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.
Mario Bellini Set of Four 'CAB 413' Dining Chairs in Patinated Cognac Leather
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Mario Bellini for Cassina, set of four armchairs model 'CAB 413', leather, plastic, Italy, 1979 The iconic ‘CAB’ chair was designed by Mario Bellini in 1979. Conceptually new was th...
Leather, Plastic
Howard Keith for HK Furniture 'Diplomat' Sofa
By Howard Keith
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Howard Keith for HK Furniture, 'Diplomat' sofa, velvet, chrome-plated steel, United Kingdom, 1970s The ‘Diplomat’ sofa, designed by Howard Keith, exemplifies the sophisticated comfo...
Steel, Chrome
Fler 'Idler' Lounge Chairs with Ottoman in Teddy Mohair by Pierre Frey
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Fler for Furniture Makers of Australia, living room set - lounge chairs with ottoman, model 'The Idler', "Teddy Mohair" Aubergine by Pierre Frey, Australia, wood, design 1969 This s...
Mohair, Wood
Maison Regain Daybed in Solid Elm
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Maison Regain, daybed, solid elm, fabric, France, 1980s. A Maison Regain daybed, whose structure is composed primarily of solid elm, imparts a sense of warmth and organic texture to...
Fabric, Elm
Massimo and Lella Vignelli for 'Saratoga' Sofa Reupholstered in Beige Velvet
By Poltronova, Massimo and Lella Vignelli
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Massimo and Lella Vignelli for Poltronova, 'Saratoga' four-seat sofa, velvet, polyester lacquered wood, Italy, 1964. This four-seat sofa named 'Saratoga' is designed by Italian desi...
Velvet, Wood, Lacquer
Percival Lafer Ottoman in Olive Green Leather
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Percival Lafer, ottoman or stool, wood, leather, Brazil, 1970s Bulky and voluptuous pouf designed by Percival Lafer in the 1970s. The seat is upholstered in olive green tufted leath...
Leather, Wood
Carlo Bartoli for Rossi di Albizzate 'Down' Sectional Sofa
By Rossi di Albizzate, Carlo Bartoli
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Carlo Bartoli for Rossi di Albizzate, sectional sofa model 'Down', fabric, lacquered wood, Italy, 1973 This design truly resembles the ethos of the seventies – a bright and bold era...
Fabric, Wood
Tan & Black Nicoletti Salotti Post Modern Italian Leather Low Loveseat Sofa
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Tan & Black 2 tone Nicoletti Salotti Post Modern Italian Leather Loveseat Sofa. Very fun Beautiful pop art leather sofa. Has unique back supports and legs upholstered in leather....
Leather
Italian Post-Modern Set of Six Dining Chairs in Walnut Wood
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Set of six dining chairs, walnut, Italy, 1980s A striking example of Italian design from the 1980s, these walnut chairs embody a refined balance between sculptural form and everyday...
Walnut
Post-Modern Italian Bar Unit with Cabinets and Bar Stools
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Bar unit, chrome, metal, glass, mirror, fabric, wood, Italy, 1970s This Italian bar from the 1970s combines several materials typical of the period, including chrome, metal, wood, g...
Metal, Chrome
Ubald Klug for De Sede 'Terrazza' Landscape in Red Brown Leather
By De Sede
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ubald Klug for De Sede, DS-1025 'Terrazza' landscape sofa, leather, Switzerland, 1970s. Waterfall shaped sofa in red brown leather by the Swiss manufacturer De Sede. The design for...
Leather
De Sede DS-600 'Snake' Sectional Sofa in Brown Leather
By De Sede
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ueli Berger, Eleonora Peduzzi-Riva, Heinz Ulrich and Klaus Vogt for De Sede, 'Snake' sectional sofa, model 'DS-600', leather, Switzerland, 1970s Designed by Ueli Berger, Eleonora Pe...
Leather
Mario Bellini Set of Six 'CAB 413' Dining Chairs in Black Leather
By Cassina, Mario Bellini
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Mario Bellini for Cassina, set of six armchairs model 'CAB 413', leather, plastic, Italy, 1979 The iconic ‘CAB’ chair was designed by Mario Bellini in 1979. Conceptually new was the...
Leather, Plastic
Mauro Lipparini for Saporiti 'Avedon' Curved Sofa in Turquoise Upholstery
By Mauro Lipparini, Alberto Rosselli Saporiti
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Mauro Lipparini for Saporiti 'Avedon' sofa, fabric, lacquered wood, chrome-plated steel, Italy, 1980s A truly wonderful piece that breathes the elegance of Italian Post-Modern desig...
Steel, Chrome
Post Modern Perforated Steel and Chrome Arm Chair c. 1980's
Located in New York, NY
Chic perforated steel and chrome arm chair, in excellent original, clean and ready to use condition. The chair features a perforated steel seat, back and arms, which are supported by...
Steel, Chrome
Pair of Italian Architectural Armchairs in Cypress Wood
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Pair of dining chairs, cypress wood, Italy, 1970s These armchairs embrace an impressive architectural design with rounded contours and substantial lines. While it draws inspiration ...
Cypress
$14,700 / set
Mario Marenco for Mobil Girgi Set of Six 'Sapporo' Dining Chairs in Walnut and White Upholstery
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Mario Marenco for Mobil Girgi, set of six dining chairs, walnut, fabric, Italy, 1970s Set of sculptural chairs designed by Mario Marenco for Mobil Girgi, distinguished by their str...
Fabric, Walnut
Mario Bellini for Cassina Set of Sixteen 'Cab' Dining Chairs in Red Brown Leather
By Cassina, Mario Bellini
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Mario Bellini for Cassina, set of sixteen 'cab' dining chairs, model '412', leather, plastic, Italy, design 1976 Beautiful set of 'Cab' dining chairs chairs in luxurious reddish bro...
Leather, Plastic
De Sede DS-600 'Snake' Sectional Sofa in Reddish-Brown Patinated Leather
By De Sede
Located in Waalwijk, NL
De Sede, ‘Snake’ DS-600 sectional sofa, leather, felt, Switzerland, 1972. A design by Ueli Berger, Elenora Peduzzi-Riva, Heinz Ulrich and Klaus Vogt for De Sede, Switzerland. This D...
Leather, Felt
Post-Modern Italian Sofa in Wood and Creme Colored Velvet Upholstery
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Sofa, beech, fabric, Italy, 1970s This three-seat sofa dates from Italy in the 1970s and is designed in the style of Afra and Tobia Scarpa. The design is defined by clear proportion...
Fabric, Beech
Vintage Postmodern "Cloud" Style Sofa
Located in Oxnard, CA
Here is a fabulous vintage Vladimir Kagan style "Cloud" sofa, circa 1990s. This large biomorphic beauty is clad in its original purple micro-suede fabric. It's certainly in usable co...
Fabric
Pietro Costantini for Ello Postmodern High Back Dining Chairs, Set of 8 (Italy)
Located in Round Top, TX
Set of Eight (8) Postmodern Italian Pietro Costantini Dining Chairs Designed for Ello This exquisite set of dining chairs features high, exaggerated slatted backrests and a uniquely...
Textile, Wood
Vladimir Kagan Papa Bear Wingback Swivel Chair, Aubergine, Directional, 1990's
Located in Culver City, CA
The iconic "Papa Bear" wingback lounge ~ designed by Vladimir Kagan for Directional in the 1990s arrived here in its original grey-aubergine microsuede, and honestly? The OG colorway...
Bouclé
$3,400Sale Price|20% Off
Superb Red & Black Nicoletti Salotti Post Modern Italian Leather Low Sofa
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Red & black Nicoletti Salotti Post Modern Italian Leather Sofa. Very fun Beautiful pop art long leather sofa. Has unique back supports and legs upholstered in leather. Beautiful ...
Leather
$2,600Sale Price|20% Off
Red & Black Nicoletti Salotti Post Modern Italian Leather Low Loveseat Sofa
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Red & Black 2 tone Nicoletti Salotti Post Modern Italian Leather Loveseat Sofa. Very fun Beautiful pop art leather sofa. Has unique back supports and legs upholstered in leather. Bea...
Leather
Ubald Klug for De Sede 'Terrazza' Landscapes in Rich Beige Leather
By De Sede, Ubald Klug
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ubald Klug for De Sede, DS-1025 'Terrazza' landscape sofa elements, leather, Switzerland, 1970s. Waterfall shaped sofas in leather by the Swiss manufacturer De Sede. The design for...
Leather
De Sede ‘DS-15’ Modular Sofa in Patinated Brown Leather
By De Sede
Located in Waalwijk, NL
De Sede, 'DS-15' sectional sofa, patinated leather, Switzerland, 1970s. This high-quality sectional sofa designed by De Sede in the 1970s contains five regular elements, two corner ...
Leather
Mario Bellini for Cassina Set of Eight 'Cab' Dining Chairs in Brown Leather
By Mario Bellini, Cassina
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Mario Bellini for Cassina, set of eight 'cab' dining chairs, model '412', leather, plastic, Italy, design 1976 Beautiful set of eight 'Cab' dining chairs chairs in luxurious brown l...
Leather, Plastic
Mario Marenco for Arflex Marius&Marius Sofa in Brownish Red Leather
By Mario Marenco, Arflex
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Mario Marenco for Arflex, 'Marius&Marius' sofa, leather, plastic, lacquered wood, Italy, 1970s The Marius&Marius sofa, designed by Mario Marenco for Arflex in the 1970s, is ...
Leather, Plastic, Wood
Tito Agnoli Set of Six 'Ilex' Dining Chairs in Solid Oak
By Tito Agnoli
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Tito Agnoli for Tarpac Data International, set of six 'Ilex' dining chairs, oak, lacquered metal, Italy, 1980s This pristine set of six dining chairs exemplifies the furniture desig...
Metal
Ubald Klug for De Sede 'Terrazza' Landscape in Olive Green Leather
By De Sede, Ubald Klug
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ubald Klug for De Sede, DS-1025 'Terrazza' landscape sofa element, patinated olive green leather, Switzerland, 1970s. Waterfall shaped sofa in olive green leather by the Swiss manu...
Leather
Ubald Klug for De Sede 'Terrazza' Landscapes in Patinated Cognac Brown Leather
By Ubald Klug, De Sede
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ubald Klug for De Sede, DS-1025 'Terrazza' landscape sofa elements, patinated cognac brown leather, Switzerland, 1970s. Waterfall shaped sofas in a patinated leather by the Swiss m...
Leather
Mario Bellini Set of Six 'Lira e Liuto' Dining Chairs in Cognac Leather
By Mario Bellini, Cassina
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Mario Bellini for Cassina, set of six ‘Lira e Liuto’ dining chairs, cognac leather, Italy, 1989 This set of six ‘Lira e Liuto’ dining chairs has beautiful cognac colored leather tha...
Leather
Guido Faleschini for I4 Mariani Set of Eight 'Dilos' Dining Chairs Rose Velvet
By Guido Faleschini, i4 Mariani
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Guido Faleschini for i4 Mariani, set of eight 'Dilos' dining chairs, part of the 'Pace Collection', beech, velvet, Italy, circa 1975 These 'Dilos' chairs are designed by the creativ...
Velvet, Beech
Kwok Hoi Chan for Steiner Dining Chair in Red Leather
By Kwok Hoi Chan, Gilbert Steiner
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Kwok Hoi Chan for Steiner, dining chair, leather, lacquered steel, France, circa 1970 A postmodern design by Chinese designer Kwok Hoi Chan known for his works that are immediately ...
Steel
Italian Sofa in Cognac Leather and Aluminum
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Sofa, aluminum, leather, Italy 1970s Comfortable sofa made in the 1970s. This sofa strongly represent the essence of furniture design of the 1970s, going beyond the strict conventio...
Aluminum
$1,400 / set
Matteo Grassi Dining Chairs in Leather and Steel
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Matteo Grassi, set of four dining chairs, leather and steel, Italy, 1980s. Sophisticated set of four dining chairs designed by Italian designer Matteo Grassi in the 1980s. These cha...
Steel
$142,000 / set
Paul Evans for Directional Sculpted Bronze Dining Chairs
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Paul Evans for Directional, dining chairs, model PE-106, epoxy bronzed resin over steel, fabric, United States, circa 1970 These dining chairs are designed by Paul Evans for Directi...
Bronze, Steel
Mario Bellini for Cassina Pianura Lounge Chairs in Walnut and Leather
By Mario Bellini, Cassina
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Mario Bellini for Cassina, 'Pianura' lounge chairs with armrests, walnut, leather, Italy, 1971 The ‘Pianura’ lounge chair by Mario Bellini for Cassina, designed in 1971, presents a ...
Leather, Walnut
Large Gaetano Pesce for Cassina 'Cannaregio' Modular Sofa
By Cassina, Gaetano Pesce
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Gaetano Pesce for Cassina, sofa, model ‘Cannaregio’, multicolored upholstery, Italy, 1987 Large ‘Cannaregio’ sofa, designed by Gaetano Pesce for Cassina. The 1987 design is playful,...
Fabric
Illum Wikkelsø for Ryesberg Møbler 'Apollo' Lounge Chair in Leather
By Illum Wikkelsø, Ryesberg Møbler
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Illum Wikkelsø for Ryesberg Møbler, lounge chair model 'Apollo', leather, lacquered wood, Denmark, 1970s This distinctive lounge chair by Illum Wikkelsø is of high-quality both in t...
Leather, Wood
Seven Salotti Modular Sofa in Cognac Colored Leather
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Seven Salotti modular sofa, plastic, leather, Italy, 1970s This modular sofa by Italian maker Seven Salotti dates from the 1970s and showcases the era’s relaxed and sculptural appro...
Leather, Plastic
Postmodern Gerard van den Berg Florence Sofa for Montis, Buck Leather
By Gerard Van Den Berg, Montis
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Gerard van den Berg designed the Florence sofa for Dutch manufacturer Montis during the height of Postmodern experimentation with organic furniture forms. Known alternately as "The R...
Leather, Foam
Vladimir Kagan Wide Angle Tangent Sofa, Model 506 In Tan Chenille
Located in Culver City, CA
This is the Tangent sofa by Vladimir Kagan—designed in 2001 for Preview, during that glorious late-career era when Kagan was no longer asking permission from anyone, least of all geo...
Chenille
Italian Post-Modern Sectional Corner Sofa in Cognac Brown Leather
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Modular corner sofa, leather, Italy, 1970s A spacious L-shaped modular Italian corner sofa, upholstered in firm cognac leather. The cushions are generously padded with a rounded, pl...
Leather
IPE Cavalli Italian Sectional Sofa in Colorful Striped Fabric
By Ipe Cavalli
Located in Waalwijk, NL
IPE Cavalli, sectional sofa, fabric, steel, Italy, 1970s This exceptional sectional sofa by IPE Cavalli, crafted in Italy during the 1970s, is a true masterpiece of design and comfo...
Steel
$1,200Sale Price|20% Off
Sculptural Lounge Chair Jaymar 1980s
By Jaymar
Located in Toronto, ON
Gorgeous pop art chair by Jaymar in a dark nylon like material. It's a blueish black fabric colour with slight prints/texturing on the fabric (see photos). This bold and modern chair...
Leather
$470Sale Price / set|33% Off
Set of 2 THONET S320 Stacking Chairs designed by Ulrich Boehme & Wulf Schneider
By Ulrich Bohme, Thonet
Located in Schwerin, MV
Set of 2 Thonet S 320 Armchairs in stained reddish-brown plywood and chrome plated Steel, Germany, 1980s A striking set of four original Thonet S 320 armc...
Chrome
Hans Hopfer for Wiener Werkstätte Castell Sectional Sofa in Cognac Leather
By Wiener Werkstätte, Hans Hopfer
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Hans Hopfer for Wiener Werkstätte 'Castell' modular sofa, leather, Austria, design 1972 Stunning and sizable modular sofa designed by Hans Hopfer for Wiener Werkstätte. This grand ...
Leather
$19,275Sale Price / set|20% Off
Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto Italian Solid Wood Velvet Fabric "Artona" Sofas
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Maxalto
Located in Reggio Emilia, IT
Italian midcentury modern design set of two sofa from the “Artona” series designed by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto in the 1970s, with a wooden frame featuring decorative bands...
Fabric, Wood, Velvet
Tarcisio Colzani for Mobil Girgi 'Periplo' Chaise Longue
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Tarcisio Colzani for Mobil Girgi, daybed or chaise longue, model 'Periplo', fabric, leather, walnut, Italy, 1970s Sculptural chaise longue designed by Tarcisio Colzani for Mobil Gir...
Leather, Walnut
De Sede DS-600 'Snake' Sectional Sofa in Warm Sage Colored Suede
By Ubald Klug, De Sede
Located in Waalwijk, NL
De Sede, ‘Snake’ DS-600, suede, felt, Switzerland, 1970s A design by Ueli Berger, Elenora Peduzzi-Riva, Heinz Ulrich and Klaus Vogt for De Sede, Switzerland. This De Sede modular Sn...
Suede, Felt
Organically Shaped Post-Modern Sectional Sofa in Black Leather
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Modular sofa, leather, Europe, 1980s This sofa is fully executed in a black leather that contributes to a unified look. The construction consists of four elements. The sofa embraces...
Leather
Rima 160 Sofa in Solid Beech, Particle Board and HR Foam by POPUS EDITIONS
Located in Geneve, CH
Rima 160 Sofa in Solid Beech, Particle Board and HR Foam by POPUS EDITIONS. Dimensions: W 160 x D 90 x H 71 cm. Materials: Solid beech, particle board, and high-resilience (HR) foam....
Foam, Beech, Wood, Upholstery
Hans Hopfer for Roche Bobios Post-Modern Croissant Sofa in Off-White Fabric
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Hans Hopfer for Roche Bobois, sofa, reupholstered fabric, France, late 1970s The Croissant sofa, designed by Hans Hopfer for Roche Bobois, epitomizes the organic and fluid design ...
Fabric
Vladimir Kagan “Matinee” Sofa /Daybed for American Leather
By Vladimir Kagan, American Leather
Located in Roanoke, VA
Beautiful "Matinee" sofa that doubles as daybed designed by Vladimir Kagan for American Leather. The sofa converts effortlessly into daybed by removing the bolster back and side bol...
Textile
Large Howard Keith Custom 'Cloud' Sofa 440cm/173in
By Howard Keith
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Howard Keith for HK Furniture, special order custom 'Cloud' sofa, velvet, United Kingdom, 1970s Stunning Howard Keith for HK Furniture “Cloud” modular sofa, made in the 1970s. This ...
Fabric
Gufram PRATONE Forever by Ceretti / Derossi / Rosso
By Riccardo Rosso, Piero Derossi and Giorgio Ceretti, Gufram Furniture
Located in Toronto, ON
Chair of soft polyurethane, upholstered in bouclé wool. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Ceretti, Derossi and Rosso’s masterpiece, in 2021 Gufram introduced PRATONE® FOREVER, a ...
Wool, Bouclé
$2,600Sale Price|20% Off
White Nicoletti Salotti Post Modern Italian Leather Low lounge chair ottoman
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Cream white Nicoletti Salotti Post Modern Italian Leather lounge chair with ottoman. Very fun Beautiful pop art long leather chair and foot rest. Has unique back supports and legs up...
Leather, Wood
Cult Stool, Sculptural Side Table, Mexican White Onyx / Marble
By Panorammma
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Cult stool / side table; a hand sculpted stone from an incredibly particular stone; Mexican White Onyx, remits to primal sculptural-architectural language while displaying materials ...
Onyx