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Post-Modern Seating

POSTMODERN STYLE

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

  • Emerges during the 1960s; popularity explodes during the ’80s
  • A reaction to prevailing conventions of modernism by mainly American architects
  • Architect Robert Venturi critiques modern architecture in his Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture (1966)
  • Theorist Charles Jencks, who championed architecture filled with allusions and cultural references, writes The Language of Post-Modern Architecture (1977)
  • Italian design collective the Memphis Group, also known as Memphis Milano, meets for the first time (1980) 
  • Memphis collective debuts more than 50 objects and furnishings at Salone del Milano (1981)
  • Interest in style declines, minimalism gains steam

CHARACTERISTICS OF POSTMODERN FURNITURE DESIGN

  • Dizzying graphic patterns and an emphasis on loud, off-the-wall colors
  • Use of plastic and laminates, glass, metal and marble; lacquered and painted wood 
  • Unconventional proportions and abundant ornamentation
  • Playful nods to Art Deco and Pop art

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 Mendinia 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.

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Style: Post-Modern
1970s Post-Modern Lounge Chairs in Beige Patterned Fabric
1970s Post-Modern Lounge Chairs in Beige Patterned Fabric

1970s Post-Modern Lounge Chairs in Beige Patterned Fabric

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Modular lounge chairs, fabric, wood, Belgium, 1970s These superb modular lounge chairs originate from 1970s Belgium and beautifully capture the post-modern spirit of the era, marked...

Category

1970s Belgian Vintage Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Fabric

1990s Vintage Leather Sofa
1990s Vintage Leather Sofa

1990s Vintage Leather Sofa

Located in Las Vegas, NV

Lovely 90s vintage Leather sofa. Interesting shape and style. Leather is a nice terracotta color. Sofa is heavy and solid. Shows some wear to...

Category

Late 20th Century Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Leather

Cult Stool, Sculptural Side Table, Mexican Onyx Marble Conglomerate
Cult Stool, Sculptural Side Table, Mexican Onyx Marble Conglomerate

Cult Stool, Sculptural Side Table, Mexican Onyx Marble Conglomerate

By Panorammma

Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX

Cult stool/ side table; a hand sculpted stone from a Mexican marble and Mexican onyx conglomerate, remits to primal sculptural-architectural language while displaying materials in a ...

Category

2010s Mexican Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Onyx, Marble

Neolithic Thinker Sculptural Stool Tezontle Volcanic Stone, Red
Neolithic Thinker Sculptural Stool Tezontle Volcanic Stone, Red

Neolithic Thinker Sculptural Stool Tezontle Volcanic Stone, Red

By Panorammma

Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX

Neolithic Thinker is a stool hand sculpted from red tezontle stone, a highly oxidized and porous volcanic rock endemic to Mexico. Its design draws from different historical reference...

Category

2010s Mexican Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Stone

Post-Modern Italian Dining Chairs in Walnut and Cognac Leather
Post-Modern Italian Dining Chairs in Walnut and Cognac Leather

Post-Modern Italian Dining Chairs in Walnut and Cognac Leather

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Set of dining chairs, walnut, cognac leather, Italy, 1970s. Set of six sculptural chairs that feature dramatic architectural backrests, each composed of four rounded, pillar-like ve...

Category

1970s Italian Vintage Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Leather, Walnut

Postmodern Sculptural Curved Serpentine Sectional Snake Sofa
Postmodern Sculptural Curved Serpentine Sectional Snake Sofa

Postmodern Sculptural Curved Serpentine Sectional Snake Sofa

By Milo Baughman

Located in Lambertville, NJ

Monumental serpentine snake sectional sofa in the style of Vladimir Kagan and Milo Baughman. This unique modular curved sofa consists of three interlocking sections reupholstered in ...

Category

1990s Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Upholstery, Ultrasuede, Wood

Meritalia Senzafine Chair, Senza Blue by Gaetano Pesce
Meritalia Senzafine Chair, Senza Blue by Gaetano Pesce

Meritalia Senzafine Chair, Senza Blue by Gaetano Pesce

By Meritalia, Gaetano Pesce

Located in Toronto, ON

The "Endless" Chair. Colourful tangles that give life to a geometric and dynamic seat. A series of joyfully inconsistent seats designed by Gaetano Pesce, and a manifesto of Meritalia...

Category

2010s Italian Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Plastic

A vintage biomorphic sofa in shearling, late 20th century
A vintage biomorphic sofa in shearling, late 20th century

A vintage biomorphic sofa in shearling, late 20th century

Located in View Park, CA

A vintage biomorphic curvy sofa, late 20th century. Upholstered in an off-white shearling bouclé, this piece represents the avant-garde of the postmodern design era, of which Russian...

Category

Late 20th Century Unknown Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Fabric, Wood

1980s Knoll Jorge Pensi Amat Toledo Chair Spain Postmodern
1980s Knoll Jorge Pensi Amat Toledo Chair Spain Postmodern

1980s Knoll Jorge Pensi Amat Toledo Chair Spain Postmodern

By Amat-3, Jorge Pensi

Located in Chula Vista, CA

For your consideration, a Toledo chair stackable designed by Jorge Pensi for Amat 3 Spain for Knoll Organic and streamlined shape lightweight cast aluminum. Unmarked. Dye cast alum...

Category

1980s Spanish Vintage Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Aluminum

543 Broadway Chair, Gaetano Pesce for Bernini S.p.A. 1993
543 Broadway Chair, Gaetano Pesce for Bernini S.p.A. 1993

543 Broadway Chair, Gaetano Pesce for Bernini S.p.A. 1993

By Gaetano Pesce

Located in Las Vegas, NV

Designed in 1993 by Gaetano Pesce, the 543 Broadway Chair is a rejection of hyper-rational industrial design. A master of resin and color, the Broadway chair features molded resin se...

Category

Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Chrome

543 Broadway Chair, Gaetano Pesce for Bernini S.p.A. 1993
543 Broadway Chair, Gaetano Pesce for Bernini S.p.A. 1993

543 Broadway Chair, Gaetano Pesce for Bernini S.p.A. 1993

By Gaetano Pesce

Located in Las Vegas, NV

Designed in 1993 by Gaetano Pesce, the 543 Broadway Chair is a rejection of hyper-rational industrial design. A master of resin and color, the Broadway chair features molded resin se...

Category

Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Chrome

Memphis First Chair by Michele de Lucchi circa 1983
Memphis First Chair by Michele de Lucchi circa 1983

Memphis First Chair by Michele de Lucchi circa 1983

By Michele de Lucchi

Located in Oakland, CA

Early production Memphis First chair designed by Michele de Lucchi this chair that was purchased by the original owner who was working at the de Lucchi design studio in the 1980s in ...

Category

1980s Italian Vintage Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Metal

Italian Lounge Chair in Cognac Leather
Italian Lounge Chair in Cognac Leather

Italian Lounge Chair in Cognac Leather

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Lounge chair, leather, aluminum, Italy 1970s A lounge chair made in Italy in the 1970s. This chair strongly represents the essence of furniture design of the 1970s, going beyond the...

Category

1970s Italian Vintage Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Aluminum

Ottoman in Chromed Metal and Black Leather
Ottoman in Chromed Metal and Black Leather

Ottoman in Chromed Metal and Black Leather

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Ottoman, footrest, leather, chromed metal, Europe, 1970s This sleek ottoman from the 1970s combines comfort with a timeless appearance. Made in Europe, it features a generously cush...

Category

1970s European Vintage Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Leather

Vintage Bernhardt 4 Piece Sectional, for Custom Reupholstery
Vintage Bernhardt 4 Piece Sectional, for Custom Reupholstery

Vintage Bernhardt 4 Piece Sectional, for Custom Reupholstery

By Bernhardt

Located in Denver, CO

1980s sectional by Bernhardt. Custom reupholstery labor of sectional included in the price (labor and materials, except for fabric). COM or MENO can advise and order fabrics. Fabric...

Category

1980s Vintage Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Fabric, Upholstery

Roche Bobois Pair of Lounge Chairs in Red and Patterned Upholstery
Roche Bobois Pair of Lounge Chairs in Red and Patterned Upholstery

Roche Bobois Pair of Lounge Chairs in Red and Patterned Upholstery

By Roche Bobois

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Roche Bobois, pair of armchairs, fabric, chrome, France, 1970s These rare and wonderfully constructed chairs by Roche Bobois feature a solid construction of solely round shapes. The...

Category

1970s French Vintage Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Chrome

Hans Hopfer for Neue Wiener Werkstätte 'Castell' Sectional Sofa
Hans Hopfer for Neue Wiener Werkstätte 'Castell' Sectional Sofa

Hans Hopfer for Neue Wiener Werkstätte 'Castell' Sectional Sofa

By Hans Hopfer

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Hans Hopfer for Neue Wiener Werkstätte 'Castell' modular sofa, leather, Austria, design 1972 Stunning and sizable modular sofa designed by Hans Hopfer for Neue Wiener Werkstätte. Th...

Category

1970s Austrian Vintage Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Leather

Chainmail Sculptural Chair, Nickel Plated Steel Finish, Hand Linked Mesh
Chainmail Sculptural Chair, Nickel Plated Steel Finish, Hand Linked Mesh

Chainmail Sculptural Chair, Nickel Plated Steel Finish, Hand Linked Mesh

By Panorammma

Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX

The Chainmail Chair reinterprets William Katavolos' 1952 T-chair, incorporating a medieval-modern aesthetic that merges ancient craftsmanship with contemporary design. The seat is fo...

Category

2010s Mexican Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Steel

Ball Foot Sculptural Chair, Vegan Cactus Leather, Green
Ball Foot Sculptural Chair, Vegan Cactus Leather, Green

Ball Foot Sculptural Chair, Vegan Cactus Leather, Green

By Panorammma

Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX

The “Ball-Foot Chair” is upholstered with a green vegan leather. The chair’s comfortable and rounded seat is playfully in dialogue with its distinctive spherical extremities. Appear...

Category

2010s Mexican Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Steel

Glass chair in the Manner of Louis Dierra
Glass chair in the Manner of Louis Dierra

Glass chair in the Manner of Louis Dierra

By Louis Dierra

Located in London, GB

This striking curved glass chair, inspired by the iconic designs of Louis Dierra for the Glass Centre Pavilion at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York, represents a masterful blend of a...

Category

1980s Italian Vintage Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Glass, PVC

Pr. Architectural High Back Wrought Iron Chairs att. to Leopold Gest c. 1980's
Pr. Architectural High Back Wrought Iron Chairs att. to Leopold Gest c. 1980's

Pr. Architectural High Back Wrought Iron Chairs att. to Leopold Gest c. 1980's

By Gustave Toffiche and Léopold Gest

Located in New York, NY

Exceptional pair of Post Modern style high back chairs, having dramatic exaggerated tall backs, and asymmetrical upholstered leather pad seats. Finished in black on black, showing ...

Category

Late 20th Century French Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Wrought Iron

Symbol sofa by William Sawaya for Sawaya and Moroni, Italian Design 1985
Symbol sofa by William Sawaya for Sawaya and Moroni, Italian Design 1985

Symbol sofa by William Sawaya for Sawaya and Moroni, Italian Design 1985

By William Sawaya, Sawaya & Moroni

Located in Milano, IT

An elegant expression of 1980s Italian design, the Symbol sofa designed by William Sawaya in 1985 represents a perfect balance between architectural rigor and contemporary comfort. I...

Category

1980s Italian Vintage Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Fabric, Wood

Cult Stool, Sculptural Side Table, Mexican Green Onyx
Cult Stool, Sculptural Side Table, Mexican Green Onyx

Cult Stool, Sculptural Side Table, Mexican Green Onyx

By Panorammma

Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX

Cult stool/ side table; a hand sculpted stone from a Mexican marble and Mexican onyx conglomerate, remits to primal sculptural-architectural language while displaying materials in a ...

Category

2010s Mexican Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Onyx

Dr. Glob Dining Chair Set by Philippe Starck for Kartell, Italy 1980's
Dr. Glob Dining Chair Set by Philippe Starck for Kartell, Italy 1980's

Dr. Glob Dining Chair Set by Philippe Starck for Kartell, Italy 1980's

By Philippe Starck, Kartell

Located in Oud-Turnhout, VAN

Vintage Postmodern Design Dr. Glob Dining Chair Set by Philippe Starck for Kartell. Made in Italy, 1980's / 90's period. Marked on the bottom. All black edition. Stackable. Black pla...

Category

1980s Italian Vintage Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Metal

Gaetano Pesce limited edition Greene Street chair for Vitra Italy / 1995
Gaetano Pesce limited edition Greene Street chair for Vitra Italy / 1995

Gaetano Pesce limited edition Greene Street chair for Vitra Italy / 1995

By Gaetano Pesce, Vitra

Located in Skokie, IL

Gaetano Pesce limited edition Greene Street chair for Vitra Italy / Switzerland, 1984 / 1994. This example 70 /100 pieces produced. Materials: resin reinforced with fiberglass, stee...

Category

1990s Italian Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Steel

Percival Lafer 'MP 87' Lounge Chair in Beige Suede
Percival Lafer 'MP 87' Lounge Chair in Beige Suede

Percival Lafer 'MP 87' Lounge Chair in Beige Suede

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Percival Lafer, lounge chair, model ‘MP-87’, leather, chrome-plated steel, rope, Brazil, 1971 The MP-87 lounge piece is conceived by Brazilian designer Percival Lafer in the 1970s....

Category

1970s Brazilian Vintage Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Steel, Chrome

Warren Platner for Knoll Nickel Finish and Fabric Stool, circa 1980s
Warren Platner for Knoll Nickel Finish and Fabric Stool, circa 1980s

Warren Platner for Knoll Nickel Finish and Fabric Stool, circa 1980s

By Knoll, Warren Platner

Located in Oakland, CA

Architect Warren Platner designed stool constructed of nickel-plated steel and fabric for Knoll. Hand crafted by Matricola of Italy for Knoll, the frame is resist welded and the plat...

Category

1980s Italian Vintage Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Steel, Nickel

Eccentric Hand-Painted Postmodern Memphis-style Armchair & Ottoman
Eccentric Hand-Painted Postmodern Memphis-style Armchair & Ottoman

Eccentric Hand-Painted Postmodern Memphis-style Armchair & Ottoman

By Memphis Group

Located in Brooklyn, NY

This one-of-a-kind high back armchair with matching ottoman features leopard print upholstery and eclectic hand-painted designs. Similar in type to the 1980s postmodern aesthetic pio...

Category

Late 20th Century Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Upholstery, Wood, Paint

Matteo Grassi Bar Stools in Dark Grey Leather
Matteo Grassi Bar Stools in Dark Grey Leather

Matteo Grassi Bar Stools in Dark Grey Leather

By Matteo Grassi

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Matteograssi, bar stools, leather, metal, Italy, 1970s Postmodern set of stools in dark grey leather, designed by Matteo Grassi. The stools are completely covered in leather, which ...

Category

1970s Italian Vintage Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Metal

Pierre Chapo Sculptural 'S34' Chair in Elm
Pierre Chapo Sculptural 'S34' Chair in Elm

Pierre Chapo Sculptural 'S34' Chair in Elm

By Pierre Chapo

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Pierre Chapo, dining chair model 'S34', elm, France, 1960s This asymmetrical chair with a twisted base is a true icon of Pierre Chapo's playful and solemn designs. The backrest is p...

Category

1960s French Vintage Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Elm

Postmodern Sectional Sofa Bench by Steelcase
Postmodern Sectional Sofa Bench by Steelcase

Postmodern Sectional Sofa Bench by Steelcase

By Steelcase

Located in New York, NY

Phenomenal sectional sofa, bench, or single chair set made by Steelcase, circa 2002. The pieces have tubular chrome feet, which support a thick and heavy board, to which a thick upho...

Category

Early 2000s American Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Chrome

Post-Modern Italian Lounge Chair in Wood and Creme Colored Velvet Upholstery
Post-Modern Italian Lounge Chair in Wood and Creme Colored Velvet Upholstery

Post-Modern Italian Lounge Chair in Wood and Creme Colored Velvet Upholstery

By Afra & Tobia Scarpa

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Lounge chair, beech, fabric, Italy, 1970s This lounge chair dates from Italy in the 1970s and is designed in the style of Afra and Tobia Scarpa. The design is defined by clear propo...

Category

1970s Italian Vintage Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Fabric, Beech

1980s Postmodern Chairs by Samo, Ettore Sottsass Style, Black Enameled Metal
1980s Postmodern Chairs by Samo, Ettore Sottsass Style, Black Enameled Metal

1980s Postmodern Chairs by Samo, Ettore Sottsass Style, Black Enameled Metal

By Ettore Sottsass

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Chair by French manufacturer Samo captures the bold spirit of 1980s Postmodern design. The striking U-shaped curved back formed from black enameled metal tubing creates a sculptural ...

Category

1980s French Vintage Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Metal, Enamel

Richard Meier for Knoll International Architectural Rocking Chaise, 1982, Signed
Richard Meier for Knoll International Architectural Rocking Chaise, 1982, Signed

Richard Meier for Knoll International Architectural Rocking Chaise, 1982, Signed

By Richard Meier, Knoll

Located in Los Angeles, CA

A striking and exceptionally rare rocking chaise designed by Richard Meier for Knoll International (circa 1982), this sculptural lounge piece beautifully captures Meier’s architectur...

Category

1980s American Vintage Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Leather, Wood

Josep Llusca “Andrea” Dining Chairs for Andrey World Spain - Set of Four
Josep Llusca “Andrea” Dining Chairs for Andrey World Spain - Set of Four

Josep Llusca “Andrea” Dining Chairs for Andrey World Spain - Set of Four

By Josep Llusca

Located in Miami, FL

Set of four chrome plated steel tripod dining chairs with aluminum arms and hardened plastic/rubber seats designed by Josep Llusca for Andey World, Spain. Maintains Made in Spain la...

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Late 20th Century Spanish Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Steel

Postmodern Design "Alice" Dining Chairs by Cidue, Italy 1980's
Postmodern Design "Alice" Dining Chairs by Cidue, Italy 1980's

Postmodern Design "Alice" Dining Chairs by Cidue, Italy 1980's

By Cidue

Located in Oud-Turnhout, VAN

Vintage Postmodern Design "Alice" Dining Chairs by Cidue. Made in the 1980's in Italy. Slender black lacquered metal frame with grey stained rush woven seats. They all shows signs of...

Category

1980s Italian Vintage Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Metal

A set of three postmodern bar stools by Martin, late 20th century
A set of three postmodern bar stools by Martin, late 20th century

A set of three postmodern bar stools by Martin, late 20th century

Located in View Park, CA

A set of three vintage postmodern bar or counter stool featuring gilt metal frames and faux leather seating, probably circa late 1970s. The statement geometry of these pieces will a ...

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1970s Vintage Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Brass

Sculptural Pair of Fully Restored Post Modern Slipper Chairs in Leopard Velvet
Sculptural Pair of Fully Restored Post Modern Slipper Chairs in Leopard Velvet

Sculptural Pair of Fully Restored Post Modern Slipper Chairs in Leopard Velvet

Located in Saint Louis, MO

Get these while you can Pair of Post Modern Leopard Velvet Slipper Chairs fully restored with new foam cushions and new leopard velvet upholstery. Powerful and confident forward angl...

Category

1990s American Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Upholstery, Velvet

Mario Bellini Reupholstered 'Camaleonda' Modular Sofa in White Boucle
Mario Bellini Reupholstered 'Camaleonda' Modular Sofa in White Boucle

Mario Bellini Reupholstered 'Camaleonda' Modular Sofa in White Boucle

By Mario Bellini, B&B Italia

Located in Waalwijk, NL

Mario Bellini for B&B Italia, reupholstered 'Camaleonda' sectional sofa, boucle, metal, Italy, design 1970 The iconic Camaleonda sofa is designed by Italian master Mario Bellini for...

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1970s Italian Vintage Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Metal

'Zero Gravity' Rocking Chair by Peter Opsvik for Stokke Varier, Denmark 1991
'Zero Gravity' Rocking Chair by Peter Opsvik for Stokke Varier, Denmark 1991

'Zero Gravity' Rocking Chair by Peter Opsvik for Stokke Varier, Denmark 1991

By Stokke, Peter Opsvik

Located in Oud-Turnhout, VAN

Vintage Scandinavian Ergonomical Design Balance / Rocking Chair 'ZERO GRAVITY' by Norwegian Designer Peter Opsvik for Stokke Varier. Made in Denmark, 1991 design. Black stained bentw...

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1990s Danish Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Fabric, Bentwood

Postmodern Memphis Style Bar Stools, Italy 1980s, a Pair
Postmodern Memphis Style Bar Stools, Italy 1980s, a Pair

Postmodern Memphis Style Bar Stools, Italy 1980s, a Pair

Located in Miami, FL

Pair of bar height Italian post modern bar chairs inspired by Memphis Milano. Made of black lacquered steel with black moulded rubber seats and ...

Category

Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Steel

Toshiyuki Kita Wink Charcoal Gray Leather Lounge Chair for Cassina, 1980s
Toshiyuki Kita Wink Charcoal Gray Leather Lounge Chair for Cassina, 1980s

Toshiyuki Kita Wink Charcoal Gray Leather Lounge Chair for Cassina, 1980s

By Toshiyuki Kita, Cassina

Located in Miami, FL

Charcoal gray leather Wink lounge chair designed by Toshiyuki Kita for Cassina, 1980s. Wink rises out of the complex interweaving of Western ways and Asian influences, a versatile...

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Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Leather

1990s Vintage Kartell “FPE” Chair by Ron Arad — Fantastic Plastic Elastic — Mid-
1990s Vintage Kartell “FPE” Chair by Ron Arad — Fantastic Plastic Elastic — Mid-

1990s Vintage Kartell “FPE” Chair by Ron Arad — Fantastic Plastic Elastic — Mid-

By Ron Arad

Located in San Gabriel, CA

Designer: Ron Arad Model: FPE (Fantastic, Plastic, Elastic) Manufacturer: Kartell, Milan, Italy Era: Late 1990s / Early 2000s (original production run 1999–mid 2000s)  The FPE chair is one of Ron Arad’s most iconic plastic-and-metal designs. It uses an ingenious method: a single sheet of injection-molded polypropylene is slid flat into double-barrelled aluminum extrusions, then bent into shape under pressure — creating a light, flexible but structurally sound chair without screws, glue, or welding.  This combination of industrial engineering + sculptural form + stackable practicality helped make the FPE a landmark of late-20th-century design. It’s part of major museum collections worldwide (including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York).  • Original vintage Kartell production (not reproduction) • Polypropylene seat/back + extruded aluminum frame • Signature flexible-seat technology — seat/back remain slightly flexible until someone sits, then lock rigid under weight.  • Lightweight & stackable (up to 6–8 chairs) — ideal for small spaces or flexible interiors.  • Great for lovers of postmodern / space-age / contemporary design; fits gallery-style interiors, modern apartments, creative studios. Dimensions (approx / official): 31¼″ H × 17″ W × 22″ D (79.4 × 43.2 × 55.9 cm)  Materials: Injection-molded polypropylene (seat), Extruded aluminum (frame)  Condition & Authenticity Notes • Good vintage condition — seat/back show light wear typical of age/use (please refer to photos). • Underside of seat shows original manufacturing stamp: “Kartell — FPE...

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1990s Italian Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Plastic

Mario Bellini “Lira & Liuto” Chair for Cassina, Bordeaux Leather, 1989, Set of 4
Mario Bellini “Lira & Liuto” Chair for Cassina, Bordeaux Leather, 1989, Set of 4

Mario Bellini “Lira & Liuto” Chair for Cassina, Bordeaux Leather, 1989, Set of 4

By Mario Bellini, Cassina

Located in Lonigo, Veneto

Mario Bellini “Lira & Liuto” chairs for Cassina, bordeaux leather, Italy, 1989, set of 4 The "Lira e Liuto" was designed by Mario Bellini for Cassina in 1989, extending the formal l...

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1980s Italian Vintage Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Leather

Vintage dining chairs by Belgo chrom, set of 6 - 1980s
Vintage dining chairs by Belgo chrom, set of 6 - 1980s

Vintage dining chairs by Belgo chrom, set of 6 - 1980s

By belgochrom

Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest

Set of six elegant dining room chairs manufactured by Belgochrom. Nicely designed metal frames with elegant legs. Upholstered in a mint green alcantara with brushed steel frames. B...

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1980s Belgian Vintage Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Metal

Pr. Postmodern Kurve Lounge Chairs by Karim Rashid for  Nienkamper c. 2000/2020
Pr. Postmodern Kurve Lounge Chairs by Karim Rashid for  Nienkamper c. 2000/2020

Pr. Postmodern Kurve Lounge Chairs by Karim Rashid for Nienkamper c. 2000/2020

By Nienkamper, Karim Rashid

Located in New York, NY

Rare and important pair of Post Modern, Contemporary Kurve lounge chairs, designed by Karim Rashid, made in Canada for Nienkamper, circa 2000/2020. The chairs feature a sexy curvac...

Category

Early 2000s Canadian Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Naugahyde, Bentwood

Silla Sol
Silla Sol

Silla Sol

$1,600 / item

Silla Sol

By Chuch Estudio

Located in Mérida, MX

“Silla Sol” Silla Sol chair is not just a chair but a Mexican cookie-inspired chair, a happy face object that livens up any space it enters. You can sit on it, you can place your fav...

Category

2010s Mexican Post-Modern Seating

Materials

Wood

Post-modern seating for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Post-Modern seating for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage seating created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include seating, tables, building and garden elements and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with fabric, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Post-Modern seating made in a specific country, there are Europe, Italy, and Scandinavia pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original seating, popular names associated with this style include Pepe Albargues, Cassina, Royal Stranger, and Philippe Starck. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for seating differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $110 and tops out at $243,184 while the average work can sell for $3,662.