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.
Giuseppe Rivadossi Free-Standing Double-Sided Bookcase and Room Divider in Oak
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi, bookcase, oak, glass, Italy, 1970s This bookcase by Giuseppe Rivadossi is conceived as a freestanding architectural element rather than si...
Glass, Oak
Giuseppe Rivadossi Sculptural Carved Trunk or Bench in Oak
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi, trunk / side bench / side table, oak, Italy, 1970s Crafted in solid oak during the 1970s, this versatile trunk by Giuseppe Rivadossi exemp...
Oak
Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi Chest of Drawers in Oak
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi, chest of drawers, oak, Italy, 1980s Chest of drawers designed by Giuseppe Rivadossi, crafted in solid oak, the piece reflects Rivadossi’s ...
Oak
Hollywood Regency Bar Cabinet in the Style of Willy Rizzo
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Cocktail bar, black fabric, brass, chrome-plated steel, stainless steel, laminated wood, smoked glass, smoked mirrored glass, aluminum, Italy, 1970s Hollywood Regency cocktail bar ...
Brass, Stainless Steel
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
Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi Grid Wall Cabinet in Oak
By Officina Rivadossi, Giuseppe Rivadossi
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi, wall cabinet, oak, Italy, 1970s A striking piece from the 1970s, this hanging cabinet by Giuseppe Rivadossi reflects his deep respect for ...
Glass, Oak
Postmodern Manhattan 5th Avenue CD Rack Tower from Koziol, Germany, 1990s
By Koziol
Located in Hamburg, DE
Postmodern Manhattan Series 5th Avenue CD Rack Tower from Koziol, Germany, 1990s
Plastic
Vintage cream & gold sideboard w drawers / dresser by Lane Furniture USA 1980s
Located in Hastings, GB
Sleek sideboard with drawers / dresser by Lane Furniture, USA 1980s. Cream lacquer with gold metal trim & plinth. Six large drawers. Some small marks to the lacquer finish- nothing v...
Metal
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
$2,400Sale Price|20% Off
Post modern taupe beige Gloss lacquer 6 Drawer long Abbinabili Dresser
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Beautiful post modern taupe beige gloss lacquer Abbinabili 6 drawer long dresser, circa 1980. Very clean inside and out. Look at photos. all drawers have metal glides with stops. Gre...
Plywood, Lacquer
Italian Architectural Wall Unit in Walnut
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Wall unit or wardrobe, walnut, Italy, 1970s This striking wall unit from the 1970s reflects a bold modernist approach with an architectural appearance. Crafted from rich walnut, the...
Walnut
Post-Modern Wall Unit in Glass and Travertine
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Wall unit, travertine, glass, Europe, 1970s Elegant and architectural wall unit crafted during the 1970s, composed of travertine supports and glass shelves. The design is defined by...
Travertine
Memphis Milano Freemont Cabinet by Ettore Sottsass, Italy
By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Toronto, ON
Resting on a base with five cylindrical legs, Freemont by Ettore Sottsass appears to grow strongly from the bottom to the top. With its fractured shapes, it branches out into the spa...
Gold Leaf
Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi Bedroom Divider Wardrobe Walnut
By Officina Rivadossi, Giuseppe Rivadossi
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi, bedroom divider or wardrobe unit, walnut, glass Italy, 1980s This exceptional piece by Italian sculptor and designer Giuseppe Rivadossi is a testament to his exquisite woodworking skills. This monumental wardrobe displays...
Glass, Walnut
Paul Evans for Directional 'PE 68' Wall Unit in Bronzed Resin and Glass
By Paul Evans
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Paul Evans, Paul Evans Studio for Directional, wall shelves, model 'PE 68', epoxy bronzed resin over wood, glass, United States, 1970s Grand wall unit by Paul Evans, designed for Di...
Glass, Resin, Wood
Giuseppe Rivadossi Hand-Carved Sideboard in Oak
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
$8,700 / item
1970s Italian Tall Cabinets in Walnut
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Cabinets, walnut, glass, Italy, 1970s These three walnut cabinets from 1970s Italy have a strong and unusual shape that immediately stands out. The most noticeable element is the ro...
Walnut
Post Modern Oak Bookshelf Shelving Unit
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Condition: Original Vintage Condition This postmodern oak shelving unit from the 1980s offers a striking blend of display, storage, and functional versatility. The open architectura...
Oak
$9,600Sale Price|20% Off
Iconic Trix & Robert Haussmann Amor Stripe 12 “Zebra” Credenza by Wogg
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Iconic Trix & Robert Haussmann Amor Stripe 12 credenza by Wogg. Intriguing design, use of materials and refined execution cumulate in the iconic Amor Stripe 12 “Zebra” credenza b...
Chrome
Memphis Milano Carlton Shelf by Ettore Sottsass
By Memphis Milano, Ettore Sottsass
Located in Toronto, ON
An absolute icon of Memphis designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1981, Carlton fully represents the programmatic intention of the group: the desire to transgress with an irreverent, unorth...
Laminate, Wood
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
Otto Zapf for ZapfDesign 'Softline' Cabinet in Grey
By Otto Zapf
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Otto Zapf for Zapfdesign 'Softline' cabinet, plastic, fabric, Germany, 1969 A grey-colored detachable 'Softline' cabinet with shelves designed by the German designer Otto Zapf. Pres...
Plastic, Fabric
Piero Lissoni for Cassina "Flat Series" Credenza
By Piero Lissoni, Cassina
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Pierso Lissoni "Flat Series" for Cassina. Very nice shape with three pull out drawers. Right side is a single drawer deep enough for bottles. Divided trays in other drawers keep e...
Carrara Marble, Aluminum
USM Haller 2x2 Cabinet in Pure White with Flip-Up Doors, Swiss Modern
By Usm Haller
Located in Chattanooga, TN
An authentic USM Haller 2x2 Cabinet in the highly desirable Pure White finish, showcasing the timeless elegance, functionality, and precision engineering that have made USM Haller on...
Steel, Chrome
$1,050Sale Price|30% Off
Post modern mahogany Gloss faux wood Laminate waterfall 6 Drawer Dresser
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Beautiful post modern faux mahogany wood grain gloss laminate waterfall front 6 drawer dresser, circa 1980. Very clean inside and out. Look at photos. all drawers have metal glides w...
Laminate, Plywood
USM Haller Low Media Console by Fritz Haller, White & Chrome, 1960
By Usm Haller
Located in Chattanooga, TN
A highly sought-after USM Haller 3x2 Low Media Console in the iconic Pure White finish, showcasing the timeless elegance and exceptional craftsmanship of Swiss modular design. Desig...
Steel, Chrome
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
USM Haller Modular Sideboard Cabinet, White & Chrome, Swiss Design, 1960
By Usm Haller
Located in Chattanooga, TN
An authentic USM Haller 3x2 Modular Sideboard Cabinet in a sophisticated Pure White finish, showcasing the timeless functionality and refined aesthetics that have made USM Haller one...
Steel, Chrome
$2,400Sale Price|20% Off
Pop art Post modern white Gloss Laminate custom 6 drawer dresser or credenza
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Beautiful post modern custom made White gloss laminate 6 drawer dresser or credenza circa 1980. Very clean inside and out almost like new. Look at photos. There is (3) drawers on the...
Laminate, Plywood
$1,837Sale Price|25% Off
Post modern off white Gloss Laminate waterfall 6 Drawer long Dresser
By Memphis Milano, Lane Furniture
Located in Brooklyn, NY
beautiful post modern off white gloss laminate and chrome trim waterfall front 6 drawer long dresser, circa 1980. Very clean inside and out. Look at photos. all drawers have metal gl...
Laminate, Plywood
$3,480Sale Price|55% Off
Library Shelf System Hook System by Pagani and Angelo Perversi, Italy, 1987
Located in Vienna, AT
Graphical shelf system called 'Hook System' by Pagani & Perversi, Italy 1987 Dimensions are 82.32" x 39.37" x 12.99". Very rare Library shelf system by Luciano Pagani and Angelo Perversi...
Steel
Ambrogio Tresoldi e Alberto Salvati Wardrobe Cabinet Purple Blue Lacquered Wood
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ambrogio Tresoldi and Alberto Salvati, cabinet / wardrobe, lacquered wood, Italy, 1970s Ambrogio Tresoldi and Alberto Salvati began their careers at the Politecnico di Milano under ...
Wood, Lacquer
Vittorio Introini for Proposals Wall Unit in Steel and Glass
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Vittorio Introini for Proposals wall unit or library, glass, steel, brass, Italy, 1970s This exceptional made-to-order wall unit was designed by Vittorio Introini and manufactured b...
Steel
Post-Modern Italian Executive Desk Piano Black Burl by G&C Italia Art Deco Style
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Made in the 1980s in Italy, this desk features a sleek, post-modern, and angular design. Finished in a gloss piano black complemented by burl drawer-fronts, the large work surface ha...
Burl, Lacquer
Postmodern Cabinet in the Manner of Philippe Starck, France, 1980s
Located in ROUEN, FR
Postmodern cabinet in the manner of Philippe Starck. Raised on slender black metal legs with conical feet, the mahogany-veneered case is topped by a distinctive architectural pedime...
Metal
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
Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto 'Artona' Sideboard in Black Lacquered Wood
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Maxalto
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
USM Haller Modular Sideboard Cabinet, Black & Chrome, Swiss Design, 1960
By Usm Haller
Located in Chattanooga, TN
An authentic USM Haller 3x2 Modular Sideboard Cabinet in a striking Black finish, showcasing the timeless functionality and refined aesthetics that have made USM Haller one of the mo...
Steel, Chrome
Italian Architectural Grid-Structured Higboard or Bookcase in Walnut
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Highboard or bookcase, walnut, Italy, 1980s Exceptional bookcase made in Italy that perfectly balances architectural elegance with a natural approach. The design is defined by a gra...
Walnut
Luigi Saccardo 'Topline' Wall Unit in Vibrant Green and Black Color
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Luigi Saccardo, 'Beehive' bookcase from the 'Topline' series, lacquered laminated wood, metal, Italy, circa 1976 Back in the seventies, Topline was a newly introduced collection by ...
Metal
Ernest Igl for Wilhelm Werndl Cabinet in Off-White Polyurethane
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ernest Igl for Wilhelm Werndl, sideboard, polyurethane, Germany, 1970/71 Ernest Hofmann, also known by his artist name 'Igl', recently gained an international audience for his desig...
Plastic
Postmodern Black Lacquered China or Display Cabinet by Millennium for Ashley
Located in Topeka, KS
Marvelous vintage Postmodern by Millennium for Ashley Furniture black lacquered China or display cabinet composed of 2 pieces including a lighted top hutch with glass doors...
Glass, Mirror, Wood, Lacquer
Marc Newson 'Kiss the Future' Storage Unit in Black Molded Polypropylene
By Marc Newson
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Marc Newson for W & LT (Wild & Lethal Trash) retail stores, storage unit, part of the 'Kiss the Future' series, rotation molded polypropylene, Australia / Belgium, 1996-1997 Marc N...
Plastic
$7,500 / item
Bloom Marquetry Bar Credenza
Located in New York, US
A centerpiece in any space, the Bloom Cabinet is crafted from a combination of teak and walnut, creating a beautiful contrast. Inspired by hibiscus flower, each petals are brought to...
Mahogany, Oak, Teak, Walnut
Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Maxalto 'Artona' Sideboard in Black Leather and Walnut
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, Maxalto
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
Memphis Style Tall Cabinet by Eugenio Pinuer, Colorful Design, 1980s
By Ettore Sottsass, Wassily Kandinsky, Memphis Milano
Located in ECHT, NL
Quality made tall cabinet. Made in Switzerland by Wohnsinn AG in the 1980s. Crazy post modern design in true Memphis style. Lots of colors and asymmetric patterns. A style that let g...
Metal
$1,920Sale Price|20% Off
Custom Pop art post modern 3 door beige Pill shaped credenza sideboard
By Ello Furniture, Memphis Milano
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Pop art post modern 3 door beige colored Pill shaped rounded ends credenza sideboard. Very light tan beige color gloss laminate credenza custom made circa 1980 has 3 cabinet doors wi...
Laminate, Wood
1980s Rounded Brass Ello 9 Drawer Mirrored Front Dresser
Located in Bensalem, PA
Stunning 9 drawer Ello dresser with matching mirror I also have a matching bed nightstands and tallboy if interested please feel free to email me with any questions or additional pic...
Brass
Italian Postmodern Sideboard with Geometric Front
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Cabinet, 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 piec...
Cherry, Ebony, Mahogany
Flyer Sculptural Bookcase, designed and assembled in Italy by Dario Nasuti
Located in Parma, IT
The Flyer bookshelf, designed by Dario Nasuti, is a visionary tribute to the dawn of aviation. Inspired by the internal structures and fuselages of early aircraft, Flyer brings the '...
Iron
Credenza / Sideboard, Hand-Carved White Onyx, Sculptural Design, Panorammma
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Carved from solid onyx, the Eoli Credenza is a sculptural storage piece shaped by the idea of wind in motion. Its form recalls slow, continuous forces: erosion, pressure, flow. The...
Onyx
Ambrogio Tresoldi e Alberto Salvati Wardrobe Cabinet in Purple Blue Wood
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ambrogio Tresoldi and Alberto Salvati, cabinet / wardrobe, lacquered wood, Italy, 1970s Ambrogio Tresoldi and Alberto Salvati began their careers at the Politecnico di Milano under ...
Wood
Ettore Sottsass Style Postmodern Magenta and Orange Lacquered Cabinet
Located in South Bend, IN
An exceptional Postmodern magenta and orange lacquered cabinet, bookcase, or bar cabinet In the manner of Ettore Sottsass for Memphis Milano USA, Circa 1980s Measures: 51.25"W x 2...
Wood, Lacquer
Two Bruno Munari 'Vademecum' bookcase carts for Robots, Italy 1974
By Bruno Munari, Robots
Located in Milan, IT
Bruno Munari two 'Vademecum' bookcase cart for Robots 1974 Chromed steel, aluminum. One measures 35.5 x 35.5 x H 128.5 cm. Second measures 35.5 x 35.5 x H 68.3 cm.
Aluminum, Steel, Chrome
Finnish Designer, Small Chest of Drawers, Pine, Finland, 1970s
Located in High Point, NC
A small pine chest of drawers designed and produced in Finland, c. 1970s.
Pine
USM Haller 2x2 Storage Cabinet, Pure White, Modular Swiss Design, 1960
By Usm Haller
Located in Chattanooga, TN
Authentic USM Haller 2x2 storage cabinet / media console in Pure White, featuring two flip-up doors for clean, unobstructed access and the iconic modular Swiss design. This versatil...
Steel, Chrome
USM Haller Modular System Six Drawer Cabinet in Light Grey
By Usm Haller
Located in Seattle, WA
This is a modular USM Haller two-column, six-drawer cabinet in original light gray, made in Switzerland, in overall good condition with some surface wear and scratches. Height: 45 ...
Steel
$1,225Sale Price|75% Off
Italian Acerbis Modern Black Lacquer Sheraton Sideboard
By Acerbis
Located in Waxahachie, TX
Super long. Would fit an 100" TV with room to spare. Italian Postmodern glossy black lacquer "Sheraton" sideboard, designed by Giotto Stoppino (Italian, 1926-2011) and Lodovico Acer...
Wood, Lacquer
Vintage Post Modern Chrome & Glass Etagere Bookshelf
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Condition: Original Vintage Condition Materials: Polished Chrome, Original Glass Shelves This striking Post-Modern étagère features a clean architectural chrome frame paired with i...
Chrome
Jay Spectre for Century Furniture Drop-Front Desk 1980c
By Century Furniture, Jay Spectre
Located in Chicago, IL
Jay Spectre for Century Furniture Drop-Front Desk 1980c Perceptive Drop-Front Desk Century Furniture, circa 1980 A rare and architecturally striking drop-front desk designed by Jay S...
Brass, Stainless Steel