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.
Carlo Scarpa & Hiroyuki Toyoda for Simon Gavina Large 'Gritti' Table 410cm
By Hiroyuki Toyoda, Carlo Scarpa, Simon Gavina Editions
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Carlo Scarpa and Hiroyuki Toyoda for Simon Gavina, 'Gritti' dining or conference table, reupholstered leather, chromed steel, brass, Italy, design 1973 The Gritti table was original...
Brass, Steel, Chrome
Italian Post-Modern Polished Beige or Cream Marble Pedestal Dining Table C.I.M
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Made in Italy in the late 1970s or early 1980s, a simple design, but stunning in its large scale, warmth and functionality, a large pedestal base, cream or beige, marble dining table...
Marble
Artedi Post Modern Marble Glass Dining Table
By Artedi
Located in Sheffield, MA
Made in Italy, this 20th century glass, marble and brass accented dining table by noted Italian furniture maker, Artedi, makes a statement in ...
Marble, Brass
$20,212Sale Price|25% Off
Cocobolo Dining Table by Don S. Shoemaker, 1960s Modern Design
Located in Chattanooga, TN
An architectural marvel in living form, this Cocobolo rosewood dining table by Don S. Shoemaker for Señal, Mexico, commands attention as both functional object and sculptural stateme...
Cocobolo
Post Modern Italian Oval Top Pedestal Base Crystal Alabaster Marble Dining Table
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A rare marble table made of Alabaster-Crystal, with a thick, very durable and perfectly polished resign coating on the top and base. This large and super cool table easily seats 8 to...
Alabaster, Marble
Rosso Lepanto Contemporary Oval Marble Dining Table 290/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Rosso Lepanto contemporary oval marble dining table 290/75 For 12 people Dimensions: W 290 x D 160 x H 75 cm. Materials: Rosso Lepanto marble. The collection consists of a round/ova...
Marble
Ettore Sottsass 'Ospite' Dining Table
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Ettore Sottsass 'Ospite' dining table for Zanotta, 1980s.
Silver Plate, Brass
$14,500 / item
Large Deep Black Steel Dining Table
Located in Treadwell, NY
Collection I: Marianas table The Marianas table is an expansive presence in a room. Featuring a tabletop constructed from Richlite, a paper-based material infused with resin, the ...
Steel
Vitra Konferenztisch segmented table Charles & Ray Eames Esstisch
By Vitra, Charles and Ray Eames
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten einen wunderschönen, sehr großen Konferenztisch vom deutschen Traditions- & Qualitätshersteller Vitra zum Verkauf an. Der Entwurf stammt von Charles & Ray Eames un...
Steel, Chrome
Rivage Bois Déchiré Sculptural Conference Table by Meubles Thouret
Located in Geneve, CH
Rivage Bois Déchiré Sculptural Conference Table by Meubles Thouret. Numbered and signed by the artists. Delivered with a Certificate of Authenticity. Dimensions: W 109 x D 399 x H 76...
Metal
Large Ebonized Dining or Conference Room Table Custom Made by BH&A
Located in Sheffield, MA
This is a made-to-order bold and elegant clean lined conference table made by our own shop. It features a pair of large geometric pedestal bases supporting a streamlined elegant top. The pedestals can be spaced to suit your needs. Used it for a large dining room refectory table or a conference room table...
Poplar
$10,000Sale Price|20% Off
Large Post Modern Oval Dining Table after Evans
Located in New York, NY
Spectacular oval dining table on Cityscape like architectural brass base, with inset oval glass top, on solid oak racetrack molding. Impressive scale, top quality design and construc...
Brass
Grey Saint Laurent Refined Contemporary Marble Dining Table 130/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Grey Saint Laurent refined contemporary marble dining table 130/75 Dimensions: 130 x 75 cm Materials: Grey Saint Laurent Angelo is the essence of a round table in natural stone,...
Marble
Oval Travertino Silver Contemporary Marble Dining Table 290/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Oval Travertino silver contemporary marble dining table 290/75 For 12 People Angelo is a natural stone, sculp...
Marble
Italian Glass Top on Chrome Executive 'Nomos' Desk by Norman Foster for Tecno
Located in Llanbrynmair, GB
A Large Executive Desk, designed by Sir Norman Foster and manufactured by Tecno, Italy. This vintage example dates to late 1980s and in superb original condition. A modern and sleek ...
Aluminum, Chrome
Rosso Lepanto Refined Contemporary Marble Dining Table 160 / 75
Located in Geneve, CH
Rosso Lepanto Refined Contemporary Marble Dining Table 160 / 75 Dimensions: 160 x 75 cm Materials: Rosso Lepanto Angelo is the essence of a round table ...
Marble
$3,859 / item
Swish Lectern by Karim Rashid
Located in Geneve, CH
Swish Lectern by Karim Rashid Dimensions: D 62 x W 62 x H 120 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. This product is suitable for indoor and outdoor use. Please contact us. Our stories happe...
Other
Travertino Silver Refined Contemporary Marble Dining Table 130/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Travertino Silver Refined Contemporary Marble Dining Table 130/75 Dimensions: 130 x 75 cm Materials: Travertino Silver Angelo is the essenc...
Marble
Travertino Silver Refined Contemporary Marble Dining Table 180/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Travertino Silver Refined Contemporary Marble Dining Table 180/75 Dimensions: 180 x 75 cm Materials: Travert...
Marble
Port Saint Laurent Refined Contemporary Marble Oval Low Table 130/27
Located in Geneve, CH
Port Saint Laurent Refined Contemporary marble oval low table 130/27 Dimensions: 130 x 27 cm Materials: Port Saint Laurent Angelo is the essence of...
Marble
Barbera 'the Great Dining' Table, Modern Solid Bronze Base with Grey Glass Top
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
Designed by Daniel Barbera the great dining table base consist of a singular bronze sculpted form paired with toughed grey tinted glass. The great dining table is the culmination of ...
Granite, Marble, Metal, Aluminum, Bronze
$25,048 / item
Kynos Refined Contemporary Marble Dining Table 180/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Kynos Refined Contemporary Marble Dining Table 180/75 Dimensions: 180 x 75 cm Materials: Kynos Marble Angelo is the essence of a round table in natural ston...
Marble
$21,591 / item
Kynos Refined Contemporary Marble Dining Table 130/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Kynos Refined Contemporary Marble Dining Table 130/75 Dimensions: 130 x 75 cm Materials: Kynos Marble Angelo is the essence of a roun...
Marble
Rosso Lepanto Refined Contemporary Marble Dining Table 180/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Rosso Lepanto Refined Contemporary Marble Dining Table 180/75 Dimensions: 180 x 75 cm Materials: Rosso Lepanto Angelo is the...
Marble
$41,283 / item
Grafite Contemporary Oval Marble Dining Table 290/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Grafite contemporary oval marble dining table 290/75 For 12 people Dimensions: W 290 x D 160 x H 75 cm. Materials: Grafite. The collection consists of a round/oval dining or confere...
Marble
Rosso Lepanto Refined Contemporary Marble Oval Table 210/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Rosso Lepanto Refined Contemporary Marble Oval Table 210/75 Dimensions: 210 x 75 cm Materials: Rosso Lepanto Angelo is the essence of a round table in n...
Marble
Travertino Silver Refined Contemporary Marble Dining Table 160/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Travertino Silver Refined Contemporary Marble Dining Table 160/75 Angelo is the essence of a round table in...
Marble
Grey Saint Laurent Refined Contemporary Marble Oval Low Table 130/27
Located in Geneve, CH
Grey Saint Laurent refined contemporary marble oval low table 130/27 Dimensions: 130 x 27 cm Materials: Grey Saint Laurent Angelo is the essence of...
Marble
Port Saint Laurent Refined Contemporary Marble Low Table 36/100
Located in Geneve, CH
Port Saint Laurent Refined Contemporary Marble Low Table 36/100 Dimensions: 100 x H 36 cm Materials: Port Saint Laurent ...
Marble
$32,910 / item
Kyknos Refined Contemporary Marble Dining Table 250/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Kyknos refined contemporary marble dining table 250/75 Dimensions: 250 x 160 x 75 cm Materials: Kyknos marble. Angelo is the essence of a round table in natural stone, a sculptural ...
Marble
Rosso Lepanto Refined Contemporary Marble Dining Table 250/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Rosso Lepanto refined contemporary marble dining table 250/75 Dimensions: 250 x 160 x 75 cm Materials: Rosso Lepanto marble. ...
Marble
$25,380 / item
Grafite Refined Contemporary Marble Dining Table 160/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Grafite refined contemporary marble dining table 160/75 Dimensions: 160 x 75 cm Materials: Grafite Angelo is the essence of a rou...
Marble
Picasso Green Refined Contemporary Marble Dining Table 250/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Picasso Green refined contemporary marble dining table 250/75 Dimensions: 250 x 160 x 75 cm Materials: Picasso Green marble. Angelo is the essence of a round table in natural stone,...
Marble
Set of Refined Contemporary Marble Oval Low Table and Side Table
Located in Geneve, CH
Set of refined contemporary marble oval low table and side table Dimensions: 130 x 27 cm/ 45 x H 62 cm Materials: Kynos, Grey Saint Laurent Angelo...
Marble
Picasso Green Refined Contemporary Marble Dining Table 160/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Picasso green Refined Contemporary Marble dining table 160/75 Dimensions: 160 x 75 cm Materials: Picasso green Angelo is the essence of a round table in natural stone, a sculptural ...
Marble
Picasso Green Refined Contemporary Marble Oval Table 210/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Picasso Green Refined Contemporary Marble Oval Table 210/75 Dimensions: 210 x 135 x 75 cm Materials: Picasso Green marble. Angelo is the essence of a round table in natural stone, a...
Marble
Travertino Rosso Refined Contemporary Marble Oval Table 210/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Travertino Rosso Refined Contemporary Marble Oval Table 210/75 Dimensions: 210 x 135 x 75 cm Materials: Travertino Rosso. Angelo is the essence of a round table in natural stone, a ...
Marble
Rosso Lepanto Refined Contemporary Marble Dining Table 130/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Rosso Lepanto Refined Contemporary Marble Dining Table 130/75 Dimensions: 130 x 75 cm Materials: Rosso Lepanto Angelo is the essence of a round table in...
Marble
$15,400Sale Price|38% Off
Charles Hollis Jones CHJ-575 'Box' Monumental Lucite Dining Table, Signed
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This monumental lucite dining table is by Charles Hollis Jones, custom produced from the CHJ-575 'Box' line (image of coffee table example from CHJ website shown in last photo in thi...
Lucite
Conference Table in Walnut, Carrara Marble and Red Leather
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Conference table, Carrara marble, walnut, iron, Italy, 1970s. This captivating oval table from Italy serves as an ideal choice for either a conference or a dining setting. It achie...
Carrara Marble, Steel
Barbera Wishbone Table, Modern Solid Bronze Base Redgum Live Edge Top
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
Designed by Daniel Barbera the Wishbone table base consist of two independent bases that create a base perfect for solid slabs of timber. Each of the or...
Granite, Marble, Metal, Aluminum, Bronze
$29,680 / item
Kyknos Refined Contemporary Marble Oval Table 210/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Kyknos Refined Contemporary Marble Oval Table 210 / 75 Dimensions: 210 x 75 cm Materials: Kynos marble Angelo is the essence of a round table in natural stone, a sculptural shape in...
Marble
Italian Dining Table by Pietro Costantini Black Lacquer and Geometric Inlay
Located in Topeka, KS
Magnificent Italian Postmodern style dining table signed by Pietro Costantini. Comprised of a concave curved rectangle base on two straight panels. Highly black lacquered on the legs and one side of the base top and the top side has a veneer inlay with abstract geometric designs in colors of gold, green, red, blue, and yellow. 3/4-inch-thick rectangle glass top with 1 1/2-inch bevel. Gorgeous like new condition with no outstanding flaws that we have detected. Please see photos, circa late 20th century. This table is absolutely Magnifico!!!! Signed by the iconic Pietro Costantini, this gorgeous Postmodern Italian dining table is the epitome of fine and eclectic furniture...
Glass, Wood
Bianco Statuarietto Refined Contemporary Marble Dining Table 130/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Bianco Statuarietto Refined Contemporary Marble Dining Table 130/75 Dimensions: 130 x 75 cm Materials: Bianco Statuarietto Angelo is the essence of a round table in natural stone,...
Marble
Beautiful Black Block and White Custom Marble Conference Dining Table
Located in New York, NY
Beautiful black and white custom marble conference dining table, 2000s Thick and beautiful. Was custom made for a high end fashion showroom. Black with marble veining throughout. Th...
Marble
Picasso Green Refined Contemporary Marble Dining Table 180/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Picasso green refined contemporary marble dining table 180/75 Dimensions: 180 x 75 cm Materials: Picasso green Angelo is the essence of a round table in...
Marble
Port Saint Laurent Refined Contemporary Marble Dining Table 180/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Port Saint Laurent Refined Contemporary Marble dining table 180/75 Dimensions: 180 x 75 cm Materials: Port Saint Laurent Angelo is the essence ...
Marble
Travertino Silver 2 Refined Contemporary Marble Dining Table 180/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Travertino silver 2 refined contemporary marble dining table 180/75 Dimensions: 180 x 75 cm Materials: Travertino Silver Angelo is the essence of a round table in natural stone...
Marble
Port Saint Laurent Contemporary Oval Marble Dining Table 290/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Port Saint Laurent contemporary oval marble dining table 290/75 For 12 people Dimensions: W 290 x D 160 x H 75 cm. Materials: Port Saint Laurent marble. The collection consists of a...
Marble
Travertino Silver Refined Contemporary Marble Oval Table 130/27
Located in Geneve, CH
Travertino Silver Refined Contemporary Marble Oval Table 130/27 Dimensions: 130 x 27 cm Materials: Travertino ...
Marble
Travertino Rosso Contemporary Oval Marble Dining Table 290/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Travertino Rosso contemporary oval marble dining table 290/75 For 12 people Dimensions: W 290 x D 160 x H 75 cm. Materials: Travertino Rosso. The collection consists of a round/oval...
Marble
"The Great Dining" Table, Modern Solid Bronze Base with Grey Glass Top
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
The great dining table is a stunning piece of furniture that showcases the craftsmanship and creativity of Australian designer Daniel Barbera. Barbera has been working with bronze fo...
Granite, Marble, Metal, Aluminum, Bronze
Picasso Green Refined Contemporary Marble Dining Table 130/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Picasso green refined contemporary marble dining table 130/75 Dimensions: 130 x 75 cm Materials: Picasso Green Angelo is the essence of a round tabl...
Marble
Bianco Statuarietto Contemporary Oval Marble Dining Table 290/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Bianco Statuarietto contemporary oval marble dining table 290/75 For 12 people Dimensions: W 290 x D 160 x H 75 cm. Materials: Bianco Statuarietto marble. The collection consists of...
Marble
$37,780 / item
Kyknos Contemporary Oval Marble Dining Table 290/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Kyknos contemporary oval marble dining table 290/75 For 12 people Dimensions: W 290 x D 160 x H 75 cm. Materials: Kyknos marble. The collection consists of a round/oval dining or co...
Marble
Travertino Silver Refined Contemporary Marble Oval Table 210/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Travertino Silver Refined Contemporary Marble Oval Table 210/75 Dimensions: 210 x 135 x 75 cm Materials: Trave...
Marble
Oscar Tusquets Alada Table by Casas, Spain, 1988
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Postmodern so called Alada dining table designed by Oscar Tusquets and manufactured by Casas, Spain 1985. The challenge faced was twofold: to design a table to complement the Varius ...
Aluminum
Grey Saint Laurent Refined Contemporary Marble Serving Plate
Located in Geneve, CH
Grey Saint Laurent Refined Contemporary Marble Serving Plate Dimensions: Ø 32 x H 15 cm Angelo O is the little brother and scale model of the natural stone table Angelo M...
Marble
Travertino Rosso Refined Contemporary Marble Dining Table 130/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Refined contemporary marble dining table 130/75 Dimensions. D 130 x H 75 cm Angelo is the essence of a round table in natural stone, a sculptural shape in robust material with eleg...
Marble
Picasso Green Contemporary Oval Marble Dining Table 290/75
Located in Geneve, CH
Picasso Green contemporary oval marble dining table 290/75 For 12 people Dimensions: W 290 x D 160 x H 75 cm. Materials: Picasso Green marble. The collection consists of a round/ova...
Marble