century Modern furniture designers?

The most famous Mid-Century Modern furniture designers to come out of the modern age are:

• Alvar Aalto
• Charles and Ray Eames
• Paul Evans
• Poul Kjærholm
• Florence Knoll
• George Nakashima
• Gio Ponti
• Hans Wegner

What wood is used in Mid-Century Modern furniture?

The Mid-Century furniture colour palette is natural and neutral. It’s about rich, warm finishes like walnut. With a focus on functionality, the mid century look is all about stripping items down to their basic elements and letting their function shine through. With this is mind, choose Mid-Century furniture that has clean lines and multiple uses. The mid-century colour palette consists of earthy hues and saturated colours like daffodil yellow, burnt orange, dark red and sicilian olive. The warmth of the Mid-Century Modern furniture comes through the tones of walnut timber furniture.

Where can I buy Mid-Century Modern Furniture?

You will find Icon By Design’s affordable range of Mid-Century inspired solid timber pieces for sale online. There are various shipping options available Australia wide. Our showrooms in Sydney and Melbourne are open 7 days a week so whenever you’re ready … so are we! Our unique business model means that we source our Mid-Century Modern furniture pieces directly from the craftsmen, enabling us to bypass the middleman and brand owners, and save on unnecessary costs. These savings are passed directly onto our customers. We’re so confident in our approach that we offer a lowest price guarantee: if you find any of our furniture items at a lower price elsewhere, we’ll beat the price by 25%. 

We deliver our Mid-Century Modern Furniture Australia wide!

It is easy to get the Mid-Century style in your home, with our affordable Mid Century-style furniture from Icon By Design. At Icon By Design we understand that our customers have different needs when it comes to delivery of their items – that is why we offer home delivery Australia-wide or you can come and collect it from our Sydney warehouse, Brisbane depot click and collect, Melbourne depot click and collect & Sydney showroom click and collect.