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.
Italian Postmodern Sideboard with Geometric Front
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Sideboard, cherry wood, ebony wood, mahogany wood, Italy, 1970s This stunning sideboard, made from a luxurious combination of cherry, ebony wood, and mahogany, is a true statement p...
Cherry, Ebony, Mahogany
Paul Evans for Directional Rare 'Cityscape' 'Steel Hinged' Sideboard in Chrome
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Paul Evans, Paul Evans Studio for Directional, 'Cityscape' or 'Steel Hinged' cabinet, mirrored glass, chrome-plated steel, lacquered High Pressure Laminate, United States, 1970s Thi...
Steel, Chrome
Giuseppe Rivadossi Hand-Carved Sideboard in Oak
By Officina Rivadossi, Giuseppe Rivadossi
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi, sideboard, oak, Italy, 1970s A beautifully crafted sideboard in solid oak by Giuseppe Rivadossi. Characterized by its striking exposed joi...
Oak
Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto 'Artona' Sideboard in Black Leather and Walnut
By Maxalto, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto, 'Artona' sideboard, walnut, burlwood, leather, Italy, 1975/1979 This sideboard with a front in black leather was designed as part of the ‘Artona...
Leather, Walnut, Burl
Nikol International Tall Post-Modern Sideboard in Walnut and Smoked Glass
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Nikol International, storage unit/sideboard, walnut, smoked glass, Italy, 1970s/early 1980s Presenting an exquisite post-modern sideboard that skillfully balances form and function ...
Smoked Glass, Walnut
Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto 'Artona' Sideboard in Black Lacquered Wood
By Maxalto, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto, 'Artona' sideboard, walnut, lacquered wood, ebony, brass, Italy, 1975/1979 This sideboard with strong geometrical lines is a design by Afra & Tobia ...
Brass
Italian Post-Modern Sideboard with Geometric Front
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Sideboard, cherry, mahogany, ebonized wood, Italy 1970s This stunning sideboard, made from a luxurious combination of cherry, ebonized wood, and mahogany, is a true statement piece ...
Cherry, Mahogany
French Sideboard in Solid Elm by Skilled Craftsman
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Sideboard, elm, France, 1970s Stunning lived-in sideboard made in France in the 1970s. This piece is comprised of a lower and upper cabinet, displaying elegance and practicality. Th...
Elm
$6,450 / item
Italian Postmodern Sideboards with Geometric Front
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Sideboards, cherry wood, ebony wood, mahogany, Italy 1970s This stunning sideboard, made from a luxurious combination of cherry, ebony wood, and mahogany, is a true statement piece ...
Cherry, Ebony, Mahogany
Original USM Haller Sideboard 2x2 schwarz Kommode Anrichte
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten ein wunderschönes USM Haller Sideboard in der Größe 2x2 mit zwei Klappen oben zum Verkauf an. Das Board wurde professionell gereinigt und steht hier in der begehrten tiefe...
Metal, Steel, Chrome
Luciano Frigerio Sideboard in Brass and Wood
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Luciano Frigerio, sideboard, brass, lacquered elm burl, Italy, 1970s This exquisite sideboard, created by the creative Italian designer Luciano Frigerio, exemplifies the aesthetic s...
Brass
2x Original USM Haller Sideboard 2x2 reinweiß Kommode Anrichte
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten eins von insgesamt zwei verfügbaren USM Haller Sideboards in der Größe 2x2 mit einer Klappe unten links zum Verkauf an. Das Board wurde professionell gereinigt und eignet ...
Metal, Steel, Chrome
Luciano Frigerio 'Diamante' Sideboard with Cubist Graphic Front
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Luciano Frigerio, 'Diamante' sideboard, wood, Italy, 1970s This remarkable cabinet, created by the creative Italian designer Luciano Frigerio, exemplifies the aesthetic sensibilitie...
Wood
$4,444 / item
Mytho Wooden Cabinet by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Mytho Wooden Cabinet by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 45 x W 120 x H 160 cm Materials: Wood. A bet on ingenuity. A set of wooden pieces with different thicknesses glides across its sur...
Wood
Postmodern vintage pastel pink blue peach laminate waterfall sideboard USA 1980s
Located in Hastings, GB
Postmodern pastel colourwash / watercolour effect laminate waterfall sideboard, USA 1980s. The interior is also fully finished in the pastel lamina...
Laminate
Italian Modern Blue Black Solid Wood Sideboard by Umberto Asnago, Giorgetti 1982
By Giorgetti S.p.A., Umberto Asnago
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian post modern blue, black and wooden solid wood sideboard by Umberto Asnago for Giorgetti Italia, 1982. Sideboard in solid wood, with a curved ...
Wood
$5,619 / item
Leo Medium Sideboard by Pastform
Located in Geneve, CH
Leo Medium Sideboard by Pastform Dimensions: D 42 x W 200 x H 80 cm Materials: Stained and varnished wood. Available in different wood color finishes: Whiskey, Rum, BPA, Nobel, Bran...
Wood
$6,066 / item
Oh Lola Sideboard by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Oh Lola Sideboard by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 45 x W 170 x H 125 cm Materials: Wood. Lola Glamour box essence with flat finishes, without patinas or aging. Impeccable carpentry, v...
Wood
$4,794 / item
Tatel Oak Sideboard, Four Doors, by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Tatel Sideboard by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 45 x W 220 x H 70 cm Materials: Oak. The design of this low sideboard is inspired by wooden panels that fit together to achieve a geome...
Oak
Wendell Castle “Samba” Cabinet for Icon Design Sculptural Ash Wood Storage Cabin
Located in Miami, FL
A stunning example of American furniture, the Samba Cabinet by Wendell Castle for Icon Designs reflects Castle’s signature philosophy of treating furniture as sculpture. The piece fe...
Leather, Wood
Totem Wood Sideboard, Three Doors and Three Drawers, by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Totem Wood Sideboard by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 46 x W 195 x H 84 cm Materials: Wood. Geometry and mathematics behind the scenes of art. The design embraces and integrates the ex...
Wood
$13,924 / item
Curl Series Sideboard 2x4 by hm-LI Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Curl Series Sideboard 2x4 by hm-LI Studio Dimensions: W 178.2 x D 50 x H 94.2 cm Materials: Oak Wood, Blackened Steel Legs, Blackend Steel/Marble Top Surface. Available Finishes: Wa...
Marble, Steel
Venus, 4 doors Sideboard on Two Cylinder Legs in Gradient Lacquer by Ultramobili
Located in Geneve, CH
Venus, 4 doors Sideboard on Two Cylinder Legs in Gradient Lacquer by Ultramobili Dimensions: W 225 x D 53 x H 83 cm Materials: Mat lacquer. 4-door sideboard cabinet with rounded e...
Lacquer
$18,047 / item
Unveil Sideboard 200 by InsidherLand
Located in Geneve, CH
Unveil Sideboard 200 by InsidherLand Dimensions: D 50 x W 200 x H 85 cm. Materials: Wooden structure: walnut veneer and interior in sycamore veneer. ...
Brass
$3,746 / item
Box TV Stand by DAaZ
Located in Geneve, CH
Box TV Stand by DAaZ Dimensions: D 47 x W 220 x H 39 cm. Materials: Albizzia wood. DAaZ Furniture honors the spirit of adventure. We embrace the escape of the ordinary and revel in...
Wood
Vintage Postmodern Asymmetric Sideboard by Rougier
Located in Oxnard, CA
Here is a rare asymmetric sideboard / console by Roger Rougier, circa 1980s. The piece is comprised of two halves - on the left a triangular set of drawers topped by a deep drop-dow...
Wood, Lacquer
$18,907 / item
Boomerang Sideboard by Arturo Verástegui
Located in Geneve, CH
Boomerang sideboard by Arturo Verástegui Dimensions: D 200 x W 90 x H 50 cm Materials: walnut wood, metal, Negro Monterrey marble. Walnut with black electro-painted metal and Ne...
Marble, Metal
Bespoke Italian Colored Glass and Brass Sideboard
Located in London, London
Bespoke sideboard Colored glass panels Brass inlay Brass legs Contemporary, Italy.
Brass
Marte3, Low Sideboard with Three Drawers with and Round Legs by Ultramobili
Located in Geneve, CH
Marte3, Low Sideboard with Three Drawers with and Round Legs by Ultramobili Dimensions: W 270.6 x D 53 x H 50.5 cm Materials: Matte or Glossy Lacquer Finish. Low sideboard with 2 ...
Lacquer
$4,818 / item
Canette TV Stand by Morica Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Canette TV Stand by Morica Design Dimensions: D 55 x W 171 x H 48 cm. Materials: Anthracite leather, Laguna oak, metal. Available in Canaletto Walnut, Laguna Oak, and Oak wood. Plea...
Leather, Wood
Oh Lola Sideboard, Three Doors and Two Drawers, by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Oh Lola Sideboard, Three Doors and Two Drawers, by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 48 x W 180x H 70 cm Materials: Wood. Sideboard with two drawers and three doors in a natural finish on ...
Wood
Amazing angular trapezoid-shaped postmodern vintage zig zag sideboard, USA 1980s
Located in Hastings, GB
An amazing angular trapezoid-shaped postmodern zig zag sideboard, USA 1980s. Clad in 3 colours of shiny laminate- pale pink, deeper mauvey pink, maroon. Four push-click doors open o...
Laminate
$5,725 / item
Dinastía Sideboard by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Dinastía Sideboard by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 50 x W 175 x H 100 cm Materials: Wood. We are Félix and Désirée Ramos, brothers and product designers of our brand, Lola Glamour. W...
Wood
Sideboard Beverly by Ettore Sottsass for Memphis
Located in PARIS, FR
Ettore Sottsass spent decades as chief design consultant to Olivetti before arriving, in 1981, at something entirely his own. Memphis — the movement he founded and named after a Bob ...
Laminate, Wood
Sleek Black Lacquer and Brass Sideboard
Located in North Charleston, SC
A striking credenza in high-gloss black lacquer with polished brass base and trim. Designed with clean minimalist lines and rounded corners, the piece reflects the bold elegance of l...
Brass
$20,546 / item
Marea Sideboard by De Castelli
Located in Geneve, CH
Marea Sideboard by De Castelli Dimensions: W 190 x D 45 x H 71 cm Materials: DeMarea Brass, Titanium Oak Wood Copper and Stainless Steel versions are available. Two, Three, Five and ...
Brass
$2,120 / item
Natural Oak Marius Sideboard by HARTO
Located in Geneve, CH
Natural Oak Marius Sideboard by HARTO Dimensions: W 155 x D 45 x H 65 cm. Materials: Solid Wood, MDF wood veneer. Weight: 51.0 kg The 155cm sideboard from the Marius collection i...
Wood
$5,198 / item
Reina Sideboard 190 by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Reina Sideboard 190 by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 45 x W 190 x H 78 cm Materials: Wood. Each of the pieces in the Reina series captivates due to its exclusive combination of colors ...
Wood
One Sideboard, Five Doors and One Drawer, by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
One Sideboard, Five Doors and One Drawer, by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 45 x W 250 x H 83 cm Materials: Wood. We love the One series. And especially this piece, absolute queen of th...
Wood
$12,900 / item
Shale High Credenza (72") in solid ash by Simon Johns
By Simon Johns
Located in East-Bolton, Quebec
Both monumental and subtle, the Shale Credenza brings the intricacies of nature’s geology indoors. The wood doors are scored vertically across the grain...
Mirror, Ash
1970s Maison Regain Solid Elm Sideboard
By Maison Regain, Pierre Chapo
Located in Toronto, CA
The impressive solid elm sideboard from French design house Maison Regain, in the style of Pierre Chapo, features 2 spacious doors and 4 drawers, all in their signature rounded wood....
Wood, Elm
USM Haller Couchtisch Fritz Haller stahlblau Beistelltisch Sideboard
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten einen wunderschönen kleinen Couch-/ Beistelltisch von USM Haller in stahlblau zum Verkauf an. Das kleine Möbel verfügt über drei geschlossene Seiten, womit es sich flexibe...
Metal
$3,074 / item
Kron Vinyl Sideboard by Pastform
Located in Geneve, CH
Kron Vinyl Sideboard by Pastform Dimensions: D 45 x W 150 x H 85 cm Materials: Stained and varnished wood. Available in different wood color finishes:...
Wood
Italian Colored Glass and Brass Sideboard or Credenza
Located in London, London
Colored glass sideboard Brass base and details Postmodern mix of colors Contemporary, Italy.
Brass
$5,760 / item
Rascacielos Cabinet by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Rascacielos Cabinet by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 40 x W 120 x H 182 cm Materials: Wood. As if it were a skyline, we thought of a piece that played with volumes and heights. Variety...
Wood
$7,209 / item
Reina Sideboard 230, Five Doors, by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Reina Sideboard 230, Five Doors, by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 45 x W 230 x H 110 cm Materials: Wood. This sideboard exudes elegance in abundance. We use cherry wood as a base to cr...
Wood
Nature Carved Wood Sideboard, Three Doors, by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Nature Sideboard by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 45 x W 180 x H 77 cm Materials: Wood. The Nature series is a return to nature, to elegance, to the floral tradition in carving. An art...
Wood
Knut & Marianne Hagberg Sideboard IKEA 2010 Eiche Design Kommode
By IKEA
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten ein wunderschönes und äußerst seltenes Sideboard von IKEA aus dem Jahr 2010 zum Verkauf an. Der Entwurf stammt von Knut & Marianne Hagberg und zeichnet sich durch die ...
Oak
$3,369 / item
Tauro Wooden Cabinet by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Tauro Wooden Cabinet by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 42 x W 125 x H 135 cm Materials: Wood. A versatile wardrobe, both in functionality and location. With its original use of geometry...
Wood
$6,797 / item
Milenium Cabinet by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Milenium Cabinet by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 44 x W 116 x H 165 cm Materials: Wood. We are Félix and Désirée Ramos, brothers and product designers of our brand, Lola Glamour. We ...
Wood
Vintage Sideboard, Five Doors and Six Drawers, by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Vintage Sideboard, Five Doors and Six Drawers, by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 45 x W 200 x H 109 cm Materials: Wood. There is so much to say about the Vintage series, so many referen...
Wood
Brass And Solid Wood Bugs Sideboard by PANOPTIKUM COLLECTIONS
Located in Geneve, CH
Brass And Solid Wood Bugs Sideboard by PANOPTIKUM COLLECTIONS Dimensions: D 48 x W 168 x H 80 cm. Materials: Solid wood, veneer, pyrographу, and brass. The BUGS collection is a vivi...
Brass, Other
$22,586 / item
BD 91 Sideboard by Laurameroni
Located in Geneve, CH
BD 91 Sideboard by Laurameroni Dimensions: W 200 x D 50 x H 80 cm Materials: Liquid Metal Bronze on Maxima carving; Gris Vigné; int. Walnut Canaletto. Wooden sideboard with Maxima c...
Bronze
$1,795Sale Price|25% Off
Sideboard Buffet Dry Bar Cabinet Postmodern Faux Travertine
Located in Lake Worth, FL
For FULL item description click on More Details below. Shipping Quote Information The shipping quote stated in the listing was from 1st Dibs and they normally set all the costs and ...
Laminate
Storage unit by Pierre Cardin
By Pierre Cardin, Francesco Bocola
Located in Bruxelles, BE
Pierre Cardin and Francesco Bocola . One of a kind storage unit made by Fransesco Bocola and Pierre Cardin . 4 doors and 4 drawers. Signed pierre Cardin in the wood at the base. Probably unique piece and made for a special command with the rest of pierre Cardin pieces . I would prefer to sell the entire set comprising desk low table and chair...
Wood, Lacquer
$4,900 / item
Reina Sideboard 170 by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Reina Sideboard 170 by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 45 x W 170 x H 60 cm Materials: Wood. The Reina series is a contrast of interests, an infinite sum of wooden moldings that make up ...
Wood
$26,269 / item
Collectionist Buffet Sideboard by Laurameroni
Located in Geneve, CH
Collectionist Buffet Sideboard by Laurameroni Dimensions: W 146 x D 50 x H 140 cm Materials: Glossy lacquered wood; int. Matt lacquered wood. Medium cabinet with curved sides in po...
Wood
$22,087 / item
Collectionist Lounge Sideboard by Laurameroni
Located in Geneve, CH
Collectionist Lounge Sideboard by Laurameroni Dimensions: W 160 x D 40 x H 73 cm Materials: Delabré Dark bronze; shiny Levanto marble; gunmetal legs. Low sideboard with curved side...
Wood
$25,256 / item
Honor Sideboard by Memoir Essence
Located in Geneve, CH
Honor Sideboard by Memoir Essence Dimensions: D 50 x W 200 x H 90 cm. Materials: Gold leaf, Swarovski crystals, and ironwood veneer. (Also available with a lacquered interior. Please...
Crystal, Gold Leaf
$2,392 / item
Natural Oak Marius Sideboard 185 by HARTO
Located in Geneve, CH
Natural Oak Marius Sideboard 185 by HARTO Dimensions: W 185 x D 45 x H 65 cm. Materials: Solid Wood, MDF wood veneer. Weight: 59.0 kg The 185cm sideboard from the Marius collecti...
Wood