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.
$31,816 / item
Chocolate Memory Sofa by Plyus Furniture
Located in Geneve, CH
Chocolate Memory Sofa by Plyus Furniture Dimensions: D 90 x W 240 x H 85 cm Materials: Wood, HR foam, polyester wadding, fabric upholstery “Memory” sofa. Collection "Memory" inspir...
Upholstery, Wood
$2,741 / item
Disruption Module Corner by Domkapa
Located in Geneve, CH
Disruption Module Corner by Domkapa Materials: Velvet (Aldan 2928). Dimensions: W 100 x D 100 x H 80 cm. Also available in different materials. Please contact us. Disruption i...
Velvet
$3,366 / item
Powder Blue Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Powder Blue Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio Designed by Paola Navone. Dimensions: D 80 x W 118 x H 70 cm. Seat Height: 36 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 22 kg. Available...
Other
$6,024 / item
RUA CHA Sofa by Clementine Caurier
Located in Geneve, CH
RUA CHA Sofa by Clementine Caurier Dimensions: D 95 x W 200 x H 74 cm. Materials: Ash, wool, and linen. RUA CHA sofa is based on a light, crossed structure in solid wood. The genero...
Wool, Linen, Ash
Cupido 180 Glossy Lacquer Base And Beech Wood Sofa by Casa Casati
Located in Geneve, CH
Cupido 180 Glossy Lacquer Base And Beech Wood Sofa by Casa Casati Dimensions: D 86 x W 180 x H 70 cm. Materials: Beech wood, marine plywood, lacquer, polyurethane, polyester fibre, ...
Other
$6,541 / item
RUA CHA Sofa by Clementine Caurier
Located in Geneve, CH
RUA CHA Sofa by Clementine Caurier Dimensions: D 95 x W 240 x H 74 cm. Materials: Ash, wool, and linen. RUA CHA sofa is based on a light, crossed structure in solid wood. The genero...
Wool, Linen, Ash
$4,833 / item
Houston 2 Seat Sofa by Munna
Located in Geneve, CH
Houston 2 Seat Sofa by Munna Dimensions: D 75 x W 150 x H 73 cm. SH: 45 cm. Materials: Wood, foam, and upholstery. Finish: Cotton Velvet, ref. Emerald, CV09, and Emerald gloss lacque...
Upholstery, Foam, Wood
$9,583 / item
Newman 230 Sofa by Munna
Located in Geneve, CH
Newman 230 Sofa by Munna Dimensions: D 93 x W 230 x H 75 cm. SH: 43 cm. Materials: Wood, foam, brass, and upholstery. Finish: Cotton Velvet, ref. Steel Blue, CV27 upholstery, and bru...
Brass
$10,521 / item
Hughes 240 Sofa by Munna
Located in Geneve, CH
Hughes 240 Sofa by Munna Dimensions: D 95 x W 240 x H 95 cm. SH: 44 cm. Materials: Wood, foam, brass, and upholstery. Finish: Cotton Velvet upholstery, gloss ebony wood veneer upper ...
Brass
$11,435 / item
Fringes 280 Sofa by Munna
Located in Geneve, CH
Fringes 280 Sofa by Munna Dimensions: D 100 x W 280 x H 91 cm. SH: 47 cm. Materials: Wood, foam, and upholstery. Finish: Cotton Velvet upholstery and fringes. Available in all Munna...
Upholstery, Foam, Wood
$19,647 / item
Ferdinand 350 Sofa by Munna
Located in Geneve, CH
Ferdinand 350 Sofa by Munna Dimensions: D 185 x W 350 x H 80 cm. SH: 41 cm. Materials: Wood, foam, brass, and upholstery. Finish: Cotton Velvet and brushed brass. Available in all M...
Brass
$19,647 / item
Ferdinand 350 Sofa by Munna
Located in Geneve, CH
Ferdinand 350 Sofa by Munna Dimensions: D 185 x W 350 x H 80 cm. SH: 41 cm. Materials: Wood, foam, brass, and upholstery. Finish: Cotton Velvet and brushed brass. Available in all M...
Brass
$7,875 / item
Taís 2 Seats Sofa by Domkapa
Located in Geneve, CH
Taís 2 seats sofa by Domkapa Materials: Natural leather (Desna Polvere), polished stainless steel. Dimensions: W 190 x D 95 x H 88 cm. Also available in different materials. wi...
Steel
$2,753 / item
Ash Whale Single Sofa by SNOC
Located in Geneve, CH
Ash Whale Single Sofa by SNOC Dimensions: W 86 x D 84 x H 66 cm. Materials: Teak Wood. The Whale-ash Collection features an elegant and robust design style inspired by the form of...
Teak
$11,976 / item
Maverick 280 Sofa by Munna
Located in Geneve, CH
Maverick 280 Sofa by Munna Dimensions: D 120 x W 280 x H 90 cm. SH: 42 cm. Materials: Wood, foam, and upholstery. Finish: Trevira Velvet, ref. Light Grey, TRV19. Available in all Mu...
Upholstery, Foam, Wood
$13,298 / item
Roy 290 Sofa by Munna
Located in Geneve, CH
Roy 290 Sofa by Munna Dimensions: D 115 x W 290 x H 83 cm. SH: 42 cm. Materials: Wood, foam, and upholstery. Finish: Cotton Velvet, ref. Purple, CV13, and gloss lacquer. Available i...
Upholstery, Foam, Wood
$6,156 / item
Galore 3 Seater Forest Green by Warm Nordic
Located in Geneve, CH
Galore 3 Seater Forest green by Warm Nordic Dimensions: D222 x W83 x H 76 cm Material: Textile upholstery, Powder coated black steel legs, Wooden frame, foam, spring system. Weigh...
Steel
$4,196 / item
Pearl Auguste 3 Seats Sofa by HARTO
Located in Geneve, CH
Pearl Auguste 3 Seats Sofa by HARTO Dimensions: W 216 x D 95 x H 79 cm. Materials: Solid pine, plywood, 88% Polyester, 12% Recycled Polyester, Foam type: HR35 / S30 foam. Weight: 45...
Foam, Polyester, Pine, Plywood
$9,775 / item
Cécile Bench by Studio Uwe Gaertner
Located in Geneve, CH
Cécile Bench by Studio Uwe Gaertner Dimensions: D 80 x W 245 x H 37 cm. Materials: Solid oak and Kvadrat Zero (no.001) fabric (65% cotton, 20% acrylic, 15% polyester). An elegant pi...
Fabric, Oak
$24,264 / item
Fabric Panis Deep Sofa Composition by Amura Lab
Located in Geneve, CH
Fabric Panis Deep Sofa Composition by Amura Lab Dimensions: W 236 x D 152 x H 70 cm Materials: FRAME: solid wood and multiply. SUSPENSIONS: rubber and polypropylene belts. SEATS: pol...
Foam, Wood
$10,785 / item
Upholstery Cammo Sofa by Madheke
Located in Geneve, CH
Upholstery Cammo Sofa by Madheke Dimensions: D 100 x W 160 x H 75 cm. Materials: Sleek architectural silhouette with plush, tailored upholstery, Base finished in leather with continu...
Leather
$14,825 / item
Saddle Leather Mara Sofa by Lorenza Bozzoli
Located in Geneve, CH
Saddle Leather Mara Sofa by Lorenza Bozzoli Dimensions: D 94 x W 180 x H 82 cm. Seat Height: 52 cm. Materials: Polyethylene, wadding, rubber, and acrylic. Weight: 60 kg. Available i...
Other
$4,929 / item
Milky White RAP Sofa by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Milky White RAP Sofa by Karim Rashid Dimensions: D 80 x W 170 x H 75 cm. Seat Height: 36 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 35 kg. Available in different color options. This produ...
Other
$2,309 / item
Lounge Fireside Chair by RALPH M
Located in Geneve, CH
Lounge Fireside Chair by RALPH M Dimensions: W 90 x D 101 x H 80 cm. Materials: Plywood, Foam, Fabric. Details: Frame: HR 26kg/m3, HR 38kg/m3 and RP 28kg/m3 foam complex. Coated w...
Fabric, Foam, Plywood
$10,797 / item
Josephine 280 Sofa by Munna
Located in Geneve, CH
Josephine 280 Sofa by Munna Dimensions: D 103 x W 280 x H 83 cm. SH: 42 cm. Materials: Wood, foam, and upholstery. Finish: Cotton Velvet upholstery and wild silk. Available in all M...
Upholstery, Foam, Wood
$3,739 / item
Hendar Chair by Madheke
Located in Geneve, CH
Hendar Chair by Madheke Dimensions: D 52.5 x W 61.8 x H 74 cm. Materials: Leather wrapped backrest with stitched detail, Fabric upholstered seat, Tapered leather finished legs with k...
Brass
$3,823 / item
MV Demio Side Chair by Madheke
Located in Geneve, CH
MV Demio Side Chair by Madheke Dimensions: D 54.3 x W 63.3 x H 82.2 cm. Materials: Solid walnut frame, Supple leather upholstered seat and back, Slender harness leather strap armrest...
Brass
$9,054 / item
Rosie 280 Sofa by Munna
Located in Geneve, CH
Rosie 280 Sofa by Munna Dimensions: D 98 x W 280 x H 100 cm. SH: 48 cm. Materials: Wood, foam, and upholstery. Finish: Cotton Velvet, ref. Green Duck Egg, CV19. Available in all Mun...
Upholstery, Foam, Wood
$10,521 / item
Hughes 240 Sofa by Munna
Located in Geneve, CH
Hughes 240 Sofa by Munna Dimensions: D 95 x W 240 x H 95 cm. SH: 44 cm. Materials: Wood, foam, brass, and upholstery. Finish: Cotton Velvet upholstery, gloss ebony wood veneer upper ...
Brass
$13,298 / item
Roy 290 Sofa by Munna
Located in Geneve, CH
Roy 290 Sofa by Munna Dimensions: D 115 x W 290 x H 83 cm. SH: 42 cm. Materials: Wood, foam, and upholstery. Finish: Cotton Velvet, ref. Brunswick Green, CV18, and gloss lacquer. Av...
Upholstery, Foam, Wood
$10,521 / item
Hughes 240 Sofa by Munna
Located in Geneve, CH
Hughes 240 Sofa by Munna Dimensions: D 95 x W 240 x H 95 cm. SH: 44 cm. Materials: Wood, foam, brass, and upholstery. Finish: Cotton Velvet upholstery, gloss ebony wood veneer upper ...
Brass
$13,298 / item
Roy 290 Sofa by Munna
Located in Geneve, CH
Roy 290 Sofa by Munna Dimensions: D 115 x W 290 x H 83 cm. SH: 42 cm. Materials: Wood, foam, and upholstery. Finish: Cotton Velvet, ref. Buttermilk, CV38, and gloss lacquer. Availab...
Upholstery, Foam, Wood
$22,557 / item
Segno Leather Sofa 3 Seater by Amura Lab
Located in Geneve, CH
Segno Leather Sofa 3 Seater by Amura Lab Dimensions: W 225 x D 90 x H 88 cm Materials: FRAME: solid wood and multiply, with metal support. SUSPENSIONS: rubber and polypropylene belts...
Foam, Wood
$13,298 / item
Roy 290 Sofa by Munna
Located in Geneve, CH
Roy 290 Sofa by Munna Dimensions: D 115 x W 290 x H 83 cm. SH: 42 cm. Materials: Wood, foam, and upholstery. Finish: Cotton Velvet, ref. Basalt, CV25, and gloss lacquer. Available i...
Upholstery, Foam, Wood
$19,647 / item
Ferdinand 350 Sofa by Munna
Located in Geneve, CH
Ferdinand 350 Sofa by Munna Dimensions: D 185 x W 350 x H 80 cm. SH: 41 cm. Materials: Wood, foam, brass, and upholstery. Finish: Cotton Velvet and brushed brass. Available in all M...
Brass
$19,647 / item
Ferdinand 350 Sofa by Munna
Located in Geneve, CH
Ferdinand 350 Sofa by Munna Dimensions: D 185 x W 350 x H 80 cm. SH: 41 cm. Materials: Wood, foam, brass, and upholstery. Finish: Cotton Velvet and brushed brass. Available in all M...
Brass
$3,366 / item
Pumpkin Orange Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Pumpkin Orange Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio Designed by Paola Navone. Dimensions: D 80 x W 118 x H 70 cm. Seat Height: 36 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 22 kg. Availa...
Other
$4,196 / item
Cactus Auguste 3 Seats Sofa by HARTO
Located in Geneve, CH
Cactus Auguste 3 Seats Sofa by HARTO Dimensions: W 216 x D 95 x H 79 cm. Materials: Solid pine, plywood, 88% Polyester, 12% Recycled Polyester, Foam type: HR35 / S30 foam. Weight: 4...
Foam, Polyester, Pine, Plywood
$30,974 / item
Fabric and Cuoio Stilt Sofa 3 Seater by Amura Lab
Located in Geneve, CH
Fabric and Cuoio Stilt Sofa 3 Seater by Amura Lab Dimensions: W 224 x D 96 x H 75 cm Materials: FRAME: solid wood and cuoio. SUSPENSIONS: rub la plume ber and polypropylene belts SEA...
Wood
Narco Teak Collection Short Divan by AMBER x IÑIGO CALLEJA
Located in Geneve, CH
Narco Teak Collection Short Divan by AMBER x IÑIGO CALLEJA Dimensions: W 110 x D 90 x H 80 cm. Materials: Dry Teak Trunks Base, charred and stained pitch black. Iñigo Calleja is an...
Teak
$35,772 / item
Beige MRS 1 Sofa by Plyus Furniture
Located in Geneve, CH
Beige MRS 1 Sofa by Plyus Furniture Dimensions: D 160 x W 310 x H 80 cm Materials: Wood, HR foam, polyester wadding, fabric upholstery. “MRS 1” sofa. With love to my favorite desig...
Upholstery, Wood
$58,197 / item
Zeus Grey Sofa by Emilie Lemardeley
Located in Geneve, CH
Zeus Grey Sofa by Emilie Lemardeley Limited Edition of 8 pieces. Dimensions: D 150 x W 280 x H 110 cm Materials: Wood, foam and Giant fabric. Designed as jewellery for the interior,...
Fabric, Foam, Wood
Brown ARCH 3 Seater Sofa in Oak and DAW/Mcnutt Upholstery by Mazo Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Brown ARCH 3 Seater Sofa in Oak and DAW/Mcnutt Upholstery by Mazo Design Dimensions: W 200 x D 79 x H 76 cm Materials: Oak, Textile Also Available: 2 Seater Configuration, ROMO/Linar...
Other
$3,438 / item
Hembra Sofa by DAaZ
Located in Geneve, CH
Hembra Sofa by DAaZ Dimensions: D 107 x W 245 x H 69 cm. Materials: Wood, fabric. DAaZ Furniture honors the spirit of adventure. We embrace the escape of the ordinary and revel in ...
Wood, Upholstery
$4,322 / item
Beaubourg Sofa by RALPH M
Located in Geneve, CH
Beaubourg Sofa by RALPH M Dimensions: W 220 x D 90 x H 88 cm. Materials: Solid beech, Particle board panels, Metal, Fabric. Details: Frame: Solid beech and particle board panels. ...
Metal
$7,984 / item
Beige Madina Chair by Plyus Furniture
Located in Geneve, CH
Beige Madina Chair by Plyus Furniture Dimensions: D 64 x W 68 x H 90 cm Materials: Wood, HR foam, polyester wadding, fabric upholstery. “Madina” chair. ...
Upholstery, Wood
$4,795 / item
Concept Sofa by RALPH M
Located in Geneve, CH
Concept Sofa by RALPH M Dimensions: W 250 x D 90 x H 84 cm. Materials: Solid beech, Fabric. Details: Frame: Solid beech and particle board panels. Seat springing: Steel springs se...
Beech, Fabric
$8,224 / item
Chloe 3 Seats Sofa by Domkapa
Located in Geneve, CH
Chloe 3 seats sofa by Domkapa Materials: Rose gold brushed, fabric (Logone 09). Dimensions: W 300 x D 100 x H 75.5 cm. Also available in different materials. Please contact us. Chloe is an outstanding design piece with striking aesthetic balance and refined materials. Available in two-seater, three-seater, and chaise-longue versions, it stars a wooden or metallic base and upholstered seat and backrest that can elevate any room. A stitched line is dividing the piece for easy assembling and transport while double-top stitching is seen across the sofa for a luxury touch. The soft curves prevail throughout every element of Chloe sofa...
Steel
Original Brühl Moule Sofa Leder Couch Zweisitzer Design klappbar
By Brühl
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten ein wunderschönes Design Zweisitzer Sofa vom deutschen Qualitätshersteller Brühl zum Verkauf an. Es handelt sich um das Modell "Moule", das sich durch Klappfunktionen und ...
Leather, Wood
$3,006 / item
Noche Whale Single Sofa by SNOC
Located in Geneve, CH
Noche Whale Single Sofa by SNOC Dimensions: W 86 x D 84 x H 66 cm. Materials: Teak Wood. The Whale-ash Collection features an elegant and robust design style inspired by the form ...
Teak
$5,503 / item
Large Massai Sofa by RALPH M
Located in Geneve, CH
Large Massai Sofa by RALPH M Dimensions: W 230 x D 103 x H 85 cm. Materials: Solid beech, Particle board panels, Fabric. Details: Frame: Solid beech and particle board panels. Sea...
Fabric, Beech
$6,675 / item
Jabba Sofa by RALPH M
Located in Geneve, CH
Jabba Sofa by RALPH M Dimensions: W 280 x D 120 x H 80 cm. Materials: Solid beech, Particle boards panels, Fabric. Details: Frame: Solid beech and particle ...
Fabric, Beech
$6,048 / item
Object 047 Sofa by NG Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Object 047 sofa by NG Design Dimensions: D216 x W90 x H77 cm Materials: Boucle upholstery, Solid Oak Also Available: All of objects available in different materials and colors o...
Upholstery, Oak
$4,340 / item
Bob Mod 2 Seating by Dovain Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Bob Mod 2 Seating by Dovain Studio. Dimensions: H 76 x W 80 x D 100 x SH 39 cm. Materials: Velvet, Wood. Dovain Studio Creative direction by Sergio Prieto, a Spanish artist-des...
Velvet, Wood
$4,869 / item
Ash Ralph Seater 2 Sofa by SNOC
Located in Geneve, CH
Ash Ralph Seater 2 Sofa by SNOC Dimensions: W 190 x D 80 x H 65 cm. Materials: Teak Wood, Acrylic Rope, Sunbrella Fabric. Ralph-ash Collection consists of a lounge set, dining tab...
Fabric, Acrylic, Teak
$34,004 / item
Fabric and Cuoio Stilt Sofa 4 Seater by Amura Lab
Located in Geneve, CH
Fabric and Cuoio Stilt Sofa 4 Seater by Amura Lab Dimensions: W 294 x D 96 x H 75 cm Materials: FRAME: solid wood and cuoio. SUSPENSIONS: rub la plume ber and polypropylene belts SEA...
Wood
$10,413 / item
Wham Two Woven Mix Sofa by Pulpo
Located in Geneve, CH
Wham Two Sofa by Pulpo Designed by Hermann August Weizenegger Dimensions: D 90 x W 165 x H 78 cm. Materials: Upholstery, metal. Available with fixed or swivel base. Available in chr...
Metal
$31,744 / item
Dimanche 6, Couch Vase by Marc Dibeh
By Marc Dibeh
Located in Geneve, CH
Dimanche 6, couch vase by Marc Dibeh 2018 Materials: Fabric. Dimensions: W180 x H70 x D180 cm. Beirut based designer Marc Dibeh narrates his cultural environment through compel...
Fabric
$4,929 / item
Malva Green Blossy Rocking Sofa by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Malva Green Blossy Rocking Sofa by Karim Rashid Dimensions: D 85 x W 159 x H 75 cm. Seat Height: 34 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 38 kg. Available in different color options....
Other
$4,929 / item
Sweet Fuchsia Blossy Rocking Sofa by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Sweet Fuchsia Blossy Rocking Sofa by Karim Rashid Dimensions: D 85 x W 159 x H 75 cm. Seat Height: 34 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 38 kg. Available in different color option...
Other