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
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
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
$945Sale Price / set|33% Off
Set of 4 THONET S320 Stacking Chairs designed by Ulrich Boehme & Wulf Schneider
By Thonet, Ulrich Bohme
Located in Schwerin, MV
Set of 4 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
$472Sale Price / set|33% Off
Set of 2 THONET S320 Stacking Chairs designed by Ulrich Boehme & Wulf Schneider
By Thonet, Ulrich Bohme
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
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
1970s Hill Manufacturing Bent Lucite Chair
By Charles Hollis Jones, Hill Manufacturing
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
Post-Modern Lucite & Chrome Folding Chair, Piretti Castelli Style, Italy, 1980s
By Castelli, Giancarlo Piretti
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
Gaetano Pesce limited edition Greene Street chair for Vitra Italy / 1995
By Gaetano Pesce, Vitra
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
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
$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
$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
Fisherman Chair, Sculptural Chair in recycled nickel, chrome, copper, steel
By Panorammma
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Fisherman Chair reveals itself as foreign, almost alien-like. The piece seems to have been recovered from the bottom of the ocean on a lost planet. It is generative in the sense that...
Copper, Steel, Chrome, Nickel
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
Postmodern High Back Chair, 1980s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Postmodern High Lehner Chair. A sculptural design in postmodern design language. Functional chair and imposing design object. The design is based on a penetration of two elements, t...
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
$1,600 / 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
$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
$3,949 / 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
$2,636 / item
Walnut MV Footstool by Madheke
Located in Geneve, CH
Walnut MV Footstool by Madheke Dimensions: D 68.4 x W 50 x H 46.8 cm. Materials: Solid walnut wood cross-leg frame, Supple leather cushioned seat with piping detail, Raffia finished ...
Leather
R400 Perforated Chair in Silver Polished Aluminum by Arno Hoogland
Located in Geneve, CH
R400 Perforated Chair in Silver Polished Aluminum by Arno Hoogland Dimensions: D 4 x W 66 x H 66 cm. Materials: Aluminum. Arno Hoogland is a futurist...
Aluminum
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
1980s Oversized German Leather Lounge Chair
Located in Las Vegas, NV
Nice 1980s Post Modern Oversized Leather Chair made in Germany. Chair is in overall good condition. There is some wear to the leather as se...
Leather
$2,731 / item
R400 Chair in Silver Matte Aluminum by Arno Hoogland
Located in Geneve, CH
R400 Chair in Silver Matte Aluminum by Arno Hoogland Dimensions: D 4 x W 66 x H 66 cm. Materials: Aluminum. Arno Hoogland is a futurist, artist, and maker who creates immersive inte...
Aluminum
Tessa Nature chair by Philippe Starck
Located in PARIS, FR
Philippe Starck Chaise Tessa Nature, Ca. 1987 Édition Driade, Italie Bois de poirier, assise en papier tressé façon paille, logo embossé sur le dossier H. 74 x L. 47 x P. 48 cm H. 29...
Wood, Fruitwood, Plywood
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
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
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
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
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
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
$1,000Sale Price / item|20% Off
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
Frag Italy 6 Stitched Leather Side Chairs Style of Mario Bellini Post-Modern
By Mario Bellini, Frag
Located in Philadelphia, PA
An Italian set of four six (6) off-white stitched leather side or dining chairs by design company Frag. Made in Italy as marked. 100% leather. Similar in style to the Cassina leather...
Leather
$1,000Sale Price / item|20% Off
Post Modern Stool in Walnut Finish, Cane Back Leather 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
$1,000Sale Price / item|20% Off
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
$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
Mandarin Chairs by Ettore Sottsass for Knoll (up to 30)
By Ettore Sottsass, Knoll
Located in BROOKLYN, NY
Iconic Postmodern Mandarin chairs designed by Ettore Sottsass for Knoll in amazing period Uphostery original and in good condition. Black enamel steel legs and sculptural undulating ...
Steel
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
$1,000Sale Price / item|20% Off
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
$1,676Sale Price / set|20% Off
Set - 4 Yellow Swedish Postmodern 80s Vintage Nils Gammelgaard Ikea "Ted" Chairs
By Giancarlo Piretti, Anonima Castelli, 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
$796Sale Price / item|20% Off
Modern Style Aurora Chair Sculpted in Walnut Finish No Arms, Upholstered Seat
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
$1,000Sale Price / item|20% Off
Post-Modern Style Aurora Chair in Sculpted Walnut Finish with Cane 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
Postmodern 1980s Flex 2000 Stacking Chairs by Gerd Lange for Thonet, Beech Wood
By Thonet, Gerd Lange
Located in Basel, BS
Excellent Flex 2000 Stacking Chair by Gerd Lange for Thonet, with wooden oak frames and black seats. No longer produced, Rare items. NOTE: We have up to 32 chairs available!! Let us know if you need more-- we can arrange. This listing is for one chair, and you can purchase up to 32! Please let us know how many chairs you would like to purchase, and we can combine shipping for you. Designed by Gerd Lange in 1983, manufactured in Western-Germany. The legs are made of solid ashwood, the frame is made of ashwood bentwood and veneered beech struts. The seat and back consists of original black painted PVC material. Incredible space savers-- stackable! Dimensions 18.3ʺW × 16ʺD × 31.1ʺH International Shipping details...
PVC, Ash, Beech
Enzo Mari NOS The Box chair in blue for Aleph Atlantide Driade 1995
Enzo Mari NOS The Box chair in orange for Aleph Atlantide Driade 1995
$1,000Sale Price / item|20% Off
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
$1,206Sale Price / item|42% Off
1980s Postmodern Mario Botta Latonda Chair for Alias (two available) -- 1 pc
By Alias, Mario Botta
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
$4,760Sale Price / set|20% Off
Large Set of 17 Postmodern 1980s Vintage Nils Gammelgaard for Ikea Colorful "Ted
By IKEA, Giancarlo Piretti, Anonima Castelli
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
Set of 3 Vintage Faux Bamboo Lounge Chairs and Table from Kettal, Spain, 1980s
By Kettal
Located in Hamburg, DE
Postmodern garden furniture from the spanish manufacturer kettal from the 1980s. the set consists of two armchairs and a matching table. The frame is made of plastic tubes connected...
Plastic
Pair of Postmodern Italian Leather and Polished Chrome Accent Sling Chairs
Located in Basel, BS
Gorgeous pair of Italian soft leather and polished chrome accent chairs in the style of Giotto Stoppino. If you would like to purchase an individu...
Chrome
$2,144Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary Ava Armchair in Wood by Guto Indio da Costa, Brazil
Located in Deerfield Beach, FL
Contemporary Wood Ava Armchair by Guto Indio da Costa, Brazil The AVA armchair is part of the collection Machina & Manus by the Brazilian designer...
Wood
Upholstered in Soft Fabric Lenta Lounger Armchair by Madheke
Located in Geneve, CH
Upholstered in Soft Fabric Lenta Lounger Armchair by Madheke Dimensions: D 163 x W 78 x H 100 cm. Materials: Loose fabric-upholstered cushion with leather ties, Leather-clad undersid...
Leather, Upholstery
"Louis 20" Chairs by Philippe Starck for Vitra, Green / 1994
By Vitra, Philippe Starck
Located in Boven Leeuwen, NL
Offered here is a rare, project-ready set of twenty-one Louis 20 chairs, designed by Philippe Starck for Vitra—an ideal balance of iconic authorship and real-world contract practical...
Aluminum
$925Sale Price|50% Off
1980s Original Jutta + Herbert Ohl Stacking Swing Chair Rosenthal Studio Linie
By Ettore Sottsass, Frank Gehry, Robert Venturi
Located in Hyattsville, MD
Germany, 1982. Black enamel on aluminum, spring steel. Jutta and Herbert Ohl, for Rosenthal Studio Linie Einrichtung. Cantilever chair from the “Swing” Series.
Metal
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 Space Age Postmodern Omkstack Chair by Rodney Kinsman, 1970s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Stacking chair by the Italian manufacturer Bieffeplast, designed by Rodney Kinsman from the 70s. The chair is made of a finely executed, chromed frame with seat and back in painted ...
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
$980Sale Price / set|45% Off
Pair of Post-Modern Lucite Barstools by Hill Mfg, circa 1980
By Hill Manufacturing, Charles Hollis Jones
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This classic pair of Post-Modern lucite barstools are by Hill Manufacturing and in the style of Charles Hollis Jones and Lion in Frost. Featuring a steel base with foot wrest, and lucite frame with black vinyl seat cushion. *Note, we had a set of 6 but 4 have now sold, so we have 2 barstools left. Priced as a pair, contact us if you wish to purchase a single. This pair of Hill Mfg lucite...
Steel
Frank Gehry Power Play Chair and Ottoman for Knoll, Signed, Great Condition
By Frank Gehry, Knoll
Located in Kansas City, MO
Power play chair and ottoman designed by Frank Gehry for Knoll in very close to new condition. There are no chips, cracks or repairs to the wood slats...
Maple