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.
Pia Manu Coffee Table in Enameled Concrete and Brazilian Quartzite
By Pia Manu
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Pia Manu, coffee table, enameled concrete, Brazilian quartzite, Belgium, 1970s This very rare hand-crafted coffee table was made in the 1970s by the Belgian atelier Pia Manu, known ...
Concrete
Rare Jean Claude Dresse Mosaic Coffee Table in Hematite
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Jean Claude Dresse, coffee table, resin, hematite, lacquered steel, Belgium, 1970s Jean Claude Dresse’s work is typically characterized by brass and resin; his use of hematite is un...
Steel
Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi Dining Set in Carved Pine
By Giuseppe Rivadossi, Officina Rivadossi
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi, unique set of seven dining armchairs with table, solid pine, Italy, 1970s This unique dining ensemble is among the finest works we have en...
Pine
Brutalist Round Coffee Table in Black Stone Look Resin
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Cocktail table, resin, Northern-Europe, 1970s. This deep brown robust coffee or cocktail table is from the 1970s. The thick round shaped top is supported by a smaller column with ar...
Resin
Nerone & Patuzzi for Gruppo NP2 'C10T' Coffee Table in Wood and Crystal Glass
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Nerone & Patuzzi for Gruppo NP2, produced by Forme & Superfici, coffee table, wood, glass, Italy, numbered A61/100, Italy, 1970s Designed by the Italian duo Nerone and Patuz...
Glass, Wood
Brutalist Round Coffee Table in Black Stone Look Resin
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Cocktail or coffee table, resin, Northern-Europe, 1970s. A striking example of 1970s design, this deep black coffee or cocktail table embodies a bold yet refined aesthetic. Crafted ...
Resin
Gianfranco Fini for Poltronova 'Regolo' Square Dining Table in Pine and Glass
By Poltronova
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Gianfranco Fini for Poltronova, 'Regolo' dining table, pine, glass, Italy, 1975 This dining table by Gianfranco Fini for Poltronova, introduced in in 1975, is a truly special piece ...
Glass, Pine
Nerone & Patuzzi for Gruppo NP2 'C10T' Coffee Table in Wood and Crystal Glass
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Nerone & Patuzzi for Gruppo NP2, coffee table, wood, glass, iron, Italy, 1970s Designed by the Italian duo Nerone and Patuzzi, this sculptural coffee table is a true statement p...
Iron
Lorenzo Burchiellaro Dining Table in Copper
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Lorenzo Burchiellaro, dining table, copper, wood, Italy, 1960s This dining table, crafted in the 1960s by Italian designer and sculptor Lorenzo Burchiellaro (1933-2017), stands as a...
Copper
Gabriella Crespi Limited Edition ‘Cubo Magico’ Coffee Table in Brass
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Gabriella Crespi, limited edition 'Cubo Magico' coffee table from the 'Plurimi' series, brass, aluminum, Italy, 1970 The Cubo Magico was designed by Gabriella Crespi as part of her ...
Aluminum, Brass
Fisherman Table, with Onyx Table Top
By Panorammma
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
The Fisherman Table is an object created by a hypothetical dialogue between a found material (overused electroplating rods) and a fictional character to whom I attributed the provena...
Onyx, Metal, Steel, Chrome, Nickel
Play Time Toy Table, Stone and Onyx, 100cm Diameter
By Panorammma
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Rounded pillars of blue calcite, pink marble, caramel onyx and green onyx carry a black marble top to create Play-time Table; An elegant rendition of children’s furniture. A piece m...
Stone, Onyx, Marble
Jean Claude Dresse Coffee Table in Brass Inlayed with Agate
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Jean Claude Dresse, coffee table, brass, lacquered steel and wood, agate, Belgium, 1970s A luxurious square cocktail table, crafted with high attention for detail which is character...
Agate, Brass, Steel
Postmodern French Dining Table in Solid Elm
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Dining table, elm, France, 1970s This striking 1970s French custom-made table is a beautiful expression of craftsmanship and natural materiality. Executed in solid elm wood, the pie...
Elm
Afra & Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia 'Tobio' Dining Table in Red Travertine
By B&B Italia, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Afra & Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia, 'Tobio' dining table, leather, red travertine, Italy, design 1974 Gorgeous dining table designed by the iconic duo Afra and Tobia Scarpa....
Travertine
Vintage French Post Modern Console Table - Circa 1980s - Maple Entry Table
Located in Decatur, GA
Vintage post modern squiggle leg console table, France circa 1980s. Gorgeous from any angle. Finished on all sides allowing it to float in a room. Very good original condition with m...
Maple
Pierre Chapo 'T35C' Aban Table in Elm
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Pierre Chapo, dining table, model 'Aban T35C', solid elm, France, 1970s This table is one of the early editions designed by Pierre Chapo, known for his hallmark use of solid elmwood...
Elm
Cattelan Italia 'Argo' Oval Dining Table in Travertine
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Cattelan Italia 'Argo' table, travertine, Italy, 1980 Architectural dining table made by Cattelan Italia in 1980. This model 'Argo' dining table shows a slender oval tabletop, beaut...
Travertine
Willy Rizzo 'TRG' Circular Yellow Coffee Table
By Willy Rizzo
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Willy Rizzo, TRG (Tavolo Rotondo Girevole) coffee table, lacquered wood, stainless steel, design 1969 The TRG (Tavolo Rotondo Girevole), designed by Willy Rizzo in 1969, is a master...
Stainless Steel
Jean Claude Dresse Coffee Table in Dark Resin
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Jean Claude Dresse, large coffee table, resin, lacquered steel, Belgium, late 1970s This eccentric coffee table is a masterful creation by Belgian designer Jean Claude Dresse. Every...
Steel
Seven Salotti Italian Coffee Table in Brown Leather and Black Glass
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Seven Salotti, coffee table, leather, glass, Italy, 1970s The coffee table by Seven Salotti, Italy, 1970s, is defined by its strict geometric clarity: a low, square form with sharp...
Leather, Glass
Pierre Chapo Seating Set with Rare 'T21A' Table and 'S13A' Stools
By Pierre Chapo
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Pierre Chapo, dining table, model 'T21A', solid elm, France, 1970s This table is one of the early editions designed by Pierre Chapo, known for his hallmark use of solid elmwood and ...
Elm
Postmodern Maitland Smith Style Tessellated Mactan Stone Coffee Table. C 1980s
Located in Miami, FL
Postmodern Maitland Smith Style Tessellated Mactan Stone Coffee Table. Circa 1980s Features four independent peach, emerald, and ivory geometric stone bases with built-in slots to ho...
Stone
Play Time Toy Table Oval, Hand-carved Stone and Onyx, Mexico
By Panorammma
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Rounded pillars of blue calcite, pink marble, caramel onyx and green onyx carry a black marble top to create Play-time Table; An elegant rendition of children’s furniture. A piece m...
Stone, Onyx, Marble
Jean Claude Dresse Coffee Table with Geometric Sculptural Base in Brass
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Jean Claude Dresse, coffee table, brass, glass, Belgium, 1970s This captivating coffee table by Jean Claude Dresse is deeply reflective of the design trends that emerged in the 1970...
Brass
Mid-Century Janni van Pelt Style Black Bar Cart, Wire Grid Glass, Two Tier
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Modernist Dutch bar cart in the manner of Janni van Pelt, rendered in a spare rectilinear form that reflects the discipline of postwar Dutch design. The tubular black enameled metal ...
Metal, Enamel
Horn Collection Post-Modern Dining Table in Red Polyurethane Plastic 1970s
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Horn Collection, dining table, lacquered polyurethane plastic, Germany, 1970s Created for the Horn collection in the seventies, this well-formed table is made entirely from polyuret...
Plastic
Postmodern Pluto Desk by Pierre Colleu for Starform and Disney, France 1980s.
By Pierre Colleu 1, Starform, Disney Studios
Located in Lille, FR
Table height: 58 cm. Total height with the head: 90 cm Good condition. No restorations. Some fading on the head and legs, with a few spots and other age-related marks.
Resin, Plastic
Jean Claude Dresse Coffee Table in Steel and Brass
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Jean Claude Dresse, coffee table, brass, brushed steel, Belgium, circa 1970 This remarkable rectangular coffee table, designed by the esteemed Jean Claude Dresse in the 1970s, exemp...
Brass, Steel
1980s Maurice Villency Style Postmodern Vintage Travertine Round Dining Table
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Designed after the success of similar Maurice Villency tables, this table expands on the Villency look with a small travertine toe on the base, a thinner top, and a beveled edge. All...
Travertine
Coffee Table with Marble Top and Chrome Base
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Coffee table, marble, chrome, Europe, 1980s. Exuding simplicity, this unassuming side table exudes an aura of pure elegance. Its design showcases a square, delicately marble tablet...
Marble, Chrome
Iron and Brass Cocktail Table
Located in Houston, TX
Iron and brass cocktail table featuring tapered legs with brass feet, flat bar bracing, and glass top.
Metal, Brass
Italian Side Tables in Metal and Round Granite Top
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Side tables, granite, metal, brass, Italy, 1980s These side tables feature a red granite tabletop in round format. The granite shows a vivid surface. A brass pedestal ends in a blac...
Granite, Metal, Brass
Post-Modern Willem Noyons Dining Room Set with Table and Chairs in Wood
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Willem Noyons dining room set, birch, plywood, The Netherlands, 1982/1983 This Dutch dining set by Willem Noyons, reflects a distinctly architectural approach to furniture making. C...
Birch, Plywood
1970's Glass & Travertine Coffee Table
Located in Bern, CH
1970’s glass topped travertine lounge table. Round glass tabletop set on a two part solid natural stone base. The heavy travertine base is can be set as required to enable changeable...
Travertine
Jean Claude Dresse Coffee Table with Inlay of Marcasite and Stainless Steel
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Jean Claude Dresse, coffee table, marcasite, lacquered wood, stainless steel, Belgium, 1970s An extraordinary coffee table designed by Belgian artist Jean Claude Dresse in the 1970s...
Stone, Stainless Steel
Chi Wing Lo ‘Tiche’ Coffee Table for Giorgetti, Italy, 1990s
By Chi Wing Lo, Giorgetti S.p.A.
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Elegant and sculptural “Tiche” coffee table designed by Chi Wing Lo for Giorgetti, Italy, circa 1990s. This sophisticated piece exemplifies Giorgetti’s masterful blend of craftsmansh...
Glass, Stained Glass, Fruitwood
1970s Chrome and Glass Coffee Table
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A stunning 1970s chrome and glass coffee table in the style of Milo Baughman and John Mascheroni. Exemplifying the sleek sophistication of mid-century modern design, this piece featu...
Chrome
$650 / item
Italian Coffee Tables in Granite and Brass
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Coffee tables, granite, brass, black lacquered steel, Italy, 1980s These Italian side tables showcase a rectangular brown granite tabletop with a striking, vivid surface. The granit...
Granite, Brass, Steel
Rodolfo side table 90s Y2K style Baleri Italia
By Enrico Baleri, Baleri Italia
Located in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Rodolfo side table designed by Enrico Baleri for Baleri Italia. This table was published in the 90s. Half transparent table top and steel legs in polished finish. Really good exampl...
Steel
Pair of 1970s Chrome and Glass Side Tables
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A captivating pair of 1970s chrome and glass side tables in the style of Milo Baughman and John Mascheroni. Showcasing the refined minimalism of sophisticated mid-century modern desi...
Chrome
1970s Sculptural Geometric Dining Table in Expressive Grain Wood and Brass
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Gagglioli, dining table, Alpi wood veneer, brass, dark brown smoked glass, Rome, Italy, 1970s A strikingly postmodern and angular design, characterized by its bold geometric forms a...
Brass
Postmodern Mactan, Glass and Pastor Stone Coffee Table.
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Postmodern Mactan, glass and pastor stone coffee table This coffee table measures: 48 wide x 29 deep x 16 inches high We take our photos in a controlled lighting studio to show as ...
Stone
Postmodern Floating Foax Goatskin & Glass Cocktail Table
By J. Wade Beam, Milo Baughman, Karl Springer
Located in Bensalem, PA
Very unique, floating top coffee table with faux goat skin lacquered finish & 3/4” glass top please look at pictures and video for overall details. Feel free to reach out with any qu...
Glass, Fiberglass, Lacquer
Ernest 'Igl' Hofmann 'Jet' Corner Desk in Polyurethane
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ernest 'Igl' Hofmann for Wilhelm Werndl, corner desk, model 'Jet', polyurethane, Germany, 1970/71 Ernest Hofmann, also known by his artist name 'Igl', recently gained an internation...
Plastic
Cicla Unique Dining Table in Solid Oak Wood by Andres Monnier
Located in Geneve, CH
Cicla Unique Dining Table in Solid Oak Wood by Andres Monnier Unique Piece Dimensions: D 80 x W 120 x H 72 cm. Materials: Solid oak wood. Available in different finishes and materia...
Oak
Vittorio Introini for Saporiti Rare Sculptural Desk in White Fiberglass
By Vittorio Introini, Alberto Rosselli Saporiti
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Vittorio Introini for Saporiti, free-standing desk, fiberglass, Italy, 1969 This admirable free-standing corner desk was designed by the Italian designer Vittorio Introini. Due to i...
Fiberglass
Postmodern Glass Top Side Table with Black Sphere Faux Marble Lacquer Base 1980s
Located in Toronto, CA
A sculptural Postmodern pedestal side table in the Memphis style, circa 1980s, featuring a high-gloss black lacquered base with stepped plinth detail and a floating tempered glass to...
Glass, Wood, Lacquer
Christopher Guy Lacquered and Gilt Coffee "Harper" Table
Located in Peabody, MA
A coffee table in highly polished lacquer with gilt wood accents from the "Harper" line, by the celebrated British designer Christopher Guy (1960-2020). Displays a fusion of modern m...
Wood, Giltwood, Lacquer
Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi Dining Table in Oak
By Officina Rivadossi, Giuseppe Rivadossi
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi, dining table, oak, Italy, 1970s Giuseppe Rivadossi once again proves his great eye for materialization and technicality this table is exem...
Oak
Ettore Sottsass Tony Table Post-Modern Italy, circa 1970
By Ettore Sottsass, Anthologie Quartett 1
Located in Vienna, AT
A fine example of the work of Ettore Sottsass, the Tony 3 table was imagined by the famous designer in 1979. This piece was published by Anthology Quartett around 1984. It is charact...
Plastic, Wood
Brutalist Round Dining or Center Table in Black Stone Look Resin
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Dining or center table, resin, Northern-Europe, 1970s. A striking example of 1970s design, this deep black table embodies a bold yet refined aesthetic. Crafted entirely from resin, ...
Resin
Mid Century Italian Square Onyx & Blush Marble Dining Table
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A stunning marble dining from Italy, circa 1980's. It features a large 38 x 40 top that seats 4 comfortably. Beautiful natural onyx top. Traditional column base in a blush colored ma...
Marble, Onyx
Italian Post Modern Travertine Triangular Marble 2 Piece Cocktail Table
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This Italian post-modern cocktail table is crafted from luxurious travertine marble, showcasing two pieces that seamlessly fit together. The timeless design adds a touch of elegance ...
Travertine
$2,600Sale Price|20% Off
Post modern low long oval taupe lacquer coffee table
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Post modern low long oval taupe lacquer coffee table. Beautiful table with off center oval chrome weighted base. Very heavy and solid coffee table. Very nice light taupe gloss lacque...
Chrome
$1,800
Bubble Glass Side Table
By Panorammma
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
The Bubble Glass Side Table embodies a retro-futuristic fantasy. Inspired by past visions of the future, it draws from mysterious tales of speculative technologies and flying saucers...
Glass
Pierre Chapo 'Sfax' T21E Dining Table in Solid Elm 160cm/62.99in.
By Pierre Chapo
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Pierre Chapo, 'Sfax' dining table, model 'T21E', elm, France, 1970s This table is one of the early editions designed by Pierre Chapo, known for his hallmark use of solid elmwood and...
Elm
Postmodern Italian Dining Table in Cherry, Wood and Natural Stone
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Dining table, cherry, black lacquered wood, natural stone, Italy, 1980s This Postmodern Italian dining table is a refined expression of balance and material contrast. The generous c...
Stone
2-Piece Up & Up Triangular Nesting Staggered Coffee Tables in Travertine Stone
By Stone International, Up & Up
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Designed and made in Italy, these were most likely manufactured by Stone International and distributed by retailers like Up&Up and Roche Bobois. This pair was bought from Up&Up by th...
Stone, Travertine, Marble
Eclipse Olo Sculptural Nightstand / Side Table, with compartments
By Panorammma
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Rings of white onyx tower in a light gradient descent to create Olo Eclipse Nightstand. This iteration of our beloved nightstand hides two secret compartments which are revealed with...
Stone, Marble, Onyx