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.
$5,543 / item
Aubergine Awaiting H Stool by Secondome Edizioni
Located in Geneve, CH
Aubergine Awaiting H Stool by Secondome Edizioni Designer: Coralla Maiuri + Giorgia Zanellato. Dimensions: D 40 x W 65 x H 60 cm. Materials: Brass and velvet. Collection / Productio...
Brass
$5,543 / item
Lago Awaiting L Stool by Secondome Edizioni
Located in Geneve, CH
Lago 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: Se...
Brass
$5,543 / item
Indigo Awaiting L Stool by Secondome Edizioni
Located in Geneve, CH
Indigo 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
$5,543 / item
Argent Awaiting L Stool by Secondome Edizioni
Located in Geneve, CH
Argent 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
$5,543 / item
Melanzana Awaiting L Stool by Secondome Edizioni
Located in Geneve, CH
Melanzana 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 / Productio...
Brass
$5,543 / item
Lago Awaiting T Stool by Secondome Edizioni
Located in Geneve, CH
Lago Awaiting T Stool by Secondome Edizioni Designer: Coralla Maiuri + Giorgia Zanellato. Dimensions: D 40 x W 49 x H 67 cm. Materials: Brass and velvet. Collection / Production: Se...
Brass
Jeunesse Green Stool by Secondome Edizioni and Studio F
Located in Geneve, CH
Jeunesse Green Stool by Secondome Edizioni and Studio F Designer: Duccio Maria Gambi. Dimensions: Ø 32 x H 43 cm. Materials: Solid woodworm maple wood. Collection / Production: Seco...
Maple
$5,543 / item
Mirtillo Awaiting T Stool by Secondome Edizioni
Located in Geneve, CH
Mirtillo Awaiting T Stool by Secondome Edizioni Designer: Coralla Maiuri + Giorgia Zanellato. Dimensions: D 40 x W 49 x H 67 cm. Materials: Brass and velvet. Collection / Production...
Brass
$5,543 / item
Prugna Awaiting T Stool by Secondome Edizioni
Located in Geneve, CH
Prugna Awaiting T Stool by Secondome Edizioni Designer: Coralla Maiuri + Giorgia Zanellato. Dimensions: D 40 x W 49 x H 67 cm. Materials: Brass and velvet. Collection / Production: ...
Brass
$5,543 / item
Lago Awaiting H Stool by Secondome Edizioni
Located in Geneve, CH
Lago Awaiting H Stool by Secondome Edizioni Designer: Coralla Maiuri + Giorgia Zanellato. Dimensions: D 40 x W 65 x H 60 cm. Materials: Brass and velvet. Collection / Production: Se...
Brass
$5,543 / item
Mirtillo Awaiting H Stool by Secondome Edizioni
Located in Geneve, CH
Mirtillo Awaiting H Stool by Secondome Edizioni Designer: Coralla Maiuri + Giorgia Zanellato. Dimensions: D 40 x W 65 x H 60 cm. Materials: Brass and velvet. Collection / Production...
Brass
$5,543 / item
Vino Awaiting H Stool by Secondome Edizioni
Located in Geneve, CH
Vino Awaiting H Stool by Secondome Edizioni Designer: Coralla Maiuri + Giorgia Zanellato. Dimensions: D 40 x W 65 x H 60 cm. Materials: Brass and velvet. Collection / Production: Se...
Brass
$5,543 / item
Indigo Awaiting H Stool by Secondome Edizioni
Located in Geneve, CH
Indigo Awaiting H Stool by Secondome Edizioni Designer: Coralla Maiuri + Giorgia Zanellato. Dimensions: D 40 x W 65 x H 60 cm. Materials: Brass and velvet. Collection / Production: ...
Brass
$5,543 / item
Aubergine Awaiting L Stool by Secondome Edizioni
Located in Geneve, CH
Aubergine 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 / Productio...
Brass
$5,543 / item
Brume Awaiting L Stool by Secondome Edizioni
Located in Geneve, CH
Brume 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: S...
Brass
$5,543 / item
Vino Awaiting T Stool by Secondome Edizioni
Located in Geneve, CH
Vino Awaiting T Stool by Secondome Edizioni Designer: Coralla Maiuri + Giorgia Zanellato. Dimensions: D 40 x W 49 x H 67 cm. Materials: Brass and velvet. Collection / Production: Se...
Brass
$5,543 / item
Brume Awaiting T Stool by Secondome Edizioni
Located in Geneve, CH
Brume Awaiting T Stool by Secondome Edizioni Designer: Coralla Maiuri + Giorgia Zanellato. Dimensions: D 40 x W 49 x H 67 cm. Materials: Brass and velvet. Collection / Production: S...
Brass
$5,543 / item
Prugna Awaiting L Stool by Secondome Edizioni
Located in Geneve, CH
Prugna 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
$5,543 / item
Melanzana Awaiting T Stool by Secondome Edizioni
Located in Geneve, CH
Melanzana Awaiting T Stool by Secondome Edizioni Designer: Coralla Maiuri + Giorgia Zanellato. Dimensions: D 40 x W 49 x H 67 cm. Materials: Brass and velvet. Collection / Productio...
Brass
$5,543 / item
Argent Awaiting T Stool by Secondome Edizioni
Located in Geneve, CH
Argent Awaiting T Stool by Secondome Edizioni Designer: Coralla Maiuri + Giorgia Zanellato. Dimensions: D 40 x W 49 x H 67 cm. Materials: Brass and velvet. Collection / Production: ...
Brass
$5,543 / item
Vino Awaiting L Stool by Secondome Edizioni
Located in Geneve, CH
Vino 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: Se...
Brass
$15,017 / item
Fusion Stool by Secondome Edizioni
Located in Geneve, CH
Fusion Bench by Secondome Edizioni Designer: Millim Studio. Dimensions: D 45 x W 45 x H 40 cm. Materials: Marquina marble and plexiglass Collection / Production: Secondome. This pie...
Marble
$22,172 / item
Object 06 Black Seating by Volta
Located in Geneve, CH
Object 06 Black Seating by Volta One Of A Kind. Dimensions: D 80 x W 200 x H 75 cm. Materials: Cork and ceramic. Also available in different colors. Please contact us. MEÏ COLLECTI...
Ceramic, Cork
$13,521 / item
Object 07 Brown Seating by Volta
Located in Geneve, CH
Object 07 Brown Seating by Volta One Of A Kind. Dimensions: D 34,5 x W 120 x H 80 cm. Materials: Cork and ceramic. Also available in diffentent colors. Please contact us. MEÏ COLLE...
Ceramic, Cork
$22,172 / item
Object 06 Violet Seating by Volta
Located in Geneve, CH
Object 06 Violet Seating by Volta One Of A Kind. Dimensions: D 80 x W 200 x H 75 cm. Materials: Cork and ceramic. Also available in diffentent colors. Please contact us. MEÏ COLLEC...
Ceramic, Cork
$22,172 / item
Object 06 Green Seating by Volta
Located in Geneve, CH
Object 06 Green Seating by Volta One Of A Kind. Dimensions: D 80 x W 200 x H 75 cm. Materials: Cork and ceramic. Also available in diffentent colors. Please contact us. MEÏ COLLECT...
Ceramic, Cork
$22,172 / item
Object 06 Beige Seating by Volta
Located in Geneve, CH
Object 06 Beige Seating by Volta One Of A Kind. Dimensions: D 80 x W 200 x H 75 cm. Materials: Cork and ceramic. Also available in diffentent colors. Please contact us. MEÏ COLLECT...
Ceramic, Cork
Beautiful Ass Black Stained Ash ASSY Stool by Mademoiselle Jo
Located in Geneve, CH
Beautiful Ass Black Stained Ash ASSY Stool by Mademoiselle Jo Dimensions: Ø 35 x H 43 cm. Materials: Ash wood and brass inlay. Available in two wood colors and several designs. Ple...
Brass
Face Design Black Stained Ash ASSY Stool by Mademoiselle Jo
Located in Geneve, CH
Face Design Black Stained Ash ASSY Stool by Mademoiselle Jo Dimensions: Ø 35 x H 43 cm. Materials: Ash wood and brass inlay. Available in two wood colors and several designs. Pleas...
Brass
Set of 2 Black Stained Ash ASSY Stools by Mademoiselle Jo
Located in Geneve, CH
Set of 2 Black Stained Ash ASSY Stool by Mademoiselle Jo Dimensions: Ø 35 x H 43 cm (each). Materials: Ash wood and brass inlay. Available in two wood colors and several designs. P...
Brass
Black Stained Ash and Orange Leather ASSY Stool by Mademoiselle Jo
Located in Geneve, CH
Black Stained Ash and Orange Leather Stool by Mademoiselle Jo Dimensions: Ø 35 x H 43 cm. Materials: Black stained ash and orange leather. Available in two wood colors and several d...
Leather, Ash
$9,485 / item
Movimiento Bench by Joel Escalona
Located in Geneve, CH
Movimiento bench by Joel Escalona Limited Edition of 9 Dimensions: D 40 x W 120 x H 45 cm Materials: oak wood, metal. White oak veneer with meta...
Metal
$9,694 / item
Creachair Signed by Cal Summers
By Cal Summers
Located in Geneve, CH
Creachair signed by Cal Summers ‘Creachair’ Materials sculpted iron. Waxed finish. Leather upholstery Size- 16” D x 16” W, 22” H Cal Summers is a British designer who makes b...
Iron
$568 / item
Natural Cork Prop Stool by Oxdenmarq
Located in Geneve, CH
Natural 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
$1,113 / item
Hazelnut Strap Bar Chair by Ox Denmarq
Located in Geneve, CH
Hazelnut strap bar chair by Ox Denmarq Dimensions: D 45 x W 45 x H 104 cm. Materials: leather, black powder coated steel Also available: different colors available. Ox Denmarq ...
Steel
$701 / item
Halikko Bar Chair by Made by Choice
Located in Geneve, CH
Halikko bar chair by Made By Choice Dimensions: 47 x 46 x 99 cm Materials: Solid Oak Standard finishes: Natural wood / painted black. Also available: Upholstery in fabric or s...
Oak
Large Pausa Oak Stool by Pierre-Emmanuel Vandeputte
Located in Geneve, CH
Large Pausa oak stool by Pierre-Emmanuel Vandeputte Dimensions: D 35 x W 35 x H 75 cm. Materials: Burned Oak. Available in natural oak version and in 3 sizes. Pausa is a series...
Oak
Set of 4 Large Pausa Oak Stool by Pierre-Emmanuel Vandeputte
Located in Geneve, CH
Set of 4 large Pausa oak stool by Pierre-Emmanuel Vandeputte Dimensions: D 32 x W 35 x H 80 cm Materials: oak wood Available in burnt oak version and in 3 sizes Pausa is a seri...
Oak
$1,275 / item
Molcajete Stool by Casa Gutiérrez Nájer
Located in Geneve, CH
Molcajete stool by Casa Gutiérrez Nájer (2021) Dimensions: 33ø x 33h cm Materials: Colorada Stone Since its opening day back in 2011, Casa Gutiérrez Nájera design gallery has be...
Stone
Hazelnut and Black Trifolium Stool by OxDenmarq
Located in Geneve, CH
Hazelnut and Black Trifolium Stool by OxDenmarq Dimensions: D 40 x W 40 x H 45 cm Materials: Leather, Steel Also Available: Different colors and other frame color available, OX...
Steel
$1,113 / item
Mocca Strap Bar Chair by OxDenmarq
Located in Geneve, CH
Mocca Strap Bar Chair by OxDenmarq Dimensions: D 45 x W 45 x H 104 cm Materials: Leather, Black Powder Coated Steel Also Available: Different colors available, OX DENMARQ is a ...
Steel
$1,113 / item
Black Strap Bar Chair by OxDenmarq
Located in Geneve, CH
Black strap bar chair by OxDenmarq Dimensions: D 45 x W 45 x H 104 cm Materials: Leather, Black Powder Coated Steel Also available: Different colors av...
Steel
Cognac and Black Trifolium Stool by OxDenmarq
Located in Geneve, CH
Cognac and Black Trifolium stool by OxDenmarq Dimensions: D 40 x W 40 x H 45 cm Materials: Leather, Steel Also Available: Different colors and other frame color available. OX D...
Steel
Nature and Black Trifolium Stool by OxDenmarq
Located in Geneve, CH
Nature and black trifolium stool by OxDenmarq Dimensions: D 40 x W 40 x H 45 cm Materials: Leather, Steel Also Available: Different colors and other frame color available. OX D...
Steel
Nature and Steel Trifolium Stool by OxDenmarq
Located in Geneve, CH
Nature and steel Trifolium stool by OxDenmarq Dimensions: D 40 x W 40 x H 45 cm Materials: Leather, steel Also available: Different colors and other frame color available OX DE...
Steel
$684 / item
Mocca Prop Stool by Ox Denmarq
Located in Geneve, CH
Mocca prop stool by Ox Denmarq. Dimensions: D 41 x W 41 x H 70 cm. Materials: leather, black powder coated steel Also available: different colors available. Ox Denmarq is a Dan...
Steel
Black and Steel Trifolium Stool by Ox Denmarq
Located in Geneve, CH
Black and steel trifolium stool by Ox Denmarq. Dimensions: D 40 x W 40 x H 45 cm. Materials: leather, steel Also available: Different colors and other frame color available. Ox...
Steel
Pebble Bar Stool Small Oiled Ash Pure White by Warm Nordic
Located in Geneve, CH
Pebble bar stool small oiled ash pure white by Warm Nordic Dimensions: D 38 x H 65 cm Material: Oiled solid ash, smoked solid oak, black noir powder ...
Steel
Pebble Bar Stool Small Oiled Ash Black Noir by Warm Nordic
Located in Geneve, CH
Pebble Bar Stool Small Oiled Ash Black Noir by Warm Nordic Dimensions: D 38 x H 65 cm Material: Oiled solid ash, Smoked solid oak, Black noir powder ...
Steel
$1,130 / item
Oak Black Loop Stool by Sebastian Scherer
Located in Geneve, CH
Oak black loop stool by Sebastian Scherer Dimensions: D38 x W38 x H45 cm Material: Aluminium, solid wood, oak Weight: 4.2 kg Also available in aluminium, loop stool wood: solid w...
Aluminum
$521 / item
Lace White Stool by Mowee
Located in Geneve, CH
Lace white stool by Mowee. Dimensions: D43 x H91 cm. Material: Polyethylene, Sstainless steel. Weight: 6.7 kg. Also Available in different colours and finishes. Lace is a col...
Stainless Steel
$487 / item
Be My Guest Stool by Warm Nordic
Located in Geneve, CH
Be My Guest Stool by Warm Nordic Dimensions: D 38 x H 46 cm Material: White oiled solid oak, French cane, Black noir powder coated steel frame Weight: 8...
Steel
Pebble Bar Stool Large Oiled ash Black Noir by Warm Nordic
Located in Geneve, CH
Pebble bar stool large oiled ash 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 powder...
Steel
Pebble Bar Stool Large Re-Plast Black Noir by Warm Nordic
Located in Geneve, CH
Pebble bar stool large re-plast black noir by Warm Nordic. Dimensions: D 38 x H 76 cm. Material: Re-plast, black noir powder coated steel. Weight: 8 kg Also available in differen...
Steel, Other
Pebble Bar Stool Large Oiled Ash Pure White by Warm Nordic
Located in Geneve, CH
Pebble bar stool large oiled ash pure white by Warm Nordic Dimensions: D 38 x H 76 cm Material: Oiled solid ash, smoked solid oak, black noir powder coated steel, Pure white powder...
Steel
$4,553 / set
Set of 2, Fold Serie Stool, and Lamp by Marianne
Located in Geneve, CH
Set of 2, Fold Serie Stool, and Lamp by Marianne Materials: Larch brushed veneer stained black finished with a PU varnish Dimensions: R 35 x H 45 cm (Stool) R 15 x H 120 cm (Lamp)...
Wood
$1,217 / item
Arc De Stool 37 in Natural Oak by Project 213A
Located in Geneve, CH
Arc de stool 37 in Natural Oak by Project 213A Dimensions: D 33 x W 33 x H 37 cm Materials: Oak wood. The smaller version of the stool's legs curves inwards towards its triangu...
Oak
$672 / item
Coin Slot Gulden Stool by Studio Pin
Located in Geneve, CH
Coin slot Gulden stool by Studio Pin. Dimensions: D 36 x W 36 x H 45 cm. Materials: HPL, birch plywood: manhattan grey. A hike back to “the good old day...
Plywood
Mirror Polished and Flax Webbing Wicker Stool by Tino Seubert
Located in Geneve, CH
Mirror Polished and Flax Webbing Wicker stool by Tino Seubert Dimensions: D 41.2 x W 34.9 x H 45 cm. Materials: Mirror polished aluminum extrusions, flax webbing. Tino Seubert ...
Aluminum
Powder Coated White and Rush Weave Wicker Stool by Tino Seubert
Located in Geneve, CH
Powder Coated White and Rush weave wicker stool by Tino Seubert Dimensions: D 43 x W 38 x H 45 cm. Materials: Powder coated aluminum extrusions, rush. Tino Seubert When he firs...
Aluminum