Vintage Furniture from the 50s 60s 70s in Catania | Il Bello dell’Usato

Vintage furniture from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s is the heart of our selection in Catania. Three decades that defined contemporary Italian and international taste and that today return to homes as unique, unrepeatable elements, far from the standardisation of modern industrial furniture. At Il Bello dell’Usato you find vintage furniture in both locations of Gravina di Catania and Catania city centre.

The 1950s: reconstruction and optimism

Furniture from the 1950s in Catania carries the desire for post-war rebirth: rounded shapes, slender legs often at angles, pastel colors, use of formica and colored laminates. Typical of this decade are wood and mirror bar cabinets, tables with colored glass tops, chairs with curved plywood shells, sofas with wing armrests. A 1950s piece of furniture in good condition in Catania has a secure market and keeps its value over time.

The 1960s: the boom of industrial design

The 1960s are the golden decade of Italian design. Cassina, Tecno, Arflex, B&B produced pieces that today are icons. The most sought-after 1960s furniture in Catania includes: low and elongated teak or rosewood sideboards, wall-mounted modular bookcases (the celebrated Boomerang, the Vitsoe 606 inspiration), swivel armchairs, modular sofas, desks with suspended drawer units. Shapes become more geometric and rational than in the 1950s.

The 1970s: color, plastic and experimentation

The 1970s are the most divisive decade: you either love it or hate it. Soft shapes, strong colors (orange, brown, mustard, bottle green), heavy use of plexiglass and colored plastics, fluid modular furniture. The most interesting 1970s pieces for Catania are: brown leather modular sofas, colored plastic storage furniture (Kartell), bag and floor cushion seating, round Sciolari-style “spider” pendant lamps, lacquered bar furniture. They have come back in fashion strongly after 2020.

How to recognize authentic vintage furniture

The market is full of “vintage style” furniture recently produced. To recognize an original from the 1950s-60s-70s observe: wood thickness (originals are sturdier), type of glue at the joints (modern white glues betray fakes), wood patina (impossible to imitate convincingly), screws and hardware (originals slot, modern cross-head or hex), any manufacturer labels. Read our guide on how to recognize an antique piece of furniture in Catania.

Vintage vs modern furniture: why choose vintage in Catania

Buying vintage furniture in Catania has three advantages over new ones: superior quality (solid wood vs chipboard), lower price for equivalent quality, uniqueness of the piece. Moreover, buying used is the most sustainable choice from an environmental point of view: zero new production emissions, zero intercontinental shipping, zero plastic.

Selling your vintage furniture in Catania

Did you inherit furniture from the 1950s-70s and don’t know what to do with it? Don’t throw it away before having shown it to an expert. In Catania we buy vintage furniture in any quantity: single pieces, complete sets, entire houses. Send us photos on WhatsApp for a first valuation and within 24 hours we will give you a concrete offer.