Quality Counts in Contemporary Furniture Design
May 20, 2026
Designer Vincente Wolf from Desire to Inspire blog
Isamu Noguchi table from Herman Miller
Actually, proper proportions, stability of the joints, and integrity of the materials are important for all styles of furniture, but with the simple lines of contemporary designs, it matters all the more. An elegantly simple form, with no added ornamentation to hide behind, has to be level, square, keep it’s perfect geometry and have a uniform finish. I have 3 guidelines to keep in mind when shopping for modern furniture.
1. The less there is to see, the more we study what remains. Every blemish shows. We all remember the first scratch on our new car!
Milo Baughman Burlwood Console available from John Salibello Antiques
Edward Wormley Tete-A-Tete for Dunbar Furniture
Barcelona Chair by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, still being produced after 80 years.
2. A quality product which survives wear and tear over time, has a shot at becoming a design icon because it enjoys greater public exposure.
Reception area in Oxford, UK
The garden at MoMA
3. Buy good quality the first time, because it my be the only time. Once you own a piece of furniture, your feeling of comfort and attachment to it grows stronger over time. The idea of spending time and money to replace an adequate piece is too much for many to contemplate. Cleaning out many, many properties during my real estate career, has proven this time and again.
Donghia Furniture, Hudson Collection
Maverick Writing Table from Dakota Jackson
Designer Michael Richman in Metropolitan Home
And this is my favorite approach to any room- antique and modern together.
Designer Richard Shapiro's Drawing Room at the Greystone Estate Show House in Veranda
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