If you’re looking for midcentury modern design staples to fit your budget, here are five versatile modern furniture pieces that under $500. Every one is selected for beauty, form, and function. Four of these modern design staples are items I own and use every day. The other is on my wish list. I Because life very often does not look like it was ripped out of the pages of a magazine, you’ll see some not-so-glamorous photos of these pieces in my own home, married, for better or worse, with my stuff. (There’s a lot of it. I’m working on that!)
Over time, the prices of these modern design staples have kept up with inflation. The nice thing is that they’re quality pieces, and they don’t have to be replaced. I’ve included less expensive versions in cases where I could find something comparable. I think the originals are still a great value, because they’ll last forever (I still own and use almost every piece included here). That said, if you want the look of these midcentury modern classics for less, you’ll find links to even more affordable.
And if you’re in the mood for a splurge, or just some luxury window-shopping, I’ve included a few splurge pieces from Herman Miller line, the most iconic midcentury modern furniture of all time.
The Herman Miller Eames Wire-Base Table, $245 from 2Modern
Let’s start with the smallest item on the list, the Eames wire-base side table by Herman Miller. I’m a huge fan of Eames, but the price tag for anything made by Herman Miller is through the roof. So I was excited to find this little table, the true, licensed Herman Miller wire-base side table designed by Eames in 1950, for $205 at the original time of writing (and a still-very-affordable $245 in 2022).
Imagine my surprise when the box arrived and it was hardly bigger than a metropolitan phone book. Thinking the box must contain just the legs, or just the top, I was a little disappointed to open the box and discover that the little box contained the whole kit and caboodle. Despite the diminutive size, this little side table quickly grew on me. It has moved around a bit over the years, occupying a place beside various chairs, sometimes snuggling underneath our coffee table, occasionally hanging out in a corner of the living room topped by design books. It was the perfect size to cozy up beside the blue velvet Room and Board chair in our Paris apartment.
Now it lives in our bedroom, at the foot of the bed, where it is often home to my charging laptop, my creepy new BFF Alexa, or other devices. I’m pretty sure I haven’t found the perfect use for it yet, but I will.
This table won’t make a big statement, but if you want a little Eames in your home and don’t have a few thousand dollars to spring on a chair, the wire-base side table is a great starting piece.
Shop the entire Herman Miller collection at 2Modern.
White Parsons Desk, $399 at CB2
A sleek surface for writing, at home with a moleskin notebook or a laptop, the Parsons desk elegantly conceals two roomy drawers for corralling pens, notebooks, rubber bands, paperclips, and all those gift cards you keep meaning to use. All you have to do to put it together is screw on the four legs. In bright white, it brightens any space.
I bought this one at West Elm ages ago. We’ve had it in the guest room of the canyon house for seven years, but before that it did duty in my home office in San Francisco for several years. It has kept its sheen and its sturdiness all these years. If you live in a small space and need to carve out a make-do office in your bedroom or living room, this is the desk for the task. It’s available for just under $500 at West Elm, or you can get the nearly-identical CB2 version for less.
Update: like the steel console tables, we took the Parsons desk to Paris. There, it lived in our bedroom overlooking Rue Docteur Lancereaux. Upon our return, the Parsons desk moved into my home office in the canyon house.
In the photo above, you can see how lived-in my office gets. What is a writing desk without a big stack of books, and the day’s progression of glasses (coffee, water, wine). A note on the glasses: I have the Bodum double-walled glasses in three sizes and use them for everything! They keep coffee hot and wine cool, and they just look beautiful in any setting.
On the wall: a canvas photo print of my son reading in Hawaii, which I created at art.com, the original brass switch plates that were installed with the home in 1957. On the floor: artwork by Swiss artist Iris Schwarz, purchased on Etsy. I have several of her pieces framed; I’m a fan! The white canvas curtains are from Overstock, which is a great resource for textiles and rugs.
Budget Pick: You can find an more affordable Parsons desk at Wayfair for under $200: the Adhik Desk by Gracie Oaks. This parsons desk is available in white oak, for a warmer, slightly softer look for your home office or living room.
Only feels like a splurge: At just $395, the Herman Miller Everywhere Rectangular Table allows you to bring Herman Miller into your home for less than the price of a West Elm table. The top is veneer over MDF, and the legs are powder-coated steel. This table has a more office-like look than the Parsons, weighs only 50 pounds, and is available with various finishes.
Total splurge: The classic Herman Miller Nelson Swag Leg Desk, $2,995 at 2Modern.
Room & Board Slim Console Tables in Natural Steel, starting at $269
We have the slim steel console table from Room and Board in various shapes and sizes around the house. Each one was bought at a different time, after searching for the exact right item to fit in a specific spot and discovering that Room and Board’s steel tables were the answer. We have the half-round steel table in the very narrow space in our entryway. We searched and searched for an entry table, but most were too big. This one fit the spot perfectly, and it’s just the right size to hold a vase of fresh flowers and a few books.
We also have two of the rectangular slim console table–one in the living room, which we’ve had for six years, and one in the bedroom, which we just purchased recently. If you need a small table that is way less expensive than it looks, this is the table for you. It’s also so versatile that if you later fall in love with something else, you can always find a place for the your old R&B table somewhere in your home. It’s lightweight enough to carry from room to room, but heavey enough to feel substantial. At just $269, consider the slim console table your gateway drug to all things R&B.
When we moved to Paris in 2018 and rented out our canyon home, the renter loved these tables so much he asked if we would leave them behind. But we loved them too, so we took them to Paris with us, and they fit perfectly into our Paris apartment!
Budget pick: For an alternative to the Room and Board Slim Steel Console Table, try the Braxton Console Table by Crosley Furniture, which you can find on Overstock for under $150. Although it probably doesn’t have the staying power of Room and Board, it looks very similar.
Panola Wall Shelf with Bracket, by Blomus, $124
A minimalist shelf made of oak and powder coated steel, the Blomus wall shelf won’t hold your library but is a nice spot to stack a few books and a vase (like the Colora vase, also from Blomus, just $35.99 at 2Modern). You can use just one or install a few for a complete wall of shelves. Created by the German design duo Kaschkasch, the Panola Shelf is available in a few different colors and finishes.
The Blomus line, which includes beautiful midcentury glassware, porcelain vases, and stoneware serving bowls is a very affordable way to bring a functional, minimalist design into your home.
The Level Bella Bench, by Article, $499
I don’t own this bench yet, but it’s on my wish list. A great bench is a staple, especially one that is portable enough to move around the house as needed. Maybe you’ve noticed I have a thing for steel, which is why I love the sturdy but airy steel legs of the Horizon bench. At 60″ wide, it’s big enough to provide seating at the dinner table or keep tushes off the floor in the den. It would also look great in the entryway. I love the way the upholstery seems to float above the floor. Article has some really promising furniture at great prices. As with the other items on this list, this is an entry-level design that allows you to try the brand without breaking the bank.
The Level Bella Bench by Article–streamlined and functional
Budget pick: For a stylish alternative to the Level Bella bench, the Therapist Upholstered Bench by Grayleigh is a great choice. Like the Level Bella Bench, it has a streamlined iron base and an upholstered top.
Total splurge: The Herman Miller Nelson Platform Bench, $1,695 at 2Modern.
Did you enjoy this post? Read Resources for Affordable Modern Design, my roundup of the best reliable places to shop for high-quality midcentury modern design, organization products that last, and even minimalist clothing.
Below: the 36″ slim console table in my bedroom, topped with a tray from my sister-in-law and, framed above, the lyrics of “our song,” handwritten by the musician, Steve Forbert.