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.
$2,275 / item
Bolota Capture Stool by A. Jacob Marks
Located in Geneve, CH
Bolota Capture Stool by A. Jacob Marks Dimensions: D 30.5 x H 46 cm. Materials: high density black cork, blackened aluminum. BC1 BOLOTA is a limited series of seating and tables fea...
Aluminum
LED Light White Cubo Pouf Stool by SLIDE Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
LED Light White Cubo Pouf Stool by SLIDE Studio Dimensions: D 43 x W 43 x H 43 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 4 kg. Available in different color options. This product is suit...
Other
Stool and light Elephant -Dutch Design Richard Hutten for Gispen- 2008
By Gispen, Richard Hutten
Located in The Hague, NL
The Low-res Elephant is both a stool, a lamp and a playful decoration object at the same time. Designed by Richard Hutten in 2008 for the renowned Dutch manufacturer Gispen in the Ne...
Acrylic
Galactica Star Decorative Stool in Powder-Coated Aluminum by altreforme
Located in Geneve, CH
Galactica Star Decorative Stool in Powder-Coated Aluminum by altreforme Dimensions: D 40 x W 40 x H 43 cm. Materials: Powder-coated aluminum. “Where to, Miss?... To the stars!” (Tit...
Other, Aluminum
$7,047 / item
Cyber Stool in Powder-Coated Aluminum by altreforme
Located in Geneve, CH
Cyber Stool in Powder-Coated Aluminum by altreforme Dimensions: D 43 x W 40 x H 85 cm. SH: 47 cm. Materials: Powder-coated aluminum. The space routes of the Apollo 11 are all enclos...
Aluminum
Pebble Bar Stool Large Smoked Oak Black Noir by Warm Nordic
Located in Geneve, CH
Pebble bar stool large smoked oak black noir by Warm Nordic Dimensions: D 38 x H 76 cm Material: oiled solid ash, smoked solid oak, black noir powder coated steel, pure white powde...
Steel
Vintage Veneman Cast Aluminum Branch Barstools. - A Pair
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
This exquisite pair of Veneman cast aluminum barstools captures the whimsical yet sophisticated essence of Faux Bois design. Expertly crafted to mimic the organic texture of real tre...
Aluminum
$1,353 / item
Sanguine Bellini High Stool by Coco Flip
Located in Geneve, CH
Sanguine Bellini High Stool by Coco Flip Dimensions: D 34 x W 34 x H 65/75 cm Materials: Timber / Stone tops, Powder-coated steel frame. Weight: 8kg Frame Finishes: Textura Paperbar...
Stone, Steel
$2,077 / item
Charlotte Teak Wood Stool by Heaps & Woods
Located in Geneve, CH
Charlotte Teak Wood Stool by Heaps & Woods Dimensions: W 30 x D 30 x H 40 cm Materials: Teak wood A solid block of teak wood featuring an organic rippled texture hand-carved across ...
Other
Auguste Piece 06 White Onyx Limited Edition Stool by Tristan Montabord-Marc
Located in Geneve, CH
Auguste Piece 06 White Onyx Limited Edition Stool by Tristan Montabord-Marc Limited Edition Of 12 Pieces Dimensions: D 43,5 x W 52,5 x H 46 cm. Materials: Onyx. Also available in Z...
Onyx
Set Of 5 Mini Sissi Stackable Totems in Powder-Coated Aluminum by altreforme
Located in Geneve, CH
Set Of 5 Mini Sissi Stackable Totems in Powder-Coated Aluminum by altreforme Limited Edition of 10 Pieces Dimensions: D 30 x W 30 x H 35 cm. Materials: Powder-coated aluminum. Mini ...
Aluminum
Mini Sissi Stackable Totem Seat in Powder-Coated Aluminum by altreforme
Located in Geneve, CH
Mini Sissi Stackable Totem Seat in Powder-Coated Aluminum by altreforme Limited Edition of 10 Pieces Dimensions: D 30 x W 30 x H 35 cm. Materials: Powder-coated aluminum. Mini Sissi...
Aluminum
Sissi Stackable Totem Seat in Powder-Coated Aluminum by altreforme
Located in Geneve, CH
Sissi Stackable Totem Seat in Powder-Coated Aluminum by altreforme Limited Edition of 10 Pieces Dimensions: D 45 x W 45 x H 45 cm. Materials: Powder-coated aluminum. Sissi is a made...
Aluminum
$42,614 / item
Origin Strata Signed Stool by Rockstool Paris
Located in Geneve, CH
Origin Strata Signed Stool by Rockstool Paris Limited edition of 5 + 3 AP per color Dimensions: W 55 x D 60 x H 65 cm Materials: Stoneware Available in different colors and sizes, p...
Stone, Other
Set Of 5 Sissi Stackable Totem Seats in Powder-Coated Aluminum by altreforme
Located in Geneve, CH
Set Of 5 Sissi Stackable Totem Seats in Powder-Coated Aluminum by altreforme Limited Edition of 10 Pieces Dimensions: D 45 x W 45 x H 45 cm. Materials: Powder-coated aluminum. Sissi...
Aluminum
Hanabishi Stool, Stained Birch Wood by Mun Hau Production
Located in Geneve, CH
Hanabishi Stool, Stained Birch Wood by Mun Hau Production Dimensions: W 38 x D 28 x H 43.5 cm. Materials: Stained Birch Wood, Stained Birch Plywood, Wood inlay - oak, sapele, birch. ...
Wood
$3,850 / item
Neolithic Thinker Stool by Panorammma
Located in Geneve, CH
Neolithic thinker stool by Panorammma Materials: tezontle (red volcanic rock). Dimensions: 45 x 50 x 20 cm. Panorammma is a furniture design atelier based in Mexico City that s...
Stone
80s Postmodern Lacquered Wood & Vegan Leather Barstool Radical
By Moanne
Located in Almería, ES
Rebellion isn’t always loud. Sometimes, it takes shape in silence—in the refusal to blend in, in the geometry that breaks the mold. The Radical Counter Stool is just that: a visual m...
Wood, Faux Leather, Lacquer
Rockstool Medium Signed Rock Shaped Stool by Rockstool Paris
Located in Geneve, CH
Rockstool Medium Signed Rock Shaped Stool by Rockstool Paris Dimensions: W 80 x D 65 x H 50 cm Materials: Stoneware Available in different colors and sizes, please contact us. It's...
Stone, Other
$2,835 / item
Silhouette Bar Stool by InsidherLand
Located in Geneve, CH
Silhouette Bar Stool by InsidherLand Dimensions: D 51 x W 48 x H 110 cm. Materials: wood structure with translucent dark brown in high gloss varnish, InsidherLand Ref. Mix 2 fabric. ...
Upholstery, Wood
Postmodern Prototype Stool by Isabelle Moore, 1995
Located in Surbiton, GB
Prototype barstool made by the artist and furniture maker Isabelle Moore in 1995 at Parnham College. Composed from maple, suede and painted MDF. Isabelle Moore creates unique furni...
Suede, Wood, Maple
$5,262 / item
Wave Stool & Side Table VIII by Homa
Located in Geneve, CH
Wave Stool & Side Table VIII by Homa. Dimensions: D 25 x H 54 cm. Materials: Blown Glass, Smoke Mirror. Colour: Smoke. Formed through an experimental glassblowing process, each Wave...
Blown Glass, Mirror
$2,648 / item
Coleman Bar Stool by Munna
Located in Geneve, CH
Coleman Bar Stool by Munna Dimensions: D 54 x W 44 x H 105 cm. SH: 80 cm. Materials: Solid wood, foam, brass, and upholstery. Finish: Upholstery: Vivid Chenille, ref. Moss, VIC13. Le...
Brass
$1,435 / item
Milky White Koncord High Stool by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Milky White Koncord High Stool by Karim Rashid Dimensions: D 40 x W 43 x H 76 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 5 kg. Available in different color options. Available in standard,...
Other
$781 / item
Lonna Stool, Ash & Small by Made by Choice
Located in Geneve, CH
Lonna stool, ash & small by Made By Choice. Dimensions: 34 x 34 x 44 cm Materials: ash Also available: medium, large, oak, black, custom color. Lonna furniture series was ori...
Ash
$2,520 / item
Olympia Counter Stool by Munna
Located in Geneve, CH
Olympia Counter Stool by Munna Dimensions: D 55 x W 58 x H 90 cm. SH: 70 cm. Materials: Solid wood, foam, brass, and upholstery. Finish: Upholstery: Cotton Velvet, ref. Emerald, CV09...
Brass
$5,005 / item
Wave Stool & Side Table I by Homa
Located in Geneve, CH
Wave Stool & Side Table I by Homa. Dimensions: W 30 x D 23 x H 40 cm . Materials: Blown Glass. Colour: Brown. Formed through an experimental glassblowing process, each Wave Stool/S...
Blown Glass
$5,262 / item
Wave Stool & Side Table IV by Homa
Located in Geneve, CH
Wave Stool & Side Table IV by Homa Dimensions: W 26 x D 30 x H 40 cm. Materials: Blown Glass, Silver Mirror. Colour: Brown. Formed through an experimental glassblowing process, e...
Blown Glass, Mirror
$5,577 / item
Rose Thé Awaiting L Stool by Secondome Edizioni
Located in Geneve, CH
Rose Thé Awaiting L Stool by Secondome Edizioni Designer: Coralla Maiuri + Giorgia Zanellato. Dimensions: D 48 x W 48 x H 69 cm. Materials: Brass and velvet. Collection / Production...
Brass
$3,418 / item
Temple Oak and Leather Stool by Luis Gimeno
Located in Geneve, CH
Temple Oak and Leather Stool by Luis Gimeno Dimensions: D 35 x W 45 x H 45 cm Materials: Oak, leather. Made out of four hexagonal prisma legs, this stool is a throw back to classic ...
Oak, Leather
$7,339 / item
Form Entry Table by Goons
Located in Geneve, CH
Form Entry Table by Goons Dimensions: W 35 x D 31 x H 74 cm Materials: Wood. Finish: White wash The Form Entry Table, multifaceted and multifunctional, was born of our studio itself...
Wood
$2,030 / item
Timber Stool Walnut by Onno Adriaanse
Located in Geneve, CH
Timber Stool Walnut by Onno Adriaanse Signed and numbered Dimensions: D 40 x W 29 x H 45 cm Materials: Walnut wood, silk-matte oil. Also available in Color: Indigo blue, purple-red, ...
Coating, Walnut
$5,040 / item
Aro Stool by Gabriela Campos
Located in Geneve, CH
Aro Stool by Gabriela Campos Dimensions: D 55 x W 55 x H 62 cm. Materials: Freijó wood with imbuia finish and hand-painted fabric. The essence of this capsule of 4 pieces is a dialo...
Fabric, Wood
Anodized Burgundy and Rush Weave Wicker Stool by Tino Seubert
Located in Geneve, CH
Anodized burgundy and rush weave wicker stool by Tino Seubert Dimensions: D 43 x W 38 x H 45 cm. Materials: Color anodized aluminum extrusions, rush weave. Tino Seubert When he...
Aluminum
$10,011 / item
Console Bar Stool by Konstantin Achkov
Located in Geneve, CH
Console Bar Stool by Konstantin Achkov Limited Edition Dimensions: D 50 x W 44 x H 85 cm. SH: 65 cm. Materials: Oak wood, epoxy resin, and stainless steel. Konstantin Achkov is a le...
Stainless Steel
$1,003 / item
Noel Counter Chair by Thorup Copenhagen
Located in Geneve, CH
Noel Counter Chair by Thorup Copenhagen Dimensions: D 42 x W 50 x H 77 cm. Materials: Stainless steel, dark grey wool. Available in other colors. Please contact us. Thorup Copenhag...
Stainless Steel
Glenn Thinking Stool in Gypsum & Fiberglass by Brent Warr Studios
By Brent Warr
Located in Bainbridge, GA
Blurring the lines of art and purpose, the Glenn Thinking Stool is a tribute to the artistry and uniqueness of handcraftsmanship. Perfect as an accent for a living room, the Glenn ...
Epoxy Resin, Fiberglass, Plaster, Paint, Hardwood
$13,255 / item
Nuture Stool by Ella Bulley
Located in Geneve, CH
Nuture Stool by Ella Bulley Limited Edition Of 15 Pieces Dimensions: D 40 x W 90 x H 76 cm. Materials: Walnut and red wood. Ella Bulley is a Material Design Studio based in London, ...
Wood, Walnut
$6,079 / item
Birch Plywood and Reclaimed Wood Form Stool by Goons
Located in Geneve, CH
Birch Plywood and Reclaimed Wood Form Stool by Goons Dimensions: W 28 x D 35 x H 44 cm Materials: Birch Plywood and Reclaimed Wood. Finish: White wash The Form Stool, multifaceted a...
Wood
Unique, Plywood, Oak and Paper Summit Stool Joanne Odisho
Located in Geneve, CH
Unique, Plywood, Oak and Paper Summit Stool Joanne Odisho Dimensions: W 30 x D 45 x H 45 cm Materials: Plywood, American Oak, Paper Pump. Joanne Odisho is a designer committed to s...
Paper, Oak, Plywood
$3,955 / item
Flame Foot Stool by Memoir Essence
Located in Geneve, CH
Flame Foot Stool by Memoir Essence Dimensions: D 50 x W 68 x H 42 cm. Materials: Velvet TT, satin STN and lacquer. Also available in client's fabric. Please contact us. Flame bench...
Satin, Upholstery, Velvet, Lacquer
Tecton Stool & Coffee Table in Travertine by Félix Millory for Monitillo 1980
Located in Geneve, CH
Tecton Stool & Coffee Table in Travertine by Félix Millory for Monitillo 1980. Dimensions: W 69.2 x D 40 x H 55 cm. Materials: Travertine. This Small Stool and Coffee Table is avail...
Travertine
Grafite Contemporary Honed Marble Stool by Angelo Alinea
Located in Geneve, CH
Grafite Contemporary Honed Marble Stool by Angelo Alinea Dimensions: D 35 x H 47 cm Materials: Marble Available in: GRAFITE / TRAVERTINO ROSSO / GREY SAINT LAURENT / PICASSO GREEN / PORT SAINT LAURENT / TRAVERTINO SILVER / ROSSO LEPANTO / BIANCO STATUARIETTO. Custom materials and sizes available upon request. Please contact us. The Angelo M stools are inspired by the base of the Angelo M table...
Marble
Pumpkin Orange Cubo Pouf Stool by SLIDE Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Pumpkin Orange Cubo Pouf Stool by SLIDE Studio Dimensions: D 43 x W 43 x H 43 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 4 kg. Available in different color options. This product is suita...
Other
TORO Stool in Oak with Cream Wash Tint by Daniel Couttolenc
Located in Geneve, CH
TORO Stool in Oak with Cream Wash Tint by Daniel Couttolenc Dimensions: D 50 x W 50 x H 47 cm. Materials: Oak. The TORO Stool by Daniel Couttolenc blurs the line between design and ...
Oak
Grey Saint Laurent Contemporary Honed Marble Stool by Angelo Alinea
Located in Geneve, CH
Grey Saint Laurent Contemporary Honed Marble Stool by Angelo Alinea Dimensions: D 35 x H 47 cm Materials: Marble Available in: GRAFITE / TRAVERTINO ROSSO / GREY SAINT LAURENT / PICASSO GREEN / PORT SAINT LAURENT / TRAVERTINO SILVER / ROSSO LEPANTO / BIANCO STATUARIETTO. Custom materials and sizes available upon request. Please contact us. The Angelo M...
Marble
Javier Mariscal duplex stool
Located in Bruxelles, BE
Old edition of iconic duplex stool by Javier Mariscal . Made in beginning of the eighties for the duplex bar in Valence.
Metal
Set of 10 Soft Edge72 Stools, Oak by Iskos-Berlin for Hay
By Iskos-Berlin, HAY
Located in Dubai, AE
Iskos-Berlin’s Soft Edge series features an organically shaped design, blending strong curves with extreme lightness to create a minimalistic design that optimizes human-centric comf...
Oak
TORO Stool in Tzalam with Natural Finish by Daniel Couttolenc
Located in Geneve, CH
TORO Stool in Tzalam with Natural Finish by Daniel Couttolenc. Dimensions: D 50 x W 50 x H 47 cm. Materials: Tzalam wood. The TORO Stool by Daniel Couttolenc blurs the line between ...
Hardwood
$10,781 / item
Ebonized Mahogany Stool by Michael Wilson
Located in Geneve, CH
Ebonized Mahogany Stool by Michael Wilson Dimensions: W 83.82 x D 39.37 x H 53.34 cm Materials: mahogany The Michael Wilson Studio was founded in the fall of 2000. The Japanese-Amer...
Other
KABIKI Rocking Stool in Red Oak with Black Finish by Daniel Couttolenc
Located in Geneve, CH
KABIKI Rocking Stool in Red Oak with Black Finish by Daniel Couttolenc. Dimensions: D 90 x W 45 x H 56 cm. Materials: Red Oak. The KABIKI Rocking Stool by Daniel Couttolenc is a scu...
Oak
BLEO Stool II in Red Oak Wood with Cream Wash Tint by Daniel Couttolenc
Located in Geneve, CH
BLEO Stool II in Red Oak Wood with Cream Wash Tint by Daniel Couttolenc Dimensions: D 55 x W 21 x H 42 cm. Materials: Red Oak Wood Also available in black finish and Tzalam wood upo...
Hardwood
$5,647 / item
Element Basalt Bulk Stool by Idaaf Architects
Located in Geneve, CH
Element Basalt Bulk Stool by Idaaf Architects Dimensions: W 85 x D 45 x H 55 cm Materials: basalt ‘Element’, which combines furniture of different functions, was created under the influence of the Georgian Oda house...
Other
Set of 10 Soft Edge72 Stools, Fall Red by Iskos-Berlin for Hay
By Iskos-Berlin, HAY
Located in Dubai, AE
Iskos-Berlin’s Soft Edge series features an organically shaped design, blending strong curves with extreme lightness to create a minimalistic design that optimizes human-centric comf...
Oak
$2,672 / item
Escape Stool by Duistt
Located in Geneve, CH
Escape Stool by Duistt Dimensions: D 50 x H 45 cm Materials: Duistt Fabric, Light Bronze The ESCAPE stool, crafted with great attention, was elegantly designed with a special fabric...
Bronze
Vecta Beylerian Collection Table & Stool
By Vecta Group
Located in Highland, IN
This terrific post-modern design by Vecta uses wire rod for a strong graphic quality. It features a semi-circular table with a machined steel top paired with a three-legged stool. It...
Steel
$4,725 / item
Linard Barstool by Thai Hua
By Thai Hua
Located in Geneve, CH
Linard barstool by Thai Hua Dimensions: D 57 x W 48 x H 91 cm Materials: oak wood, leather. Solid holm white oak and bone leather stool. Thai Hua is an industrial designer or...
Leather, Oak
TORO Stool in Oak with Black Finish by Daniel Couttolenc
Located in Geneve, CH
TORO Stool in Oak with Black Finish by Daniel Couttolenc. Dimensions: D 50 x W 50 x H 47 cm. Materials: Oak. The TORO Stool by Daniel Couttolenc blurs the line between design and sc...
Oak
ELEMENTOS Water Stool Sandblasted Pine with Black Finish by Daniel Couttolenc
Located in Geneve, CH
ELEMENTOS Water Stool in Sandblasted Pine with Black Finish by Daniel Couttolenc Dimensions: D 42 x W 42 x H 42 cm. Materials: Sandblasted Pine. Water flows, adapts, and transforms....
Pine