Rosewood and Lacquered Copper Coffee Table by Percival Lafer

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Lacquered copper patchwork mosaic coffee table designed by Percival Lafer. Base made of Brazilian Rosewood with exposed metal hardware.

Percival … Read more Lacquered copper patchwork mosaic coffee table designed by Percival Lafer. Base made of Brazilian Rosewood with exposed metal hardware.

Percival Lafer is a Brazilian industrial designer best known for redefining modern leather furniture in the second half of the twentieth century. Born in São Paulo in 1936, Lafer was trained as an architect, an education that strongly shaped his systematic, structural approach to furniture design. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he entered a Brazilian design landscape already influenced by modernist architecture and European functionalism, yet still developing its own industrial identity. Lafer distinguished himself early by focusing on furniture that was not only visually modern but also engineered for comfort, durability, and mass production.

In 1961, Lafer founded Percival Lafer Indústria Brasileira de Móveis, which became one of Brazil’s most influential furniture manufacturers. His work in the 1960s–1980s emphasized modularity, ergonomic experimentation, and advanced manufacturing techniques, particularly in molded foam and high-quality leather upholstery. At a time when Brazilian furniture often leaned toward wood-based modernism, Lafer embraced leather and metal structures, producing sofas and lounge chairs that combined sculptural presence with everyday usability. Many of his designs—often low-slung, generously cushioned, and rhythmically segmented—were conceived to adapt to contemporary living while remaining robust enough for long-term use.

International recognition followed as Lafer’s pieces were exported widely to Europe and the United States, where they aligned with broader trends in mid-century and post-modern seating design. Today, his furniture is frequently associated with the golden era of Brazilian modernism and is increasingly sought after in the vintage and collectible design markets. Percival Lafer’s legacy lies in his ability to bridge architecture, industrial production, and comfort-driven design—creating furniture that feels simultaneously technical, relaxed, and unmistakably modern. See less