The midcentury dining table must be the envy of all furniture —practical, elegant and still turning heads 70 years on.
You’ve seen it a hundred times on Pinterest: your ideal vintage dining table with the curves, the elegant legs or the round marble top. But when you actually try searching for one, you’re hit with a sea of listings, confusing design terms and price tags that feel more museum than midcentury.
This is a guide for design lovers who know they want a midcentury modern dining table, but don’t speak fluent vintage. Whether you’re hunting on Etsy, eBay, 1st Dibs or Vinterior, this post will help you get to the right designers and styles without losing a whole afternoon scrolling into oblivion…
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Classic midcentury table silhouettes
Tulip
Image: Aram
Finnish-American designer Eero Saarinen described the underside of typical tables and chairs as ‘a confusing, unrestful world.’ So in 1958, he designed the Tulip as part of his Pedestal Collection for the US brand Knoll – aka probably the most iconic midcentury modern table out there.
Crafted from cast aluminium with a marble, wood or laminate top, the Tulip shape was so revolutionary, many brands created their own versions. So, you may find similar midcentury tulip tables by Arkana in the UK, Airborne in France and Lübke in Germany.
Round, oval and elliptical
Image: Vinterior / Gallery KIY
Curved tabletops were a key feature in midcentury design—favoured for their elegance, flow, and space-saving flexibility. Many circular wood table designs have extension leaves in the middle, creating the classic ‘race track’ oval shape.
Image: Pamono
Boat-shaped
Image: Vinterior / Retromonger
Another common midcentury style is the boat-shaped table top (although it may not be described as such in listings). It appears to swell at the middle and tapers at each end. If you’re drawn to this shape look for extending tables by British company McIntosh.
Tapered lines
Legs that narrow as they meet the floor, tabletops that thin at the edges—these subtle shifts are what give midcentury tables their signature elegance and lightness. Danish designers who were especially fond of the taper include Arne Hovmand-Olsen, Niels Møller and Johannes Andersen.
Splayed leg
Image: Etsy / Kaishu Vintage
Splayed or ‘raked’ legs—where the legs angle outward from the frame, were a defining feature of midcentury furniture, creating movement and informal elegance. Look up Ilmari Tapiovaara, Italian designer Ico Parisi and Ercol in the UK for more examples.
Image: Pamono
Straight leg
While curves and tapered legs are a hallmark of midcentury style, some designers took a more architectural and rectilinear approach. This style traces back to the Bauhaus and early modernist movements of the 1920s and ’30s. Midcentury tables by the iconic Danish furniture designer Børge Mogensen drew on functionalist ideals and Shaker-inspired simplicity.
Midcentury wood types and materials
Light wood
Etsy / GSFurnitureRevival
Image: Vinterior / Vintage14
Lighter woods like elm, beech, ash and birch have a soft Scandinavian airiness that’s perfect for bright, light-filled spaces. In the UK, Ercol became known for its elegant use of elm tops with splayed beech legs. These woods often show off beautiful grain patterns and have a light-reflective quality.
Dark wood
Image: Vinterior / Mobel Fabrik
Teak was one of the most iconic materials of Scandinavian and British midcentury furniture. It was imported in large quantities from Southeast Asia and was prized for its strength, stability and warm tone that deepens with age.
Image: 1st Dibs
Walnut and rosewood also played a starring role, particularly with Italian midcentury designers like Gio Ponti and Ico Parisi, and in the United States, George Nelson, Jens Risom and the furniture brand Drexel.
Laminate
Image: 1st Dibs
Laminate-topped tables, often referred to by the brand name Formica, are a hallmark of vintage kitchens from the 1950s through to the 1970s. Sometimes colourful, patterned or ‘wood-effect’, they were designed to be affordable, wipe-clean and hard-wearing. Today they’re still sought-after, bringing a certain retro cool to casual dining spaces.
Marble, glass and metal
Image: 1st Dibs
In contrast to the natural Scandinavian wood styles, a more sculptural and polished influence was emerging out of Italy and the USA in the 1960s. Designers such as Cesare Lacca and Osvaldo Borsani (Italy) and Vladimir Kagan and Adrian Pearsall (USA) favoured materials like glass, marble, chrome and lacquered finishes, bringing a look that would define the ‘cocktail hour’ glamour of the 1970s.
Image: Pamono
Marble in midcentury furniture started as a luxurious accent but it paved the way for the more dramatic stone-heavy styles of the 1970s. If you love a marble top, look for pieces by Knoll, Mangiarotti or Italian manufacturers from the late 60s and early 70s.
Space-saving midcentury designs
Furnishing a petite space? After the war, many families were living in smaller homes so they needed furniture that was practical and space-saving. Tables that could fold, extend or tuck away boomed in the 1950s. Today, drop-leaf, gateleg and extendable designs make a smart choice for renters, small-space living or multi-functional rooms—perfect for when you want to squeeze in a few more at a dinner party.
Extendable
Drop leaf, gateleg and butterfly
Etsy / Andevost
Drop-leaf tables have hinged sides that hang down when not in use, simply flip them up when you need more surface. Gateleg tables add swing-out legs to support those leaves, while butterfly leaves fold and tuck inside the table itself. With draw-leaf tables, the leaves glide out from underneath like hidden wings, just pull and you’re ready to seat a few more.
Image: Etsy / Kaishu Vintage
The price of a midcentury table
Prices for vintage dining tables can vary wildly, from a few hundred pounds to an eye-popping six figures. What you’ll pay depends on the designer, materials, condition and whether the piece is labelled or rare. The good news? You don’t need a big budget to find something beautiful.
Etsy / Kaishu Vintage
Unmarked pieces
Don’t let the lack of a designer name throw you off. Plenty of beautifully made vintage tables came from small workshops or lesser-known makers. If it’s survived this long and still looks good, chances are it’s solidly built and made from proper materials. These unlabelled pieces often give you all the charm and craftsmanship, without the collector-level price tag. If you see “attributed to”, it usually means the dealer thinks it might be by a known designer, but there’s no hard proof—no label, no paperwork, just a hunch. So in that case, you’re really buying for the style, not the signature.
Image: Aram
Icons still in production
Some iconic midcentury tables are still made today by the original brands—like Knoll or Vitra. So yes, you can buy a brand-new Tulip table straight from the source. In fact, a reissue can sometimes be cheaper than the vintage version, especially if the original has become a collector’s prize. Buying new guarantees condition and authenticity; vintage gives you patina, charm and possibly a better deal if you’re open to light wear.
More midcentury musings
Where do I buy vintage midcentury dining tables online?
Vinterior, Selency and Pamono are curated, design-focused platforms with a mix of high-end and eclectic vintage and antique finds, while 1stDibs offers rare designer pieces for serious collectors. Etsy is great for digging up bargains and hidden gems, while eBay, Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace are ideal for budget-conscious buyers looking for local deals. Each platform has different return policies and buyer protection, so check the fine print and don’t be afraid to message sellers with questions.
Is midcentury modern furniture going out of fashion in 2025?
Midcentury furniture seems to be the design equivalent of a well-cut coat. Understated, flattering, and somehow always in style. It mixes well with other pieces (even the odd antique or flea market wildcard), and in 2025, it’s breaking out of the white-walled, Scandi-calm zone into something a bit richer—more colour, earthier tones, layered textures and personality. Some say midcentury’s major comeback started in the 2000s, but I’m not sure it ever really left… p.s. Check out these vintage decorated homes for more inspo.
Why buy an original midcentury table, instead of a replica?
An original midcentury dining table has likely hosted decades of gatherings, conversations, celebrations and quiet cups of tea. These pieces were made to last, using quality materials and craftsmanship that’s hard to find in a modern-day replica. There is a wealth of mass-produced ‘midcentury inspired’ furniture on the market, but it’s not necessarily more affordable than vintage. Of course, because you’re extending the life of a piece instead of adding to demand for new production, it’s a highly sustainable choice. And that alone makes it a pretty smart one!
If you’re in the capital and prefer to see furniture in the flesh, be sure to check out the best vintage furniture shops in London. For more inspiration on mixing old and new, explore posts in Modern Vintage Home Decor.
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