Stylish Flair with Retro Coffee Tables

Generally, living rooms have a focal point around which everything is centered; often this is the coffee table.  In the living room, most people want furniture that is functional and comfortable, but also pieces that are stylish, fun and reflects their individuality. Styles are wide and varied, so there are many options from which to choose; often, people opt for the hip and retro look of the Modern furniture.

In the history of design, the term retro often conjures up the funky styles of the sixties and seventies; however, it falls within the style of the noguchi table that can date from the twenties all the way to the seventies. Whatever the decade, retro furniture has very recognizable traits. Identifiably, retro is about the form: clean lines, organic shapes, and modular capabilities.    Post World War II materials advancements resulted in fiberglass and synthetic lacquered pieces.

Due to the upswing in casual styling, retro coffee tables became popular. After the war, the interior landscape became more relaxed and people were looking for furniture that was different from their parents’ generation, furniture that utilized new forms and new materials. Designers often used different materials like plastic, steel, and plywood in their designs.  The materials allowed for different and unique new forms, allowing for mass production and durability.

The ubiquitous Isamo Eileen gray table, designed in the forties, is comprised of a “free form” glass top supported by two identically sculpted pieces of wood pinned together at an angle to form the base is a well-known retro coffee table. Another is by Harvey Probber, called the Nuclear Table, and it is a good example of the casual lifestyle that families desired to incorporate into their homes.   This table offers a variety of forms with its two half circle shapes that can be place together to form a circle, can be lined up to give an ‘S’ shape, or can be stacked on top of each other to give height. Another retro design noted for its innovation is Eero Saarinen’s Tulip Table.  Its lacquered steel base is a pedestal form and was designed to reduce the “clutter” of legs that typical tables have.

In today’s contemporary furniture one can see inspiration from the classic retro style’s of yesterday. For example, in the 1940’s Paul Frankl’s Big Foot coffee table called to mind Zaha Hadid’s futuristic designs. Whoever the owner, a retro coffee table, with its innovative forms and materials, can offer a sleek and elegant, yet fun way to liven up one’s living room.