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.
Ettore Sottsass Memphis Milano Diva Vintage Wall Mirror, Italy, 1984
By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Group
Located in Vienna, AT
A post-modern wall-mounted mirror, Model „Diva" designed in 1984 by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano, Italy. This mirror is a vintage original from the 1980s, made from wood and mi...
Glass, Mirror, Laminate, Wood
Postmodern Hollywood Regency Wall Mirror, Glass & Metal, Vintage 1980s
Located in Hamburg, DE
A mirror of imposing size and heavy quality. A metal plate serves as a support. The mirror surface is bordered and widens upwards. On the sides there are black moldings. Above and be...
Metal
Vintage Carved Wood Lotus Blossom Beveled Mirror
Located in Houston, TX
Vintage Carved Wood Lotus Blossom Beveled Mirror. Offered is a stunning Post-Modern carved wood mirror in the shape of lotus blossoms surrouning a round beveled central mirrored pane...
Mirror, Wood
Floral Layered Mirror by David Marshall
Located in Denton, TX
Floral Red Daffodil layered mirror by David Marshall. This could make a great bathroom vanity mirror or for above a dresser.
Mirror
bieffeplast Double Mirror / articulating swivel arm 1980s Italy/ Rodney Kinsman
By Rodney Kinsman, Bieffeplast
Located in Buffalo, NY
This Modernist Double Mirror by Rodney Kinsman for Bieffeplast is a beautiful vintage piece from Italy in the 1980s . It’s a Two-piece swivel double mirror on iron frame which can be...
Metal, Steel
Post Modern Screen Printed mirror with a Pair of Black Panthers, Art Deco Style
Located in Roma, IT
We offer for sale a stunning serigraph mirror made in Italy around the 1980s. Like many pieces produced during the postmodern movement, its design recalls and reinterprets Art Deco. In this case, the decorative motif of black panthers, characterized by a minimalist and elegant style, is typical of the 1930s. Their silhouette gives an organic shape to the mirror, which is frameless. This mirror, in my opinion, can dialogue with a wide range of interior design styles because, like an art installation, it doesn't have to "match" anything but speaks its own language. This mirror, in my mind, blends together various cultural influences: the seductive black panthers of the bronze sculptures of the 1930s, in technique and result, and the iconic mirror by Man Ray, an exponent of Dadaism and Surrealism, still produced today by Cassina. But, for its minimalism and the immediacy of its graphics, it's also reminiscent of the crazy graphics on the '80s skateboard decks designed by Jim Phillips...
Mirror
Serigraphy on Rectangular Mirror with a Photo by David Hamilton, 1970s-1980s
Located in Bresso, Lombardy
1970s - 1980s. This is a rare and particular mirror with a serigraphy of a photo taken by David Hamilton. It features an aluminum frame. It is a vin...
Aluminum
Contemporary Post-Modern David Marshall Layered Floral Butterfly Mirror
Located in W Allenhurst, NJ
David Marshall signature styling. Frosted Floral mirror wit Butterfly. Very soothing color palette.
Glass, Mirror
Post-Modern Italian Wall Mirror in Walnut
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Mirror, walnut, Italy, 1980s This Italian wall mirror from the 1980s is defined by its sleek design. The tall, narrow format emphasizes verticality, while the solid walnut frame add...
Mirror, Walnut
An Elegant POST-MODERN MODERNIST Rectangular Bronze WALL MIRROR, France 1990
Located in PARIS, FR
An elegant rectangular wall mirror, Art-Deco, Post-Modernist, Bauhaus, Constructivist, with an offset rectangular frame in American box style in bronze inlaid wood with a gunmetal pa...
Brass, Bronze
Backlit Wall Mirror Design 1980s Modernism
Located in Taranto, IT
Elegantissimo specchio da parete composto da due moduli, raffigurante diverse spighe di grano retroilluminate da meravigliosi neon a luce fredda. In excellent conservative conditio...
Metal
Ebru Two-Tone Stone Wall Mirror, Onyx & Marble, Post-Modern Design
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Ebru Mirror is a sculptural design that blends modern curves with classic elegance, offering a timeless presence in any space. Its distinctive two-tone stonework creates a sense ...
Onyx, Marble, Travertine
Postmodern Rare 1980s Italian Solid Burlwood Wall Mirror by Masterly Italy Milan
By Roche Bobois, Masterly
Located in San Diego, CA
Elegant beautiful postmodern wall mirror solid birdseye maple with accents and beveled mirror , made in Italy by Masterly Milan , for Roche Bobois in a Memphis Style from the 1980's ...
Mirror, Wood, Birdseye Maple
Ultrafragola Mirror, Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova, 1970
By Poltronova, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Milano, Lombardia
The Ultrafragola light mirror was designed by Ettore Sottsass, with its sinuous silhouette, evocative of a wavy feminine hair, belongs to the series of Mobili Grigi, a complete bedro...
Mirror, Plastic
Man Ray, Mirror Les Grand Trans-Parents, Simon Gavina (First Edition)
By Gavina, Man Ray, Simon Gavina Editions
Located in Argelato, BO
Man Ray, Mirror Les Grand Trans-Parents, Simon Gavina (First Edition), Italy, 1970s An enigmatic play on words for a mirror that has now become a tr...
Glass, Wood
Asymmetric Wall Mirror with several different layers created by David Marshall
Located in Doornspijk, NL
Asymmetric Wall Mirror with several different layers created by David Marshall. David Marshall has been designing and manufacturing furniture accessories since 1972, specializing in ...
Mirror
$1,482 / item
Diamond Large Mirror Emerald
Located in Geneve, CH
Diamond large mirror emerald Dimensions: W 72 x D 6.2 x H 100 cm Material: 4 mm faceted mirror on black painted MDF Weight: 12.8 kg The Diamond large mirror illustrates a perfect combination of function and art. This unique mirror is inspired by the dazzling Art Deco era with its striking diamond shaped wedges, and yet it still manages to invoke a classic feel when placed in the right setting. Reflections Copenhagen, a collection of handmade decorative mirrors and Crystal pieces, finely balanced to challenge the traditional styles and shapes of todays’ homes by adding new dimensions and possibilities to interior decorating. Julie Hugau and Andrea Larsson, inspired by the graphic expression of Art Deco, the vast contrasts of the 1980s and the opportunity to explore the delicate materials that the mirrors are made of, combined their visions and the start of Reflections was a fact. The collection sums up their perspectives of how to provide new expressions through strength and form, the mirrors are designed with a strong visual structure to create a contrast of light and reflections through non-traditional mirror images. A concept built on Julie’s flair for design and production, Andrea’s eye for interior and colors together with their shared vision of creating a product that unites art and decor. Remember, everything in your life is a reflection of a choice you made. If you want a different result, make a different choice Welcome to the world of Reflections. The beauty of craftmanship All Reflections...
Mirror
Distorting Square Wall Mirror in Polished Stainless Steel by Julien Vidame
Located in Geneve, CH
Distorting Square Wall Mirror in Polished Stainless Steel by Julien Vidame. Dimensions: W 94 x D 3 x H 94 cm. Materials: Mirror polished stainless steel. Inspired by a serendipitous encounter in a vintage café in the San Telmo district of Buenos Aires, Julien Vidame reinvented the deforming mirror using noble materials. Unlike mass-produced plastic versions, each piece is a unique, patented work crafted from thick, mirror-polished stainless steel that reflects with clarity while offering fluid, ever-changing undulations. The result is a 'living' reflection that shifts dynamically with the observer's movement, creating a constant dialogue between the object and the space. Julien Vidame's career as a designer began with a childhood passion for sketching that evolved into a professional vocation. After gaining experience in London’s design scene, he returned to Brittany to establish Vidame Édition and develop his signature prototypes. His early success was defined by the "Vague" range, which showcased his technical ingenuity through the creation of a custom folding machine and secured the Prix Découverte at Maison & Objet in 2009. The designer achieved ultimate international acclaim in 2022 through high-profile collaborations and awards. His "Coquillage" shelf received the prestigious FD100 prize at the Elysée Palace, honoring it as one of the top projects promoting French creation globally. This period of success was further highlighted by his work for Gucci’s Milan Fashion Week show, where he provided 260 of his patented distorting mirrors...
Stainless Steel
$4,199 / item
Gaelle Mirror by Philippe Colette
Located in Geneve, CH
Gaelle mirror by Philippe Colette Dimensions: D 60 x H 90 cm Materials: mineral lime plaster. With or without indirect lighting. All shapes and sizes can...
Plaster
$3,493 / item
Bare Bronze Wall Mirror by OOM Contemporary Glass
Located in Geneve, CH
Bare Bronze Wall Mirror by OOM Contemporary Glass Dimensions: Ø 95 cm. Materials: Silver nitrate on 4 mm bronze curved glass. Discover the Dome Collection, where glass artistry meet...
Other
$13,715 / item
Slit Mirror by Phillip Jividen
Located in Geneve, CH
Slit mirror by Phillip Jividen Limited Edition of 25 Dimensions: W 71 x D 3 x H 94 cm Materials: Brass Also available in H 112. Please contact us. Tak...
Brass
$1,035 / item
Unique Handmade Grisaille Alice Mirror
Located in Geneve, CH
Unique handmade grisaille Alice mirror. Available colors: Gold on clear mirror, grey on clear mirror, black mirror Materials: Glass and steel ...
Glass
$3,493 / item
Bare Green Wall Mirror by OOM Contemporary Glass
Located in Geneve, CH
Bare Green Wall Mirror by OOM Contemporary Glass Dimensions: Ø 95 cm. Materials: Silver nitrate on 5 mm green curved glass. Discover the Dome Collection, where glass artistry meets ...
Other
$1,717 / item
Eye of the Tiger Mirror
Located in Geneve, CH
Eye of the tiger mirror. Dimensions: W 132.2 x D 3.5 x H 79.6 cm Material: 4 mm faceted mirror on black painted MDF Weight: 10 kg. The Reflections Copenhagen Eye of the Tiger mirror illustrates the magnificence of light as it bounces back and meets the eye. Take a deep breath and enjoy the magic of Reflections Copenhagen mirror artworks...
Mirror
Vintage Patinated Metal Ribbon Mirror
By Raymond Subes, Michel Zadounaïsky, Gilbert Poillerat, Edgar Brandt, Paul Kiss
Located in Houston, TX
Vintage Patinated Metal Ribbon Mirror. This chic mid century modern patinated metal mirror has a ribbon design surrounding a central mirrored panel. Our Gilbert Poillerat inspired mi...
Metal
Set Of 2 Unique L Door Handles Casted In Oilsanded Bronze by Vogel Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Set Of 2 Unique L Door Handles Casted In Oilsanded Bronze by Vogel Studio One Of A Kind Dimensions: Ø 4 x H 12,7 cm. Materials: Cast bronze. Dimensions may vary. Please contact us. ...
Bronze
Brueton Post Modern "Fist" Mirror/Torchère Designed by Stanley Jay Friedman
By Stanley Jay Friedman, Brueton
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This Brueton Large Post Modern "Fist" Mirror, designed by Stanley Jay Friedman, is a striking addition to any space. Its bold brass and stainless steel designed round mirror is flank...
Stainless Steel
$24,584 / item
Pierce Table Pele de Tigre Honed by Phillip Jividen
Located in Geneve, CH
Pierce Table Pele de Tigre Honed by Phillip Jividen Dimensions: L 52 x W 102 x H 34 cm Materials: Pele de Tigre Phillip’s works are about creating timeless pieces that feel familia...
Marble
Maitland Smith Post Modern Octagonal Emerald Green Tessellated Marble Mirror
By Maitland Smith, Karl Springer
Located in Chicago, IL
Maitland Smith Post Modern / Art Deco style Octagonal Emerald Green Tessellated Marble Wall Mirror with brass inlay.
Stone, Brass
Philippe Starck FIAM Wall Mirror Caadre Modern Design
By FIAM, Philippe Starck
Located in Taranto, IT
Philippe Starck FIAM Wall Mirror Caadre Modern Design. It is in excellent preserved condition, possibility of fixing it to the wall either vertically or horizontally Height 154cm ...
Glass
Mid-Century Post Modern Large Wall Mirror or Console Table Shelf by Jay Spectre
By Jay Spectre
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A large, rare and impressive wall mirror designed by Jay Spectre in the 1980's. It consists of a faux marble finish on wood with a very large round mirror. Frame could easily be pain...
Mirror, Wood
Lapis Cynober Sculptural Silver Mirror with Handblown Glass by Homa
Located in Geneve, CH
Lapis Cynober Sculptural Silver Mirror with Handblown Glass by Homa. Dimensions: W 24 x D 23 x H 50 cm. Materials: Blown Glass. Silver Mirror. Colour: Purple. Shaped by hand, heat, ...
Glass, Mirror
Set Of 3 Caesura Wall Mirrors in Puebla Travertine Stone by Andres Monnier
Located in Geneve, CH
Set Of 3 Caesura Wall Mirrors in Puebla Travertine Stone by Andres Monnier Unique Pieces Dimensions: D 4 x W 60 x H 130 H cm. Materials: Puebla travertine stone and glass mirror. Av...
Travertine
$4,822 / item
Alentejo Brass Square Mirror by InsidherLand
Located in Geneve, CH
Alentejo Brass Square Mirror by InsidherLand Dimensions: D 3 x W 85 x H 85 cm. Materials: Patinated cast brass, clear mirror. 22 kg. Available in other finishes. Alentejo mirror has...
Brass
$10,539 / item
Drop of Silver on Copper II Mirror by Homa
Located in Geneve, CH
Drop of Silver on Copper II Mirror by Homa Dimensions: W 49 x D 5 x H 49 cm Materials: Blown Glass. Silver Mirror. Copper Frame. HOMA is a contemporary design atelier based in Ista...
Glass
Bare Ultrawhite Wall Mirror by OOM Contemporary Glass
Located in Geneve, CH
Bare Ultrawhite Wall Mirror by OOM Contemporary Glass Dimensions: Ø 95 cm. Materials: Silver nitrate on 5 mm low iron curved glass Discover the Dome Collection, where glass artistry...
Other
$1,188 / item
Puddle Small Wall Mirror by Studionudo
Located in Geneve, CH
Puddle Small Wall Mirror by Studionudo Dimensions: Ø 45 cm. Materials: Mirror. Different materials and sizes are available. Dimensions may vary. Please contact us. Studionudo was b...
Mirror
Memphis Style Postmodern Mirror, 1980s USA
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This mirror is maximalist heaven. Handmade in the late 20th century and influenced by the Memphis Design style, it features bold colors and silhouettes, With wavy edges and pointed c...
Mirror, Wood
Round Black Metal + Brass Wall Mirror, 1980s
Located in Chicago, IL
A vintage round wall mirror featuring a minimalistic black metal frame. Patinated brass notches secure the frame to the glass, giving this piece an elegant floating effect. 1980s. C...
Metal
Specchio di Proust Mirror, by Alessandro Mendini for Glas Italia
Located in Stamford, CT
A wismical multi colored mirror designed by Alessandro Mendini and produced by Glas Italia.
Glass
Rakis Mirror in Black Vulcan Stoneware Clay by Catalin Filip
Located in Geneve, CH
Rakis Mirror in Black Vulcan Stoneware Clay by Catalin Filip. Dimensions: W 60 x D 60 x H 10 cm. Materials: Black Vulcan Stoneware Clay with textured natural ceramic finish. Rakis ...
Ceramic, Stoneware
Lapis 10 Sculptural Silver Mirror with Handblown Glass by Homa
Located in Geneve, CH
Lapis 10 Sculptural Silver Mirror with Handblown Glass by Homa. Dimensions: W 36 x D 15 x H 54 cm. Materials: Blown Glass. Silver Mirror. Colour: Silver. Shaped by hand, heat, and b...
Glass, Mirror
Postmodern Ivory Lacquered Walnut Wall Mirror and Console Table, Italy
Located in Bresso, Lombardy
Made in Italy, 1970s. This set features a walnut frame, with ivory lacquered parts. They might show slight traces of use since they are vintage, such as their original patina, but t...
Mirror, Walnut
$2,564 / item
Domina I 80 Wall Mirror by Atlas Project
Located in Geneve, CH
Domina I 80 Wall Mirror by Atlas Project Dimensions: D 4/6 x Ø 80 cm. Materials: Calacatta Gold marble, brushed brass, mirror, and wood. Available in different finishes and sizes. ...
Marble, Brass
Just Another Day Square Wall Mirror with Faux Leather Frame by Oscar Maschera
Located in Geneve, CH
Just Another Day Square Wall Mirror with Faux Leather Frame by Oscar Maschera Dimensions: W 60 x H 60 cm. Materials: Mirror and vegetable leather. “Just another day” is a mirror fro...
Faux Leather, Mirror
$1,849Sale Price|20% Off
Post-Modern Geometric Italian Wall Mirror Piet Mondrian for Rimadesio
By (after) Piet Mondrian, Rimadesio
Located in Nicolosi, IT
Striking Post-Modern square wall mirror made in Italy in the 1980s, designed in the style of Piet Mondrian and attributed to Rimadesio. The composition is defined by a precise geomet...
Mirror
$717 / item
Venezia Laguna Mirror by Morici
Located in Geneve, CH
Venezia Laguna Mirror by Morici Dimensions: W 57 x H 81 cm Materials: Wood, inlay veneer. Finish : Gloss brushed polyester. About: Driven by a passion for craftsmanship, Luciano Mor...
Wood
$2,823 / item
Domina II 90 Wall Mirror by Atlas Project
Located in Geneve, CH
Domina II 90 Wall Mirror by Atlas Project Dimensions: D 4/6 x Ø 90 cm. Materials: Leather, brushed brass, mirror, and wood. Available in different finishes and sizes. Please contac...
Marble
Umlauf Wall Mirror in Chromed Aluminum & Mirrored Glass by Medium Small
Located in Geneve, CH
Umlauf Wall Mirror in Chromed Aluminum & Mirrored Glass by Medium Small Dimensions: D 10,2 x W 38.1 x H 53.3 cm. Materials: Aluminum and mirrored glass. Available chromed or anodize...
Aluminum
Pop Art Style Green Teal Circular Plastic Wall Mirror 1990s Italy
Located in Vienna, AT
Post-Modern Pop Art style wall mirror circular like from plastic and mirror in bold green teal color 1990s Italy. A wonderful colorful wall mirror in very good condition with steppe...
Mirror, Plastic
Organic Form White Ceramic Coral Wall Mirror by Vlada Kavalchuk
Located in Geneve, CH
Coral Wall Mirror by Vlada Kavalchuk Dimensions: D 10 x W 60 x H 60 cm. Materials: Ceramic and mirror. The Ceramic Mirror and Mushroom Seat are inspire...
Ceramic, Mirror
Narcisse Mirror by Elsa Foulon
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Post-modern mirror by French artist, ceramicist and dealer of 20th century decorative arts, Elsa Foulon. Elsa has now developed her own plate technique and works with materials that ...
Ceramic, Mirror
Vintage Postmodern Oval Wall Mirror with a Beech Frame, Italy
Located in Bresso, Lombardy
Made in Italy, 1960s-1970s. It features a curved beech frame. This mirror is a vintage piece, therefore it might show slight traces of use, but it can be considered as in excellent o...
Mirror, Beech
$2,752 / item
Dark Grey Dune 1200 Round Mirror by Disain1971
Located in Geneve, CH
Dark Grey Dune 1200 Round Mirror by Disain1971 Dimensions: D 120 x H 2.5 cm Materials: dark grey, mirror / grigio scuro, specchio. Weight: 13 kg. Code: DS1043 Round frameless mir...
Mirror
Large Postmodern Coco Wood Wall Mirror by Robb & Stucky. Circa 1990s
Located in Miami, FL
Large Postmodern Coco Wood Wall Mirror by Robb & Stucky. Circa 1990s Features an asymmetrical solid wood frame with a beautiful lacquered coco wood texture with chrome metal trims. ...
Mirror, Wood
$8,163 / item
Ravinala Wall Sculpture by Myriam Hubert
Located in Geneve, CH
Ravinala wall sculpture by Myriam Hubert Dimensions: W 100 x H 100 cm. Materials: 'Glass marquetry' with mirror inlays. Intended for residential and...
Glass
$2,156Sale Price|20% Off
John Richard Faux Tortoise Beveled Mirror
Located in Houston, TX
Chic faux tortoise and ebonized wood wall mirror having beveled mirror by John Richard can be hung either way
Mirror, Wood
$6,163 / item
Art Déco Jungle Wall Sculpture by Myriam Hubert
Located in Geneve, CH
Art Déco jungle wall sculpture by Myriam Hubert. Dimensions: W 60 x H 83 cm. Materials: 'Glass marquetry' with mirror inlays. Intended for residen...
Glass
Late 20th Century Postmodern Lacquered Large Scale Sculptural Mirror
By Costantini
Located in Topeka, KS
Phenomenal vintage Postmodern lacquered sculptural large-scale mirror. Beautiful condition, keeping in mind that this is vintage and not new so will have signs of use and wear. Black...
Mirror, Wood, Lacquer
$1,626 / set
1980S Postmodern Bench And Mirror
Located in London, London
Bench and mirror Post modern Mirror with shelf 1980s Italy Seat height 34cm Mirror measures 91 x 115 x 19cm.
Mirror