Postmodern 3-Seater Sofa "Newtone" by Massimo Iosa Ghini for Moroso, Italy 1989
By Moroso, Massimo Iosa Ghini
Located in Beograd, RS
In this listing you will find a magnificent postmodern sofa "Newtone" designed by Massimo Iosa Ghini for Moroso. Sofa has beautiful shape with down-dropping backrest which gives it e...
Aluminum
Italian Modular Sofa by Piero Lissoni for Knoll Avio System with Marble Base
By Knoll, Piero Lissoni
Located in Byron Bay, NSW
Designed by Piero Lissoni for Knoll, this rare configuration of the Avio modular sofa was produced in the 1980s and reflects the elegance of Italian modernism. Upholstered in soft iv...
Marble, Chrome
'Veranda' 3-Seater Fabric Sofa by Vico Magistretti for Cassina, Italy, 1980s
By Cassina, Vico Magistretti
Located in Almelo, NL
This multicolored and adjustable sofa was designed by Vico Magistretti for Cassina, circa 1980s. This smart and highly desirable Italian design features seats that are upholstered wi...
Steel
La Nuova Casa Italia Dreisitzer Who's Perfect Sofa Couch Galileo
By La Nuova Casa (Who's Perfect)
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten ein wunderschönes Design Sofa aus hochwertigem, weißen Leder von Who's Perfect zum Verkauf an. Das Modell nennt sich "Galileo" und wurde von La Nuova Casa Italia im Jahr 2...
Leather
Vintage Josef Hoffmann Style Italian Kubus Sofa, Newly Reupholstered in Leather
By Josef Hoffmann
Located in Chicago, IL
Vintage Italian Kubus Sofa, Newly Reupholstered in Holly Hunt Florence Collection "Deep-Turq" Leather A classic example of Hoffmann’s strict geometrical lines, the surface is organi...
Leather
Mario Bellini Radical Italian Cotton Fabric Le Stelle Sofa for B&B Italia 1970
By Mario Bellini, B&B Italia
Located in Conversano, IT
Designed by Mario Bellini and produced by B&B Italia in the late 1970s, Le Stelle is one of the most emblematic creations of Italian design from that decade, an expression of the...
Iron
"Soriana" Sofa in Green Velvet by Afra and Tobia Scarpa for Cassina, Italy 1969
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Cassina
Located in Utrecht, NL
Besides its innovative manufacturing, visually, Soriana brings sophisticated and leisurely comfort to any home. This post-modern sofa was manufactured by Cassina as part of the epon...
Metal
Italian 1970s Erasmo Sofa Afra & Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia Manner Living Room
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in London, GB
This stunning and amazingly comfortable sofa in the manner of the iconic Erasmo sofa from Afra & Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia , is a beautiful example of 1970s Italian design. Curren...
Wood, Fabric
Cassina Maralunga Zweisitzer Sofa Vico Magistretti Stoff kord grau Couch
By Vico Magistretti, Cassina
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten ein wunderschönes graues Maralunga Zweisitzer Sofa in Samt/ Kordstoff von Cassina zum Verkauf an. Das Design stammt von Vico Magistretti und gilt bis heute als wahrer Desi...
Velvet
Original Ligne Roset Sofa Smala Couch Leder schwarz Design france
By Ligne Roset
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten ein wunderschönes Zwei- bis Dreisitzer Sofa vom französischen Premiumhersteller Ligne Roset zum Verkauf an. Das Modell ist bekannt unter dem Namen "Smala" und zeichnet sic...
Steel
Italian Modular Sofa in Metal and Patterned Grey Fabric
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Modular sofa, fabric, metal, wood, Italy, 1970s This beautiful Italian sectional sofa showcases the bold and eccentric design choices of the 1970s, highlighted by its striking uphol...
Metal
Vintage Postmodern Three-seater Sofa in Red Wool and Black Metal, 1980s Italy
Located in Zagreb, HR
Vintage postmodern three-seater sofa in red wool upholstery with a black metal frame. Features a playful design and dismountable construction. Produced in Italy in the 1980s. Overa...
Metal
Original Living Divani Ile Cube Leder Sofa Couch Zweisitzer Design
By Living Divani
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten ein wunderschönes und sehr hochwertiges Zweisitzer Sofa ("Ile Cube") vom Italienischen Qualitätshersteller Living Divani zum Verkauf an. Living Divani zeichnet sich durch ...
Leather
Sculptural Tube Sofa by Anna & Carlo Bartoli for Rossi di Albizzate, 1990s Italy
By Rossi di Albizzate, Carlo Bartoli
Located in Zagreb, HR
Rare sculptural postmodern designer sofa model ''Tube'' designed by Anna & Carlo Bartoli for Italian high-end furniture manufacturer Rossi di Albizzate. The sofa features internal t...
Fabric, Foam
IPE Cavalli Italian Sectional Sofa in Colorful Striped Fabric
By Ipe Cavalli
Located in Waalwijk, NL
IPE Cavalli, sectional sofa, fabric, steel, Italy, 1970s This exceptional sectional sofa by IPE Cavalli, crafted in Italy during the 1970s, is a true masterpiece of design and comfo...
Steel
Jasper Morrison Super Oblong Modular Sofa Set Design Cappellini Italy
By Jasper Morrison
Located in Krefeld, DE
This rare Super Oblong modular sofa set was designed by Jasper Morrison for Cappellini in Italy and exemplifies Morrison’s philosophy of understated, intelligent design. Composed of ...
Cotton
2x Original B&B Italia Recamiere Charles Sofa Design Couch
By B&B Italia
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten zwei wunderschöne Zweisitzer Sofas vom renommierten italienischen Hersteller B&B Italia zum Verkauf an. Bei den Sofas handelt es sich um das Modell "Charles", das durc...
Metal
B&B Italia Sofa Lunar James Irvine Couch Zweisitzer Dreisitzer
By B&B Italia, James Irvine
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten einen wunderschönen Zwei-/ Dreisitzer von B&B Italia (Modell: Lunar) zum Verkauf an. Das umklappbare Sofa gilt als wahrer Designklassiker und besticht durch seine zeit...
Steel
$27,965 / item
Karl Sofa by Dennis Kaiser
Located in Geneve, CH
Karl Sofa by Dennis Kaiser Dimensions: D 110 x W 300 x H 70 cm. Materials: Linen, foam. Handcrafted in Tuscany, Italy. Customization is available on request. Please contact us. The...
Upholstery, Foam
$47,810 / item
Rialto Sofa by Laurameroni
Located in Geneve, CH
Rialto Sofa by Laurameroni Dimensions: W 264 x D 86 x H 75 cm Materials: Cachemire Loro Piana Altai 037 Paprika, gray travertine stone legs. Upholstered sofa featuring four legs in ...
Travertine
Vintage Velvet Mauve Sesann Sofa
Located in London, GB
Sesann sofa, attributed to Italian production, circa 1970s–1980s. Carefully curated and sourced by Banda Design Studio which forms the Banda Gallery antique, archive collection, it i...
Velvet
Custom Italian Postmodern Vico Magistretti Style Large 2-Piece Sectional Sofa
By Vico Magistretti
Located in Chicago, IL
Custom Italian Postmodern Vico Magistretti Style Large 2-Piece Sectional Sofa Striking custom Italian Postmodern two-piece sectional in the style of Vico Magistretti, featuring a bo...
Fabric
$13,123 / item
Mythos Sectional Sofa by Marioni
Located in Geneve, CH
Mythos Sectional Sofa by Marioni Dimensions: W 227 x D 185 x H 75 cm. Materials: Upholstery: Tessuto/Fabric 8,50 Mt. Pelle/Leather 12,50 Mq. Product code: I0330 Pure shape and line...
Upholstery
$13,982 / item
Mythos Sectional Sofa by Marioni
Located in Geneve, CH
Mythos Sectional Sofa by Marioni Dimensions: W 200 x D 95 x H 75 cm. Materials: Upholstery: Tessuto/Fabric 7,50 Mt. Pelle/Leather 11,50 Mq Product code: I0331 Pure shape and lines,...
Upholstery
B&B Italia Sofa Diesis Leder weiß Couch Antonio Citterio Paolo Nava
By B&B Italia, Paolo Nava, Antonio Citterio
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten ein wunderschönes und äußerst hochwertiges Zweisitzer Sofa vom italienischen Traditionshersteller B&B Italia zum Verkauf an. Der Entwurf stammt von Antonio Citterio un...
Aluminum, Steel
$25,953 / item
Floating Bouclé Sofa by Dennis Kaiser
Located in Geneve, CH
Floating Bouclé Sofa by Dennis Kaiser Dimensions: D 110 x W 320 x H 75 cm. Materials: Alpaca wool bouclé fabric. Handcrafted in Tuscany, Italy. Customization is available on request...
Upholstery, Foam
$23,608 / item
Levante Sofa by Francesco Zonca
Located in Geneve, CH
Levante Sofa by Francesco Zonca Numbered series signed Dimensions: D 85 x W 230 x H 71.5 cm Materials: Loro Piana Interiors fabric. The elegance of “Loro Piana Interiors” fabrics co...
Fabric, Foam, Wood
$21,821 / item
Lapis Sofa by Amura Lab
Located in Geneve, CH
Lapis Sofa by Amura Lab Dimensions: W 278 x D 106 x H 69 cm Materials: FRAME: solid wood and multiply. SUSPENSIONS: rubber and polypropylene belts. SEAT, BACK AND ARMREST: polyureth...
Foam, Wood
Postmodern Italian Sectional Sofa in Blue and Off-White Dots Upholstery
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Modular sofa, fabric, brushed metal, Italy, 1970s A postmodern design of Italian origin with an ingenious construction comprised of three seating elements and five/six loose backres...
Metal
VIntage velvet sofa by Saporiti Italia, 1980s
By Saporiti
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Vintage velvet two seater sofa by Saporiti italia. Very comfy two seater sofa, which has a cool pattern running troughout the upholstery. Good condition, has been cleaned. 1980s -...
Velvet
Early “Bocca” Sofa by Studio65
By Gufram Furniture
Located in Chicago, IL
for Gufram c. 1970s, fully restored with original importer’s tag
Fabric
$4,884 / item
Quiete Sofa by Dale Italia
Located in Geneve, CH
Quiete Sofa by Dale Italia Dimensions: D 85 x W 130 x H 77 cm. Materials: Walnut and upholstery. Rocking chair in solid Canaletto walnut. Available in two finishes: natural and grey...
Upholstery, Walnut
$16,148 / item
Arizona 5000 Sofa by Redeco
Located in Geneve, CH
Arizona 5000 Sofa by Redeco Dimensions: W 290 x D 105 x H 79 cm Materials: Wooden structure padded with polyurethane foam in different densities. Seat cushions padded in polyurethane...
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood
$17,419 / item
Byron 5010 Sofa by Redeco
Located in Geneve, CH
Byron 5010 Sofa by Redeco Dimensions: W 260 x D 101 x H 73 cm Materials: Wooden structure padded with polyurethane foam in different densities. Seat cushions padded in polyurethane f...
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood
$44,820 / item
Byron 5012 Sofa by Redeco
Located in Geneve, CH
Byron 5012 Sofa by Redeco Dimensions: W 465/289/174 x D 101 x H 73 cm Materials: Wooden structure padded with polyurethane foam in different densities. Seat cushions padded in polyur...
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood
$44,208 / item
Arizona 5004 Sofa by Redeco
Located in Geneve, CH
Arizona 5004 Sofa by Redeco Dimensions: W 444/284/160 x D 105 x H 79 cm Materials: Wooden structure padded with polyurethane foam in different densities. Seat cushions padded in poly...
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood
$25,800 / item
Caravan Sofa by De Castelli
Located in Geneve, CH
Caravan Sofa by De Castelli Dimensions: W 160 x D 85 x H 70 cm Materials: Brushed Copper, Anica Leather Other versions are available, please contact us for any request. Modular sofa...
Copper
$32,626 / item
Caravan Sofa by De Castelli
Located in Geneve, CH
Caravan Sofa by De Castelli Dimensions: W 240 x D 85 x H 70 cm Materials: Brushed Copper, Anica Leather Other versions are available, please contact us for any request. Modular sofa...
Copper
$26,106 / item
Loom Sofa by De Castelli
Located in Geneve, CH
Loom Sofa by De Castelli Dimensions: W 228 x D 106 x H 74 cm Materials: Orbitale DeLabré Brass, Fabric Other versions are available, please contact us for any request. The Loom coll...
Brass
$7,250 / item
Wood Labirint Sofa by Andrea Giomi
Located in Geneve, CH
Wood Labirint sofa by Andrea Giomi Dimensions: D 80 x W 60 x H 84 cm Materials: painted wood. Andrea Giomi, was born in Castelfiorentino in the province of Florence in 1970. De...
Wood
1990s Salotti Post Modern Two Toned Black Graphite Leather 3 Pieces Sectional
By Nicoletti Salotti
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Transport yourself back to the sleek and sophisticated 1990s with this exquisite two toned blavk and graphite leather three pieces sectional sofa. The ultra rare floating style secti...
Leather, Wood
$35,804 / item
Leather Giorgio Sofa by Amura Lab
Located in Geneve, CH
Leather Giorgio Sofa by Amura Lab Dimensions: W 280 x D 96 x H 74 cm Materials: STRUCTURE: Metal with wooden panels SEAT CUSHION: Polyurethane foam, density 50kg/m³ + Memory Foam SUS...
Metal
$15,218 / item
Lambert 3-Seater Sofa by Somaschini
Located in Geneve, CH
Lambert 3-Seater Sofa by Somaschini Dimensions: W 290 x D 103 x H 63 cm Materials: Solid wood and plywood structure padded with polyurethane foam in different densities. Pre-upholste...
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood
$15,209 / item
Lambert 3-Seater Sofa by Somaschini
Located in Geneve, CH
Lambert 3-Seater Sofa by Somaschini Dimensions: W 290 x D 103 x H 63 cm Materials: Solid wood and plywood structure padded with polyurethane foam in different densities. Pre-upholste...
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood
$19,162 / item
Morrison 3-Seater Sofa by Somaschini
Located in Geneve, CH
Morrison 3-Seater Sofa by Somaschini Dimensions: W 290 x D 109 x H 55 cm Materials: Solid wood and plywood structure padded with polyurethane foam in different densities. Seat cushio...
Fabric, Upholstery, Plywood
Corbeille Leather Sofa by Francesco Binfare for Edra
By Edra, Francesco Binfaré
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A post modern "Corbeille" Sofa by Francesco Binfare for Edra.
Metal
Giorgetti “Maharaja” Settee by Antonello Mosca, Italian Modern
By Giorgetti S.p.A.
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A refined “Maharaja” settee designed by Antonello Mosca and masterfully crafted in Italy by Giorgetti, one of the world’s premier luxury furniture houses. This sculptural two-seat so...
Fabric, Wood
$4,825 / item
Lighted RAP Sofa by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Lighted RAP Sofa by Karim Rashid Dimensions: D 80 x W 170 x H 75 cm. Seat Height: 36 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 35 kg. Available in different color options. This product i...
Other
Large Gaetano Pesce for Cassina 'Cannaregio' Modular Sofa
By Cassina, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Gaetano Pesce for Cassina, sofa, model ‘Cannaregio’, multicolored upholstery, Italy, 1987 Large ‘Cannaregio’ sofa, designed by Gaetano Pesce for Cassina. The 1987 design is playful,...
Fabric
$23,752 / item
Davis Leather Sofa Composition by Amura Lab
Located in Geneve, CH
Davis Leather Sofa Composition by Amura Lab Dimensions: W 340 x D 100 x H 67 cm Materials: FRAME: solid wood and multiply. SUSPENSIONS: rubber and polypropylene belts. REMOVABLE PART...
Foam, Wood
$34,321 / item
Tau Leather Sofa Composition by Amura Lab
Located in Geneve, CH
Tau Leather Sofa Composition by Amura Lab Dimensions: W 406 x D 90 x H 75 cm Materials: FRAME: solid wood and multiply. SUSPENSIONS: rubber and polypropylene belts. REMOVABLE PARTS: ...
Foam, Wood
$41,466 / item
Tau Leather Sofa Composition by Amura Lab
Located in Geneve, CH
Tau Leather Sofa Composition by Amura Lab Dimensions: W 551 x D 90 x H 75 cm Materials: FRAME: solid wood and multiply. SUSPENSIONS: rubber and polypropylene belts. REMOVABLE PARTS: ...
Foam, Wood
$2,471 / item
Amélie Duetto Sofa by Italo Pertichini
Located in Geneve, CH
Amélie Duetto Sofa by Italo Pertichini Dimensions: D 59 x W 120 x H 87 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 18 kg. Available in a standard version and lacquered version. Prices may ...
Other
$2,471 / item
Amélie Duetto Sofa by Italo Pertichini
Located in Geneve, CH
Amélie Duetto Sofa by Italo Pertichini Dimensions: D 59 x W 120 x H 87 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 18 kg. Available in a standard version and lacquered version. Prices may ...
Other
$35,204 / item
Fabric Palmo Sofa Composition by Amura Lab
Located in Geneve, CH
Fabric Palmo Sofa Composition by Amura Lab Dimensions: W 417 x D 118 x H 80 cm Materials: FRAME: poplar multiply SUSPENSIONS: rubber and polypropylene belts. SEAT: polyurethane foam,...
Foam, Poplar
$26,506 / item
Fabric Panis Sofa Composition by Amura Lab
Located in Geneve, CH
Fabric Panis Sofa Composition by Amura Lab Dimensions: W 389 x D 147 x H 70 cm Materials: FRAME: solid wood and multiply. SUSPENSIONS: rubber and polypropylene belts. SEATS: polyuret...
Foam, Wood
$5,696 / item
Liquid Steel Labirint Sofa by Andrea Giomi
Located in Geneve, CH
Liquid Steel Labirint sofa by Andrea Giomi Dimensions: D 80 x W 60 x H 84 cm Materials: liquid steel. Andrea Giomi, was born in Castelfiorentino in the province of Florence in ...
Steel
Postmodern design was a short-lived movement that manifested itself chiefly in Italy and the United States in the early 1980s. The characteristics of vintage postmodern furniture and other postmodern objects and decor for the home included loud-patterned, usually plastic surfaces; strange proportions, vibrant colors and weird angles; and a vague-at-best relationship between form and function.
ORIGINS OF POSTMODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
CHARACTERISTICS OF POSTMODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
POSTMODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW
VINTAGE POSTMODERN FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS
Critics derided postmodern design as a grandstanding bid for attention and nothing of consequence. Decades later, the fact that postmodernism still has the power to provoke thoughts, along with other reactions, proves they were not entirely correct.
Postmodern design began as an architectural critique. Starting in the 1960s, a small cadre of mainly American architects began to argue that modernism, once high-minded and even noble in its goals, had become stale, stagnant and blandly corporate. Later, in Milan, a cohort of creators led by Ettore Sottsass and Alessandro Mendini — a onetime mentor to Sottsass and a key figure in the Italian Radical movement — brought the discussion to bear on design.
Sottsass, an industrial designer, philosopher and provocateur, gathered a core group of young designers into a collective in 1980 they called Memphis. Members of the Memphis Group, which would come to include Martine Bedin, Michael Graves, Marco Zanini, Shiro Kuramata, Michele de Lucchi and Matteo Thun, saw design as a means of communication, and they wanted it to shout. That it did: The first Memphis collection appeared in 1981 in Milan and broke all the modernist taboos, embracing irony, kitsch, wild ornamentation and bad taste.
Memphis works remain icons of postmodernism: the Sottsass Casablanca bookcase, with its leopard-print plastic veneer; de Lucchi’s First chair, which has been described as having the look of an electronics component; Martine Bedin’s Super lamp: a pull-toy puppy on a power-cord leash. Even though it preceded the Memphis Group’s formal launch, Sottsass’s iconic Ultrafragola mirror — in its conspicuously curved plastic shell with radical pops of pink neon — proves striking in any space and embodies many of the collective’s postmodern ideals.
After the initial Memphis show caused an uproar, the postmodern movement within furniture and interior design quickly took off in America. (Memphis fell out of fashion when the Reagan era gave way to cool 1990’s minimalism.) The architect Robert Venturi had by then already begun a series of plywood chairs for Knoll Inc., with beefy, exaggerated silhouettes of traditional styles such as Queen Anne and Chippendale. In 1982, the new firm Swid Powell enlisted a group of top American architects, including Frank Gehry, Richard Meier, Stanley Tigerman and Venturi to create postmodern tableware in silver, ceramic and glass.
On 1stDibs, the vintage postmodern furniture collection includes chairs, coffee tables, sofas, decorative objects, table lamps and more.
With entire areas of our homes reserved for “sitting rooms,” the value of quality antique and vintage seating cannot be overstated.
Fortunately, the design of side chairs, armchairs and other lounge furniture — since what were, quite literally, the early perches of our ancestors — has evolved considerably.
Among the earliest standard seating furniture were stools. Egyptian stools, for example, designed for one person with no seat back, were x-shaped and typically folded to be tucked away. These rudimentary chairs informed the design of Greek and Roman stools, all of which were a long way from Sori Yanagi's Butterfly stool or Alvar Aalto's Stool 60. In the 18th century and earlier, seats with backs and armrests were largely reserved for high nobility.
The seating of today is more inclusive but the style and placement of chairs can still make a statement. Antique desk chairs and armchairs designed in the style of Louis XV, which eventually included painted furniture and were often made of rare woods, feature prominently curved legs as well as Chinese themes and varied ornaments. Much like the thrones of fairy tales and the regency, elegant lounges crafted in the Louis XV style convey wealth and prestige. In the kitchen, the dining chair placed at the head of the table is typically reserved for the head of the household or a revered guest.
Of course, with luxurious vintage or antique furnishings, every chair can seem like the best seat in the house. Whether your preference is stretching out on a plush sofa, such as the Serpentine, designed by Vladimir Kagan, or cozying up in a vintage wingback chair, there is likely to be a comfy classic or contemporary gem for you on 1stDibs.
With respect to the latest obsessions in design, cane seating has been cropping up everywhere, from sleek armchairs to lounge chairs, while bouclé fabric, a staple of modern furniture design, can be seen in mid-century modern, Scandinavian modern and Hollywood Regency furniture styles.
Admirers of the sophisticated craftsmanship and dark woods frequently associated with mid-century modern seating can find timeless furnishings in our expansive collection of lounge chairs, dining chairs and other items — whether they’re vintage editions or alluring official reproductions of iconic designs from the likes of Hans Wegner or from Charles and Ray Eames. Shop our inventory of Egg chairs, designed in 1958 by Arne Jacobsen, the Florence Knoll lounge chair and more.
No matter your style, the collection of unique chairs, sofas and other seating on 1stDibs is surely worthy of a standing ovation.