Shop The Look // Mid Century Modern

Mid-Century Modern refers to the style of furniture, art and architecture popularised during the mid-20th century, the term being cemented by Carla Greenberg in her 1983 book "Mid-Century Modern: Furniture of the 1950's". It is seen as one of the most popular, collectable and dynamic periods in international design history.
Designs from the mid-century period combine beauty, innovation , and function for an aesthetic that is utterly timeless. Characterised by their pared-down forms, sweeping clean lines, variety of colour, unique materials and superb quality, the modern day popularity of these mid-century pieces is a testament to the talent of designers of the time such as Charles and Ray Eames, Hans J Wegner, Arne Jacobsen, Eero Saarinen and Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe.

Shop the entire Mid-Century Modern range now at Utility.

Featured Product

Mid Century Modern Complete - Tome
Price: £60.00 at Utility
The definitive survey of mid-century design, offering a rich overview of all aspects of the subject including furniture, lighting, glass, textile and architecture.

SPECIAL OFFER

Spend £300 or more on Mid Century Modern furniture, design or gifts and you will receive a free copy of Dominic Bradbury's Mid Century Modern Complete tome.

Click here for more information.

Eames Desk Unit EDU
Price: £985.00 at Utility
The Eames Desk Unit from Vitra was created in 1949, when Charles & Ray Eames developed a new system of free-standing multi functional shelves.

Saarinen Tulip Chair
Price: From £1,140.00 at Utility
Though it epitomises 1960's styling Eero Saarinen's Tulip Chair was actually designed as a project between 1955 and 1957. The moulded aluminium base and fibreglass reinforced plastic shell completes its classic look.

Eames LTR Table
Price: From: £205 at Utility
This small variable side table from Charles & Ray Eames is available in Black, White or Gold and can be still seen today in the Eames House.

Barcelona Chair
Price: From £4,908.00 at Utility
Designed by Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe for the German Pavilion at the Exposicion Internacional de Barcelona, it was actually used as a throne for King Alfonso XIII at the exhibition's opening ceremonies.

Womb Chair & Ottoman
Price: From £4,884.00 at Utility
The Womb Chair & Ottoman, designed by Eero Saarinen for Knoll, was the first piece of mass produced furniture with an integrated seat shell made of reinforced plastic. Saarinen developed the chair at Florence Knoll's request as she really wanted something to curl up in.

Arco Floor Lamp
Price: From: £1,565.00 at Utility
The Arco Lamp from Flos is the epitome of a design classic. Designed by Achille Castiglioni in 1962 it remains one of the most enduring pieces of Italian design.

Frisbi Pendant Light
Price: £280.00 at Utility
A classic 1978 design by Achille Castiglioni. It consists of a polished black and chrome lamp holder under which is suspended a round cream/white disc diffuser on three tensile wires from the cable.

Luminator Floor Lamp
Price: £395.00 at Utility
Designed by brothers Achille & Pierre Giacomo Castiglioni in 1954 the Flos Luminator represents a simple tripod stand with a long galvanised stem on which the bulb is mounted.

Snoopy Table Lamp
Price: £640.00 at Utility
Everybody loves Snoopy don't they? Snoopy is a 1967 design from Flos by Pier Giacomo and Achille Castiglioni and its profile and monochrome colouring reminds us of Charlie Brown's silent yet extroverted beagle.

Alessi Citrus Basket
Price: £94.00 at Utility
This classic Citrus Basket from Alessi was designed in 1952 by Ufficio Tecnico Alessi and is one of the earliest projects of industrial design still in production by the company. No self respecting Alessi collector should be without this one!

Sunburst Clock
Price: £252.00 at Utility
This gorgeous re-edition Sunburst Clock from Vitra by George Nelson embodies the spirit of the day when it was first designed - when everyone wanted to be modern and everything seemed possible.

VITRA Doll No 4
Price: £87.50 at Utility
Based on originals found in the Girard Estate held by the Vitra Design Museum, the partly joyful, partly grim-looking company dolls makes a charming enhancement to any interior.

Hang It All
Price: £207.00 at Utility
Originally designed in 1953 by Charles Eames, it seems almost too good to cover with coats and hats. It was designed to encourage children to hang up their coats, hats, toys etc. When you have something as beautiful as this to them on you would - wouldn't you? Shop the entire Mid-Century Modern collection at Utility today.

All About EAMES - SPECIAL OFFER

 August is ALL ABOUT EAMES!

There's never been a better time to start your Eames collection. For the entire month of August you will receive an original VITRA Eames Hang It All absolutely FREE when you buy any 6 VITRA Eames Dining Chairs.

Charles & Ray Eames were the dream couple of American design and are perhaps its greatest exponents. They were not only successful photographers, film makers and architects but also talented furniture designers. Their extremely popular Dining Chair range is not only one of our best selling but also one of the most versatile, lending itself to a host of different interiors.

With their Hang-It-All, Charles and Ray Eames elevated the everyday coat rack into something inventive and fun - Click here to find out how to claim yours FREE!

Vitra launches the EA101 and EA103 Aluminium Dining Chairs

For visual impact the new EA101 and EA103 (a variation on the Aluminium Group Chair) on the Vitra stand in Milan was hard to beat. The Aluminium Group chair is a design icon in its own right and at home in any office but Vitra have slimmed it down, made it lighter and adjusted the sitting position so it's more conducive to dining environments. It's been launched in a total of 25 Hopsak fabrics which, with their two tone weaves, gives the chair a softer, more domestic feel. Maximum impact can be created by mixing and matching fabrics for a real show stopping look. For practicality it also comes in 3 colours of 'Netweave' - Vitra's more robust plastic webbing fabric. The two models differ in that the EA101 comes without arms whilst the EA103 has arms - ideal if you want a dining chair and carver. Both models are available now for delivery in May.

New Cushions from Vitra

With the cosy season on our doorsteps now is the time to snuggle up, and right on time Vitra have introduced a new range of cushions to do just that. With several designs created by Hella Jongerius (creator of the Polder Sofa and the reworked white edition of the Eames Lounge Chair) there's a family of square cushions in two sizes in a variety of shades to complement any interior. I addition Vitra have also added to the range by creating eight square cushions in  iconic fabrics created by some of the greatest designers of the twentieth century including Charles & Ray Eames, Alexander Girard and Verner Panton. They're all available to order now with Vitra Accessories

Sale and Clearance Now On!

We're in July which means one thing - our mid summer clearance and special offers sale is now on! With 15% off all our key brands including Vitra, Kartell, Carl Hansen, Fritz Hansen, Magis, Muller, Cassina, E15, Tom Dixon, Gubi and many others we've also reduced Artemide Lighting and Lightyears Lighting brands by 10%. It doesn't stop there though. We're giving away a free 500ml Waterbobble with every 3 tier Kartell Componibili purchased - which is already reduced at 15% off. Buy any three Orla Kiely items and we'll give you a Multi Stem Tea Towel absolutely FREE! Finally, don't forget to check out our warehouse clearance sale section. With big savings on a number of stock items this is your chance to bag a bargain at a fraction of the retail price. New table, lamp light or chairs? Take advantage now - and happy shopping!

Design at a Discount

We've been having a warehouse tidy up as well as giving our showroom a spring makeover. Making room means clearing out and we've added some great deals to our online clearance section but there's only ones so be quick! Check out two Carl Hansen chair designs - the Colonial Chair in gorgeous walnut and leather at 25% off and an upholstered CH445 Wingback Chair at a massive 40% off. From Vitra there's a beautiful chocolate leather Repos Chair at 25% off and a range of Metal Side Tables by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec at 20% off. There's 40% off Alessi Limited Edition Crevasse Vases by Zaha Hadid as well as 33% off the Pinch Vase, launched last year. There's also a gorgeous B&B Italia Tufty Too Sofa (ex display) at 34% off and a Knoll Girard Table by Alexander Girard at 24% off and 8 Tom Dixon Slab Chairs at 25% off.  These are just a few of our great deals, many on brand new and unused products but see the Clearance and Sale Section for all our great offers.

Winter Clearance Now On!

Our winter clearance is now well and truly on! Our choice bargain is this Carl Hansen CH 445 Wingback chair, never been out of its box at 30% off in a gorgeous turquoise Divina fabric. We've also got lots of other items from our warehouse which have never been on display such as the De La Espada Walnut Sleepy Chair at 35% off and solid walnut Weekend Chest at 30% off. Check out the Sale Section now! In addition we've also placed all our key brands on seasonal discount. Enjoy 15% off Kartell and Magis an 20% off Vitra to name just a few!

Special Eames RAR Rocking Chair - Winter Edition

Vitra have released a special Winter Edition of the much loved Eames RAR Rocking Chair designed by Charles and Ray Eames. Still displaying its classic and infamous silhouette, this time limited version presents the RAR Rocking Chair in a new light, combining refined and sophisticated finishes for an overall restrained and contemporary look. The organically shaped plastic seat is a dark earthy grey (RAL 7022) and rests upon a basic black (RAL 9004) power coated wire base. To finish dark stained maple ski feet complete the look - a welcomed alternative to its original counterparts. Overall its understated treatment acts to enhance what is much revered about this design masterpiece, its genius concoction of hard and soft lines, the contrast between natural and man-made materials and the forward thinking vision of Charles and Ray Eames. We can't think of a better way to spend this year's coldest and darkest days - gently rocking our winter blues away.

Corniches - Spontaneous and Flexible Shelving

French design duo and brothers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec have created informal and spontaneous shelving system called Corniches for Vitra. These free floating pebble like ledges are organic forms of usefulness which defy the norm and add an interesting dimension to any environment. Corniches provide impromptu storage areas perfect for storing small keepsakes or even acting as a handy storage surface in bedrooms, bathrooms or any living space! Available in three sizes; small, medium and large and in three colours, black, white and Japanese red they can be mixed and matched for a small collection or to create a large installation.

Utility featured within Grazia

We are awash with pride after Utility was featured as one of the '10 hot things to do in Liverpool' within Grazia's Local North West Special (14th May 2012). This is a brand new section highlighting the very best bits of UK and Ireland, asking people to recommend their favourite haunts within their home town or city. This wouldn't have been made possible without our good friend Aliki Marcou from Pushcka, who we must send a huge big thanks to, for nominating our Liverpool home store (60 Bold Street) as one of the places to go for our 'super-chic homeware'. Thank you! We can't forget her tip on our selection of funny birthday cards available at our Bold Street gift store. To exhibit our range of modern furniture, a rather wonderful picture was taken inside our showroom displaying our current installation of design gems. You can view a comprehensive breakdown here.

Vitra Repos and Grand Repos Now Available

Vitra Repos Lounge Chair

Following the launch of the Repos Lounge Chair at the 2011 Milan Furniture Fair Vitra have spent the last year developing the design and the 2012 Fair saw the official launch of the Repos Chair and Grand Repos Lounge Chair. Designed by Antonio Citterio this new development in relaxation introduces two distinctly different chairs but with the same underlying personality. Repos is neat and demure whilst Grand Repos, with it's 'Wingback' upper body, is the more masculine of the two. To complement the chairs Citterio has designed a series of Panchina (footstools) as well as an Ottoman for those 'put your feet up' moments. The entire Repos, Panchina and Ottoman family is available in a range of leathers as well as eleven 'Cosy' velvet fabrics. Whatever cover you choose is highlighted with contrast stitching. If the classic Eames Lounge Chair is not for you we think Repos makes a fantastic alternative.

NEW Vitra Wooden Doll

Vitra has extended the Wooden Doll collection from 16 to 22. We have a number of collectors who will love these six new editions. Part joyful, part sinister looking characters, these designs by Alexander Girard make colourful decorative accessories in any space. Our favourite is the new Model 19 (pictured).

VITRA Eames Lounge Chair - FREE Ottoman and LTR Table

This week we've been tidying up the way in which to buy a VITRA Eames Lounge Chair, including adding this easy guide on how to do it: Eames Lounge Chair Buying Guide. But as we're mid sale we've introduced a fantastic offer where, if you buy the lounge chair, we'll give you the matching Ottoman or foostool and an Eames LTR Table absolutely FREE. A sound investment by any standards this timeless design trio will give a lifetime of lounging comfort. This is a fantastic offer and is open until 31st July.

Vitra Jill Chair

The Jill Chair - now online - has been designed by Alfredo Haberli for Vitra. Clearly influenced by the bent plywood designs of Charles & Ray Eames each shell is available in black beech, natural oak or walnut. These are complemented with different leg designs - tube (a standard 4 leg) or wire - the same design used on Charles & Ray Eames DSR or 'Eiffel' chair. These both comes in various colours to complement the shell finishes. Cushion options also give an additional option for extra comfort. A fresh design with a retro twist we think it's a winner.

Vitra Tip Ton Chair

Being launched in Milan this year is the Tip Ton Chair by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby for Vitra. This all plastic chair allows for innovative seating positions thanks to a simple tilt forwards action - giving significant ergonomic benefits to a chair of this type. Here's a sneak preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weIn272yyqs

Vitra L'Oiseau Bird...launching in Milan

Here's a sneak preview of one of the new designs to be launched by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec in Milan this month. Manufactured by Vitra it's a design which will provide perfect company to their other ornithological design, the Eames House Bird. Keep watching for availability, prices and specifications.

Eames Elephant gets digital

The iconic Eames Elephant by Vitra favourites Charles & Ray Eames provided the inspiration for Hella Jongerius' sweet Elephant Mouse Pad.

This adorable decorative mouse pad is made from two pieces of super soft Vitra sofa leather sandwiched together simple stitched in red or white to create the iconic Eames Elephant shape we all know and love.

Soft to the touch, this leather mouse pad will add a classic designer touch to your desk in a home study or professional office and can be used with any standard mouse - the Eames elephant just got digital!


Vitra Elephant Mouse Pad £18.00

Available in white or black leather

Vitra Aluminium Group & Soft Pad Chairs

Created by celebrated design duo Charles and Ray Eames, the Aluminum Group Chairs created for Vitra a renowned as one of he greatest furniture design achievements of the 20th Century.


Now available here at Utility, the Aluminum Group Chairs combine a solid yet light aluminum frame with comfortable, secure upholstery giving a fantastic seating option for a study or home office.


The Soft Pad Aluminum Group Chair option adds to the luxury of the range with large comfy seating pads in sumptuous leather combing supreme comfort and professional image.
Plus, as an added bonus if you order now we'll give you 20% off any chair in the Vitra Group Aluminum range.


Vitra Soft Pad EA216 Chair £2,224.56 with 20% dicsount