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 'Blocco Galla' Coffee Table in Swiss Pine
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Giuseppe Rivadossi, 'Blocco Galla' coffee table, Swiss pine, Italy, ca. 1969 This captivating monolithic 'Blocco Galla' coffee table is designed by Giuseppe Rivadossi, dating around...
Pine
Mario Bellini for Cassina 'Pianura' Low Coffee Table in Walnut
By Cassina, Mario Bellini
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Mario Bellini for Cassina, 'Pianura' coffee table, walnut, rubber, Italy, 1971 Designed by Mario Bellini for Cassina in 1971, the ‘Pianura’ coffee table is defined by its low and b...
Rubber, Walnut
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
1970s Italian Assymetrical Grid Coffee Table in Walnut and Glass
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Coffee table, walnut, lacquered wood, glass, Italy, 1970s This 1970s Italian coffee table is a geometric and highly organized composition, built from walnut, glass, and grey lacque...
Glass, Walnut
Rare Luciano Frigerio Side Table in Hammered Brass
By Luciano Frigerio, Frigerio Di Desio
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Luciano Frigerio for Frigerio Di Desio, brass, Italy, ca. 1970 An exquisite piece by Italian designer Luciano Frigerio, this side table reflects the bold yet refined character of 1...
Brass
Giuseppe Rivadossi Round Dining Table in Oak 130cm/51in
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Giuseppe Rivadossi, dining table, oak, steel, Italy, 1970s Giuseppe Rivadossi’s mastery of material and construction is beautifully expressed in this dining table. Architecturally c...
Steel
Vico Magistretti for De Padova 'Vidun' Dining Table with Colorful Geometric Base
By DePadova 1, Vico Magistretti
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Vico Magistretti for De Padova, 'Vidun' round dining table, stained beech, glass, Italy, 1986 Although the object appears immediately playful because of its vivid coloration and exp...
Glass, Beech
Early and Rare Gianfranco Frattini for Pierluigi Ghianda 'Kyoto' Coffee Tables
By Gianfranco Frattini, Pierluigi Ghianda
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Gianfranco Frattini for Pierluigi Ghianda, pair of 'Kyoto' coffee tables, beech, walnut, Italy, 1974 Designed by Gianfranco Frattini and produced by the master cabinetmaker Pierlui...
Beech, Walnut
Unique Christian Heckscher Etched Brass Coffee Table
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Christian Heckscher, coffee table, brass, Belgium, 1980s A unique handcrafted coffee table by Christian Heckscher. Originally trained in Belgium as both a fine artist and a master c...
Brass
1970s Italian Brutalist Travertine Coffee Table, Mangiarotti Style
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Italian Brutalist coffee table from the 1970s, influenced by the work of Angelo Mangiarotti. Thick glass top rests on two freestanding travertine pedestals, each composed of vertical...
Travertine
Rare Ado Chale Round Coffee Table with Mosaic Top in Malachite
By Ado Chale
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ado Chale coffee table, malachite, resin, black lacquered steel, Belgium, 1980 This monumental table by Ado Chale is a powerful testament to the artist’s ability to transform rare a...
Malachite, Steel
Giuseppe Rivadossi Hand-Carved Coffee Table in Oak
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi, coffee table, oak, Italy, 1970s A beautifully crafted coffee table in solid oak by Giuseppe Rivadossi. Defined by its bold architectural f...
Oak
Grand Monumental Modernist Dining Table in Pine 1970s 400cm/157in
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Large dining or multifunctional table, pine, Europe, 1970s An exceptionally large table (400cm/157in) with monumental proportions. The design of this table is balanced by a beautifu...
Pine
Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi Trestle Dining Table in Oak
By Giuseppe Rivadossi, Officina Rivadossi
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi, oak, Italy, 1970s A masterful expression of Italian craftsmanship, this exceptional oak dining table was designed by Giuseppe Rivadossi an...
Oak
Luciano Frigerio 'Luky' Dining Table in Hammered Brass and Glass
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Luciano Frigerio 'Luky' dining table, glass, brass, Italy, 1980s A striking "Luky" dining table by renowned Italian designer Luciano Frigerio, embodying the sculptural elegance and...
Brass
Olo Eclipse Nightstand Set, Hand-Carved Onyx, with secret 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, Onyx, Marble
Set of Three Round Brutalist Side Tables in Stone Look Resin
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Set of three side tables, resin, Europe, 1970s This set of three side tables is a bold example of 1970s design. Crafted entirely from deep black resin, the material has a richly tex...
Resin
De Sede DS47 Tan Leather and Smoked Mirror Glass Coffee Table
By De Sede
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The De Sede DS47 coffee table pairs a smoked mirror glass top with a fully leather-wrapped base. Tan leather covers the entire visible structure, including the rectangular apron fram...
Leather, Smoked Glass
Opium Bamboo Coffee table by Axel Vervoordt, Belgium 1980's
Located in Oud-Turnhout, VAN
Vintage Postmodern Modernism Design "Opium" model Bamboo Low Coffee Table by Axel Vervoordt. Made in Belgium, 1980's period. Hardwood base with beautifully structured bamboo top. Thi...
Bamboo
Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi Dining Set in Carved Pine
By Officina Rivadossi, Giuseppe 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
Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi Trestle Dining Table in Chestnut
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi dining table, chestnut, Italy, 1970s A striking dining table handcrafted by Giuseppe Rivadossi in solid chestnut wood. Created in Italy dur...
Chestnut
John Hutton for Donghia Black Center Table
Located in Houston, TX
John Hutton for Donghia black center table composed of wood finished in high-gloss enamel, tapered square legs, metal casters and a single drawer. Two available, sold individually.
Enamel
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 Ado Chale Round Coffee Table with Mosaic Top in Malachite
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ado Chale coffee table, malachite, resin, black lacquered steel, Belgium, 1980 This monumental table by Ado Chale is a powerful testament to the artist’s ability to transform rare a...
Malachite, Steel
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
Large postmodern curved waterfall glass coffee table with ball, USA 1980s
Located in Hastings, GB
Large postmodern curved waterfall glass coffee table with plaster effect fiberglass ball, USA 1980s. Very hard to find this model- I've been looking for a while. There are some scr...
Glass, Fiberglass
Willy Daro Illuminated Coffee Table in Brass and Agate
By Willy Daro
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Willy Daro, illuminated coffee table, etched brass, agate, lacquered laminated wood, Belgium, 1970s Mesmerizing coffee table by the Belgian artist Willy Daro from the 1970s. The re...
Agate, Brass
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
Afra & Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia 'Tobio' Dining Table in Red Travertine
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, B&B Italia
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
Pair One & Co for Council Design '47' Tables in Silver & Reclaimed Doug Fir
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Circa 2011, these tables were designed by One & Co. in partnership with Council Design. Every element of its design and philosophy is well thought out. Each table is made from re...
Silver
Architectural Two-Tier Coffee Table in Oxblood Lacquer with Polished Brass Frame
By JLC
Located in New York, NY
Architectural two-tier coffee table in glossy burgundy lacquer with a brushed brass metal frame. The design is defined by two rounded rectangular surfaces: an upper tabletop and a ma...
Metal
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
Vintage German Postmodern Profilsystem Series Desk or Dining Table, 1970s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Simple dining or desk from the profile system collection from Flötotto. A very simple and functional design. The table comes from the profile system collection, which is known from ...
Metal
Vintage Italian Beveled Travertine Pedestal Coffee Table
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Condition: Original Vintage Condition This vintage Italian coffee table from the 1970s showcases the natural beauty of travertine through a clean, architectural form. The elongated...
Travertine
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
Playful Italian Coffee Table in Pine
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Coffee table, pine, Italy, 1970s This playful Italian coffee table shows minimalism in a fun and unique way. The design features four wooden spheres adorned with black stripes, whic...
Pine
$4,200 / set
Italian Travertine Marble End Tables, Pair
Located in New York, NY
A substantial pair of Italian travertine marble end or side tables, Modern style/Postmodern period, circa late 20th century (1970s), Italy. Executed in travertine with a clean square...
Travertine, Marble
Pair of Casprini Italian Postmodern Side Tables in Brass, Grey Glass and Lacquer
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A striking pair of Italian postmodern side tables by Casprini, produced in the 1980s and defined by their sculptural, architectural form. Each table features a circular grey glass to...
Brass
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
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
Ernest Igl for Wilhelm Werndl 'Directors' Writing Desk in White Polyurethane
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ernest Igl for Wilhelm Werndl, 'Directors' writing desk, polyurethane, Germany, 1970/71 Ernest Hofmann, also known by his artist name 'Igl', recently gained an international audienc...
Plastic
$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
$1,032Sale Price|20% Off
1970's Glass & Travertine Coffee Table
Located in Bern, BE
1970’s glass topped travertine lounge table. Round glass tabletop set on a two part solid natural stone base. The heavy travertine base can be set as required to enable an individual...
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
John Dickinson Plaster Rope Table, Model 111
Located in Los Angeles, CA
John Dickinson rope table, model 111. Painted plaster that only shows very minimal signs of wear. Excellent vintage condition. This table is very heavy / sturdy. Signed by the make...
Plaster
A Lacquered JAPANESE Style COFFEE TABLE by ROCHE & BOBOIS ALDO TURA France 1970
By Roche Bobois
Located in PARIS, FR
An elegant and luxurious coffee table, of a Japanese inspiration, Post-Modern, Memphis, Constructivist, geometric structure of two, terrace-like overlapping trays in lacquered wood: ...
Wood, Lacquer
Olo Eclipse Nightstand, Hand-Carved Onyx, Sculptural Side Table / Stool, Mexico
By Panorammma
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Olo Eclipse Nightstand Rings of white onyx tower in a light gradient descent to create Olo Eclipse Nightstand. Without compartments.
Stone, Onyx, Marble
Pair of 1970's Italian Travertine Coffee/Side Tables
Located in Bern, BE
Pair of identical 1970’s Travertine Coffee / Side Tables. Marked beneath tabletop: 'Made in Italy'. Solid travertine tabletop and base. Perfect use as side tables, bedside tables or...
Travertine
Important round table made of onyx and black Marquina marble with a sun-shaped inlay
Located in NAPOLI, NP
A notable Italian table from the 1980s, crafted from natural onyx and Nero Marquina marble, featuring a large, inlaid circular top and a striking central pedestal base. The countert...
Onyx
Vico Magistretti for De Padova 'Vidun' Dining Table with Colorful Geometric Base
By Vico Magistretti, DePadova 1
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Vico Magistretti for De Padova, 'Vidun' dining table, stained beech, glass, Italy, 1986 Although the object appears immediately playful because of its vivid coloration and exposed m...
Glass, Beech
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
Massimo & Lella Vignelli Rare Saratoga Dining / Lounge Set with Table and Chairs
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Massimo and Lella Vignelli for Poltronova, 'Saratoga' dining or lounge set, polyester lacquered wood, glass, leather, Italy, 1964 Designed by Massimo and Lella Vignelli for Poltrono...
Leather, Glass, Wood, Lacquer
Midcentury Postmodern Clear Glass Block End Table or Side Table after Sottsass
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A very cool architectural design from the 1980s. It features heavy solid glass block construction with thick clear glass top.
Glass
Dining Table in the Form of a Draped Cloth by Marzio Cecchi, Italy, mid-1970s
Located in New York, NY
A rare sculptural dining table by Italian architect Marzio Cecchi (Capalle, Florence, 1940 – New York, 1990), executed in the mid-1970s as a unique private commission. Accompanied by...
Cotton, Resin
Cult Stool, Sculptural Side Table, Mexican White Onyx Marble, Panorammma, Mexico
By Panorammma
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Cult stool / side table; a hand sculpted stone from an incredibly particular stone; Mexican White Onyx, remits to primal sculptural-architectural language while displaying materials ...
Onyx
Postmodern Tessellated Stone Pedestal
Located in Houston, TX
1980s Tesselated stone pedestal.
Travertine
Postmodern Design Two Tier Bamboo Top Coffee Table by Axel Vervoordt
Located in Oud-Turnhout, VAN
Postmodern Design Two Tier Bamboo Top Coffee Table by Axel Vervoordt. Made in Belgium, 1980's / 90's period. Wood constructed with bamboo veneer top coffee table. This comes in very ...
Bamboo
Modernist Antiqued Reeded Glass & Mirror Console Table by John Himmel, Canada
By Himmel Galleries
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A striking modernist console table designed and manufactured by John Himmel in Montreal, Canada, this piece exemplifies refined craftsmanship and architectural clarity. The console ...
Mirror, Wood
Postmodern Pluto Desk by Pierre Colleu for Starform and Disney, France 1980s.
By Starform, Disney Studios, Pierre Colleu 1
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
Post Modern Glass and Acrylic Side Table in Manner of Shlomi Haziza, c. 1980s
Located in Peabody, MA
Postmodern glass and acrylic side table in the manner of Shlomi Haziza, c. 1990s. The top is beveled glass. The colored acrylic elements are faceted, creating a prismatic effect.
Glass, Acrylic