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.
$6,881 / item
Unique Building Stool by Goons
Located in Geneve, CH
Unique building stool by Goons Dimensions: W 41 x D 26 x H 33 cm Materials: Oak. The Building Stool is one of goons’ most architectural pieces. Inspired by the Nordic Pavilion o...
Wood
$14,160 / item
Green Caracoles Ceramic Stool by Forma Rosa Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Green 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 di...
Ceramic
$2,211 / item
Melody Bar Stool by Munna
Located in Geneve, CH
Melody Bar Stool by Munna Dimensions: D 50 x W 50 x H 105 cm. SH: 80 cm. Materials: Solid wood, foam, and upholstery. Finish: Upholstery: Cotton Velvet, ref. Mustard, CV 10. Legs: Mu...
Upholstery, Foam, Wood
$9,116 / item
Small Dimple Walnut Stool by Studio TOOJ
Located in Geneve, CH
Small Dimple Walnut Stool by Studio TOOJ Designed by Johan Wilén Dimensions: D 63 x H 42 cm. Materials: Walnut wood. A true testament to the designer’s si...
Walnut
Dartagnan Sbiancata Ash Counter Stool by Haymann Editions
Located in Geneve, CH
Dartagnan Sbiancata Ash Counter Stool by Haymann Editions Dimensions: D 53.5 x W 50.5 x H 80.5 cm. Materials: Rosso Bulgaro leather, Sbiancata ash. ...
Leather, Ash
ELEMENTOS Earth Stool in Sandblasted Pine with Black Finish by Daniel Couttolenc
Located in Geneve, CH
ELEMENTOS Earth Stool in Sandblasted Pine with Black Finish by Daniel Couttolenc Dimensions: D 42 x W 42 x H 42 cm. Materials: Sandblasted Pine. Earth is firmness, stability—a force...
Pine
Brown Linear Carved Oak Steel Contemporary Sculptural Bench by STUDIO SOL LECCIA
Located in Geneve, CH
Numero 7 bench by STUDIO SOL LECCIA Dimensions: W 200 x D 38 x H 34 cm Materials: Carved raw oak, EPDM foam leather, Skin, feet in oiled raw steel. Options: b...
Steel
$818 / item
Radical Design Brown Velvet Stool Furia
By Moanne
Located in Almería, ES
There’s a fire that doesn’t need to roar to be felt—an inner intensity that simmers beneath the surface. The Furia Stool captures that quiet force. With its soft, rounded body and as...
Velvet
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
$19,309 / item
Bold Curved Sofa by Mohdern
Located in Geneve, CH
Bold Curved Sofa by Mohdern Dimensions: W 280 x D 127 x H 76 cm Materials: Fabric, Bouclé Bold is a refined furniture collection designed and produced by the Mohdern brand. The ser...
Fabric, Bouclé, Upholstery
$550 / 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
$1,685 / 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
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
Powder Blue Amélie Sit Up High Stool by Italo Pertichini
Located in Geneve, CH
Powder Blue Amélie Sit Up High Stool by Italo Pertichini Dimensions: D 49 x W 45 x H 95 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 6 kg. Available in a standard version and lacquered vers...
Other
$1,533 / item
Lammi Bar Stool, Black by Made by Choice
Located in Geneve, CH
Lammi bar stool, 66 cm, black by Made By Choice with Saku Sysiö. Dimensions: 47 x 38 x 66 cm. Materials: Oak. Standard finishes: natural wood / painted black. Also available: L...
Oak
$3,510 / item
Bumhole Stool by Jaclyn Pappalardo
Located in Geneve, CH
Bumhole Stool by Jaclyn Pappalardo Dimensions: W 53 x D 46 x H 43 cm Materials: Plywood, upholstery foam, ball fiber, Kvadrat textiles, Valchromat, steel, thread and magnets. Jaclyn...
Steel
Lena Stool – Sculptural Brass Frame with White Upholstery by Misaya
By Masaya
Located in Geneve, CH
Lena Stool – Sculptural Brass Frame with White Upholstery by Misaya Dimensions: W 61 x D 42 x H 31/38 cm Materials: Brass Also available: Different colors (gold, polished brass. bla...
Brass
$971 / item
Organic Postmodern Cow Furry 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
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
$2,656 / 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
$5,055 / 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
$13,130 / item
Object 08 Green Seating by Volta
Located in Geneve, CH
Object 08 Green Seating by Volta One Of A Kind. Dimensions: D 80 x W 80 x H 30 cm. Materials: Cork and ceramic. Also available in different colors. Please contact us. MEÏ COLLECTIO...
Ceramic, Cork
Set of Milo Baughman Mid-Century Modern Bar Counter Stools in Chrome & White
By Design Institute America, Milo Baughman
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A well made matching set of four stools made by Design Institute & designed by Milo Baughman. These feature heavy chromed steel construction with white enameled curved slat wood seat...
Chrome, Enamel
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
Sitiera Stool in Solid Wood with Aged Bronze Accents by Estudio Andean
Located in Geneve, CH
Sitiera Stool in Solid Wood with Aged Bronze Accents by Estudio Andean Dimensions: D 34 x W 34 x H 50 cm. SH: 50 cm. Materials: Bronze and solid wood. Stool crafted from solid Seike...
Bronze
$854 / item
Halikko Bar Stool by Made by Choice
Located in Geneve, CH
Halikko Bar Stool by Made By Choice Dimensions: 40 x 34 x 66 cm Materials: Solid Oak Standard finishes: Natural wood / painted black. Also available: Upholstery in fabric or S...
Oak
$818 / item
Radical Design Blue Velvet Stool Furia
By Moanne
Located in Almería, ES
There’s a fire that doesn’t need to roar to be felt—an inner intensity that simmers beneath the surface. The Furia Stool captures that quiet force. With its soft, rounded body and as...
Velvet
Large Natural Blossom Bar Chair by Storängen Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Large Natural Blossom bar chair by Storängen Design Dimensions: D 45 x W 44 x H 99 x SH 82 cm Materials: birch wood, steel. Available in other colors and sizes. With or without ba...
Steel
$14,125 / item
Sculptural Stool by ON.ENTROPY
Located in Geneve, CH
Sculptural Stool by ON.ENTROPY Dimensions: W 58 x D 58 x H 59 cm Materials: Green Marble. on• entropy is a marble atelier established in 2009 in Athens and London with a focus on me...
Marble
Powder Coated White and Cane Wicker Stool by Tino Seubert
Located in Geneve, CH
Powder Coated white and cane wicker stool by Tino Seubert Dimensions: D 43 x W 38 x H 45 cm. Materials: Powder coated aluminum extrusions, cane weave. Tino Seubert When he firs...
Aluminum
Limited Edition NullEins Stool in Black Marble by Justus Knut Schomann
Located in Geneve, CH
Limited Edition NullEins Stool in Black Marble by Justus Knut Schomann Limited Edition of 25 + 2AP. Dimensions: D 44 x W 45 x H 44 cm. Materials: ...
Marble
$5,149 / 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
Limited Edition SSS01B Black Stool in MDF with Resin Coating by sashaxsasha
Located in Geneve, CH
Limited Edition SSS01B Black Stool in MDF with Resin Coating by sashaxsasha Limited Edition of 8 + 2 A.P Dimensions: D 30 x W 35 x H 40 cm. Materials: MDF and resin. sashaxsasha is...
Other
$13,645 / item
Object 07 Green Seating by Volta
Located in Geneve, CH
Object 07 Green 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
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
$3,089 / item
Meta Stool 3-Legged by Jaclyn Pappalardo
Located in Geneve, CH
Meta Stool 3-Legged by Jaclyn Pappalardo Dimensions: W 47 x D 36 x H 49 cm Materials: Pine wood, upholstery foam and bouclè wool fabric. Jaclyn is a designer and maker based in Lon...
Steel
$3,861 / item
Gaia Mini Stool by KV Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Gaia Mini Stool by KV Design Dimensions: D 30 x W 30 x H 30 cm. Materials: Walnut, Stainless Steel. Finish: oil Limited Edition of 8. KV Design is a team of professionals, and we be...
Stainless Steel
$1,228 / item
Flow Low Aureo Stool by GIROTTI ENRICO
Located in Geneve, CH
Flow Low Aureo Stool by GIROTTI ENRICO Dimensions: W 41 x D 37 x H 50 cm Materials: Steel, Upholstery. Weight: 4 Kg. Enrico Girotti is an industrial designer who has found in the w...
Steel
$1,439 / item
Puffy Stool L by Phormy
Located in Geneve, CH
PUFFY stool L by Phormy Dimensions: D 44 x W 110 x H 44 cm. Materials: Upholstery, powder coated steel base. Different materials and sizes available. PUFFY is softness and lightness dressed up in ten intriguing modules. Its usage is very wide. It will turn out great as a hallway seat...
Steel
$1,006 / item
Lonna Bar Stool, Tall & Oak by Made by Choice
Located in Geneve, CH
Lonna bar stool, tall & oak by made by choice (large) Dimensions: 34 x 34 x 74 cm Materials: oak Also available: ash, black, ultra yellow custom color, Lonna furniture serie...
Ash
Original Printed Velvet Awaiting L Stool by Secondome Edizioni
Located in Geneve, CH
Original Printed Velvet Awaiting L Stool by Secondome Edizioni Limited Edition Of 9 pieces + 3 A.P. Designer: Coralla Maiuri + Giorgia Zanellato. Dimensions: D 48 x W 48 x H 69 cm. M...
Brass
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
$2,368 / item
Brass Sculptural Log Stool - Large Size by Misaya
By Masaya
Located in Geneve, CH
Brass Sculptural Log Stool - Large Size by Misaya Dimensions: W38 x D34 x H33.5 cm Materials: Brass Also Available: Different colors (Gold, Polished Brass. Black, Painted Brass) and...
Brass
$1,181 / item
Na Pali Stool by InsidherLand
Located in Geneve, CH
Na Pali Stool by InsidherLand Dimensions: D 45 x W 45 x H 43 cm. Materials: Wooden base, walnut veneer, InsidherLand Bright Velvet Ref. Sand fabric. 10 k...
Upholstery, Wood
$2,317 / item
Burnt Black Tables / Stools by Touch With Eyes
Located in Geneve, CH
Burnt Black Tables / Stools by Touch With Eyes Dimensions: W 30 x D 30 x H 45 cm Materials: Wood washed out by the sea. Weight: 20 Kg. The black tables were made of wood washed out...
Wood
Postmodern German Kreuzschwinger Barstool by Till Behrens, 1980s
By Till Behrens
Located in Hamburg, DE
Elegant design classic by Prof. Till Behrens in the Bar stool version. The further development of the cantilever chair. The stools are made entirely of steel rods, which have been m...
Metal
$2,012 / item
Chamois Stool by Munna
Located in Geneve, CH
Chamois Stool by Munna Dimensions: D 42 x W 52 x H 49 cm. SH: 49 cm. Materials: Solid wood, foam, brass, and upholstery. Finish: Upholstery: Cotton Velvet, ref. Lilac, CV15. Footer: ...
Upholstery, Foam, Wood
$2,808 / item
Becomes Me Bar Stool by Munna
Located in Geneve, CH
Becomes Me Bar Stool by Munna Dimensions: D 50 x W 53 x H 105 cm. SH: 82 cm. Materials: Solid wood, foam, brass, and upholstery. Finish: Upholstery: Cotton Velvet, ref. Midnight Blue...
Brass
$2,293 / item
Chouchou Cobalt Stool by Pulpo
Located in Geneve, CH
Chouchou cobalt stool by Pulpo. Dimensions: D35 x W30 x H43 cm. Materials: ceramic. Also available in different colours. Whether stool or storage table, piece of column...
Ceramic
Contemporary Naturally Patinated Steel Bar Stool With Backrest by Dennis Kaiser
Located in Geneve, CH
Patinated Steel Contemporary Forever Bar Stool With Backrest by Dennis Kaiser Dimensions: D 40 x W 35 x H 93 cm. SH: 68 cm. Materials: Steel. Handcrafted in Tuscany, Italy. Customiz...
Steel
$5,359 / item
Object 05 Green Seating by Volta
Located in Geneve, CH
Object 05 Green 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 different colors. Please contact us. MEÏ COLLE...
Ceramic, Cork
$2,445 / item
Tregony Stool by Riccardo Monte
Located in Geneve, CH
Tregony Stool by Riccardo Monte Dimensions: D 42 x W 42 x H 42 cm. Materials: Oak. Riccardo Monte is a creative studio based in the Italian Alps. With the vision of creating a multi...
Oak
$2,059 / item
Object 02 Vert Seating by Volta
Located in Geneve, CH
Object 02 vert 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
$3,475 / item
Mm Stool by Goons
Located in Geneve, CH
MM stool by Goons Dimensions: W 30 x D 30 x H 54 cm. Materials: Wood. Dimensions can be adjusted +/- 10 cm. Goons is located in Paris, France....
Wood
$959 / item
Lime Green Gear Stool by Anastasia Ivanyuk
Located in Geneve, CH
Lime 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 p...
Other
$1,006 / item
Object 092 Stool by NG Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Object 092 Stool by NG Design Dimensions: W 43 x D 50 x H 110 cm Materials: Powder Coated Steel, Bouclé Fabric Also Available: All of objects available in different materials and co...
Steel
$5,664 / item
White Layered Oak Wood Stool I by Hyungshin Hwang
Located in Geneve, CH
White layered oak wood stool I by Hyungshin Hwang. Dimensions: D 33 x W 54 x H 69 cm. Materials: oxidized red oak. Layered Series is the main theme and concept of work of Hwang,...
Oak
$819 / item
Senufo Stool by DAaZ
Located in Geneve, CH
Senufo Stool by DAaZ Dimensions: D 36 x W 48 x H 46 cm. Materials: Albizzia. DAaZ Furniture honors the spirit of adventure. We embrace the escape of the ordinary and revel in the m...
Wood
$2,574 / item
Meta Stool by Jaclyn Pappalardo
Located in Geneve, CH
Meta Stool by Jaclyn Pappalardo Dimensions: W 47 x D 36 x H 49 cm Materials: Pine wood, upholstery foam and Denim, Blue Bute fabric. Jaclyn is a designer and maker based in London....
Upholstery, Plywood, Fabric
$4,595 / item
Bruch Glass Stool by Anima Ona
Located in Geneve, CH
Bruch glass stool by Anima Ona Dimensions: D 40 x W 40 x H 40 cm Materials: glass Bruch is made out of sheet glass which has been broken into stripes an...
Glass