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01.31.2025

How to Find True Midcentury Modern Furniture

If you haven’t caught our latest Brooklyn Antiquing vlog on YouTube, make sure to check it out. We take you to two of our FAVORITE sources for vintage, antique, and architectural salvage!

One reason we decided to make this video was because there’s so much misinformation about qualifies as true midcentry modern furniture. As designers and historic enthusiasts, we felt it our duty to share.

IT’S ALL IN THE WOOD

The key difference between a true midcentury modern piece and a newly produced midcentury modern style typically comes down to the materials used. True vintage pieces will be solid wood, usually a walnut, teak, or oak, and often feature brass hardware or accents. Newer pieces are often made of particle board, and either have a thin wood panel or are fake throughout. True midcentury pieces can get pricey quick, and you will have to do a little hunting for them. We love 1stDibs for design forward second hand pieces, but you can also find newly manufactured furniture from sources like Rejuvenation, and Arhaus that carry that same quality of build.

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We’re Jordan Slocum and Barry Bordelon, the founders of The Brownstone Boys. Our journey began in 2017 with a shared passion for Brooklyn’s historic architecture and a vision to restore and transform brownstones with a modern touch. Over the years, we've had the privilege of working on over 725 projects. We pride ourselves on our hands-on approach and our ability to bring out the character of each space. Our work has been featured in top design outlets like Architectural Digest, The New York Times, House Beautiful, and Dwell.

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