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.
$45,237 / item
Vertigo III Sculptural Chair by Pol Quadens
Located in Geneve, CH
Vertigo III Sculptural Chair by Pol Quadens Unique Piece. Dimensions: D 80 x W 120 x H 300 cm. Materials: Polished stainless steel. Pol Quadens was born ...
Stainless Steel
Big Pouf in Vegetable Leather, Suede & Poplar Plywood by Oscar Maschera
Located in Geneve, CH
Big Pouf in Vegetable Leather, Suede & Poplar Plywood by Oscar Maschera Dimensions: D 85 x W 101 x H 35 cm. Materials: Vegetable leather, suede, and poplar plywood. Our work is ...
Suede, Faux Leather, Poplar, Plywood
Handcrafted Stool in Cast Brass and Red Upholstery by Joana Teixeira
Located in Geneve, CH
Handcrafted Stool in Cast Brass and Red Upholstery by Joana Teixeira Dimensions: D 28 x W 30 x H 47 cm. Materials: Cast brass and upholstery. Available in red and violet upholstery....
Brass
$14,484 / item
Alexander Armchair by Domkapa
Located in Geneve, CH
Alexander armchair by Domkapa Materials: Natural Leather, Rose Gold Brushed metal. Dimensions: W 88 x D 90 x H 96 cm. Also available in different materials. Please contact us. ...
Metal
Luna Nest Armchair in Walnut Veneer & Upholstery by PANOPTIKUM COLLECTIONS
Located in Geneve, CH
Luna Nest Armchair in Walnut Veneer & Upholstery by PANOPTIKUM COLLECTIONS Dimensions: D 80 x W 80 x H 66 cm. Materials: Small-radial MDF in walnut veneer and upholstery. A comp...
Wood, Upholstery
$2,707 / item
Bold Dining Chair by Mohdern
Located in Geneve, CH
Bold Dining Chair by Mohdern Dimensions: W 61 x D 54 x H 79 cm Materials: Fabric, Bouclé Bold is a refined furniture collection designed and produced by the Mohdern brand. The serie...
Fabric, Bouclé, Upholstery
Low Slung Lounge Chair by Century Furniture Company
Located in New York, NY
Great Art Deco Revival low slung lounge chair with cream lacquer frame, brass feet, and upholstered seat and back. The chair is in very good con...
$2,490 / item
Mustard Jasmine Chair by Nelson Araujo
Located in Geneve, CH
Mustard Jasmine Chair by Nelson Araujo Dimensions: D 88 x W 88 x H 80 cm Materials: Wood, foam, fabric. Available in Mustard and Terracotta colors. Nelson de Araújo graduated in Pr...
Fabric, Foam, Wood
$13,091 / item
Camurça Rocco Sofa by Studio Orth
Located in Geneve, CH
Camurça Rocco Sofa by Studio Orth Dimensions: W 162 x D 98 x H 62 cm Materials: Suede. About: Studio Orth is a multidisciplinary furniture and interior design firm, founded in 2018...
Suede
Dark Gray Curved Concrete Minimalist Circle Bench By Pol Quadens
Located in Geneve, CH
Circle Bench by Pol Quadens Unique Piece. Dimensions: D 45 x W 45 x H 300 cm. Materials: Polished stainless steel. Pol Quadens was born in Brussels. His ...
Stainless Steel
$4,900 / item
Object 03 Beige Seating by Volta
Located in Geneve, CH
Object 03 beige seating by Volta Dimensions: D 45 x W 200 x H 50 cm Materials: Cork and Velvet Also available in diffentent colours. Please contact us. MEÏ COLLECTION The Meï ...
Velvet, Cork
Saffron Yellow Queen Of Love Armchair by Moro, Pigatti
Located in Geneve, CH
Saffron Yellow Queen Of Love Armchair by Moro, Pigatti Dimensions: D 98 x W 103,5 x H 112,5 cm. SH: 38 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Available in different color and finish options. ...
Other
Melody Chair in Peach Cotton Velvet Upholstery by Munna
Located in Geneve, CH
Melody Chair in Peach Cotton Velvet Upholstery by Munna Dimensions: D 60 x W 54 x H 92 cm. SH: 51 cm. Materials: Wood, foam, and upholstery. Finish: Cotto...
Upholstery, Foam, Wood
$959 / item
Black Stretch Chair by OxDenmarq
Located in Geneve, CH
Black Stretch chair by OxDenmarq Dimensions: D 55 x W 47 x H 85 cm Materials: Leather, Black Powder Coated Steel Also Available: Different colors available. OX DENMARQ is a Dan...
Steel
$1,439 / item
Alumina Wooden Stool by Studio Gameiro
Located in Geneve, CH
Alumina Wooden Stool by Studio Gameiro Dimensions: D 47 x W 46 x H 54 cm. Materials: Acácia wood and kambala wood. Studio Gameiro is an innovative, multidisciplinary, and design-foc...
Wood
1980s Postmodern Curvy Kidney Sofa
Located in Staten Island, NY
Postmodern kidney sofa with unique textile patterns. Custom Made in 1980 in fantastic condition.
Fabric
$1,393 / item
Cognac September Chair by Ox Denmarq
Located in Geneve, CH
Cognac september chair by Ox Denmarq Dimensions: D 71 x W 71 x H 70 cm Materials: bull leather, black powder coated steel Also available: different ...
Stainless Steel
$3,598 / item
Raw Bench by Atelier V&F
Located in Geneve, CH
Raw Bench by Atelier V&F Limited Edition Of 20+3AP Pieces. Dimensions: D 44 x W 134 x H 40 cm. Materials: Goatskin offcuts. Inspired by the earth goddess Ga...
Goatskin
Becomes Me Counter Stool in Midnight Blue Cotton Velvet & Brushed Brass by Munna
Located in Geneve, CH
Becomes Me Counter Stool in Midnight Blue Cotton Velvet & Brushed Brass by Munna Dimensions: D 50 x W 53 x H 95 cm. SH: 70 cm. Materials: Solid wood, foam, brass, and upholstery. Fin...
Brass
$3,141 / item
Pumpkin Orange Wave Bench by Giò Colonna Romano
Located in Geneve, CH
Pumpkin Orange Wave Bench by Giò Colonna Romano Dimensions: D 60 x W 160 x H 45 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 25 kg. Available in a standard version and lacquered (glossy/ma...
Other
Corset Chair in Dessert Cotton Velvet and Wood Lacquer by Munna
Located in Geneve, CH
Corset Chair in Dessert Cotton Velvet and Wood Lacquer by Munna Dimensions: D 60 x W 57 x H 93 cm. SH: 53 cm. Materials: Wood, foam, and upholstery. Finish: Cotton Velvet, ref. Deser...
Upholstery, Foam, Wood
$9,481 / item
Stella Sofa by Domkapa
Located in Geneve, CH
Stella Sofa by Domkapa Materials: Velvet (Aldan 2928), walnut stained ash. Dimensions: W 293 x D 157 x H 84 cm. Also available in different materials. Please contact us. with 3 pillows included in the same fabric as the structure(50x50 cm) An exclusive design for the most unique decorations! Stella sofa is a curvilinear sofa...
Velvet, Ash
Hans J. Wegner PP124 Rocking Chair – 1984 – PP Møbler, Denmark
Located in Weesp, NL
Hans J. Wegner PP124 Rocking Chair – 1984 – PP Møbler, Denmark A timeless masterpiece of Danish modern design, this PP124 rocking chair, designed by Hans J. Wegner in 1984, embodies...
Fabric, Ash
$15,079 / item
Medieval Chair by Pol Quadens
Located in Geneve, CH
Medieval Chair by Pol Quadens Limited Edition Of 8+4 Pieces. Dimensions: D 60 x W 60 x H 95 cm. Materials: Polished stainless steel and linen. Pol Quadens was born in Brussels. His father was active in the fields of composites the metal industry, and the world of materials, therefore, surrounded Pol since his early childhood. After his artistic studies, he starts restoring vintage cars. This experience has allowed him to gain strong practical skills and a deep knowledge of all types of materials. In 1987, he made his first creations and production of objects. His sensitivity and passion for the arts lead him to the creation of functional artworks. His CD shelf...
Stainless Steel
Vintage Brushed Metal Ribbon Chair
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage Hand Crafted Post-Modern Ribbon Chair Brushed Metal Texture Throughout with Smooth Glossy finish
Metal, Steel
$4,900 / item
Batan Armchair by Taller Batán
Located in Geneve, CH
Batan Armchair by Taller Batán Dimensions: W 55 x D 55 x H 71 cm Materials: Single block, wood; volcanic, stone; marble. Finishes: White cedar, blackened cedar (yakisugi), encino (...
Stone, Marble
$1,495 / item
Italian Postmodern La Bete Chair by Sawaya & Moroni
Located in Troy, MI
Found in Italy, this chair dates from the mid 1980s. Designed by William Sawaya for upscale Italian maker Sawaya & Moroni, this chair’s seat and back rest are made of molded, lam...
Chrome
"Visa Lounge" Leather Lounge Chairs by Antonio Citterio for Vitra
Located in Los Angeles, CA
"Visa Lounge" leather lounge chair by Antonio Citterio for Vitra.
Chrome
Double Arch Special Edition Dining Chair In Fur & Velvet Fabric by InsidherLand
Located in Geneve, CH
Double Arch Special Edition Dining Chair In Fur & Velvet Fabric by InsidherLand Dimensions: D 61 x W 65 x H 76 cm. Materials: Cotton Velvet Ref. 0043 and Fur Yack Ref. 1 upholstery. ...
Velvet, Fur
$2,341 / item
Lime Green Amore Bench by Giò Colonna Romano
Located in Geneve, CH
Lime Green Amore Bench by Giò Colonna Romano Dimensions: D 38 x W 145 x H 45 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Weight: 18 kg. Available in a standard version and lacquered version. Price...
Other
$8,967 / item
Eduarda Sofa by Duistt
Located in Geneve, CH
Eduarda Sofa by Duistt Dimensions: W 220 x D 95 x H 72 cm Materials: Duistt Fabric, Bronze Renaissance decorative nails Cushion not included. Please contact us for any request. EDUA...
Bronze, Other
$26,319
Sofa by Guillermo Santoma
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Commissioned by Etage Projects for Salon Art and Design, 2017. Lush cream sofa made of rubber EVA, by Guillermo Santoma.
Rubber
$5,026 / item
Hug Golden Chair by Rejo Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Hug Golden chair by Rejo Studio Dimensions: D 115 x W 70 x H 70 cm Materials: Wooden structure, with Velvet or silk Also Available in different colours...
Silk, Velvet, Wood
$32,568 / item
Holly Armchair by Kreoo
Located in Geneve, CH
Holly Armchair by Kreoo Designed by Christophe Pillet Dimensions: D 55 x W 85 x H 102 cm. Materials: Travertino Paglierino and leather. The price is inclusive of leather cushions, ...
Travertine
Lime Green Little Queen Of Love Kids Armchair by Moro, Pigatti
Located in Geneve, CH
Lime Green Little Queen Of Love Kids Armchair by Moro, Pigatti Dimensions: D 70 x W 76 x H 83 cm. SH: 32 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Available in different color and finish options...
Other
$5,654 / item
Small Dobra Sofa by Wentz
Located in Geneve, CH
Small Dobra Sofa by Wentz Dimensions: D 110 x W 78 x H 70 cm Materials: Upholstered sofa/armchair module with wooden structure, elastic straps, hypersoft foam and WE–KNIT covering (7...
Upholstery
$2,364 / item
Mocca Rama Oak Chair by Ox Denmarq
Located in Geneve, CH
Mocca Rama oak chair by Ox Denmarq Dimensions: D 72 x W 68 x H 70 cm Materials: leather, wood Also available: different colors available. Ox Denmarq is a Danish design brand as...
Leather, Oak
William P. Taylor for Sintoform Square Planter Bench
Located in Waalwijk, NL
William P. Taylor for Sintoform, square planter bench, reinforced polyester, United States, 1970s A striking fusion of form and function, this sculptural planter bench, designed by ...
Fiberglass
Fernando Chair Closed Sides in Mirror-Polished Stainless Steel by Julian Mayor
Located in Geneve, CH
Fernando Chair Closed Sides in Mirror-Polished Stainless Steel by Julian Mayor Limited Edition of 8 + 4AP. Dimensions: D 75 x W 85 x H 79 cm. Materials: Mirror-polished stainless st...
Stainless Steel
$12,851 / item
MA’AM Armchair by Imperfettolab
Located in Geneve, CH
MA’AM armchair by Imperfettolab Dimensions: D 122 x W 90 x H 91 cm Materials: raw material, seat in leatherette Imperfetto Lab Who we are ? We are a family. Verter Turroni, E...
Other
$15,650 / item
Awaiting H Bench by Secondome Edizioni
Located in Geneve, CH
Awaiting H Bench by Secondome Edizioni Limited Edition Of 9 pieces + 3 A.P. Designer: Coralla Maiuri + Giorgia Zanellato. Dimensions: D 42 x W 140 x H 59 cm. Materials: Brass and ori...
Brass
Plywood and Upholstered Bali Pouf by Dainelli Studio Atelier
Located in Geneve, CH
Plywood and Upholstered Bali Pouf by Dainelli Studio Atelier Dimensions: W 70 x D 40 x H 37 cm Materials: Okumè plywood veneered with padouk natural/black-stained, glossy/matte finis...
Upholstery, Plywood
$8,156 / item
Hygge Lounge Chair by Collector
Located in Geneve, CH
Hygge lounge chair by Collector. Materials: Structure in solid oak wood. Upholstered in Pierre Frey fabric. Legs: Travertino. Dimensions: W 75 x D 70 ...
Travertine
$1,679 / 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
$7,036Sale Price / set|30% Off
Set of 8 black lacquered "MED ACERBIS" chairs and rust-colored velvet Italy 1980s
Located in Milano, Lombardia
The MED chair was made in 1983 by Giotto Stoppino and Lodovico Acerbis for Acerbis. It is characterized by its contrast between curves and linearity, such as the particular section o...
Velvet, Harewood
$3,757 / item
Rumbo Bench by Jean-Baptiste Van Den Heede
Located in Geneve, CH
SURF bench by Jean-Baptiste Van den Heede. Dimensions: L 118 x D 31 x H 42 cm. Materials: White Beech, Textile. Also available: Other textiles available....
Textile, Beech
$536 / 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: Crude Nature leather and black frame. Available in different lea...
Metal
Caleo-Natural Teak Wood, Rope And Ethereal Fabric Left Modular Daybed by SNOC
Located in Geneve, CH
Caleo-Natural Teak Wood, Rope And Ethereal Fabric Left Modular Daybed by SNOC Dimensions: D 150 x W 125 x H 65 cm. SH: 42 cm. Materials: Teak wood, rope, and Ethereal fabric. The C...
Fabric, Rope, Teak
Pigmented Oil Waxed, Limited Edition Plywood Chair by Lucas Tyra Morten
By Lucas Morten
Located in Geneve, CH
Tron Chair in Melange by Lucas Tyra Morten 2023 Limited Edition of 12 Dimensions: W 66 x D 59 x H 80 cm Material: Polished waxed plywood with pigmented linseed oil wax. Occupying t...
Plywood
Post modern Yellow Leather Lounge Chair by Gyform Italy
By Gyform
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Post modern wide Yellow Leather Lounge Chair by Gyform Italy. Great yellow leather top pillow cushions with woven leather off white base. Back headrest is adjustable with mechanism h...
Leather
$5,403 / item
Charles Cormo Azure Armchair by Royal Stranger
Located in Geneve, CH
Charles Cormo Azure armchair by Royal Stranger Dimensions: D 88 x W 84 x H 78 cm. Materials: upholstery, prussiana lacquered with glossy finish. Weight: 62.5 kg. Finish options...
Other
$798 / 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
$19,294 / item
Rialto Armchair by Laurameroni
Located in Geneve, CH
Rialto Armchair by Laurameroni Dimensions: W 105 x D 90 x H 75 cm Materials: Upholstery, Velvet, Marble. Padded armchair upholstered in matt velvet Lario 09, with three solid Grey ...
Marble
$1,280Sale Price / set|20% Off
Pair of Post Modern Bentwood Allmilmö Wood Arm Dining Chairs in white Lacquer
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Pair of Post Modern Bentwood Allmilmö bentwood Arm Dining Chairs in white Lacquer. Located in Brooklyn NYC. Sold as a Set of (2) Chairs Chairs Measure - 21" W x 19" D x 29" H
Hardwood, Lacquer
Jojo Chair in Terracotta Colored Resin by Joyful Objects Yes!
Located in Geneve, CH
Jojo Chair in Terracotta Colored Resin by Joyful Objects Yes! Dimensions: D 75 x W 70 x H 72 cm. Materials: Resin. Available in different color opt...
Resin
$1,747 / item
Iceland Mariposa Lounge Chair by Cuero Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Iceland Mariposa Lounge Chair by Cuero Design Dimensions: D 92 x W 87 x H 86 cm. Materials: Sheepskin and chrome. Finish: Wild grey sheepskin and chrome frame. Weight: 12 kg. Avail...
Chrome
Luke 240 Sofa in Orange Cotton Velvet Upholstery by Munna
Located in Geneve, CH
Luke 240 Sofa in Orange Cotton Velvet Upholstery by Munna Dimensions: D 110 x W 240 x H 82 cm. SH: 47 cm. Materials: Wood, foam, and upholstery. Finish: Cotton Velvet. Available in ...
Upholstery, Foam, Wood
$1,000 / item
"Xitle" Chair
By ADN Studio
Located in Mexico City, CDMX
The "Xitle" chair is part of ADN Studio´s Volcan collection. This collection seeks to go back to basics. It is a subtle and refined interpretation of the archytypical modern furnitur...
Hardwood
Beige Baba Daybed by Gisbert Pöppler, Upholstered Teak Frame, Germany
Located in Geneve, CH
Beige Baba daybed by Gisbert Pöppler Dimensions: H 82 (43) x W 250 x D 170 cm Materials: Upholstered wooden frame, teak footings Like a friend that wants to cuddle, Baba is an upholstered sofa series for lounging in complete comfort. The asymmetrical forms cater to a playful choice of sitting positions from formal to downright lounging while confidently inhabiting their environment and providing cozy sophistication. The low seating height and fluffy padded body make you want to sink into this chair and relish the moment. All of their upholstery pieces are COM prices. The prices do not include any fabric. Gisbert Pöppler studied architecture at California College of Arts and Crafts, San Francisco and Technische Universität, Berlin, graduating in 1996 with a Diplom Ingenieur. After completing his studies he spent several years working for various firms in Berlin, developing new architecture after the German re-unification. In 1999 Gisbert Pöppler founded Prinz–Pöppler, a partnership with architect Ilona Prinz – together creating office environments for start-up organizations filling the dynamic Berlin landscape...
Upholstery, Teak
$17,592 / item
B2461 Bench in Pointed Oak Wood by Jörg Pietschmann
Located in Geneve, CH
B2461 Bench in Pointed Oak Wood by Jörg Pietschmann Dimensions: D 29 x W 165 x H 21 cm. Materials: Oak wood. In Pietschmann’s sculptures, trees that for centuries were part of a lan...
Oak