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.
Candelera 04 Blued Steel Hanging Lamp by Federico Stefanovich
Located in Geneve, CH
Candelera 04 Blued Steel Hanging Lamp by Federico Stefanovich Dimensions: D 120 x H 240 cm Material: Steel. Polypropylene light diffusers. Dimmable LED st...
Steel
$10,459 / item
Tryst Three Chandelier by Paul Matter
By Paul Matter
Located in Geneve, CH
Tryst three chandelier by Paul Matter. Materials: brass and porcelain finish glass. Dimensions: W 114.3 x H 182.8 cm. Wight: 15 kg. Tryst chande...
Brass
Gae Aulenti for Francesconi ‘Singa’ Lamp
By Gae Aulenti
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Gae Aulenti for Francesconi, ‘Singa’ lamp, plastic, steel, chrome-plated steel, Italy, 1975 This rare ‘Singa’ lamp is designed by Italian architect and designer Gae Aulenti for Ita...
Steel, Chrome
Post Modern Pendulum Torchiere Floor Lamp By Ron Rezek
By Ron Rezek
Located in Keego Harbor, MI
This Post Modern Pendulum Torchiere Floor Lamp by Ron Rezek is a striking example of late 20th-century design that balances sculptural form with functional lighting. Executed in a sl...
Metal
$1,868 / item
Ne1200 Pendant Lamp by MLK Furniture
Located in Geneve, CH
Ne1200 Pendant Lamp by MLK Furniture Dimensions: D 9 x W 120 x H 12 cm. Materials: Stainless steel, acrylic. Available in mat, or mat and mirror inside. Also available in brass, cop...
Stainless Steel
Circolo Cotton Pendant Lamp by Simone & Marcel
Located in Geneve, CH
Circolo Cotton Pendant Lamp by Simone & Marcel Dimensions: Ø 50 x H 150 cm. Materials: Cotton, brass and silicone. Custom options available on request. Please contact us. All our ...
Brass
Ettore Sottsass Treetops Floor Lamp, Metal & Iron, Post-Modern Italy
By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Toronto, ON
Treetops by Ettore Sottsass is not just a lamp but a truly dynamic, slender and colourful presence, capable of infusing, with its lively allure, joy and lightheartedness to any envir...
Metal, Iron
Pilolo Tobacco Alabaster Wall Sconce by Simone & Marcel
Located in Geneve, CH
Pilolo Tobacco Alabaster Wall Sconce by Simone & Marcel Dimensions: D 11 x W 22 x H 42 cm. Materials: Alabaster. Available in different brass and alabaster options and finishes. Cus...
Alabaster
No. 13 Circle Green, Grey Contemporary Art Wall Sconce by Sander Bottinga
Located in Geneve, CH
Circle Blue Grey Wall Sconce by Sander Bottinga. Handmade in brass, leather, wood, and hand-printed and painted linen. Dimensions: H 35 x W 27 x D 23 cm. (A dimmer is inlaid with le...
Brass
Postmodern Italian Murano Mushroom Table Lamp
Located in Delray Beach, FL
Amazing vintage postmodern Italian Murano glass mushroom lamp. Features a fun white swirl through the glass.
Murano Glass
$1,159 / item
Small Drop Brass Wall Sconce Two by Lamp Shaper
Located in Geneve, CH
Small Drop Brass Wall Sconce Two by Lamp Shaper Dimensions: D 15.5 x W 14 x H 41 cm. Materials: Brass. Different finishes available: raw brass, aged ...
Brass
$5,485 / item
Bengra FL4XL Lamp by Jeroen De Ruddere
Located in Geneve, CH
Bengra FL4XL lamp by Jeroen De Ruddere Dimensions: D 40 x H 157 cm Cord Lenght: 200 cm Dimmable: Yes Materials: Oak Brutal nature and textile. All pieces are CE certified. Each lam...
Textile, Oak
Italian Postmodern Tizio Table Lamp by Richard Sapper for Artemide, 1970s
Located in Hamburg, DE
The design classic from the Italian manufacturer Artemide according to a design by Richard Sapper from the 1970s. The Tizio convinces with its clear design language. A minimalist de...
Metal
Extra Large Misalliance Ex Pure White Suspended Light by Lexavala
Located in Geneve, CH
Extra Large Misalliance Ex pure white suspended light by Lexavala. Dimensions: D 16 x W 160 x H 8 cm. Materials: powder coated shade with details made of brass or stainless steel. ...
Aluminum, Brass, Stainless Steel
'Ecate' Table Lamp by Toni Cordero for Artemide, Italy
By Artemide, Toni Cordero
Located in Argelato, BO
'Ecate' table lamp by Toni Cordero for Artemide. Designed and manufactured in Italy, circa 1990. A stone-like, cast-bronze base and conical stem with both brass and steel chain-mai...
Brass, Steel
Salvador Dalí Drawers Lamp by BD Barcelona, Pale Limewood, Spain
By BD Barcelona Design, Salvador Dalí
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Drawers lamp designed by Dali manufactured by BD. Carved structure in pale varnished limewood. Lampshade in beige linen. Measures: 30 x 30 x 87 H cm Sculpture-lamp drawers A stan...
Wood
Johanna Grawunder Memphis Large Yellow Black Light Wall Lamps (4), Italy 1989
By Memphis Group, Johanna Grawunder
Located in Vienna, AT
Four early Johanna Grawunder lighting panels or sconces for Memphis, Italy, 1989. Dimensions per piece: 43.3"x29.5"x2". Sold and priced individually. New York based designer/archi...
Metal
$1,321 / item
Natural Stone Wall Sconce by Aver
Located in Geneve, CH
Natural stone wall sconce by Aver Dimensions: W 12 x D 15 x H 58 cm Materials: Natural rocks, high-quality cut crystals, jewelry chains, hand-blown glass, other. Also Available: Matt...
Stone, Crystal
Ronda wall lamp Oluce Vico Magistretti 80s style
Located in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Postmodern style Lamp "Ronda" wall lamp. Silver painted model. Designed by Vico Magistretti for Oluce. Unused condition. Light source E27 light bulbs. Using with 100-120V Able to ...
Steel
$4,928 / item
Cream Nebula Pendant Lamp by Mirei Monticelli
Located in Geneve, CH
Cream Nebula pendant lamp by Mirei Monticelli Dimensions: D 60 x W 60 x H 60 cm Materials: Banaca fabric Also available in hand-painted fabric. ...
Fabric
$1,310 / item
Pulse 116Hz Sculptural Wall Lamp by Radar
Located in Geneve, CH
Pulse 116Hz Sculptural Wall Lamp by Radar. Dimensions: Diameter 60 x H 20 cm. Materials: Reinforced Plaster of Paris, available in matte white or raw. G9 LED system with a brass bulb...
Metal, Brass
Delphe White Cream Matt Ceramic Table Lamp by Grès Éditions
Located in Geneve, CH
Delphe White Cream Matt Ceramic Table Lamp by Grès Éditions Unique Piece. Dimensions: Lampshade: Ø 32 x H 26 cm. Base: H 35 cm. Materials: Ecru cotton and ceramic. Weight: 2,8 kg. D...
Ceramic, Cotton
$1,153 / item
Slim WS 64 Wall Lamp by United Alabaster
Located in Geneve, CH
Slim WS 64 Wall Lamp by United Alabaster Dimensions: D 6 x H 64 cm Materials: Alabaster, Copper (Black Nickel Finish) Also Available: Satin Gold and Nickel finishes All our lamps ca...
Alabaster, Copper
$49,133 / item
Astral Coolors S158 Chandelier by Euroluce Lampadari
Located in Geneve, CH
Astral Coolors S158 Chandelier by Euroluce Lampadari Dimensions: D 160 x W 220 x H 90 cm. Materials: Plexiglass and aluminum. Available in different colors. Prices may vary. All our...
Aluminum
Andreé Putman, Compass Dans L’Oeil table lamp for Baldinger & Sons, 1980
By Louis Baldinger & Sons, Andree Putman
Located in Saarbrücken, SL
The “Compass Dans L ́Oeil” lighting range is built on a design of great clarity, where simple geometric forms combine with balanced precision. Brushed stainless steel, satin brass a...
Metal, Brass, Steel
$1,542 / item
Green Marble Peono Table Lamp by Simone & Marcel
Located in Geneve, CH
Green Marble Peono Table Lamp by Simone & Marcel Dimensions: Ø 40.6 x H 61 cm. Materials: Brass, acrylic and green marble. Also available in differ...
Marble, Brass
$2,150 / item
Ceiba Lamp
Located in Mérida, MX
This lamp reads as a small ceramic totem that lives somewhere between the domestic object and sculpture. Its compact, archetypal conical silhouette can evoke a popular mexican tree k...
Clay, Resin
$9,972 / item
Super Loft Pendant by United Alabaster
Located in Geneve, CH
Super Loft Pendant by United Alabaster ByBlasco Dimensions: W 210 x D 15 x 10 cm (Customizable Height) Materials: Alabaster, Copper (Matt Black finish...
Alabaster, Copper
Galileo 2.0 Table Lamp by Edoardo Lietti Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Galileo 2.0 Table Lamp by Edoardo Lietti Studio Unique Piece Dimensions: D 10 x W 30 x H 38 cm. Materials: Black pigmented concrete, birch plywoo...
Concrete, Stainless Steel
Conrans Chrome Elliptical Sconce
Located in Riverdale, NY
Chrome Half Moon Up Light Elliptical Sconce retailed by Conran's in the 1980's in original box. Made in France. 15.5" x 8" deep x 3" high.
Chrome
$521Sale Price|40% Off
Murano Due wall lighting 24 ct Gilt gold , Italy 1990
By Murano Due
Located in La xara, VC
Murano Due lighting is highly sought after for several compelling reasons: • Exceptional Artistic Craftsmanship: Murano Due lights are made using centuries-old hand-blown glass tech...
Murano Glass
Multicolor blown glass and brass contemporary chandelier light Emilie Lemardeley
Located in Geneve, CH
Dionysos Multiple Spheres Ceiling Lamp by Emilie Lemardeley Limited Edition of 8 Dimensions: D 220 x W 55 x H 60 cm Materials: Brass, hand blown glass (40 spheres). The Dionysos lig...
Brass
Large Guillerme et Chambron Double Wall Light Sconce
Located in Trensacq, FR
Guillerme & Chambron Double Wall Sconce – Blonde Oak, France, Circa 1970s A beautifully crafted double wall light sconce designed by the renowned French duo Jacques Chambron and...
Metal, Brass
Chocolate Brown Medium Sonora Linen Table Lamp by NASSI
Located in Geneve, CH
Chocolate Brown Medium Sonora Linen Table Lamp by NASSI Dimensions: W 35 x D 35 x H 58 cm. Materials: Lampshade: coated iron, warm white Cotton Lining. Base: wood-fired clay with be...
Clay, Cotton
Lune Matte Speckled Grey Ceramic Table Lamp by Grès Éditions
Located in Geneve, CH
Lune Matte Speckled Grey Ceramic Table Lamp by Grès Éditions Unique Piece. Dimensions: Lampshade: Ø 16 x H 23 cm. Base: H 20 cm. Materials: Jute and ceramic. Weight: 1,2 kg. Electri...
Ceramic, Jute
$1,182 / item
Three Edges Wall Light by Square in Circle
Located in Geneve, CH
Three Edges Wall Light by Square in Circle Dimensions: D19 x W50 x H8 cm Materials: Brushed brass/ brushed grey metal/ white opaque diffuser Other finishes available. This sleek and modern picture light...
Metal, Brass
$1,501 / item
Charlie CHATAMBG Table Lamp by Mazzega 1946
Located in Geneve, CH
Charlie CHATAMBG Table Lamp by Mazzega 1946 Dimensions: W 28 x D 28 x H 50 cm. Materials: Polished Chrome. Diffuser: White. Weight: 012 Kg. The roots of Mazzega1946 are in Murano,...
Chrome
$4,139 / item
Arrow L Table Lamp by Veermakers
Located in Geneve, CH
Arrow L Table Lamp by Veermakers Dimensions: D 24 x H 56 cm, Shade Ø 44. Materials: Travertine stone / Cream textile. About: After years of successful collaboration on luxury interi...
Travertine
A Long POSTMODERN WALL APPLIQUE SCONCE in GINO SARFATTI Style, France 1970
Located in PARIS, FR
A large wall light or wall light bar type artist's dressing room or bathroom, Minimalist, Pop, Modernist, Space-Age, long rectangular base in chrome metal with rounded edges, with 5 ...
Metal
Large Brass & Stainless Steel Dome Pendant Lamp by Rock & Soar, 120 cm
Located in Geneve, CH
Large Dome Pendant Lamp by Rock and Soar Dimensions: D 120 x H 500 cm Materials: Brass, Stainless Steel, Anodised Brass Colour. 100 Wings, 8 Halo Lights. About: Founded by creative...
Brass, Stainless Steel
Ettore Sottsass for Design Centre/Poltronova 'Cometa' Floor Lamp in Perspex
By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ettore Sottsass for Design Centre/Poltronova, 'Cometa' floor lamp, model 'L026', acrylic, lacquered metal, chrome, Italy, design 1970 A funky and irresistibly charming floor lamp d...
Metal, Chrome
Contemporary Stainless Steel Conical Wall Light by Henry Wilson
By Henry Wilson
Located in Geneve, CH
Stainless Steel Conical Wall Light by Henry Wilson Dimensions: W 19 x D 19.6 x H 12 cm Materials: Stainless Steel Lost wax cast in solid stainless ...
Stainless Steel
A Pair Of Travertine and Brass Floor Lamps By Michael Taylor
Located in London, GB
A Pair of floor lamps from the post modern era by American designer Michael Taylor, with travertine bases supporting a tapering stem with travertine sphere decorated with brass accen...
Travertine, Brass, Iron
$1,317Sale Price / item|20% Off
Sistema Flu a Post Modern Floor Lamp design by Rodolfo Bonetto for Luci Italia
By Luci Italia, Rodolfo Bonetto
Located in Roma, IT
"Sistema Flu" is a magical lamp, and every time we find one in some corner of Italy we buy it to offer it to our customers. In this case we have 2 pieces of the tallest model, 180cm of twin floor lamps...
Metal
$2,238 / item
L04 Lamp by Sophie Vaidie
Located in Geneve, CH
L04 Lamp by Sophie Vaidie One Of A Kind. Dimensions: D 24 x W 35 x H 60 cm. Materials: Beige brutal stoneware with fine chamotte and white linen fabric....
Porcelain, Stoneware, Linen
Havano White Alabaster Wall Sconce by Simone & Marcel
Located in Geneve, CH
Havano White Alabaster Wall Sconce by Simone & Marcel Dimensions: D 13 x W 25 x H 25 cm. Materials: Alabaster. Custom options available on...
Alabaster
Unique Luminaries N12 Sculptural Table Lamp by Maria Loram
By Maria Loram
Located in Geneve, CH
Unique Luminaries N12 Sculptural Table Lamp by Maria Loram Dimensions: W 15.2 x D 15.2 x H 38 cm Materials: Ceramics, paper, and lamp parts. Colors: Black/Brown. Custom dimensions a...
Ceramic, Paper
$4,244 / item
Silk #17 Wall Light by Margaux Leycuras
Located in Geneve, CH
Silk #17 wall light by Margaux Leycuras One of a Kind. Signed and numbered. Dimensions: Ø 51 x H 56 cm. Material: Ceramic, sandy stoneware platters with a porcelain slip finish. ...
Ceramic, Porcelain
Space Age 3-Line Series Table Lamps by Frandsen - A Pair
Located in Las Vegas, NV
This is a RARE pair of Model 3000-B, 3-Line series table lamps. designed by Benny Frandsen for Frandsen Lighting, Denmark. Lamps are constructed of metal, finished in blacn with w...
Metal
Roberto Gabetti & Aimaro Isola Floor Lamp 'Bul-Bo'
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Roberto Gabetti and Aimaro Isola for Ar.Bo, floor lamp 'Bul-Bo', leather, metal, rubber, Italy, 1970s Gabetti & Isola accomplished a very unique design with the 'Bul-Bo' for Ar....
Chrome
$1,681 / item
Slim WS 96 Wall Lamp by United Alabaster
Located in Geneve, CH
Slim WS 96 Wall Lamp by United Alabaster Dimensions: D 6 x H 96 cm Materials: Alabaster, Copper (Black Nickel Finish) Also Available: Satin Gold and Nickel finishes All our lamps ca...
Alabaster, Copper
$985 / item
Black Corda Pendant Lamp by Wentz
Located in Geneve, CH
Black Corda Pendant Lamp by Wentz Dimensions: D 20 x W 22 x H 55 cm Materials: Aluminum, Blown Glass. WEIGHT: 1,2kg / 2,6 lbs Colors: Black, White LIGH...
Aluminum
'Cometa' Floorlamp by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova/Design Centre, Italy 1970s
By Design Centre, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Hellouw, NL
There are moments in design history where light becomes architecture. The “Cometa” floor lamp, designed in 1971 by Ettore Sottsass for Design Centre / Poltronova, belongs to that cat...
Metal
Gaetano Pesce Ghost Lamp by Edizioni del Pesce, Resin & Metal, Italy
Located in Toronto, ON
Created through a process that celebrates imperfection and unconventionality, the luminous objects by Edizioni del Pesce embody Gaetano Pesce's distinctive philosophy. Each luminous ...
Metal
$6,430 / item
Luigi Floor Lamp by Edoardo Lietti Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Luigi Floor Lamp by Edoardo Lietti Studio Color: Wood Bicolor, dark brown & bright brown Dimensions: 46 x 40 x H200 cm Weight: 20 kg Natural pigme...
Stainless Steel
Postmodern Desk Lamp
Located in New York, NY
A Postmodern red and black adjustable desk lamp. Shade and base are a red enameled metal. Neck is adjustable. In fine working order for US electric.
Metal
$1,437 / item
Link Two Glass Globe Wall Sconce by Lamp Shaper
Located in Geneve, CH
Link Two Glass Globe Wall Sconce by Lamp Shaper Dimensions: D 13.5 x W 11.5 x H 46 cm. Materials: Brass and glass. Different finishes available: raw brass, aged brass, burnt brass a...
Brass
$1,565 / item
Artefacto LS 16 Floor Lamp by Lørdag & Søndag
Located in Geneve, CH
Artefacto LS 16 Floor Lamp by Lørdag & Søndag Dimensions: D 46 x W 46 x H 130 cm. Materials: Wicker. All our lamps can be wired according to each country. If sold to the USA it ...
Wicker
$4,290 / item
Sculptural Light No. 67 by Milla Vaahtera
Located in Geneve, CH
Sculptural light no. 67 by Milla Vaahtera. Dimensions: W 85 x L 40 x H 60 cm. Materials: glass, brass. In 2020 Milla Vaahtera started a series of unique sculptural lights made o...
Brass
$17,672 / item
Georgina Magnolia Sconces by 7Gods Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Georgina Magnolia Sconces by 7Gods Studio Dimensions: D 25 x W 35 x H 120 cm Materials: Branch: Carbon fibre, Flower: Hand beaten brass Weight: from 2-7 kg About: Taking the enduri...
Carbon Fiber