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.
$1,767 / item
Timber Stool Burned Pine by Onno Adriaanse
Located in Geneve, CH
Timber Stool Burned Pine by Onno Adriaanse Signed and numbered Dimensions: D 40 x W 29 x H 45 cm Materials: Burned pine, colored linseed oil Also available in Color: Indigo blue, pur...
Coating, Pine
$1,278 / item
Sweet Fuchsia Voilà High Stool by Marc Sadler
Located in Geneve, CH
Sweet Fuchsia 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
$4,650 / item
Sanayi313 Stool by Sanayi 313
Located in Geneve, CH
Sanayi313 Stool by Sanayi 313 Unique Piece Dimensions: W 37 x D 37 x H 50 cm Materials: Ash Veneer SANAYI313 is an Istanbul-based interdisciplinary practice co-founded by two b...
Ash
Optique Side Table, Stool by Albert Potgieter Designs
Located in Geneve, CH
Optique side table, stool by Albert Potgieter Designs Dimensions: Ø 40 x H 45 cm. Materials: Wanut and Mahogany. Our Optique stool / side table was designed to really highlight...
Wood, Walnut
$1,860 / item
Fran Stool by GIROTTI ENRICO
Located in Geneve, CH
Fran Stool by GIROTTI ENRICO Dimensions: W 64 x D 51 x H 101 cm Materials: Steel, Upholstery. Weight: 8 Kg. Enrico Girotti is an industrial designer who has found in the word “make...
Steel
$953 / item
High Drops Bar Stool by Doimo Brasil
Located in Geneve, CH
High Drops Bar Stool by Doimo Brasil Dimensions: W 43 x D 54 x H 82 cm Materials: Paint, Leather. Also available in W 43 x D 54 x H 66 cm, Seat Height: 60 cm. With the intention ...
Paint, Leather
Sweet Fuchsia Double U Stool by Kazuko Okamoto
Located in Geneve, CH
Sweet Fuchsia 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
$7,034 / item
Elephante 3, Stool by Studio Noon
By Noon Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Elephante 3, stool by Studio Noon Dimensions: W 68.5 x D 68.5 x H 53 Material: pigmented cement Signed and editioned 1/50 Noon is a Philadelphia based collaboration betwe...
Cement
$2,313 / item
Bone Bermuda Triangle Counter Stool by Odditi
Located in Geneve, CH
Bone Bermuda Triangle Counter Stool by Odditi Dimensions: D 42 x H 65 cm Materials: Petrified Wood Sculpted Seat, Limestone Composite, Steel Base The ‘Bermuda Triangle’ sculptural s...
Limestone, Steel
Anodized Burgundy and Cane Wicker Bench by Tino Seubert
Located in Geneve, CH
Anodised Burgundy and cane wicker bench by Tino Seubert Dimensions: L 145 x W 40 x H 45 cm. Materials: Color anodized aluminum extrusions, cane weave. Tino Seubert When he firs...
Aluminum
Sweet Fuchsia Cubo Pouf Stool by SLIDE Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Sweet Fuchsia 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
Contemporary Art Senior Footstool in Velvet and Grezzo Arte Wood by Urano Palma
By Urano Palma, Mirabili
Located in Pistoia, IT
... So many chairs, so many benches, so many big tables, all with the wrinkled skin of old tree trunks or of rusted metal sheet. The chair is probably the central symbol of this univ...
Velvet, Wood
$2,325 / 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: Verde Imperiale marble. Available in different marble options. Please contact us....
Marble
$4,092 / item
Layered Oak Wood Stool by Hyungshin Hwang
Located in Geneve, CH
Layered oak wood stool by Hyungshin Hwang Dimensions: D 33 x W 30 x H 42 cm Materials: weathered oak Layered Series is the main theme and concept o...
Oak
$953 / item
Saffron Yellow Threebù Stool by Marcantonio
Located in Geneve, CH
Saffron Yellow 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 ...
Other
$3,232 / 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
$465 / item
Txt.16 Chimpestle Stool by Txt.Ure
Located in Geneve, CH
Txt.16 stool by Txt.Ure Dimensions: W 45 x D 35 x H 35 cm. Materials: Tule natural fiber with natural finish. Popularly known as chimpestles, the txt.16 draws on the ingeniuty of pre-Hispanic seating solutions. Made of bounded tule, the pieces are customizable in size and length, with a traditional carrying handle. They function as low seating for indoor and outdoor, as well as decorative objects. For interior and exterior use (under covered spaces). Txt. ure was the first design project to reintroduce the Mexican weaving style of the knotted tule technique. Once in danger of disappearing, the txt. 01 tabouret or in Nahuatl the tolli-icpalli knotting method, now gives structure to signature works from the txt. ure Tule Collection, developed with master artisans to achieve durability and contemporary scale. Drawing on more than two years of research and development, the Tule Collection encourage the wider awareness of Mexican craft...
Other
$1,348 / item
Marmoset Bellini High Stool by Coco Flip
Located in Geneve, CH
Marmoset Bellini High Stool by Coco Flip Dimensions: D 34 x W 34 x H 65/75 cm Materials: Timber / Stone tops, Powder-coated steel frame. Weight: 8kg Frame Finishes: Textura Black. ...
Stone, Steel
$1,278 / item
Dove Grey Lazy Bones High Stool by Barnaby Gunning
Located in Geneve, CH
Dove 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 op...
Other
$779 / item
Black September Bar Stool by OxDenmarq
Located in Geneve, CH
Black September Bar Stool by OxDenmarq Dimensions: D 38 x W 42 x H 93 cm Materials: Leather, Black Powder Coated Steel Also Available: Different colors available OX DENMARQ is ...
Steel
Large Pausa Oak Stool by Pierre-Emmanuel Vandeputte
Located in Geneve, CH
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 series of st...
Oak
Vintage chrome wire bar stools, 1980s - set of 4
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Vintage postmodern bar stools with a white metal frame and grey skai seats. 1980s - Italy Very good condition Dimensions: Height: 108cm Width x depth: 46cm Seat height: 78cm Ref...
Metal
$2,046 / item
Object 02 Violet Seating by Volta
Located in Geneve, CH
Object 02 Violet 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 ...
Velvet, Cork
$453 / item
Black Trifolium Stool by OxDenmarq
Located in Geneve, CH
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 DENMARQ is a...
Steel
$4,565 / 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
$920 / item
White Tupp Barstool by Storängen Design
Located in Geneve, CH
White Tupp barstool by Storängen Design Dimensions: D 41 x W 41 x H 85 x SH 65 cm Materials: birch wood, nickel plated steel. Also available in other colors. Give the bar some ...
Steel
$2,430 / item
Postmodern Moon Stool by Dechem Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Postmodern moon stool by Dechem Studio. Dimensions: D 29 x W 36.5 x H 45 cm. Materials: Corian. One of the few projects of DECHEM without glass, o...
Corian
$1,278 / item
Flame Red Drink High Stool by Jorge Najera
Located in Geneve, CH
Flame Red 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 ind...
Other
$662 / 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
U-shaped Form Rubber Seat and Burned Steel Medium Stool 2.0 by Arno Declercq
Located in Geneve, CH
Medium AD stool 2.0 by Arno Declercq Materials: Patinated steel. Dimensions: W 104 x D 38 x H 69 cm. Arno Declercq Belgian designer and art dealer who makes bespoke objects with pa...
Steel
$1,371 / item
Timber Stool Uncolored Wood by Onno Adriaanse
Located in Geneve, CH
Timber stool uncolored wood by Onno Adriaanse Signed and numbered Dimensions: D 40x W 29 x H 45 cm Materials: Stained pine wood, clear satin coating A...
Pine, Coating
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
$1,255 / item
Mikado Bellini Low Stool by Coco Flip
Located in Geneve, CH
Mikado Bellini Low Stool by Coco Flip Dimensions: D 34 x W 34 x H 45 cm Materials: Timber / Stone tops, Powder-coated steel frame. Weight: 5 kg Frame Finishes: Textura Black. Coco ...
Stone, Steel
$6,139 / item
Bogdan Bench by Studio Intervallo
Located in Geneve, CH
Bogdan bench by Studio Intervallo. Dimensions: W 180 x D 40 x H 46 cm. Materials: LINDEN solid wood, with colored decoration on the circumference. Other types of wood available ...
Wood
$3,162 / item
Arches Bar Stool by InsidherLand
Located in Geneve, CH
Arches Bar Stool by InsidherLand Dimensions: D 57 x W 55 x H 112 cm. Materials: Black lacquered wood, polished brass, InsidherLand Smooth Velvet Ref. ...
Brass
$2,046 / 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
$4,092 / item
Layered Steel Seat IX by Hyungshin Hwang
Located in Geneve, CH
Layered steel seat IX 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 conti...
Stainless Steel
$29,160 / set
Ensemble of Three Creachairs 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
Set Of 2 Mike Reclaimed Oak Stools by Fred and Juul
Located in Geneve, CH
Set Of 2 Mike Reclaimed Oak Stools 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 table. Custom sizes,...
Brass
$6,836 / 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
$1,074 / item
Burnt Oak Stool by Daniel Elkayam
Located in Geneve, CH
Burnt oak stool by Daniel Elkayam Edition of 3 Dimensions: D 30 x W 30 x H 45 cm Materials: Oak Wood The Charred Collection A collection of handmade wo...
Oak
Small Pausa Oak Bench by Pierre-Emmanuel Vandeputte
Located in Geneve, CH
Small Pausa oak bench by Pierre-Emmanuel Vandeputte Dimensions: D 20 x W 95 x H 45 cm Materials: oak wood. Available in burnt oak version and in 3 sizes. Pa...
Oak
$4,054 / item
Sculptural Object by Dongwook Choi
Located in Geneve, CH
Sculptural Object by Dongwook Choi Crest and Trough series Dimensions: 42 x 40 x 45 cm Materials: FRP, chrome coated There may be a visual difference...
Chrome
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
$10,510 / item
Hopi Ottoman Red Pattern by Marta Bakowski
Located in Geneve, CH
Hopi Ottoman red pattern by Marta Bakowski Dimensions:D65 x W65 x 44 cm Materials: Marble and fabric. Also available in different finishes. HOPI, this new collection of ottomans ins...
Marble
$1,895 / item
White Oak Mono Bar Stool by Kasper Nyman
Located in Geneve, CH
White oak mono bar stool by Kasper Nyman. Materials: plywood with oak veneer. Dimensions: D 44.7 x W 43.7 x H 87.6 cm. The founders, Mia and Torben Koed, decided to put their 30...
Oak, Plywood
$3,069 / item
Oak Root Stool by Daniel Elkayam
Located in Geneve, CH
Oak Root Stool by Daniel Elkayam One of a Kind Dimensions: D 30 x W 30 x H 45 cm Materials: Oak Wood Daniel Elkayam — Designer Jerusalem-born Art-de...
Oak
$1,371 / item
Timber Stool Indigo Blue by Onno Adriaanse
Located in Geneve, CH
Timber stool indigo blue by Onno Adriaanse Signed and numbered Dimensions: D40x W29 x H45 cm. Materials: stained pine wood, clear satin coating Also a...
Pine, Coating
$1,151 / item
Foot Stool by Project 213A
Located in Geneve, CH
Foot stool in brown by Project 213A Dimensions: D 30 x W 30 x H 26.5 cm Materials: Chestnut wood. This playful design is inspired by a classic milking stool, and has a fun twis...
Chestnut
$709 / 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
$1,790 / item
Low Brass Sculpted Stool, Misaya
By Misaya
Located in Geneve, CH
Low brass sculpted stool, Misaya Dimensions: W 58 x L 58 x H 24 cm Hand-sculpted stool.
Brass
American post modern stool in aluminum by Philippe Starck for Emeco, 2000s
By Emeco, Philippe Starck
Located in MIlano, IT
American post modern stool in aluminum by Philippe Starck for Emeco, 2000s Bar stool made entirely of hand-brushed aluminum. It features a contoured seat. The legs are joined by a cu...
Aluminum
Large Pausa Burnt Oak Bench by Pierre-Emmanuel Vandeputte
Located in Geneve, CH
Large Pausa burnt oak bench by Pierre-Emmanuel Vandeputte Dimensions: D 35 x W 95 x H 80 cm Materials: burnt oak wood. Available in natural oak version and in 3 sizes. Pausa is...
Oak
$1,430 / 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
ELEMENTOS Stool Set in Sandblasted Pine with Natural Finish by Daniel Couttolenc
Located in Geneve, CH
ELEMENTOS Stool Set in Sandblasted Pine with Natural Finish by Daniel Couttolenc. Overall Dimensions: D 168 x W 168 x H 168 cm. Individual Dimensions: D 42 x W 42 x H 42 cm. Material...
Pine
Postmodern Kreuzschwinger Barstool by Till Behrens for Meyer Stahlmöbel, 1980s
By Till Behrens
Located in Hamburg, DE
Till Behrens Kreuzschwinger bar stool in the rare color black. Elegant design classic by Prof. Till Behrens in the Bar stool version. The further development of the free wing. The s...
Metal
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
Vintage Postmodern Memphis Style White Tubular Metal Swivel Bar Stools - a Pair
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Please message us with your zip code to request a more reasonable domestic U.S. shipping quote. Vintage Postmodern Memphis Style White Tubular Metal Swivel Bar Stools by Cal-Style -...
Metal
$2,918 / item
Brass Trator Stool by Studio Orth
Located in Geneve, CH
Brass Trator Stool by Studio Orth Dimensions: W 46 x D 44 x H 52 cm Materials: Cast metal. Finishes: Polished Cast Brass or Polished Cast Aluminum. About: Studio Orth is a multidis...
Metal
Sculptural Side Table & Stool, Black Lacquered Wood, Panorammma, Mexico
By Panorammma
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Cult Stool remits to primal sculptural-architectural language while displaying materials in a modernist manner. This edition of Cult Stool in stark contrast to its predecesor is redu...
Resin, Wood