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.
$19,073 / 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
$19,073 / 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
$19,073 / 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
$19,073 / 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
$19,073 / 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
$19,073 / 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, ref. Light Grey, CV16, and brushed br...
Brass
$32,790 / 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
$25,717 / item
Loom Sofa by De Castelli
Located in Geneve, CH
Loom Sofa by De Castelli Dimensions: W 228 x D 106 x H 74 cm Materials: Orbitale DeLabré Brass, Fabric Other versions are available, please contact us for any request. The Loom coll...
Brass
$4,894 / item
Jabba Arm Sofa by RALPH M
Located in Geneve, CH
Jabba Arm Sofa by RALPH M Dimensions: W 200 x D 120 x H 80 cm. Materials: Solid beech, Particle boards panels, Fabric. Details: Frame: Solid beech and particle boards panels. Seat...
Fabric, Beech
$5,306 / 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
Milky White RAP Sofa With Mineral Grey Cushion by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Milky White RAP Sofa With Mineral Grey Cushion by Karim Rashid Dimensions: Sofa: D 80 x W 170 x H 75 cm. Seat Height: 36 cm. Cushion: D 65 x W 130 x H 3 cm. Materials: Polyethylene, ...
Other
$4,753 / item
Powder Blue RAP Sofa by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Powder Blue 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
$4,753 / item
Dove Grey RAP Sofa by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Dove Grey 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 product...
Other
$4,753 / item
Lime Green RAP Sofa by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Lime Green 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 produc...
Other
$4,753 / item
Elephant Grey RAP Sofa by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Elephant Grey 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 pro...
Other
$4,753 / item
Malva Green RAP Sofa by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Malva Green 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
$4,753 / item
Jet Black RAP Sofa by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Jet Black 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 product...
Other
$4,753 / item
Chocolate Brown RAP Sofa by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Chocolate Brown 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 p...
Other
$4,753 / item
Argil Grey RAP Sofa by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Argil Grey 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 produc...
Other
$14,296 / item
Mahogany Leather Mara Sofa by Lorenza Bozzoli
Located in Geneve, CH
Mahogany 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...
Other
$14,296 / item
Milky White Mara Sofa by Lorenza Bozzoli
Located in Geneve, CH
Milky White 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 in d...
Other
$3,246 / item
Elephant Grey Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Elephant Grey 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. Availab...
Other
Chocolate Brown Low Lita Love Low Sofa by OTTO Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Chocolate Brown 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. Avail...
Other
$7,003 / item
Noche Ralph Seater 3 Sofa by SNOC
Located in Geneve, CH
Noche Ralph Seater 3 Sofa by SNOC Dimensions: W 232 x D 80 x H 65 cm. Materials: Teak Wood, Acrylic Rope, Sunbrella Fabric. Ralph-ash Collection consists of a lounge set, dining t...
Fabric, Acrylic, Teak
$5,716 / item
Noche Ralph Seater 2 Sofa by SNOC
Located in Geneve, CH
Noche 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 t...
Fabric, Acrylic, Teak
$4,150 / item
Nightfall Miura Seater Sofa 3 by SNOC
Located in Geneve, CH
Nightfall Miura Seater Sofa 3 by SNOC Dimensions: W 230 x D 82.5 x H 80 cm. Materials: Acrylic Rope, Aluminium. The Miura outdoor collection is an invitation to comfort and elegan...
Aluminum
$4,150 / item
Ash Whale Seater Sofa 2 by SNOC
Located in Geneve, CH
Ash Whale Seater Sofa 2 by SNOC Dimensions: W 190 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
$5,808 / item
Noche Whale Seater Sofa 3 by SNOC
Located in Geneve, CH
Noche Whale Seater Sofa 3 by SNOC Dimensions: W 230 x D 84 x H 66 cm. Materials: Teak Wood. The Whale-ash Collection features an elegant and robust design style inspired by the fo...
Teak
$5,264 / item
Donut Sofa by The Cult
Located in Geneve, CH
Donut Sofa by The Cult Dimensions: W 126 x D 95 x H 83 cm Materials: Upholstery, Velvet The Cult STUDIO Generates Emotional Solutions And Experiences In Different Scales Of Projects...
Upholstery, Velvet
$9,786 / item
Oscar Curve Modular Sofa by DUISTT
Located in Geneve, CH
Oscar Curve Modular Sofa by DUISTT Dimensions: W 265 x D 125 x H 84 cm Materials: Duistt Fabric Inspired by the curved lines poetry of Oscar Niemeyer’s architecture, OSCAR modular ...
Fabric
$5,646 / item
Oscar Corner Modular Sofa by DUISTT
Located in Geneve, CH
Oscar Corner Modular Sofa by DUISTT Dimensions: W 105 x D 105 x H 84 cm Materials: Duistt Fabric Inspired by the curved lines poetry of Oscar Niemeyer...
Fabric
$5,762 / item
Oscar End Modular Sofa by DUISTT
Located in Geneve, CH
Oscar End Modular Sofa by DUISTT Dimensions: W 115 x D 105 x H 84 cm Materials: Duistt Fabric Inspired by the curved lines poetry of Oscar Niemeyer’s architecture, OSCAR modular so...
Fabric
$16,731 / item
Wood Oscar Sofa by DUISTT
Located in Geneve, CH
Wood Oscar Sofa by DUISTT Dimensions: W 210 x D 85 x H 76 cm Materials: Fabric Pierre Frey Esteban Meringue, High Gloss Mahogany Wood Inspired by the curved lines poetry of Oscar Niemeyer’s architecture, the OSCAR wood...
Fabric, Wood
$3,292 / item
Oscar Backless Modular Sofa by DUISTT
Located in Geneve, CH
Oscar Backless Modular Sofa by DUISTT Dimensions: W 95 x D 101 x H 40 cm Materials: Duistt Fabric Inspired by the curved lines poetry of Oscar Niemeyer’s architecture, OSCAR modula...
Fabric
$11,502 / item
Mr Jones Sofa by DUISTT
Located in Geneve, CH
Mr Jones Sofa by DUISTT Dimensions: W 222 x D 92 x H 80 cm Materials: Duistt Fabric, Natural Limed Oak, Brass MR. JONES sofa is a piece with classical influence with sleek design a...
Brass
$11,502 / item
Mr Jones Sofa by DUISTT
Located in Geneve, CH
Mr Jones Sofa by DUISTT Dimensions: W 222 x D 92 x H 80 cm Materials: Duistt Fabric, Natural Limed Oak, Brass MR. JONES sofa is a piece with classical influence with sleek design a...
Brass
Milky White Kami Yon Sofa With Cushion by Marc Sadler
Located in Geneve, CH
Milky White Kami Yon Sofa With Cushion by Marc Sadler Dimensions: Sofa: D 75 x W 174 x H 70 cm. Seat Height: 35 cm. Cushion: D 95 x W 150 x H 3 cm. Materials: Polyethylene, upholster...
Other
Milky White Kami Yon Sofa With Cushion by Marc Sadler
Located in Geneve, CH
Milky White Kami Yon Sofa With Cushion by Marc Sadler Dimensions: Sofa: D 75 x W 174 x H 70 cm. Seat Height: 35 cm. Cushion: D 95 x W 150 x H 3 cm. Materials: Polyethylene, upholster...
Other
$4,753 / item
Dove Grey Kami Yon Sofa by Marc Sadler
Located in Geneve, CH
Dove Grey Kami Yon Sofa by Marc Sadler Dimensions: D 75 x W 174 x H 70 cm. Seat Height: 35 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 33 kg. Available in different color options. This pro...
Other
$4,753 / item
Chocolate Brown Kami Yon Sofa by Marc Sadler
Located in Geneve, CH
Chocolate Brown Kami Yon Sofa by Marc Sadler Dimensions: D 75 x W 174 x H 70 cm. Seat Height: 35 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 33 kg. Available in different color options. Th...
Other
$4,753 / item
Malva Green Kami Yon Sofa by Marc Sadler
Located in Geneve, CH
Malva Green Kami Yon Sofa by Marc Sadler Dimensions: D 75 x W 174 x H 70 cm. Seat Height: 35 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 33 kg. Available in different color options. This p...
Other
$4,753 / item
Elephant Grey Kami Yon Sofa by Marc Sadler
Located in Geneve, CH
Elephant Grey Kami Yon Sofa by Marc Sadler Dimensions: D 75 x W 174 x H 70 cm. Seat Height: 35 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 33 kg. Available in different color options. This...
Other
$4,753 / item
Milky White Kami Yon Sofa by Marc Sadler
Located in Geneve, CH
Milky White Kami Yon Sofa by Marc Sadler Dimensions: D 75 x W 174 x H 70 cm. Seat Height: 35 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 33 kg. Available in different color options. This p...
Other
$4,753 / item
Pumpkin Orange Kami Yon Sofa by Marc Sadler
Located in Geneve, CH
Pumpkin Orange Kami Yon Sofa by Marc Sadler Dimensions: D 75 x W 174 x H 70 cm. Seat Height: 35 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 33 kg. Available in different color options. Thi...
Other
$4,753 / item
Saffron Yellow Kami Yon Sofa by Marc Sadler
Located in Geneve, CH
Saffron Yellow Kami Yon Sofa by Marc Sadler Dimensions: D 75 x W 174 x H 70 cm. Seat Height: 35 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 33 kg. Available in different color options. Thi...
Other
$4,753 / item
Powder Blue Kami Yon Sofa by Marc Sadler
Located in Geneve, CH
Powder Blue Kami Yon Sofa by Marc Sadler Dimensions: D 75 x W 174 x H 70 cm. Seat Height: 35 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 33 kg. Available in different color options. This p...
Other
Milky White Happylife Sofa by Bedini, Marzano And Settimelli
Located in Geneve, CH
Milky White Happylife Sofa by Bedini, Marzano And Settimelli Dimensions: D 90 x W 240 x H 81 cm. Seat Height: 47 cm. Materials: Polyethylene and eco-leather. Weight: 69 kg. Availabl...
Other
$4,753 / item
Sahara Sand Big Kroko Sofa by Marcantonio
Located in Geneve, CH
Sahara Sand Big Kroko Sofa by Marcantonio Dimensions: D 63 x W 167 x H 75 cm. Seat Height: 43 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 22 kg. Also available in biobased polyethylene of ...
Other
$2,434 / item
Amélie Duetto Sofa by Italo Pertichini
Located in Geneve, CH
Amélie Duetto Sofa by Italo Pertichini Dimensions: D 59 x W 120 x H 87 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 18 kg. Available in a standard version an...
Other
$4,753 / item
Namibian Desert Big Kroko Sofa by Marcantonio
Located in Geneve, CH
Namibian Desert Big Kroko Sofa by Marcantonio Dimensions: D 63 x W 167 x H 75 cm. Seat Height: 43 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 22 kg. Also available in biobased polyethylene...
Other
$4,753 / item
Elephant Grey Blossy Rocking Sofa by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Elephant Grey 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. Availab...
Other
$4,753 / item
Argil Grey Blossy Rocking Sofa by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Argil Grey 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 ...
Other
$4,753 / item
Powder Blue Blossy Rocking Sofa by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Powder Blue 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
$4,753 / item
Jet Black Blossy Rocking Sofa by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Jet Black 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 i...
Other
$4,753 / item
Pumpkin Orange Blossy Rocking Sofa by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Pumpkin Orange 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 optio...
Other
$4,753 / item
Saffron Yellow Blossy Rocking Sofa by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Saffron Yellow 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 optio...
Other
$4,753 / item
Lime Green Blossy Rocking Sofa by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Lime 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 ...
Other
$4,753 / item
Chocolate Brown Blossy Rocking Sofa by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Chocolate Brown 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 opti...
Other
$4,753 / item
Milky White Blossy Rocking Sofa by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Milky White 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...
Other
$10,284 / item
Blossom Sofa by Memoir Essence
Located in Geneve, CH
Blossom Sofa by Memoir Essence Dimensions: D 82 x W 210 x H 82 cm. Materials: Gold Leaf with black lacquer gradient and textured satin fabric KY. Also ...
Gold Leaf