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.
$2,579 / item
Pedina Stool by Kreoo
Located in Geneve, CH
Pedina Stool by Kreoo Designed by Enzo Berti Dimensions: Ø 36 x H 43 cm. Base: Ø 25 cm. Materials: Bianco del Re marble. Available in different marble options. Please contact us. ...
Marble
$5,230 / item
Heritage Stool by Lee Jung Hoon
Located in Geneve, CH
Heritage Stool by Lee Jung Hoon Dimensions: D 16.5 x W 60 x H 54.6 cm Materials: Granite, Ash, Stainless Steel. The Heritage series, created by designer Lee Jung-hoon is a collectio...
Granite, Stainless Steel
$880Sale Price|20% Off
Stool ASHIGARU-7 by POPCORN
By POPCORN
Located in 加須市, 11
Stools, display stands, and interior design elements ASHIGARU means "a common foot soldier" in Japanese, so named because it looks like a common foot soldier. It weighs 13 kg.
Steel
$800Sale Price|27% Off
Stool ASHIGARU-3 by POPCORN
By POPCORN
Located in 加須市, 11
Stools, display stands, and interior design elements ASHIGARU means "a common foot soldier" in Japanese, so named because it looks like a common foot soldier. It weighs 13 kg.
Steel
Set of 4 SPC Black Chairs by Atelier Thomas Serruys
Located in Geneve, CH
Set of 4 SPC black chairs by Atelier Thomas Serruys. Dimensions: D65 x W43 x H46. Materials: steel, powder coated. Steel chair made of one shaped tube with sheet steel seat and ...
Steel
$2,710 / item
Symphony Stool by InsidherLand
Located in Geneve, CH
Symphony Stool by InsidherLand Dimensions: D 41 x W 41 x H 50 cm. Materials: Rustic oxidized brushed brass, Mongolian Lamb fur Ref. White. 10 kg. Recog...
Brass
![Up]side[down Stool by Hillsideout](https://a.1stdibscdn.com/upsidedown-stool-by-hillsideout-for-sale/1121189/f_411456721724407714332/41145672_datamatics.jpg?width=240)
![Up]side[down Stool by Hillsideout](https://a.1stdibscdn.com/upsidedown-stool-by-hillsideout-for-sale-picture-2/f_12192/f_411456721724245813751/Hillsideout_Upsidedown_Stool_cm_50x25x25_00005_master.jpg?width=240)
$1,569 / item
Up]side[down Stool by Hillsideout
Located in Geneve, CH
Up]side[down Stool by Hillsideout Dimensions: W 27 x D 27 x H 45 cm. Materials: Handcrafted nut Wood, Screws of Brass, Plexiglass. Hillsideout is an Italian-German collaboration whi...
Brass
$558 / item
Pampa Leather Counter Stool by Cuero Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Pampa Leather Counter Stool by Cuero Design Dimensions: D 47 x W 47 x H 65 cm. Materials: Leather and metal. Finish: Crude Nature leather and black frame. Available in different lea...
Metal
Light White Lighted Pandoro Stool by Gianni Arnaudo
Located in Geneve, CH
Light White Lighted Pandoro Stool by Gianni Arnaudo Dimensions: D 47 x W 47 x H 42 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 3 kg. Available in different color options. This product is s...
Other
$974 / item
Malva Green Gear Stool by Anastasia Ivanyuk
Located in Geneve, CH
Malva Green Gear Stool by Anastasia Ivanyuk Dimensions: D 55 x W 55 x H 43 cm. Seat Height: 43 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 6 kg. Available in different color options. This ...
Other
$1,307 / item
Flame Red Voilà High Stool by Marc Sadler
Located in Geneve, CH
Flame Red Voilà High Stool by Marc Sadler Dimensions: D 38 x W 35 x H 84 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 6 kg. Available in different different color options. This product is s...
Other
Anodized Purple and Rush Weave Wicker Stool by Tino Seubert
Located in Geneve, CH
Anodized purple 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 f...
Aluminum
$653 / item
Malva Green Pandoro Stool by Gianni Arnaudo
Located in Geneve, CH
Malva Green Pandoro Stool by Gianni Arnaudo Dimensions: D 47 x W 47 x H 42 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 3 kg. Available in different color options. This product is suitable ...
Other
$2,877 / item
Gold Wave Stool by Haymann Editions
Located in Geneve, CH
Gold Wave Stool by Haymann Editions Dimensions: D 32 x W 32 x H 38.5 cm. Materials: Blown glass, cork. Available in different blown glass colors. Please contact us. Blown glass by ...
Blown Glass
Fragmented Frame, Sand Casted Tin Rustic Knot Stool by Lucas Tyra Morten
By Lucas Morten
Located in Geneve, CH
Runa Stool by Lucas Tyra Morten 2022 Limited Edition of 3 Dimensions: W 65 x D 45 x H 40 cm Material: Sand casted tin, ancient warp Occupying the li...
Other, Tin
$713 / item
Jet Black Cubo Pouf Stool by SLIDE Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Jet Black 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 suitable f...
Other
$3,305 / item
Mike Reclaimed Oak Stool by Fred and Juul
Located in Geneve, CH
Mike Reclaimed Oak Stool by Fred and Juul Dimensions: D 31 x W 36 x H 45 cm. Materials: Reclaimed oak and brass. This stool can also be used as a side t...
Brass
$1,307 / item
Saffron Yellow Voilà High Stool by Marc Sadler
Located in Geneve, CH
Saffron Yellow Voilà High Stool by Marc Sadler Dimensions: D 38 x W 35 x H 84 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 6 kg. Available in different different color options. This product...
Other
White Lighted Snake Modular Seat by Giò Colonna Romano
Located in Geneve, CH
White Lighted Snake Modular Seat by Giò Colonna Romano Dimensions: D 53 x W 123 x H 43 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 11 kg. This product is suit...
Other
$1,307 / item
Elephant Grey Voilà High Stool by Marc Sadler
Located in Geneve, CH
Elephant Grey Voilà High Stool by Marc Sadler Dimensions: D 38 x W 35 x H 84 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 6 kg. Available in different different color options. This product ...
Other
$3,150 / item
White Soft Snake Modular Seat by SLIDE Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
White Soft Snake Modular Seat by SLIDE Studio Dimensions: D 52 x W 119 x H 43 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 12 kg. Available in different color ...
Other
$1,783 / item
Yellow Soft Cubo Stool by SLIDE Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Yellow Soft Cubo Stool by SLIDE Studio Dimensions: D 43 x W 43 x H 43 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 5 kg. Available in different color options. This product is suitable for ...
Other
$653 / item
Flame Red Pandoro Stool by Gianni Arnaudo
Located in Geneve, CH
Flame Red Pandoro Stool by Gianni Arnaudo Dimensions: D 47 x W 47 x H 42 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 3 kg. Available in different color options. This product is suitable fo...
Other
$6,051 / item
Object 05 Beige Seating by Volta
Located in Geneve, CH
Object 05 Beige Seating by Volta One Of A Kind. Dimensions: D 40,5 x W 40,5 x H 47 cm. Materials: Cork and ceramic. Also available in diffentent colors. Please contact us. MEÏ COLL...
Cork, Ceramic
$6,800 / item
White Layered Ash Wood Stool II by Hyungshin Hwang
Located in Geneve, CH
White Layered ash wood stool II by Hyungshin Hwang Dimensions: D 36 x W 51 x H 93 cm Materials: oxidized ash Layered Series is the main theme and concept of work of Hwang, who c...
Ash
$974 / item
Savannah Land Threebù Stool by Marcantonio
Located in Geneve, CH
Savannah Land Threebù Stool by Marcantonio Dimensions: D 45 x W 45 x H 45 cm. Seat Height: 45 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 4 kg. Also available in biobased polyethylene of v...
Other
$582 / item
Smoked Cork Prop Stool by OxDenmarq
Located in Geneve, CH
Smoked Cork Prop Stool by OxDenmarq Dimensions: D 41 x W 41 x H 70 cm Materials: Cork, Black Powder Coated Steel Also Available: Different colors available, OX DENMARQ is a Dan...
Steel
Black Painted Brass Sculpted Chair with Seat Upholstered by Misaya
By Misaya
Located in Geneve, CH
Black Painted Brass Sculpted Chair with Seat Upholstered by Misaya Dimensions: W 54 x L 58 x H 79 cm (seating: 63) Hand-sculpted chair in brass. The translation of Art Nouveau’s whi...
Brass
$3,340 / item
Hiku Stool by Kana Objects
Located in Geneve, CH
Hiku stool by Kana Objects Dimensions: D 45 x H 45 cm Materials: Smoked oak. Available in other sizes and with cushion options. Also available in natural oak. Tables of different heights and materials can be combined to form a harmonious whole. Isabelle Yamamoto created the optional zabutons (Japanese floor cushions...
Oak
Chocolate Brown Cubo Pouf Stool by SLIDE Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Chocolate Brown 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
Chocolate Brown Gear Stool by Anastasia Ivanyuk
Located in Geneve, CH
Chocolate Brown Gear Stool by Anastasia Ivanyuk Dimensions: D 55 x W 55 x H 43 cm. Seat Height: 43 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 6 kg. Available in different color options. T...
Other
$927 / item
Malva Green Double U Stool by Kazuko Okamoto
Located in Geneve, CH
Malva Green Double U Stool by Kazuko Okamoto Dimensions: D 43 x W 43 x H 58 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 7 kg. Available in different color options. This product is suitabl...
Other
$534 / item
Milky White Cin Cin Stool by SLIDE Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Milky White Cin Cin Stool by SLIDE Studio Dimensions: Ø 32 x H 49 cm. Seat Height: 49 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 2 kg. Available in different color options. This product i...
Other
Set of 4 Medium Pausa Oak Stool by Pierre-Emmanuel Vandeputte
Located in Geneve, CH
Set of 4 Medium Pausa oak stool by Pierre-Emmanuel Vandeputte Dimensions: D 27 x W 35 x H 65 cm Materials: oak wood Available in burnt oak version and in 3 sizes Pausa is a ser...
Oak
$4,018 / item
Steel Ribbon Stool by Gentner Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Steel Ribbon stool by Gentner Design Dimensions: D 50 x W 15 x H 43 cm Materials: stainless steel Available in steel and brass. An exercise in mini...
Stainless Steel
Dartagnan Sbiancata Ash Bar Stool by Haymann Editions
Located in Geneve, CH
Dartagnan Sbiancata Ash Bar Stool by Haymann Editions Dimensions: D 53.5 x W 50.5 x H 95.5 cm. Materials: Rosso Bulgaro leather, Sbiancata ash. Available in different ash finishes and leather options. Please contact us. With its commitment to get to the point, Toni Grilo...
Leather, Ash
Milky White Amélie Sgabello Stool by Italo Pertichini
Located in Geneve, CH
Milky White Amélie Sgabello Stool by Italo Pertichini Dimensions: D 40 x W 46 x H 43 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 4 kg. Available in a standard...
Other
$5,777 / item
Fuerza Stool by Joel Escalona
Located in Geneve, CH
Fuerza stool by Joel Escalona Limited Edition of 9 Dimensions: D 40 x W 32 x H 45 cm Materials: oak wood, Negro Monterrey marble. Solid white oa...
Marble
$974 / item
Powder Blue Gear Stool by Anastasia Ivanyuk
Located in Geneve, CH
Powder Blue Gear Stool by Anastasia Ivanyuk Dimensions: D 55 x W 55 x H 43 cm. Seat Height: 43 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 6 kg. Available in different color options. This ...
Other
Elephant Grey Cubo Pouf Stool by SLIDE Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Elephant Grey 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 suitab...
Other
Pebble Bar Stool Small Re-Plast Black Noir by Warm Nordic
Located in Geneve, CH
Pebble bar stool small re-plast black noir by Warm Nordic Dimensions: D 38 x H 65 cm Material: Re-Plast, Black noir powder coated steel. Weight: 7 k...
Steel, Other
$1,735 / item
Figueroa Stool by InsidherLand
Located in Geneve, CH
Figueroa Stool by InsidherLand Dimensions: D 49 x W 49 x H 43 cm. Materials: Brushed brass, InsidherLand Grainy I Ref. 1 fabric. 12 kg. Available in dif...
Brass
U-shaped Form Rubber Seat and Burned Steel Small Stool by Arno Declercq
Located in Geneve, CH
Small AD stool 2.0 by Arno Declercq Materials: Patinated steel. Dimensions: W 63 x D 38 x H 69 cm. Arno Declercq Belgian designer and art dealer who makes bespoke objects with pass...
Steel
$2,972 / item
Lune A Stool by Duistt
Located in Geneve, CH
Lune A Stool by Duistt Dimensions: D 40 x H 45 cm Materials: Duistt Fabric, Satin Ironwood, Brass The Ironwood tray is optional. Please contact us for any request. LUNE A stool, cra...
Brass
Saffron Yellow Gear Stool by Anastasia Ivanyuk
Located in Geneve, CH
Saffron Yellow Gear Stool by Anastasia Ivanyuk Dimensions: D 55 x W 55 x H 43 cm. Seat Height: 43 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 6 kg. Available in different color options. Th...
Other
$3,400 / item
Ida Foot Stool by Duistt
Located in Geneve, CH
Ida Foot Stool by Duistt Dimensions: W 75 x D 55 x H 42 cm Materials: Duistt Fabric, Black Lacquered Sand brushed Oak, Cast Bronze Details The Ida footstool crafted with great atten...
Other
$14,385 / item
Pele de Tigre Triplo Stool by Andre Teoman Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Pele de Tigre Triplo Stool by Andre Teoman Studio Dimensions: W 70 x D 70 x H 45 cm Materials: Marble Introducing Triplo, a marble stool that challenges traditional perceptions of r...
Marble
$1,153 / item
Memento, Barstool by Jesse Sanderson
Located in Geneve, CH
Memento barstool - Jesse Sanderson, WDSTCK Studio Original signed chair by Jesse Sanderson. Dimensions: 106 x 40 x 45 cm. Seat height: 70 cm. With a sturdy oak school chair...
Leather
$1,462 / item
Argil Grey Koncord High Stool by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Argil Grey 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
$5,230 / item
Black Layered Oak Wood Stool by Hyungshin Hwang
Located in Geneve, CH
Black layered oak wood stool by Hyungshin Hwang. Dimensions: D 36 x W 30 x H 45 cm. Materials: ebonized red oak. Layered Series is the main theme a...
Oak
$7,584 / item
Tamga Wenge Stool by Tolga Sencer
Located in Geneve, CH
Tamga Wenge Stool by Tolga Sencer Dimensions: D 55.5 x W 55.5 x H 40 cm. Materials: Wenge wood. Available in different wood options (massive american...
Wenge
$713 / item
Flame Red Cubo Pouf Stool by SLIDE Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Flame Red 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 suitable f...
Other
$534 / item
Pumpkin Orange Cin Cin Stool by SLIDE Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Pumpkin Orange Cin Cin Stool by SLIDE Studio Dimensions: Ø 32 x H 49 cm. Seat Height: 49 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 2 kg. Available in different color options. This produc...
Other
$1,462 / item
Flame Red Koncord High Stool by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Flame Red 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, g...
Other
$1,462 / item
Powder Blue Koncord High Stool by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Powder Blue 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
Saffron Yellow Lazy Bones High Stool by Barnaby Gunning
Located in Geneve, CH
Saffron Yellow Lazy Bones High Stool by Barnaby Gunning Dimensions: D 40 x W 50 x H 72 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 8 kg. Available in different col...
Other
$974 / item
Milky White Gear Stool by Anastasia Ivanyuk
Located in Geneve, CH
Milky White Gear Stool by Anastasia Ivanyuk Dimensions: D 55 x W 55 x H 43 cm. Seat Height: 43 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 6 kg. Available in different color options. This ...
Other
$1,307 / item
Malva Green Lazy Bones High Stool by Barnaby Gunning
Located in Geneve, CH
Malva Green Lazy Bones High Stool by Barnaby Gunning Dimensions: D 40 x W 50 x H 72 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 8 kg. Available in different color options. This product is ...
Other
$1,462 / item
Pumpkin Orange Koncord High Stool by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Pumpkin Orange 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 standa...
Other
Light White Lighted Bot One Stool by Fabio Della Fiorentina
Located in Geneve, CH
Light White Lighted Bot One Stool by Fabio Della Fiorentina Dimensions: Ø 150 x H 45 cm. Seat Height: 45 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 30 kg. Available in different color opt...
Other