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.
Ball Foot Sculptural Chair, Vegan Cactus Leather, Baby Blue
By Panorammma
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
The “Ball-Foot Chair” is upholstered with a baby blue leather. The chair’s comfortable and rounded seat is playfully in dialogue with its distinctive spherical extremities. Appearin...
Steel
Funky Red Framed Stacking Chairs with Fritz Hansen Style Plywood Seating
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Spirited postmodern stacking chairs showcase the playful geometry and joyful color that defined the hip era of postmodernism. Each chair features a single-shell molded plywood seat t...
Metal
1970s Hill Manufacturing Bent Lucite Chair
By Hill Manufacturing, Charles Hollis Jones
Located in New Windsor, NY
The chair is constructed of clear and bright bent Lucite. The seat retains its original tag, Hill Manufacturing Corp, Industrial Terminal, Garnerville, NY. Circa 1970-80. This partic...
Upholstery, Acrylic, Lucite
Salvador Dalí Leda Armchair Sculpture in Polished Brass, Spain
By BD Barcelona Design, Salvador Dalí
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Leda armchair designed by Dali manufactured by BD. Structure in polished cast brass varnish. Measures: 47 x 60 x 92 H. cm Year: 1935-1937 Taken from “Femme á la téte rose” 1935 (...
Brass
$142,000 / set
Paul Evans for Directional Sculpted Bronze Dining Chairs
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Paul Evans for Directional, dining chairs, model PE-106, epoxy bronzed resin over steel, fabric, United States, circa 1970 These dining chairs are designed by Paul Evans for Directi...
Bronze, Steel
Set of 4 Italian Postmodern Space Age Model 101 Spaghetti Chairs, 1970s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Four postmodern Spaghetti chairs from the Italian manufacturer alias according to a draft by Giandomenico Belotti from the late 1970s. A timeless classic of Italian design. The fili...
Metal
Pierre Chapo Sculptural 'S34' Chair in Elm
By Pierre Chapo
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Pierre Chapo, dining chair model 'S34', elm, France, 1960s This asymmetrical chair with a twisted base is a true icon of Pierre Chapo's playful and solemn designs. The backrest is p...
Elm
$471Sale Price / set|33% Off
Set of 2 THONET S320 Stacking Chairs designed by Ulrich Boehme & Wulf Schneider
By Ulrich Bohme, Thonet
Located in Schwerin, MV
Set of 2 Thonet S 320 Armchairs in stained reddish-brown plywood and chrome plated Steel, Germany, 1980s A striking set of four original Thonet S 320 armc...
Chrome
Post-Modern Italian Dining Chairs in Walnut and Cognac Leather
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Set of dining chairs, walnut, cognac leather, Italy, 1970s. Set of six sculptural chairs that feature dramatic architectural backrests, each composed of four rounded, pillar-like ve...
Leather, Walnut
Post-Modern Lucite & Chrome Folding Chair, Piretti Castelli Style, Italy, 1980s
By Giancarlo Piretti, Castelli
Located in Vienna, AT
A stylish postmodern foldable "ghost" chair with a chrome frame and a clear perspex acrylic plexiglass seat and an adjustable backrest. Italy, 1980s. The chair is of high-quality and...
Steel, Chrome
Italian Set of Four Dining Chairs in Wood and Metal
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Set of four dining chairs, black lacquered wood, wood, Italy, 1970s Set of four dining chairs with interesting features, made in Italy in the 1970s. This design is unusual and speci...
Metal
Atelier C. Demoyen Set of Eight Dining Chairs in Elm and Cognac Leather
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Atelier C. Demoyen, set of eight dining chairs, elm, leather, rope, brass, France, 1970s Striking set of chairs by Atelier C. Demoyen. Echoing the refined simplicity of the iconic S...
Leather, Elm
Pr. Architectural High Back Wrought Iron Chairs att. to Leopold Gest c. 1980's
By Gustave Toffiche and Léopold Gest
Located in New York, NY
Exceptional pair of Post Modern style high back chairs, having dramatic exaggerated tall backs, and asymmetrical upholstered leather pad seats. Finished in black on black, showing ...
Wrought Iron
$499Sale Price / item|50% Off
Post Modern Black Leather UNO chairs with chrome tube frame Archizoom
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Black leather and tubular cantilever chrome "Uno" chair made by Marcatre and designed in 1973 by Paolo Deganella and Gilberto Corretti members of the Italian "Archizoom" group in Flo...
Chrome
Stainless Metal, Dedar Milano Belmondo Fabric, Tricirculo Chair By OMER OZTURK
Located in Geneve, CH
Stainless Metal, Dedar Milano Belmondo Fabric, Tricirculo Chair By OMER OZTURK Dimensions: W 52 x D 52 x H 93 cm. Materials: Stainless Metal, Dedar Milano Belmondo Fabric. About: De...
Metal
Gaetano Pesce limited edition Greene Street chair for Vitra Italy / 1995
By Vitra, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Skokie, IL
Gaetano Pesce limited edition Greene Street chair for Vitra Italy / Switzerland, 1984 / 1994. This example 70 /100 pieces produced. Materials: resin reinforced with fiberglass, stee...
Steel
Luna Chair in Black Powder Coated Iron by Animate Objects
Located in Geneve, CH
Luna Chair in Black Powder Coated Iron by Animate Objects. Dimensions: W 40 x D 40 x H 106 cm. Materials: Iron, Black Powder Coated. Inspired by Picasso’s horse costume in Cocteau’s...
Iron
Studio D Italy Brutalist Chair in Solid Darkened Wood
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Studio D Italy, chair, pine 1970s This eye-catching brutalist chair captures the essence of raw design. Crafted by Studio D in Italy during the 1970s, it exemplifies the rugged aes...
Pine
Pair of Luna e Sole beech and metal chairs, Carlo Berruti, 1990
Located in VILLEURBANNE, FR
Pair of Luna e Sole chairs designed by Carlo Berruti and produced by Danber Italia in the early 1990s. The stained beech base supports a curved metal stem topped with a hand paint...
Metal
Set 12 industrial , Modernist Cafe / Lounge Metal Chairs..after Jean Prouve
By C. Bell, Jean Prouvé
Located in Buffalo, NY
Set 12 industrial ,Post Modernist Cafe / Lounge Metal Chairs..after Jean Prouve chair. Amazing design , color,,Quirky and young, this metal iteration of the original HL dinning chai...
Metal
$350Sale Price|30% Off
1990s Vintage Kartell “FPE” Chair by Ron Arad — Fantastic Plastic Elastic — Mid-
By Ron Arad
Located in San Gabriel, CA
Designer: Ron Arad Model: FPE (Fantastic, Plastic, Elastic) Manufacturer: Kartell, Milan, Italy Era: Late 1990s / Early 2000s (original production run 1999–mid 2000s)  The FPE chair is one of Ron Arad’s most iconic plastic-and-metal designs. It uses an ingenious method: a single sheet of injection-molded polypropylene is slid flat into double-barrelled aluminum extrusions, then bent into shape under pressure — creating a light, flexible but structurally sound chair without screws, glue, or welding.  This combination of industrial engineering + sculptural form + stackable practicality helped make the FPE a landmark of late-20th-century design. It’s part of major museum collections worldwide (including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York).  • Original vintage Kartell production (not reproduction) • Polypropylene seat/back + extruded aluminum frame • Signature flexible-seat technology — seat/back remain slightly flexible until someone sits, then lock rigid under weight.  • Lightweight & stackable (up to 6–8 chairs) — ideal for small spaces or flexible interiors.  • Great for lovers of postmodern / space-age / contemporary design; fits gallery-style interiors, modern apartments, creative studios. Dimensions (approx / official): 31¼″ H × 17″ W × 22″ D (79.4 × 43.2 × 55.9 cm)  Materials: Injection-molded polypropylene (seat), Extruded aluminum (frame)  Condition & Authenticity Notes • Good vintage condition — seat/back show light wear typical of age/use (please refer to photos). • Underside of seat shows original manufacturing stamp: “Kartell — FPE...
Plastic
Chainmail Sculptural Chair, Nickel Plated Steel Finish, Hand Linked Mesh
By Panorammma
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
The Chainmail Chair reinterprets William Katavolos' 1952 T-chair, incorporating a medieval-modern aesthetic that merges ancient craftsmanship with contemporary design. The seat is fo...
Steel
$495 / item
Postmodern Sectional Sofa Bench by Steelcase
By Steelcase
Located in New York, NY
Phenomenal sectional sofa, bench, or single chair set made by Steelcase, circa 2002. The pieces have tubular chrome feet, which support a thick and heavy board, to which a thick upho...
Chrome
Glass chair in the Manner of Louis Dierra
By Louis Dierra
Located in London, GB
This striking curved glass chair, inspired by the iconic designs of Louis Dierra for the Glass Centre Pavilion at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York, represents a masterful blend of a...
Glass, PVC
$1,400 / item
Chrome Frame Lounge Chair After Baughman
Located in New York, NY
Chic and stylish club, lounge chair having bright chrome D shaped continuous arm, leg elements, and upholstered seats and back rests. The chair is in very...
Chrome
Latonda chair designed by Mario Botta for Alias, Italy 1987
By Alias, Mario Botta
Located in Milano, IT
Latonda chair designed by Mario Botta for Alias, Italy 1987 The bent steel tube traces a fluid curve that gracefully moves through space. The two inclined circles, broken at the cen...
Steel
1980s Knoll Jorge Pensi Amat Toledo Chair Spain Postmodern
By Amat-3, Jorge Pensi
Located in Chula Vista, CA
For your consideration, a Toledo chair stackable designed by Jorge Pensi for Amat 3 Spain for Knoll Organic and streamlined shape lightweight cast aluminum. Unmarked. Dye cast alum...
Aluminum
Glass chair in the Manner of Louis Dierra
By Louis Dierra
Located in London, GB
This striking curved glass chair, inspired by the iconic designs of Louis Dierra for the Glass Centre Pavilion at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York, represents a masterful blend of a...
Glass, PVC
Postmod 80s Flex 2000 (32 Avail) Stacking Chairs Gerd Lange Thonet Beech -8 pcs
By Thonet, Gerd Lange
Located in Basel, BS
Excellent set of 8 Flex 2000 Stacking Chairs by Gerd Lange for Thonet, with wooden oak frames and black seats. No longer produced, Rare items. FAST SHIPPING: Fast, international, in...
PVC, Ash, Beech
Matching Pair of Mid-Century Post Modern Black Rattan Armchairs
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A sculptural pair of armchairs circa 1980's. These feature black rattan frames with light grey tweed cushions.
Fabric, Rattan
$1,600 / item
Silla Sol
Located in Mérida, MX
“Silla Sol” Silla Sol chair is not just a chair but a Mexican cookie-inspired chair, a happy face object that livens up any space it enters. You can sit on it, you can place your fav...
Wood
Glass chair in the Manner of Louis Dierra
By Louis Dierra
Located in London, GB
This striking curved glass chair, inspired by the iconic designs of Louis Dierra for the Glass Centre Pavilion at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York, represents a masterful blend of a...
Glass, PVC
$3,938 / item
Leather Tella Bar Stool by Madheke
Located in Geneve, CH
Leather Tella Bar Stool by Madheke Dimensions: D 47.1 x W 41.1 x H 92.8 cm. Materials: Sculptural retro-inspired design, Double-cushioned leather seat with curved backrest, Sleek met...
Metal
Italian Pair of Dining Chairs with Woven Leather Seats
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Pair of dining chairs, leather, beech, Italy, late 1970s Remarkable pair of sculptural and impressive dining chairs. These chairs have a frame and long backrest in beech. The backs ...
Leather, Beech
$1,202Sale Price / item|42% Off
1980s Postmodern Mario Botta Latonda Chair for Alias (two available) -- 1 pc
By Mario Botta, Alias
Located in Basel, BS
What a beauty! Stunning RARE Mario Botta accent chair for any space! Very fast shipping, insured 7-21 days. RARE Black leather model, with silver frame. Chair "Latonda" Production: ...
Metal
Set of 4 Impeccable Handkerchief Chairs by Lella & Massimo Vignelli for Knoll
By Massimo and Lella Vignelli, Knoll
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Set of 4 stacking 'Handkerchief' chairs designed by Massimo and Lella Vignelli for Knoll International. This set was produced in 1991 and retains its original tags. Massimo and Lella Vignelli both studied architecture before founding the Vignelli Office of Design and Architecture in 1960. In 1971 they established Vignelli Associates, a vehicle for focusing on projects that incorporated their industrial, furniture and graphic design talents. Their diverse portfolio includes corporate identity work for IBM, American Airlines, and Bloomingdales as well as signage for the New York Subway system and Washington, D.C. Additionally, Vignelli Associates contributed two furniture designs to the Knoll portfolio: the Handkerchief chair (designed together with David Law) and the Paperclip table...
Chrome
$1,200Sale Price / set|33% Off
Pair of Lucite and Chrome Barstools by Luigi Bardini for Miniforms Italy, 1970s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Playful, sculptural, and unmistakably bold, this pair of Italian cantilever barstools by Luigi Bardini, designed in the 1970s for Miniforms Design. Each stool features a gracefully c...
Steel
Signed Pierre Sala Desk or Table
By Pierre Sala
Located in BROOKLYN, NY
A rare Post Modern Memphis Milano style table or desk designed by artist Pierre Sala circa 1980's. Large and functional notebook on solid wo...
Wood, Lacquer
Set of 3 German Lotus Stacking Chairs and Table by Hartmut Lohmeyer, 1970s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Elegant furniture kusch + co to a design by hartmut lohmeyer and alexandra ionescu from the 70s. The organically curved backs of the chairs are particularly striking. These are form...
Metal
$1,230 / item
Lila Hunter Chairs By Philippe Starck For XO 1980s
Located in Čelinac, BA
Lila Hunter chair by Philippe Starck for XO.
Metal
$780 / item
Chair D
Located in Mérida, MX
The handwoven technique of the 'Petatillo' in Yucatan has been practiced for more than 50 years. Usually, it is woven with natural cane. This is one hundred percent artisan work, whi...
Nylon, Wood
$2,280 / item
Institution Sculptural Chair, White Lamb Leather
By Panorammma
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Uncannily challenging excessive symbolic power granted to scientific institutions, the “Institutional Chair” reveals a tension with the accepted desubjectivisation of the body into s...
Steel, Nickel
Philippe Starck Pair Of Miss Dorn Model Armchairs for Disform, c. 1982
Located in Brussels, BE
Pair of Philippe Starck Miss Dorn model armchairs for Disform 1982. Black metal structure, original black fabric round seat. Dimensions: 70 cm H, 54 c...
Metal
Vintage Chair Louis XX by Philippe Starck for Vitra, 1990s
By Philippe Starck, Vitra
Located in Radomsko, Województwo łódzkie
Indulge in the iconic design and rich history of Philippe Starck's Louis XX chairs. Inspired by the opulence of 18th-century French furniture, these chairs boast a contemporary twist...
Aluminum
Black "Wendy Wright" Chair by Philippe Starck for Disform
Located in San Diego, CA
Gorgeous "Wendy Wright chair by Philippe Starck for Disform, circa 1980s. The chair stands as an iconic testament to the innovative design ethos of...
Metal
French style iron chair in the manner of Andre Dubreuil
Located in Winnetka, IL
A vintage sculptural iron chair in the style of Andre Dubreuil. Very comfortable if one chooses to sit or you may choose to admire this chair as an entryway or hallway sculpture .
Iron
$4,760Sale Price / set|20% Off
Large Set of 17 Postmodern 1980s Vintage Nils Gammelgaard for Ikea Colorful "Ted
By IKEA, Anonima Castelli, Giancarlo Piretti
Located in Basel, BS
Very rare opportunity to have 17 of these wonderful 1980s Nils Gaamelgaard for Ikea chairs as a large set, in RARE colors all together! Sold here as a set. Cushions will be provided...
Metal
Robert Venturi Sheraton chair for Knoll Postmodern 80s
By Knoll, Robert Venturi
Located in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Robert Venturi chair for knoll Model: Sheraton Silkscreen printed pattern on black plywood. Rare model in famous Venturi's chairs in Knoll collection.
Plywood
German Postmodern Office Swivel Chair from Impac, 1992
Located in Hamburg, DE
Postmodern office chair by the german manufacturer impac from the early 90s. a design that is strongly shaped by a postmodern design language and color world. Seat and backrest are ...
Wood
KFF Trix Memphis chair by Karl Friedrich Förster, 1988
By Karl Friedrich Förster, KFF
Located in Ludwigslust, DE
This Memphis-style Trix chair features a black metal frame and a natural-colored seat and backrest. The frame is in very good condition, with the wood surfaces displaying a minimal, ...
Metal
$12,400 / set
Angelo Mangiarotti for Skipper 'Tre 3' Dining Chairs
By Angelo Mangiarotti, Skipper
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Angelo Mangiarotti for Skipper, set of five chairs model 'Tre 3', black lacquered wood, leather, Italy, design 1978 Set of four 'Tre 3' dining chairs by the Italian designer Angelo ...
Leather, Wood
Enzo Mari NOS The Box chair in blue for Aleph Atlantide Driade 1995
Rainer Daumiller Set of Sixteen Dining Chairs in Pine
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Rainer Daumiller for Hirtshals Sawmill, set of sixteen dining chairs, pine, Denmark, 1970s Beautiful, organic and natural dining chairs i...
Pine
$1,676Sale Price / set|20% Off
Set - 4 Yellow Swedish Postmodern 80s Vintage Nils Gammelgaard Ikea "Ted" Chairs
By Anonima Castelli, Giancarlo Piretti, IKEA
Located in Basel, BS
Great opportunity to have a complete set of 4 of these wonderful 1980s Nils Gaamelgaard for Ikea chairs as a perfect set of 4 in yellow! Sold here as a set. Note: Yellow cushions wi...
Metal
Fiamma Chair in Plywood and Genuine Leather by Animate Objects
Located in Geneve, CH
Fiamma Chair in Plywood and Genuine Leather by Animate Objects. Dimensions: W 47 x D 47 x H 96 cm. Materials: Plywood, Genuine Leather. Revisiting Depero’s grotesque theatre for the...
Leather, Plywood
Post-Modern Style Aurora Chair in Black Ebonized with Cane Back and Leather
By SIMONINI
Located in Vila Cordeiro, São Paulo
The Aurora collection aka Dawn marks a new exiting moment in our design history, in where we dove deep in to the creativity unknown, to create a collection that would be able to hold...
Leather, Textile, Upholstery, Faux Leather, Cane, Hardwood, Walnut
Modern Style Aurora Chair Sculpted in Walnut Finish Arms, leather seating, cane
By SIMONINI
Located in Vila Cordeiro, São Paulo
The Aurora collection aka Dawn marks a new exiting moment in our design history, in where we dove deep in to the creativity unknown, to create a collection that would be able to hold...
Leather, Textile, Upholstery, Faux Leather, Cane, Hardwood, Walnut
Kwok Hoi Chan for Steiner Pair of Dining Chairs in Red Leather
By Gilbert Steiner, Kwok Hoi Chan
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Kwok Hoi Chan for Steiner, pair of dining chairs, leather, lacquered steel, France, circa 1970 A postmodern design by Chinese designer Kwok Hoi Chan known for his works that are imm...
Leather
Post-Modern Style Aurora Chair in Sculpted Black Ebonized Solid Wood
By SIMONINI
Located in Vila Cordeiro, São Paulo
The Aurora collection aka Dawn marks a new exiting moment in our design history, in where we dove deep in to the creativity unknown, to create a collection that would be able to hold...
Leather, Textile, Upholstery, Faux Leather, Cane, Hardwood, Walnut
Post Modern Stool in Solid Wood, Caning Back and Seat, Counter or Bar Height
By SIMONINI
Located in Vila Cordeiro, São Paulo
The Aurora collection aka Dawn marks a new exiting moment in our design history, in where we dove deep in to the creativity unknown, to create a collection that would be able to hold...
Leather, Textile, Upholstery, Faux Leather, Cane, Hardwood, Walnut