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.
Stainless Steel, Horse Hair, Kutnu Fabric Lounge Stool by Studio Lugo
Located in Geneve, CH
Stainless Steel, Horse Hair, Kutnu Fabric Lounge Stool by Studio Lugo Dimensions: W 53 x D 40 x H 45 cm Materials: Stainless Steel, Horse Hair, Kutnu Fabric. Finishing: Matt Varnish....
Stainless Steel
$2,013 / item
Piedmont no. 1 Stool by A. Jacob Marks
Located in Geneve, CH
Piedmont no. 1 Stool by SKRAM Dimensions: W 41 x D 38 x H 46 cm. Materials: white ash, ebonized. PS1-1 The piedmont no. 1 stool is a backless stool featuring solid timber constructi...
Ash
Set of 4 Postmodern Bar Stools by Indecasa designed by Joan Casas, Spain 1980s
By Joan Casas Y Ortinez, Indecasa
Located in Beograd, RS
In this listing you will find a set of 4 minimalist postmodern Bar Stools designed by Joan Casas for Indecasa. They feature leather seats in dark burgundy, which are attached to alum...
Steel
$22,015 / item
Gradient 01 Stool / Side Table by Luis Gimeno
Located in Geneve, CH
Gradient 01 Stool / Side Table by Luis Gimeno Dimensions: W 40 x D 40 x H 50 cm Materials: Black Stained Oak, Chestnut Wood, Ash Wood and Beech Wood. The idea behind this design wa...
Oak, Wood, Chestnut
Silver Round Stainless Steel Post Modern Bar Stools By The Async
Located in Geneve, CH
Set of 2 run through Me III Stools by the Async Dimensions: D47 x W30 x W58 cm each Materials: Stainless Steel.
Stainless Steel
Uri Stool, Ikea, 1995
By IKEA
Located in Firenze, IT
Stool, model Uri, designed by Per Idar Ledang in 1995 for Ikea. It features a cushion upholstered in blue velvet and distinctive wave paws, iconic of the postmodern style.
Steel
Artisan Stool in French Oak & Zinc Shorn Shearling by Paloma Editions
Located in Geneve, CH
Artisan Stool in French Oak & Zinc Shorn Shearling by Paloma Editions Dimensions: D 30,5 x W 45,7 x H 45,7 cm. Materials: French Oak & Zinc Shorn Shearling. The Artisan Stoo...
Oak, Sheepskin
Pair of Vintage ‘Sarapis’ Metal Bar Stools by Philippe Starck for Driade, 1986
Located in Zagreb, HR
Pair of gorgeous, patinated vintage industrial bar stools by household name Philippe Starck for Italian manufacturer Driade. Designed in the 1986, the chairs are composed solely of m...
Metal
$1,715 / item
Lammi Bar Stool, Tall, Natural Ash by Made By Choice
Located in Geneve, CH
Lammi bar stool, 74 cm, Natural Ash, Tall by Made By Choice with Saku Sysiö Dimensions: 47 x 38 x 74 cm Materials: Oak Standard Finishes: Natural Wood / Painted Black Also Avai...
Oak
Set of Four Solid Pine Bar Stools or Benches, The Netherlands, 1970s
Located in Almelo, NL
Set of Four Solid Pine Bar Stools or Benches, The Netherlands, 1970s – Late 20th Century This set of four sculptural bar stools or benches was crafted in solid pine in the Netherlan...
Pine
$720 / item
Be My Guest Bar Stool by Warm Nordic
Located in Geneve, CH
Be My Guest Bar Stool by Warm Nordic Dimensions: D 38 x H 73 cm Material: White oiled solid oak, French cane, Black noir powder coated steel frame W...
Steel
$1,999Sale Price / set|20% Off
1980s Postmodern Memphis Style Bar Stools
Located in Burbank, CA
Vintage pair of Post-modern barstools for sale. Memphis style from the 1980s, and in excellent condition. They have a black metal frame and have been professionally reupholstered in ...
Metal
Aurora stool, light honey solid wood, natural caning back, cane seating
By SIMONINI
Located in Vila Cordeiro, São Paulo
Immerse yourself in the captivating world of the award-winning Aurora Collection, also known as Dawn — a transformative milestone in our esteemed design legacy that has earned the pr...
Leather, Textile, Upholstery, Faux Leather, Cane, Hardwood, Walnut
Gradient 01 Oak, Chestnut, Ash and Beech Wood Stool by Luis Gimeno
Located in Geneve, CH
Gradient 01 Oak, Chestnut, Ash, and Beech Wood Stool by Luis Gimeno Dimensions: D 40 x W 40 x H 50 cm Materials: Black stained Oak, Chestnut, Ash, Beech. The idea behind this design...
Oak, Ash, Beech, Chestnut
$1,429Sale Price / set|20% Off
Pair of contemporary pink and light blue stools
Located in Milano, IT
Immerse yourself in the elegance of modern design with this refined pair of stools, expertly crafted to combine utility and aesthetic pleasure. The stools feature a sturdy brass tubu...
Brass
$3,407 / item
Layered Steel Seat VIII by Hyungshin Hwang
Located in Geneve, CH
Layered steel seat VIII by Hyungshin Hwang. Dimensions: D 30 x W 33 x H 42 cm Materials: stainless steel Layered Series is the main theme and concept of work of Hwang, who conti...
Stainless Steel
Past Create Future Barstool by Markus Friedrich Staab
Located in Geneve, CH
Past Create Future Barstool by Markus Friedrich Staab One of a Kind Dimensions: D 26 x W 43 x H 74 cm. Materials: Wood, lacquer, paint. French barstool contemporized, piece added, c...
Wood, Lacquer, Paint
U-shaped Form Rubber Seat and Burned Steel Large Stool 2.0 by Arno Declercq
Located in Geneve, CH
Large AD Stool 2.0 by Arno Declercq Materials: Burned steel and Rubber seat Measures: W 152 x D 38 x H 69 cm Arno Declercq Belgian designer and art dealer who makes bespoke objects...
Steel
Stool Sedes 1/15 by Sculptur Ron van de Ven 1998
By Ron van de Ven
Located in Weesp, NL
Rare Sculptural Stool “Sedes” by Ron van de Ven, 1998 — Numbered 1/15 Offered here is an exceptionally rare collector’s piece: the “Sedes” sculptural stool by Dutch artist and desig...
Aluminum
$673 / item
Stainless Steel Cosmic Stool by Mati Sipiora
Located in Geneve, CH
Stainless Steel Cosmic Stool by Mati Sipiora Dimensions: D 35 x W 40 x H 40 cm Materials: Stainless Steel. Finish: Polished Stainless Steel. Weight: 5....
Stainless Steel
Set of 3 Postmodern "Banana" Bar Stools by Tom Dixon for Cappellini, Italy 1988
By Cappellini, Tom Dixon
Located in Beograd, RS
In this listing you will find an iconic and highly sculptural set of three "Banana" bar stools designed by Tom Dixon during the 1980s. Celebrated for their playful organic form and innovative use of materials, these stools exemplify Dixon's early experimental approach that would later establish him as one of Britain's most influential contemporary designers. Each stool features a distinctive banana-shaped seat hand-woven in natural rush over a metal frame, resting on elegantly slender black lacquered steel legs. The juxtaposition of the warm, tactile woven surface with the graphic linearity of the steel base creates a striking silhouette that is both functional and artistic. Produced in limited numbers during Dixon's formative years, the Banana stools...
Iron
Organic Postmodern Sculptural Blue Velvet Stool Ritmo
By Moanne
Located in Almería, ES
Playful. Perceptive. Percussive. Ritmo Stool. The Ritmo Stool takes its name from rhythm—not just as a beat, but as a way of being. With four bold cylindrical legs echoing in perfec...
Velvet
Maçka Bar Stool, Red Powder Coated Metal Structure by AVLU
Located in Geneve, CH
Maçka Bar Stool, Red Powder Coated Metal Structure by AVLU Dimensions: W 50 x D 44 x H 99 cm Materials: Brushed Stainless Steel or Powder Coated Metal Structure with custom upholste...
Metal, Stainless Steel
Vintage Bentwood "Manilla" Stools by Val Padilla for Jasper Conran
By Heywood-Wakefield Co., Jasper Furniture Company
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Don't miss out on vintage seating that truly stands out from the crowd! This fantastically funky pair of barstools attributed to Filipino designer Val Padilla for London's Jasper Con...
Metal, Chrome, Wire
Set of 2 Bar stools, black lacquer, black metal.Italy 1980s.
Located in Athens, Attiki
Set of 2 Bar stools, black lacquer, black metal.Italy 1980s. Beautiful design in excellent condition. The seats rotate 360* Price is for the set of 2.
Metal
$890Sale Price / item|35% Off
Penguin Bar Stool by Franco V, Hand-Crafted Steel & Carrara Marble
By Franco V
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Meticulously hand-crafted, this striking piece features a powder coated steel frame, Carrara marble seat and footrest. Seamlessly blending function with art, Its design draws inspi...
Carrara Marble, Steel
$798 / item
Cognac September Bar Stool by Ox Denmarq
Located in Geneve, CH
Cognac September Bar Stool by Ox Denmarq Dimensions: D 38 x W 42 x H 93 cm Materials: Leather, Black Powder Coated Steel Also Available: Different colors available, OX DENMARQ ...
Steel
Michele De Lucchi FIRST Barstool, Metal, Memphis Design, Italy, 1995
Located in Tinton Falls, NJ
The FIRST Chair is an iconic and sculptural creations conceived by the Italian Architect/Designer Michele De Lucchi. He seems to be paying homage to Alexander Calder in the lightness...
Metal
Travertino Rosso Contemporary Honed Marble Stool by Angelo Alinea
Located in Geneve, CH
Travertino Rosso 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
$5,241 / item
Layered Steel Seat XV by Hyungshin Hwang
Located in Geneve, CH
Layered steel seat XV by Hyungshin Hwang Dimensions: D 37 x W 60 x H 84 cm Materials: stainless steel Layered Series is the main theme and concept of work of Hwang, who continue...
Stainless Steel
Releve Stool in Matte Lacquered Sapele with Mohair Upholstery by Vonnegut Kraft
Located in Geneve, CH
Releve Stool in Matte Lacquered Sapele with Mohair Upholstery by Vonnegut Kraft Dimensions: D 35,6 x W 53,3 x H 44,5 cm. Materials: Sapele and mohair up...
Mohair, Sapele Wood
$2,120 / item
Carla Teak Wood Stool by Heaps & Woods
Located in Geneve, CH
Carla 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 its ...
Other
Four Gilt & Horse Hair Stools Attr. to Malcolm McLaren, c. 1976
By Malcom Mclaren
Located in New York, NY
Four stools or benches with gilt organic form bases and pony hair seats attributed to Malcolm McLaren. The pieces have been described as "rare, exotic, visionary and transcendent". ...
Wood
$2,096 / item
Object 02 Noir Seating by Volta
Located in Geneve, CH
Object 02 noir seating by Volta Dimensions: D 45 x W 40 x H 95 cm Materials: Cork and Velvet Also available in diffentent colours. Please contact us. MEÏ COLLECTION The Meï co...
Velvet, Cork
Post Modern Lucite Vanity Stool Bench with Faux Leather Snakeskin Upholstery
Located in Chattanooga, TN
Two benches available. Sold individually. These are a first for us and the style, quality and condition continue to amaze us every time we walk by. These stylish, post-modern vintage 1970s Lucite acrylic vanity...
Lucite, Faux Leather, Acrylic
Happens Stool in Ash Wood And Green Melange Wool Fabric by Heilig Objects
Located in Geneve, CH
Happens Stool in Ash Wood And Melange Wool Fabric by Heilig Objects Dimensions: D 29 x W 29 x H 49 cm. Materials: Ash wood and wool fabric. Daniel Heilig. A young Hungarian-German d...
Ash, Fabric
Set of 2 Terrazzo Rainbow Bench and Stool by Lilia Cruz Corona Garduño
Located in Geneve, CH
Set of 2 terrazzo rainbow nench and stool by Lilia Cruz Corona Garduño Hapiness series Dimensions: W 30.5 x D 50 x H 43 cm Materials: Terrazzo (Pigmented concrete and granulated m...
Concrete
$555 / 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: Chocolate leather and black frame....
Metal
A MID-CENTURY-MODERN BRUTALIST Tripod STOOL, in style of PERRIAND, France 1950
By Pierre Chapo, Charlotte Perriand
Located in PARIS, FR
One single tripod stool, Mid-Century Modern, Modernist, Rustic Modern, Brutalist, solid and architectural tripod structure in solid elm, 3 smoothly shaped high legs, a small but mass...
Wood
$3,145 / item
Solid Wood Japanese Coffee Table by Taller Batán
Located in Geneve, CH
Solid Wood Japanese Coffee Table by Taller Batán Dimensions: W 180 x D 40 x H 20 cm Materials: solid wood. Finishes: blackened pine. Weight: 12 kg. Japanese Coffee Table Having li...
Wood
$4,181 / item
Elk Antler Leather Seat Bar Stool by The Peak Antler
Located in Geneve, CH
Elk Antler Leather Seat Bar Stool by The Peak Antler Chair Dimensions: D 43.18 x H 76.20 cm Materials: naturally shed antlers, leather Based in, produced and shipped from the US. P...
Antler, Leather
Rakis Taburet Stool in Black Vulcan Stoneware Clay by Catalin Filip
Located in Geneve, CH
Rakis Taburet Stool in Black Vulcan Stoneware Clay by Catalin Filip. Dimensions: W 30 x D 30 x H 40 cm. Materials: Black Vulcan Stoneware Clay with textu...
Ceramic, Stoneware
$7,338 / item
Classic Travertine Unfilled Chunky Stool by Etamorph
Located in Geneve, CH
Classic Travertine Unfilled Chunky Stool by Etamorph Dimensions: Ø 36 x H 46 cm. Materials: Classic Travertine Unfilled. Chunky stands as a sculptural masterpiece. The variation of ...
Stone, Travertine
Karl Springer Style Ivory Bouclé Soufflé Pouf
Located in Saint Louis, MO
Post modern Karl Springer style Soufflé pouf ottoman aptly named for its similarity in form to a French Soufflé. Brass square base with rounded corner...
Brass
Amazing Post modern Set of 3 stools Made from Solid color plexiglass
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Amazing Unique Post modern set of Stools in solid color fabricated plexiglass. Beautiful 3 Stools very colorful large solid joined plexiglass Very Unique. (1) blue (1) green and (1) ...
Plexiglass, Acrylic, Lucite
ELEMENTOS Fire Stool Sandblasted Pine with Natural Finish by Daniel Couttolenc
Located in Geneve, CH
ELEMENTOS Fire Stool in Sandblasted Pine with Natural Finish by Daniel Couttolenc Dimensions: D 42 x W 42 x H 42 cm. Materials: Sandblasted Pine. Fire is movement, energy ascending....
Pine
$11,793 / item
Hand-Carved Oak Edition Lounge Stool by Studio Lugo
Located in Geneve, CH
Hand-Carved Oak Edition Lounge Stool by Studio Lugo Dimensions: W 53 x D 40 x H 45 cm Materials: Oak, Stainless Steel, Horse Hair, Kutnu Fabric. Finishing: Matt Varnish. Weight: 18 k...
Stainless Steel
$5,241 / item
Layered Steel Seat iii by Hyungshin Hwang
Located in Geneve, CH
Layered steel seat III by Hyungshin Hwang Dimensions: D 33 x W 54 x H 99 cm Materials: stainless steel Layered Series is the main theme and concept of work of Hwang, who continu...
Stainless Steel
Gradient 02 Oak, Chestnut, Ash and Beech Wood Stool by Luis Gimeno
Located in Geneve, CH
Gradient 02 Oak, Chestnut, Ash, and Beech Wood Stool by Luis Gimeno Dimensions: D 40 x W 40 x H 50 cm Materials: Black stained Oak, Chestnut, Ash, Beech. The idea behind this design...
Ash, Beech, Chestnut, Oak
Medium Pausa Oak Stool by Pierre-Emmanuel Vandeputte
Located in Geneve, CH
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 series of s...
Oak
$5,110 / item
Wave Stool & Side Table III by Homa
Located in Geneve, CH
Wave Stool & Side Table III by Homa. Dimensions: W 30 x D 23 x H 36 cm. Materials: Blown Glass. Colour: Burgundy. Formed through an experimental glassblowing process, each Wav...
Blown Glass
$5,110 / item
Wave Stool & Side Table VI by Homa
Located in Geneve, CH
Wave Stool & Side Table VI by Homa. Dimensions: W 29 x D 30 x H 45 cm. Materials: Blown Glass. Colour: Burgundy. Formed through an experimental glassblowing process, each Wave St...
Blown Glass
$5,896 / item
Wave Stool & Side Table IX by Homa
Located in Geneve, CH
Wave Stool & Side Table IX by Homa. Dimensions: W 30 x D 30 x H 45 cm. Materials: Blown Glass, Silver Mirror. Colour: Satin. Formed through an experimental glassblowing process, ...
Blown Glass, Mirror
$679 / item
High Básica Bar Stool by Doimo Brasil
Located in Geneve, CH
High Básica Bar Stool by Doimo Brasil Dimensions: W 46 x D 50 x H 104 cm Materials: Paint, Natural Leather With the intention of providing good taste and personality, Doimo deciph...
Leather, Paint
$1,751 / item
Knot Solid Red Oak Stool by Luis Gimeno
Located in Geneve, CH
Knot Solid Red Oak Stool by Luis Gimeno Dimensions: D 33 x W 33 x H 45 cm Materials: Red oak. Available in Natural, Dark Brown, and Black colors. Please contact us. The Knot Stool ...
Oak
$1,084 / item
Natural Offset Stool by Resident
Located in Geneve, CH
Natural Offset Stool by Resident Dimensions: D 34 x H 43 cm Materials: Solid Oak. Weight: 7.9 Kg. About: Founded by Simon James & Scott Bridgens in 2011, Resident is the home of e...
Oak
Natural White Ash Lineground no. 2 Counter Stool by A. Jacob Marks
Located in Geneve, CH
Natural Walnut Lineground no. 2 Counter Chair by SKRAM Dimensions: W 51 x D 53 x H 91 cm. Materials: Natural Walnut. LC4 The lineground no. 2 stools are offered in 2 models for coun...
Walnut
Zitō Unique Sculptural Stool in Solid Oak Wood & Stone by Andres Monnier
Located in Geneve, CH
Zitō Unique Sculptural Stool in Solid Oak Wood & Stone by Andres Monnier Unique Piece Dimensions: D 30 x W 30 x H 60 cm. Materials: Travertine. Available in different finishes and m...
Stone
$3,407 / item
Layered Steel Seat X by Hyungshin Hwang
Located in Geneve, CH
Layered steel seat X by Hyungshin Hwang Dimensions: D 33 x W 27 x H 42 cm Materials: stainless steel Layered Series is the main theme and concept of work of Hwang, who continues...
Stainless Steel
$2,120 / item
Bruna Teak Wood Stool by Heaps & Woods
Located in Geneve, CH
Bruna 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 its ...
Other