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.
$2,422 / item
Trinity M Candlestick by Kreoo
Located in Geneve, CH
Trinity M Candlestick by Kreoo Designed by Christophe Pillet Dimensions: Ø 10,5 x H 42 cm. Materials: Calacatta Carrara marble. Available in different marble options. Available in ...
Marble
$1,299 / item
Selamawi Ceramic Candleabra by TheUrbanative
Located in Geneve, CH
Selamawi ceramic candleabra by TheUrbanative Dimensions: W 25 x D 10 x H 24 cm Material: Raw Terracotta & Raffia Dry flowers only. Also available: Selamawi Ceramic Vessel. The...
Ceramic
$7,290 / set
Set Of 3 Trinity Candlesticks by Kreoo
Located in Geneve, CH
Set Of 3 Trinity Candlesticks by Kreoo Designed by Christophe Pillet Dimensions: Small: Ø 10,5 x H 30 cm. Medium: Ø 10,5 x H 42 cm. Large: Ø 10,5 x H 53 cm. Materials: Calacatta Car...
Marble
Ratcheting Candle Stand, Stained Birch Wood by Mun Hau Production
Located in Geneve, CH
Ratcheting Candle Stand, Stained Birch Wood by Mun Hau Production Dimensions: W 13 x D 9 x H 16 cm. Materials: Stained Birch Wood. About Mun Hau Production is a Hong Kong woodworki...
Wood
Matylda Sculpted Flamed Wood and Brass Censers by Jan Garncarek
Located in Geneve, CH
Matylda Sculpted Flamed Wood and Brass Censers by Jan Garncarek Materials: wood, brass. Dimensions: D 11 x W 11 x H 36 cm / D 8 x W 8 x H 26 cm / D 5.5 x W ...
Brass
Maxi Luna Black Candleholder and Tray by Applicata
Located in Geneve, CH
Maxi Luna Black Candleholder and Tray by Applicata Dimensions: D 33 x W 33 x H 3.7 cm Materials: Metal, oak. Available in black or brass candleholders. The idea was to design a can...
Metal
Tiered Structure Burnt Iroko Wood Bunker Candleholder by Arno Declercq
Located in Geneve, CH
Bunker candle holder by Arno Declercq Materials: Burned and waxed Oak. Dimensions: W 32 x D 32 x H 50 cm. Arno Declercq Belgian designer and art dealer who makes bespoke objects wi...
Oak
Set of 2 Steel Between Candleholders by Radu Abraham
Located in Geneve, CH
Set of 2 steel between candle holders by Radu Abraham Materials: steel Dimensions: D 6 x H 10 cm 2 Piece candle holder; can be used with multiple types of candles or with standa...
Steel
Pine Candle Holder by Evelina Kudabaite Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Pine candle holder by Evelina Kudabaite Studio Handmade Materials: pine, brass Dimensions: H 55 mm x D 65 mm Colour: reddish Notes: for dry use Since 2015, product designer E...
Brass
$3,861 / item
Incent Vessel by Edie Xu
Located in Geneve, CH
Incent Vessel by Edie Xu Dimensions: W 90 x D 24 x H 12 cm. Materials: Terracotta, Metal. Incense is placed inside vessel, smoke is vaporized from the top tube and sculpted by the ...
Metal
Robert Lee Morris "Horizontal Walking Tree Candle Holders"
Located in Queens, NY
Robert Lee Morris, "Horizontal Walking Tree Candle Holders", 1990's, Brass, Signed
Brass
Set of 5 Pixie Burnt Bornze Candleholders Contemporary Art by Samuel Costantini
Located in Geneve, CH
Set of 5 Pixie bornze candleholders by Samuel Costantini Dimensions: D 2.5 cm x H 5 cm Material: Bronze Samuel Constantini The ability to create objects lies in the tradition in our hands. In ancient times, they were our only means of realising our thoughts. Artisan is the one with this ability to breathe life into the raw material. Since Samuel Constantin was a young boy has tried to create the objects of his imagination. He has always believed when you make an object you have created yourself it is possible to bequeath...
Bronze
$1,147 / item
Geology Candle Holder by Atelier V&F
Located in Geneve, CH
Geology Candle Holder by Atelier V&F Dimensions: D 10 x W 80 x H 43 cm. Materials: Cast aluminum. The collection of「 GEOLOGY 」is our reflection and exploration of the synchrony of ...
Aluminum
Set of 2 Lanco Green Ceramic Candleholders by Simone & Marcel
Located in Geneve, CH
Set of 2 Lanco Green Ceramic Candleholders by Simone & Marcel Dimensions: Short: Ø 11 x H 31 cm. Tall: Ø 11 x H 41 cm. Materials: Ceramic. Different ceramic options available. Custo...
Ceramic
$1,053 / item
Mountain Candle Holder by Astrid Öhman
Located in Geneve, CH
Mountain candle holder by Astrid Öhman Handmade Dimensions: D 23 x W 32 x H 18 cm Materials: Ceramic, stoneware hand modeled, glazed, and fired at high...
Ceramic, Stoneware
$244 / item
Steel Another Candleholder by Radu Abraham
Located in Geneve, CH
Steel another candleholder by Radu Abraham Materials: Steel Dimensions: D8 x H14cm 3 piece candle holder; can be used with multiple types of candles or with standard candle pill...
Steel
$198 / item
Brick Candleholder by Idaaf Architects
Located in Geneve, CH
Brick Candle Holder by Idaaf Architects Dimensions: D 9 x W 9 x H 13 cm. Materials: Burnt and painted wood. ‘Brick’ is the first attempt by Idaaf Architects workshop to create a new building material. White the process of selecting its textures is at the initial stage and the research process is ongoing, we used it's shape to create various decorative elements for the interior. Born and based in Tbilisi, Nana Zaalishvili...
Wood
$2,469 / item
Brick Onyx Wall Lamp by Idaaf Architects
Located in Geneve, CH
Brick Onyx Wall Lamp by Idaaf Architects Dimensions: D 15 x W 30 x H 45 cm. Materials: Onyx and brass. ‘Brick’ is the first attempt by Idaaf Architects...
Onyx, Brass
$13,329 / set
Set of 3 Sphaerae Candlesticks by Emanuele Colombi
Located in Geneve, CH
Set Of 3 Sphaerae candlesticks by Emanuele Colombi Limited Edition: 1 out of 12 Dimensions: D 8 x H 8cm / D 9 x H 9 cm / D 10 x H 10 cm Materials: Bronze Emanuele Colombi is an...
Bronze, Other
Ash Candle Holder by Evelina Kudabaite Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Ash candle holder by Evelina Kudabaite Studio Handmade Materials: ash, brass Dimensions: H 55 mm x D 65 mm Colour: yellow/light brown Notes: for dry use Since 2015, product d...
Brass
Pine Candlestick Holder by Evelina Kudabaite Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Pine candlestick holder by Evelina Kudabaite Studio Handmade Materials: Pine bark, brass Dimensions: H 45 mm x D 105 mm Colour: Reddish Notes: For dry use Since 2015, product...
Brass
Oak Candle Holder by Evelina Kudabaite Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Oak candle holder by Evelina Kudabaite Studio Handmade Materials: oak, brass Dimensions: H 55 mm x D 65 mm Colour: dark brown Notes: for dry use Since 2015, product designer ...
Brass
Tree Leaves Candle Holder by Evelina Kudabaite Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Tree Leaves candle holder by Evelina Kudabaite Studio Handmade Materials: tree leaves, brass Dimensions: H 55 mm x D 65 mm Colour: green Note...
Brass
$678 / item
Augmin Candelabra by Abid Javed
Located in Geneve, CH
Augmin Candelabra by Abid Javed Dimensions: W 20 x D 10 x 30 cm (Dimensions are variable) Materials: Stoneware ceramic Multiple clay colors and size options. Three-armed Candel...
Ceramic, Stoneware
Humo Lineal Incense Diffuser by Algo Studio
By Algo Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Set of 2 Humo Lineal incense diffuser by Algo Studio By Diego Garza Designed by Diego Garza Dimensions: D 7.5 x W 12 x H 11.5 cm Materials: Casted...
Concrete
Set of 2, Selamawi Candelabra & Vessel by TheUrbanative
Located in Geneve, CH
Set of 2, Selamawi candelabra & vessel by TheUrbanative One of a Kind Dimensions: W 40 x D 40 x H 40 cm Material: Terracotta: Raw & Raffia TheUrbanative is a contemporary Sou...
Ceramic, Raffia
Large Pin Darkened Brass Candlestick by Gentner Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Large Pin darkened brass candlestick by Gentner Design Dimensions: D 12.7 x H 50.8 cm Materials: darkened brass Available in polished tarnished brass and dar...
Brass
$12,872 / set
Set of 2 Primus Big Candlesticks by Emanuele Colombi
Located in Geneve, CH
Set of 2 Primus big Candlesticks by Emanuele Colombi. Limited Edition: 1 out of 12. Dimensions: W 10 x D 10 x H 34 cm. Materials: Bronze Emanuele Colombi is an architect, inter...
Bronze, Other
Set of 2 Primus Small Candlesticks by Emanuele Colombi
Located in Geneve, CH
Set Of 2 Primus small candlesticks by Emanuele Colombi Limited edition: 1 out of 12 Dimensions: W 10 x D 10 x H 31.5 cm Materials: bronze Emanuele Colombi is an architect, int...
Bronze, Other
Set of 2 Primus Small Candlesticks by Emanuele Colombi
Located in Geneve, CH
Set of 2 Primus small candlesticks by Emanuele Colombi Limited Edition: 1 out of 12 Dimensions: W 10 x D 10 x H 31.5 cm Materials: Bronze Emanuele Colombi is an architect, int...
Bronze, Other
Medium Pin Darkened Brass Candlestick by Gentner Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Medium Pin darkened brass candlestick by Gentner Design Dimensions: D 12.7 x H 40.6 cm Materials: darkened brass Available in polished tarnished brass and darkened brass. Availab...
Brass
Medium Pillar Brass Candlestick by Gentner Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Medium pillar brass candlestick by Gentner Design Dimensions: D 3.8 x H 16.3 cm Materials: brush raw brass Available in brush raw brass and darkened brass. Available in small, medium...
Brass
Set of 5 Steel Searching for the Light by Radu Abraham
Located in Geneve, CH
Set of 5 steel searching for the light by Radu Abraham. Materials: Steel Dimensions: D 6 x H 12cm Steel looking for the light A series of candle holders made out of raw, solid ...
Steel
$2,679 / item
J D Candle Holder Stainless Steel by Nish Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
J D Candle Holder Stainless Steel by Nish Studio Dimensions: D13 x H 70 cm Materials: polish stainless steel N I S H is a Cape Town based Fashion and Furniture design studio. N I S...
Stainless Steel
Steel Candleholder by Radu Abraham, Post-Modern Design from Romania
Located in Geneve, CH
Steel between candleholder by Radu Abraham Materials: Steel Dimensions: D6 x H10cm 2 piece candle holder; can be used with multiple types of candles or with standard candle pill...
Steel
Set of 2 Steel Another Candleholders by Radu Abraham
Located in Geneve, CH
Set of 2 steel another candleholders by Radu Abraham Materials: steel Dimensions: D8 x H14cm 3 Piece candle holder; can be used with multiple types of candles or with standard c...
Steel
Medium Pillar Darkened Brass Candlestick by Gentner Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Medium Pillar darkened brass candlestick by Gentner Design Dimensions: D 3.8 x H 16.3 cm Materials: darkened brass Available in brush raw brass and darkened brass. Available in s...
Brass
Large Pin Brass Candlestick by Gentner Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Large pin brass candlestick by Gentner Design Dimensions: D 12.7 x H 50.8 cm. Materials: polished tarnished brass. Available in polished tarnished brass a...
Brass
$1,615 / set
Set of 3 Folio Candle Holders by Mingardo
Located in Geneve, CH
Set of 3 Folio Candle Holders by Mingardo Dimensions: D22.5 x W2.2 x H11 cm Materials: Polished natural copper, Polished natural brass, Polished natural stainless steel. Weight: ...
Brass, Copper, Stainless Steel
$538 / item
Folio Copper Candle Holder by Mingardo
Located in Geneve, CH
Folio candle holder by Mingardo Dimensions: D22.5 x W2.2 x H11 cm Materials: polished natural copper. Weight: 1.5 kg Also available in different finishes: Polished natural cop...
Copper
$538 / item
Folio Steel Candle Holder by Mingardo
Located in Geneve, CH
Folio steel candle holder by Mingardo Dimensions: D22.5 x W2.2 x H11 cm Materials: Polished natural stainless steel Weight: 1.5 kg Also available i...
Stainless Steel
Small Pin Brass Candlestick by Gentner Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Small Pin brass candlestick by Gentner Design Dimensions: D 12.7 x H 30.5 cm Materials: polished tarnished brass Available in polished tarnished brass and d...
Brass
Medium Pin Brass Candlestick by Gentner Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Medium pin brass candlestick by Gentner Design Dimensions: D 12.7 x H 40.6 cm Materials: polished tarnished brass Available in polished tarnished brass and darkened brass. Available ...
Brass
Eric Ledoux "Sun and Moon" Solid Bronze Candelabra For 2 Candles
By Eric Ledoux
Located in Mexico City, MX
A heavy cast bronze sculptural candelabra by French sculptor Eric Ledoux. The candelabra shows a sun on the front and a crescent moon on the back. The top and the arms are decorated ...
Bronze
Set Of 4 Secta Candelabras & Censer in Carved Red Travertine by Andres Monnier
Located in Geneve, CH
Set Of 4 Secta Candelabras & Censer in Carved Red Travertine by Andres Monnier Unique Piece Dimensions: D 10 x W 15 x H 40/80 cm. Materials: Red travertine. Available in differe...
Travertine
Set of 3 Runner Stones Candleholders by J. Hill's Standard
Located in Geneve, CH
Set of 3 Runner Stones Candleholders by J. Hill's Standard Dimensions: D 20 x H 10 cm (each). Materials: Glass Available in a range of beautiful colors. Drawn by Nigel Peake and ki...
Other
$1,217 / item
Runner Stones Candleholder by J. Hill's Standard
Located in Geneve, CH
Runner Stones Candleholder by J. Hill's Standard Dimensions: D 20 x H 10 cm. Materials: Glass Available in a range of beautiful colors. Drawn by Nigel Peake and kiln cast in glass,...
Other
White TOTEM, Candle Holder, Sottsass Style, Lacquered Wood, circa 1980
Located in Firenze, IT
White Totem, lacquered wood Sottsass style circa 1980 36 cm H - 16.5 cm diameter Conditions: very good.
Wood
$561 / item
Eva Polished Brass Candleholder by Mingardo
Located in Geneve, CH
Eva Polished Brass Candleholder by Mingardo Dimensions: D 12 x H 35.5 cm Materials: Natural polished brass Variations in material and size are available. Please contact us for more...
Brass
Lumières du Paradis Twisted Candleholder by Katia Luna Benaï
Located in Geneve, CH
Lumières du Paradis Twisted Candleholder by Katia Luna Benaï. Dimensions: D 17 x H 30 cm. Materials: Reclaimed Venetian briccole wood, amber Murano glass. This captivating set, hand...
Murano Glass, Wood
Lumières du Paradis Low Candleholder by Katia Luna Benaï
Located in Geneve, CH
Lumières du Paradis Low Candleholder by Katia Luna Benaï. Dimensions: D 17 x H 20 cm. Materials: Reclaimed Venetian briccole wood, amber Murano glass. This captivating set, hand-cra...
Wood, Murano Glass
$2,129 / item
Lumi Candle Holder IV by Homa
Located in Geneve, CH
Lumi Candle Holder IV by Homa. Dimensions: W 21 x D 16 x H 20 cm. Materials: Blown Glass. Smoke Mirror. Colour: Smoke. HOMA is a contemporary design atelier based in Istanbul. The a...
Glass, Mirror
$2,902 / item
Lumi Candle Holder XV by Homa
Located in Geneve, CH
Lumi Candle Holder XV by Homa. Dimensions: D 25 x H 54 cm. Materials: Blown Glass. Silver Mirror. Colour: Green Satin. HOMA is a contemporary design atelier based in Istanbul. The a...
Glass, Mirror
$2,902 / item
Lumi Candle Holder XVI by Homa
Located in Geneve, CH
Lumi Candle Holder XVI by Homa. Dimensions: D 25 x H 54 cm. Materials: Blown Glass. Silver Mirror. Colour: Purple Satin. HOMA is a contemporary design atelier based in Istanbul. The...
Glass, Mirror
$2,902 / item
Lumi Candle Holder IX by Homa
Located in Geneve, CH
Lumi Candle Holder IX by Homa. Dimensions: W 18 x D 20 x H 50 cm. Materials: Blown Glass. Silver Mirror. Colour: Gold Satin. HOMA is a contemporary design atelier based in Istanbul....
Glass, Mirror
$257 / item
Chocolate Chandelier by Moldra
Located in Geneve, CH
Chocolate Chandelier by Moldra Dimensions: D 15 x H 13 cm Materials: Stoneware Moldra is a ceramic studio devoted to sculptural vases and objects. Rooted in the ancestral hand-build...
Stoneware
Stoneware Clay, Swan II Candleholder by Aleksandra Krasnopolska
Located in Geneve, CH
Stoneware Clay, Swan II Candleholder by Aleksandra Krasnopolska Dimensions: W 21.5 x D 12.5 x H 12.5 cm Materials: Stoneware clay, unglazed surface, coated with protective wax. Weig...
Clay, Stoneware
Z Candle Holder in Gypsum & Fiberglass by Brent Warr Studios
By Brent Warr
Located in Bainbridge, GA
An abstract take on the letters X, Y, and Z, this collection of three candle holders is an elegant addition to any living room or dining table. With its organic but monolithic curves...
Epoxy Resin, Fiberglass, Plaster, Hardwood, Paint
Y Candle Holder in Gypsum & Fiberglass by Brent Warr Studios
By Brent Warr
Located in Bainbridge, GA
An abstract take on the letters X, Y, and Z, this collection of three candle holders is an elegant addition to any living room or dining table. With its organic but monolithic curves...
Epoxy Resin, Fiberglass, Plaster, Hardwood, Paint
X Candle Holder in Gypsum & Fiberglass by Brent Warr Studios
By Brent Warr
Located in Bainbridge, GA
An abstract take on the letters X, Y, and Z, this collection of three candle holders is an elegant addition to any living room or dining table. With its organic but monolithic curves...
Epoxy Resin, Fiberglass, Plaster, Hardwood, Paint