Paul Mathieu Sofa

The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw sweeping social change and major scientific advances — both of which contributed to a new aesthetic: modernism. Rejecting the rigidity of Victorian artistic conventions, modernists sought a new means of expression. References to the natural world and ornate classical embellishments gave way to the sleek simplicity of the Machine Age. Architect Philip Johnson characterized the hallmarks of modernism as “machine-like simplicity, smoothness or surface [and] avoidance of ornament.”

Early practitioners of modernist design include the De Stijl (“The Style”) group, founded in the Netherlands in 1917, and the Bauhaus School, founded two years later in Germany.

Followers of both groups produced sleek, spare designs — many of which became icons of daily life in the 20th century. The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics. While Bauhaus principals Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created furniture from mass-produced, chrome-plated steel, American visionaries like Charles and Ray Eames worked in materials as novel as molded plywood and fiberglass. Today, Breuer’s Wassily chair, Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chair — crafted with his romantic partner, designer Lilly Reich — and the Eames lounge chair are emblems of progressive design and vintage originals are prized cornerstones of collections.

It’s difficult to overstate the influence that modernism continues to wield over designers and architects — and equally difficult to overstate how revolutionary it was when it first appeared a century ago. But because modernist furniture designs are so simple, they can blend in seamlessly with just about any type of décor. Don’t overlook them.

Taller than a coffee table and more elongated and narrow, a sofa table is designed to nestle against the back of a sofa. One-of-a-kind antique, vintage and new sofa tables make a statement while also dividing the room or displaying decorative objects.

Sofa tables are similar to Pembroke tables, which emerged in the 18th century but were positioned in front of the sofa for serving tea or playing cards. The popular furnishing now comes in a range of styles.

Rustic living areas can incorporate natural wood sofa tables that complement the space. Brutalist sofa tables combine organic materials with a distinctly contemporary edge to contrast city and country styles. Scandinavian modern sofa tables offer a sleeker aesthetic. These wooden pieces often have simple designs and few embellishments, with angular lines and experimental structures that enhance any living room.

Notably, minimalist sofa tables frequently feature slightly slimmer profiles. Instead of consisting primarily of wood, these tables are often made of luxurious granite, gleaming brass or lightweight aluminum.

Shop a wide selection of antique, vintage and new sofa tables on 1stDibs today.