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Living rooms are focused on relaxing or entertaining and typically are centered around one piece of furniture: the coffee table. While people want to reflect their individuality and style in their d?cor, they often need comfortable and functional furniture in their living rooms. There are many different styles to choose from to obtain the desired look, and when it comes to the living room people often choose an modern furniture as a hip alternative.

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 Noguchi table that can date from the twenties all the way to the seventies. The best-known retro furniture can be seen in the forties, fifties, and sixties and no matter the decade one will always recognize the retro style. Its form defines retro style: clean lines, organic shapes, and modular capability. Post World War II materials advancements resulted in fiberglass and synthetic lacquered pieces.

Retro coffee tables were often designed because families were adopting a more casual atmosphere into their homes. People wanted to have innovative forms and materials that were not as formal as their parents’; they wanted a home that was more open and inviting for adults and kids alike. Luckily, designers understood this and were fortunate enough to have new technology and materials such as plastics, chromium-plated steel and plywood at their disposal. 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. Designed as a modular piece, its basic circular form is actually two half circles that can be rearranged into a snake-like form by lining them up, can be stacked on top of one another, or can be put at opposite ends of a sofa. Another retro design noted for its innovation is Eero Saarinen’s Tulip Table. The signature table is defined by its pedestal base which eliminated the “clutter” of multiple legs.

Contemporary furniture produced today is often reflective of some of retro coffee tables being offered by antique dealers. 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.

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