MCM boasts a timelessness that no other style can match. It’s a movement that continues to sharpen up contemporary spaces—all thanks to the brilliant mid-century modern designers behind it.
Mid-century modern design hit its peak nearly a hundred years ago. And honestly, we don’t see it going away anytime soon. It’s fair to say that the prominent names who infused universal appeal into their creations deserve enduring acclaim.
With the recent influx of mid-century-inspired pieces (say no to knockoffs), we often disregard the creative geniuses that introduced those inspirational pieces – not the brands, but the mid century modern designers themselves.
The designers of this era were largely inspired by organic materials and the world’s burgeoning fascination in sci-fi, skyscrapers, and modern housing. They essentially provided us with a peek into the future.
These quintessential mid-century modern furniture designers were all about thought-out interior decorations, functionality, and ergonomics – all while keeping the pieces beautiful.
Think of the famous Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman. It’s a piece that Charles and Ray Eames designed, inspired by the English club chair. The lounge chair is a modern version of the latter, but with, as Charles himself describes, “a warm receptive look of a well-used first baseman’s mitt.”
Before jumping on a cheap knockoff of these classic designs, take some time and get to know the most important names in MCM design.
In this post, we will talk about the most famous mid-century designers and their iconic works. Keep in mind that most of their pieces cost a leg and arm. But go ahead and explore our list, select a few of their creations, and save them in case you’re ready to consider a serious investment in the future!!
What Is Mid-Century Modern Design Style?
Mid-century modern movement spanned the 1930s and 1960s, influencing both interior and exterior spaces. As well as architecture and graphic arts. Its enduring appeal even had its resurgence in the 1970s and 1980s.
Cara Greenberg is credited for inventing the phrase “mid-century modern” in her book “Mid-Century Modern: Furniture of the 1950s,” (p.1984). In it, she referenced a distinct motif characterized by a combination of organic and geometric shapes, streamlined look, simplicity, and functionality.
The designers in the era worked with plastic, Lucite, vinyl, glass, and plywood and sought out new textures, shapes, and colors. Their designs were inspired by functionality and brought in new styles that embraced simplicity, subtle organic shapes, and unconventional materials.
However, while MCM has a definite theme, it doesn’t really strive to achieve a particular look. Some pieces, artworks, and spaces can look very different from others. What unifies the mid-century modern designs is the shared optimism. A fresh birth of energy and vitality following World War II.
The cheerful outlook, along with improved construction and manufacturing materials, laid the groundwork for some of the most iconic designs of all time. It also introduced some of the most respected names onto the international scene.
Here Are Famous Mid Century Modern Designers You Need To Know
Charles and Ray Eames
When you think about mid-century design, Eames seems to be the first name that comes to mind. It’s almost synonymous with MCM.
The dynamic duo, Charles and Ray Eames (1907-1978 and 1912-1988) are well renowned for their contributions to furniture, industrial design, architecture, and manufacturing.
Their furniture was made from new materials. This includes fiberglass-reinforced plastic, molded plywood, aluminum, and bent metal wire.
The husband and wife embodied the innovation, energy, and optimism that define mid-century modern design. They believed that design should be a positive force, providing consumers with stylish, practical, and affordable pieces.
Besides the lounge chair and ottoman, one of the most iconic Eames designs ever is the La Chaise (1948). It’s a chair that the duo designed for the Museum of Modern Art-sponsored “International Competition for Low-Cost Furniture Design.”
The name alludes to both its functionality and Gaston Lachaise’s Floating Figure sculpture. It’s the shape that the Eameses believed would be ideal for the chair.
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
“Less is more.”
Renowned architect and designer Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886-1969) simplified the idea of minimalism. It reflects modernist design and architecture with bold, utopian ideals. And that principle is evident in many of his creations, including the iconic Barcelona Pavilion.
He is well-known for his rectilinear shapes, which are built in exquisite simplicity and embody the International Style of architecture.
A true mid-century modern pioneer, Mies was the director of Bauhaus—a German art school that specialized in the study of modern art and design. And being the icon that he was, Mies once told a graduating class of designers: “You have to build up the world you want to live in.”
Sadly, Bauhaus was only operational from 1930 to 1933. The school closed down as per Nazi Germany’s command. Mies would later flee Nazi Germany and move to the US. And there, he introduced the concept of MCM and proceeded to make an impact on the world of architecture.
His mid-century modern furniture designs defined his focus on open spaces and functionality above ornamentation. The Architect-designer created furniture using materials that were simple and functional. This includes steel, brick, concrete, and glass.
The Barcelona Chair (1929) is one of his famous creations. Mies van der Rohe’s architecture is very disciplined and it’s reflected in the chair’s simplicity of line and precision of proportions and materials. The chairs have two chrome-plated, flat steel bars to hold them on each side.
Designed for the German Pavilion, these chairs were initially built with comfort in mind. And some consider them to be the most comfortable choice on the market. The lounge chairs perfectly mix real baseball mitt comfort with a modern, elegant look that stands out.
Alvar Aalto
Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto (1898-1976) is recognized for pioneering Scandinavian modernism in the US and everywhere. In fact, he was regarded as the father of modern Scandinavian design. But in America, he was best known for his works in glassware and textiles.
He was among the first to abandon the stiff geometric designs popular in the earlier stage of mid-century modernism. This is in pursuit of pieces that express informality and individuality. His works epitomized the best of 20th-century Scandinavian architecture. Many described his style as both romantic and regional.
Aalto devoted a lot of thought into his designs that they’re still highly acclaimed now. The architect-designer not only created pieces but also invented cantilevered wooden seats. Goes to show how certain he was of his ideals.
His contributions to the disciplines of furniture design, textiles, and glassware set him apart in the world of art. And towards the end of his life, Aalto worked tirelessly. Until the very end, he proved his unwavering passion for his craft.
When we think about Alvar Aalto, laminated wood and plywood furniture easily come to mind. Aalto’s creation of bent plywood furniture (1930s) had a significant influence on the aesthetics of Eameses.
He worked with a number of building materials such as tubular steel. However, his most significant technical advances were produced using laminated materials like birch and plywood.
He was the first to integrate bent plywood in designing for the tuberculosis Sanatorium of the City of Paimio in Finland. Then, many mid century furniture designers joined in the following decades, contributing to the rise of the use of bent plywood.
Marcel Breuer
Marcel Breuer (1902-1981) is a Hungarian-American furniture designer whose work spans practically every facet of 3D design. His designs range from minute items to large buildings.
Breuer was well-known for his famous chair designs. He collaborated with other mid century modern furniture designers. And ultimately, cementing his legacy as among the most influential architects of the modern era.
Being the great innovator that he was, Breuer was keen to explore the latest technological breakthroughs. He was even more than thrilled to depart from traditional shapes, many with stunning outcomes.
At the Bauhaus, Breuer advanced quickly from being a student to a teacher. He would later be in charge of the furniture design workshop. And while he was there, he transformed the modern lexicon with his tubular steel furniture.
His early designs were influenced by bicycle design and made with local plumbers’ skills. Those pieces are some of the most innovative and influential of the midcentury modern movement.
During Breuer’s experimentation with tubular steel, he created one of his most iconic pieces: the Wassily Chair (1925). It’s a design inspired by bicycle frames. It’s crafted from curved steel tubes and leather slings. The result is a seat that is both ergonomic and comfortable while being very sculptural and simple in look.
Arne Jacobsen
Arne Jacobsen (1902-1971) is a Danish architect and furniture designer renowned for his Louis Poulsen lamps and chairs. But beyond lights and chairs, he had a passion for designing buildings, textiles, and interior design.
As a little boy growing up in his home in Copenhagen, Jacobsen was regarded as “rebellious.” He used to paint over the Victorian wallpaper in his bedroom. And instead of covering the walls with childish drawings, he chose to paint his entire room white.
That choice could seem nothing special in the modern day. But white walls weren’t even popular in the early 20th century. And that was the moment that he knew, he was far ahead of his time.
During Jacobsen’s career, he struggled to choose between architecture and design. Therefore, he created projects that combined the two. We’d say he has a tremendous appreciation of the arts. And it’s seen in all his architectural work matched with intricate details.
He devoted a lot of thought to creating wallpapers, flooring, furniture, and lighting, transforming his works into masterpieces in their own right. And using the notion of ‘economy plus function equals style,’ his structures, furniture, and tableware became symbols of the “Danish Modern” movement.
One of his famous pieces is the Egg chair (1959). The concept was the result of a new technology introduced by Jacobsen with the Egg. And just like a sculptor, he originally carved the Egg out of clay in his garage to finalize the design. Then, he molded the Egg Chair from a sturdy foam inner shell beneath the covering.
Function meets class, the chair’s unique shape provides privacy, particularly in public spaces.
Harry Bertoia
A Knoll historian once said, “Bertoia’s paintings were better than his sculptures. And his sculptures were better than his furniture. And his furniture was absolutely brilliant.”
Italian-born American artist Harry Bertoia (1915-1978) is one of the several prominent names in mid-century modern design. A quintessential and gifted man, he was the master of his craft. Bertoia started his own metal studio at Cranbrook following high school and art school.
Ten years later, he moved to California where he met fellow mid-century furniture designer Charles Eames. They were trying to find ways to laminate and bend plywood. Bertoia’s efforts to the iconic Eames chairs were significant, though not often recognized.
During the experimentations, he explored anything he liked to come up with something interesting. And, as one would expect it, he came up with something spectacular. Bertoia’s unique wire furniture line (1952) is regarded as among the best designs of the 20th century.
The stunning Diamond chairs (1952) by Bertoia are unique, comfy, and breathtakingly beautiful. The dainty look of the seats conceals their sturdiness and longevity. As the man himself once said, “If you look at these chairs, they are mainly made of air, like sculpture. Space passes right through them.”
Florence Knoll
Lastly, we cannot talk about mid-century modern design without the iconic Florence Knoll (1917-2019). She is an American architect who was the driving force behind the creation of the furniture giant. An eponymous furniture company that gave life to the modernist ideal that midcentury corporate America envisioned.
Knoll’s interest in architecture was evident from a young age. Later on, she honed her skills at Cranbrook. And it laid the groundwork for her clever design education and revolutionary career.
After receiving recommendations from Alvar Aalto, she became a protégé of Mies van der Rohe at the Illinois Institute of Technology. She also collaborated with famous Bauhaus architects like Breuer.
Inspired by the German Bauhaus school of design, Knoll championed the modernist union of architecture, art, and practicality in her furniture and interiors, particularly (but not solely) for workplaces.
Florence Knoll’s mid-century designs were and still are the embodiment of the era’s clean, practical shapes. These designs have outlasted trends and remain powerful. They are contemporary and popular. Whether in homes, offices, outdoors, or even museums.
One of Knoll’s most important designs is her 1954 Settee. It’s comfy, clean, and has the perfect combination of organic and industrial materials. The brand describes the design as the “scaled-down version of the rhythm and proportions of mid-century modernist architecture.”
It’s modern and timeless. Minimalist and has a geometric profile, which is the embodiment of the practical design approach she learned from her Mies.
