We’ve mentioned Mid-Century furniture and interior designer Paul McCobb before here on Swank Lighting; he was one of the designers we talked about in our post about the famous
Lane Furniture Company. He did much more in his career and life than just design for the Lane Company, though, achieving such popularity that he eventually became known as “America’s Decorator.”
Like many Mid-Century Modern furniture designers, McCobb’s designs were sleek, fresh, and fitting of the time period’s move toward a particular aesthetic. McCobb’s pieces had straight lines, thin, tapered legs and minimal decoration. Though his furniture is unmistakably modern, it did have a lot of elements that felt traditional, namely the upholstery pieces, which would have made his designs the perfect addition for homeowners looking to mix in their older furniture with newer, more modern-looking furniture. McCobb’s work was popular with homeowners of the time period because he understood distinctly their specific needs for flexible yet practical furniture—pieces that not only looked great but also fit in with their lifestyles and budgets. A perfect example of this was his “Living Walls” furniture line, which featured movable room dividers and lots of different storage systems, that both helped homeowners save money but also make their homes more efficient.
McCobb worked with wood often, designing case goods like dressers, tables, coffee tables, consoles and more, and one of his earliest design collections was the “Planner Group” collection, which he created for the Winchedon Furniture Company. This great line of streamlined tables, desks, dressers and more was simple, sleek but very stylish. He set the standard early with this collection for high-quality case goods, and you can also see many of the details that characterized his work. Up next he created lines like the Directional, Predictor Linear, and Perimeter lines, which he created for Winchendon Furniture but also marketed a bit by himself. With these lines he created more great-looking case goods but also branched out into upholstery. One of our favorite pieces of McCobb is his Director Chair, which though simply designed, creates a great visual impact with its sleek lines, simple cushions and thin, tapered legs.
Born in Boston in 1917, McCobb’s success is proof that he is a natural talent: McCobb never had any formal design training or went to design school. Gaining great design experience while working as a decorator and retail display designer, he eventually opened his first design studio in 1945. It didn’t take long to become an established furniture designer: the year 1950 is when he first started creating furniture for sale that became popular in the US. Working mostly from the states of Massachusetts and Michigan, it’s quite a feat that McCobb was able to reach such a huge audience of furniture and design lovers. With his gorgeous yet flexible designs, he was not only able to help beautify many people’s homes, he was even credited with introducing Americans to modular furniture. The best part of his designs: they are still beautiful and wanted today! Vintage stores and online resources like
1stdibs.com are a great way to start your search for some vintage Mid-Century Modern Paul McCobb furniture pieces!
Like many Mid-Century Modern furniture designers, McCobb’s designs were sleek, fresh, and fitting of the time period’s move toward a particular aesthetic. McCobb’s pieces had straight lines, thin, tapered legs and minimal decoration. Though his furniture is unmistakably modern, it did have a lot of elements that felt traditional, namely the upholstery pieces, which would have made his designs the perfect addition for homeowners looking to mix in their older furniture with newer, more modern-looking furniture. McCobb’s work was popular with homeowners of the time period because he understood distinctly their specific needs for flexible yet practical furniture—pieces that not only looked great but also fit in with their lifestyles and budgets. A perfect example of this was his “Living Walls” furniture line, which featured movable room dividers and lots of different storage systems, that both helped homeowners save money but also make their homes more efficient.
McCobb worked with wood often, designing case goods like dressers, tables, coffee tables, consoles and more, and one of his earliest design collections was the “Planner Group” collection, which he created for the Winchedon Furniture Company. This great line of streamlined tables, desks, dressers and more was simple, sleek but very stylish. He set the standard early with this collection for high-quality case goods, and you can also see many of the details that characterized his work. Up next he created lines like the Directional, Predictor Linear, and Perimeter lines, which he created for Winchendon Furniture but also marketed a bit by himself. With these lines he created more great-looking case goods but also branched out into upholstery. One of our favorite pieces of McCobb is his Director Chair, which though simply designed, creates a great visual impact with its sleek lines, simple cushions and thin, tapered legs.
Born in Boston in 1917, McCobb’s success is proof that he is a natural talent: McCobb never had any formal design training or went to design school. Gaining great design experience while working as a decorator and retail display designer, he eventually opened his first design studio in 1945. It didn’t take long to become an established furniture designer: the year 1950 is when he first started creating furniture for sale that became popular in the US. Working mostly from the states of Massachusetts and Michigan, it’s quite a feat that McCobb was able to reach such a huge audience of furniture and design lovers. With his gorgeous yet flexible designs, he was not only able to help beautify many people’s homes, he was even credited with introducing Americans to modular furniture. The best part of his designs: they are still beautiful and wanted today! Vintage stores and online resources like 1stdibs.com are a great way to start your search for some vintage Mid-Century Modern Paul McCobb furniture pieces! 
