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.
$1,274 / item
Dove Grey Voilà High Stool by Marc Sadler
Located in Geneve, CH
Dove 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 is s...
Other
$1,274 / item
Chocolate Brown Voilà High Stool by Marc Sadler
Located in Geneve, CH
Chocolate Brown 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 produc...
Other
$1,274 / item
Pumpkin Orange Voilà High Stool by Marc Sadler
Located in Geneve, CH
Pumpkin Orange 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
$1,274 / item
Milky White Voilà High Stool by Marc Sadler
Located in Geneve, CH
Milky White 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...
Other
$3,070 / item
Yellow Soft Snake Modular Seat by SLIDE Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Yellow 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
$1,738 / item
White Soft Cubo Stool by SLIDE Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
White 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 i...
Other
$1,738 / item
Argil Grey Soft Cubo Stool by SLIDE Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Argil Grey 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 ...
Other
$1,738 / item
Black Soft Cubo Stool by SLIDE Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Black 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 i...
Other
$2,375 / item
Arabescato Ribs Up High Stool by OTTO Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Arabescato Ribs Up High Stool by OTTO Studio Designed by Paola Navone. Dimensions: D 58 x W 57 x H 117 cm. Seat Height: 73 cm. Materials: Polyethylene and metal. Weight: 13 kg. Ava...
Metal, Other
$1,738 / item
Glossy Metallic Gold Pandoro Stool by Gianni Arnaudo
Located in Geneve, CH
Glossy Metallic Gold Pandoro Stool by Gianni Arnaudo Dimensions: D 47 x W 47 x H 42 cm. Materials: Polyethylene with a glossy lacquered metallic gold finish. Weight: 3 kg. Available...
Other
Pumpkin Orange Pandoro Stool by Gianni Arnaudo
Located in Geneve, CH
Pumpkin Orange 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 suitab...
Other
Saffron Yellow Pandoro Stool by Gianni Arnaudo
Located in Geneve, CH
Saffron Yellow 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 suitab...
Other
Elephant Grey Pandoro Stool by Gianni Arnaudo
Located in Geneve, CH
Elephant Grey 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 suitabl...
Other
$637 / item
Jet Black Pandoro Stool by Gianni Arnaudo
Located in Geneve, CH
Jet Black 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
$637 / 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
$637 / item
Lime Green Pandoro Stool by Gianni Arnaudo
Located in Geneve, CH
Lime 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 f...
Other
$637 / item
Argil Grey Pandoro Stool by Gianni Arnaudo
Located in Geneve, CH
Argil Grey 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 f...
Other
Chocolate Brown Pandoro Stool by Gianni Arnaudo
Located in Geneve, CH
Chocolate Brown 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 suita...
Other
$637 / item
Dove Grey Pandoro Stool by Gianni Arnaudo
Located in Geneve, CH
Dove Grey 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
$637 / item
Milky White Pandoro Stool by Gianni Arnaudo
Located in Geneve, CH
Milky White 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
$7,439 / item
Barth Stool by Le Berre Vevaud
Located in Geneve, CH
Barth Stool by Le Berre Vevaud Dimensions: D 37 x H 45 cm. Materials: Solid basswood, covered by mineral plaster and lacquered in Aubergine ALV-L0038 glossy color. For over 15 year...
Plaster, Wood
$2,804 / item
Eggplant Wave Stool by Haymann Editions
Located in Geneve, CH
Eggplant 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...
Blown Glass
$2,387 / item
Dartagnan Tinto Rovere Ash Stool by Haymann Editions
Located in Geneve, CH
Dartagnan Tinto Rovere Ash Stool by Haymann Editions Dimensions: D 53.5 x W 50.5 x H 80.5 cm. Materials: Rosso Bulgaro leather, Sbiancata ash. Available in different ash finishes an...
Leather, Ash
$14,021 / item
Granite Caracoles Ceramic Stool by Forma Rosa Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Granite Caracoles Ceramic Stool by Forma Rosa Studio Dimensions: D 45.7 x W 45.7 x H 50.8 cm. Materials: Ceramic. Available in Green and Granite colors. This ceramic-crafted stool ...
Ceramic
$2,943 / item
Fur Lune C Stool by DUISTT
Located in Geneve, CH
Fur Lune C Stool by DUISTT Dimensions: D 40 x H 45 cm Materials: Bronze and Rabbit Fur An optional wood tray can be added. Please contact us for any request. LUNE C fur stool, craf...
Bronze
$2,074 / item
Lune C Stool by Duistt
Located in Geneve, CH
Lune C Stool by Duistt Dimensions: D 40 x H 45 cm Materials: Duistt Fabric, Brass The Ironwood tray is optional. Please contact us for any request. Lune C stool is a very beautiful ...
Brass
$3,036 / item
Lune B Stool by Duistt
Located in Geneve, CH
Lune B 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 B stool, cra...
Brass
$3,314 / 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
$1,274 / item
Powder Blue Lazy Bones High Stool by Barnaby Gunning
Located in Geneve, CH
Powder Blue 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
$1,274 / item
Jet Black Lazy Bones High Stool by Barnaby Gunning
Located in Geneve, CH
Jet Black 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 op...
Other
$1,274 / item
Argil Grey Lazy Bones High Stool by Barnaby Gunning
Located in Geneve, CH
Argil Grey 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 s...
Other
Elephant Grey Lazy Bones High Stool by Barnaby Gunning
Located in Geneve, CH
Elephant Grey 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 i...
Other
$1,425 / 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
$1,274 / item
Flame Red Lazy Bones High Stool by Barnaby Gunning
Located in Geneve, CH
Flame Red 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 op...
Other
Chocolate Brown Lazy Bones High Stool by Barnaby Gunning
Located in Geneve, CH
Chocolate Brown 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...
Other
Pumpkin Orange Lazy Bones High Stool by Barnaby Gunning
Located in Geneve, CH
Pumpkin Orange 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
$1,274 / item
Milky White Lazy Bones High Stool by Barnaby Gunning
Located in Geneve, CH
Milky White 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 ...
Other
$1,425 / item
Dove Grey Koncord High Stool by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Dove 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, g...
Other
$1,425 / item
Lime Green Koncord High Stool by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Lime Green 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
$1,425 / item
Chocolate Brown Koncord High Stool by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Chocolate Brown 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 stand...
Other
$1,425 / item
Elephant Grey Koncord High Stool by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Elephant 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 standar...
Other
$950 / item
Flame Red Gear Stool by Anastasia Ivanyuk
Located in Geneve, CH
Flame Red 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 pr...
Other
$950 / item
Dove Grey Gear Stool by Anastasia Ivanyuk
Located in Geneve, CH
Dove Grey 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 pr...
Other
Elephant Grey Gear Stool by Anastasia Ivanyuk
Located in Geneve, CH
Elephant Grey 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. Thi...
Other
Sweet Fuchsia Gear Stool by Anastasia Ivanyuk
Located in Geneve, CH
Sweet Fuchsia 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. Thi...
Other
$950 / item
Argil Grey Gear Stool by Anastasia Ivanyuk
Located in Geneve, CH
Argil Grey 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 p...
Other
Pumpkin Orange Gear Stool by Anastasia Ivanyuk
Located in Geneve, CH
Pumpkin Orange 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
Glamour Black Glossy Drink High Stool by Jorge Najera
Located in Geneve, CH
Glamour Black Glossy Drink High Stool by Jorge Najera Dimensions: Ø 45 x H 75 cm. Materials: Glossy lacquered polyethylene. Weight: 7 kg. Available in different color options. This...
Other
$903 / item
Argil Grey Double U Stool by Kazuko Okamoto
Located in Geneve, CH
Argil Grey 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 suitable...
Other
$903 / item
Jet Black Double U Stool by Kazuko Okamoto
Located in Geneve, CH
Jet Black 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 suitable ...
Other
$1,274 / item
Milky White Drink High Stool by Jorge Najera
Located in Geneve, CH
Milky White Drink High Stool by Jorge Najera Dimensions: Ø 45 x H 75 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 7 kg. Available in different color options. This product is suitable for i...
Other
$1,274 / item
Sweet Fuchsia Drink High Stool by Jorge Najera
Located in Geneve, CH
Sweet Fuchsia Drink High Stool by Jorge Najera Dimensions: Ø 45 x H 75 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 7 kg. Available in different color options. This product is suitable for...
Other
$903 / item
Powder Blue Double U Stool by Kazuko Okamoto
Located in Geneve, CH
Powder Blue 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
$903 / item
Dove Grey Double U Stool by Kazuko Okamoto
Located in Geneve, CH
Dove Grey 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 suitable ...
Other
Chocolate Brown Double U Stool by Kazuko Okamoto
Located in Geneve, CH
Chocolate Brown 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 sui...
Other
$903 / item
Milky White Double U Stool by Kazuko Okamoto
Located in Geneve, CH
Milky White 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
Elephant Grey Double U Stool by Kazuko Okamoto
Located in Geneve, CH
Elephant Grey 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 suita...
Other
Saffron Yellow Double U Stool by Kazuko Okamoto
Located in Geneve, CH
Saffron Yellow 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 suit...
Other
$695 / item
Argil Grey Cubo Pouf Stool by SLIDE Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Argil 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 suitable ...
Other
$695 / item
Milky White Cubo Pouf Stool by SLIDE Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Milky 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 suitable...
Other