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.
Travertino Rosso Refined Contemporary Marble Side Table 62/45
Located in Geneve, CH
Travertino Rosso Refined Contemporary Marble Side Table 62/45 Dimensions: D 45 x H 62 cm Materials: Travertino rosso. Angelo is the essence o...
Marble
Lio Desk 180 in Cannaletto Walnut and Black Steel by Haymann Editions
Located in Geneve, CH
Lio desk 180 by Haymann Editions Dimensions: D 91.5 x W 180 x H 77.5 cm. Materials: Cannaletto walnut, black steel. Available in Canaletto walnut or Tanganika Grigio walnut. Also av...
Steel
Mega 150 Gold Chrome Frame And Fumé Glass Top Low Coffee Table by Casa Casati
Located in Geneve, CH
Mega 150 Gold Chrome Frame And Fumé Glass Top Low Coffee Table by Casa Casati Dimensions: D 100 x W 190 x H 34 cm. Materials: Fumé glass and gold chromed steel. Available in diffe...
Steel
$2,016Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary Carrara Marble and Polished Steel Low Coffee Table, 1980s
Located in Miami, FL
Low coffee or cocktail table with Carrara marble inset top, polished steel banding and gray steel legs. Italy 1980s.
Carrara Marble, Steel
Salvador Dali Leda Low Table, Sculpture, Black Label Limited Edition
By Salvador Dalí, BD Barcelona Design
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Leda low table designed by Dali manufactured by BD. Legs in black patina not varnished. tabletop in brushed and varnished brass, black varnished patina. Nero Marquina marble egg on ...
Marble, Brass
$91,191 / item
Marble and Wood Yuzu Coffee Table by Kelly Boukobza
Located in Geneve, CH
Marble and Wood Yuzu Coffee Table by Kelly Boukobza Dimensions: W 180 x D 115 x H 40 cm Materials: Marble and solid wood. Available Finishes : Marble, stone and marble. Kelly Bouko...
Marble
$1,856Sale Price / set|20% Off
Postmodern Design Handmade Nesting Table set by J. Berdou, France 1980's
Located in Oud-Turnhout, VAN
Postmodern Design Art Handmade Nesting Table set by J. Berdou. Made in France, 1980's period. Signed by the artist on the large model table. A Rare nesting / side table set with beau...
Cast Stone, Metal
$6,835 / item
Unique Burning Ego Wall Lamp by Win Verzantvoort
Located in Geneve, CH
Unique burning ego wall lamp by Jesse Sanderson Dimensions: Made to measure Material: Burned oak wood Different dimensions can be ordered. The Burning Eg...
Wood
Postmodern White Lacquer Side Table with Wallpaper Wrapped Base
Located in Greenwich, CT
This striking side table features a playful Postmodern silhouette with oversized spheres and a sleek round top. The pedestal is wrapped in textured wallpaper, creating a sophisticate...
Maple, Lacquer
Maitland Smith Tesselated Stone Side Cocktail Table Hollywood Regency
Located in San Diego, CA
A rarely seen black and beige tessellated marble Maitland Smith end cocktail Table. The beveled top has a beige and black geometric design.
Stone
Roberto Fallani "Planetario" coffee table for Formitalia, Italy, 1998
Located in Padova, IT
One-off table, work of art, designed by Roberto Fallani in 1992. Roberto Fallani is an Italian designer who has carved a distinct niche in the world of high-end furniture and decor...
Iron
Sculptural Post-Modern Kotor Coffee Table in Travertine by Mavo Atelier Handmade
By Mavo Atelier
Located in Trofa, PT
The Kotor Coffee Table expresses architectural depth, layered materiality, and structural clarity in a compact, refined form. Inspired by the historic coastal town of Kotor in Monten...
Travertine, Brass
Traccia coffee table by Meret Oppenheim for Simon, 1972
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Traccia Coffee Table, Meret Oppenheim, Simon, Italy, 1972 Iconic Surrealist coffee table with oval top made of embossed gold plate, supported by two cast bronze bird feet. Designed...
Bronze, Sheet Metal
Dama in Venice, Solid Wood, Dinner Table by Sebastiano Zilio
Located in Geneve, CH
Dama in Venice, Solid Wood, Dinner Table by Sebastiano Zilio Dimensions: W 404.4 x D 106.8 x H 77.3 cm. Materials: Solid Sungkai wood, About: Sebastiano Zilio Italy, 1969 Italian ...
Wood
$9,017 / item
Anemos Side Table in Natural Oak Veneer by Pendhapa
Located in Geneve, CH
Anemos Side Table in Natural Oak Veneer by Pendhapa. Dimensions: W 45 x D 40 x H 52 cm. Materials: Natural oak veneer. This design is available in natural oak veneer with a distinct...
Oak
Inside / Outside Jää Cube Side Table / Seat - Recycled Plastic - Pair Available
Located in Leicester, GB
The Jää cube is a multifunctional side table. The Jää cube has a sculptural design with a beautiful tactile surface and small, satin polished aluminium spacers and end nuts. It has a...
Aluminum
Cult Stool, Sculptural Table, Black Lacquered Wood, Panorammma, Mexico
By Panorammma
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Cult Stool remits to primal sculptural-architectural language while displaying materials in a modernist manner. This edition of Cult Stool in stark contrast to its predecesor is redu...
Resin, Wood
Dora Coffee Table in Brazilian Native Hardwood by Gisela Simas
Located in Geneve, CH
Dora Coffee Table in Brazilian Native Hardwood by Gisela Simas Dimensions: (Ø) 150 × (H) 30 cm Materials: Brazilian Native Hardwood Gisela Simas is a Brazilian designer whose work d...
Hardwood
Verhey Center Table in Brass and Romano Travertine by Mavo Atelier
By Mavo Atelier
Located in Trofa, PT
VERHEY COFFEE TABLE The handcrafted, asymmetrical Verhey Coffee Table expresses the purity of materiality and sculptural play on form. Bridging art and design, the confluence of meta...
Travertine, Brass
Tau Coffee Table in Raw Aluminum & Aurisina Marble by D´ARK Atelier
Located in Geneve, CH
Tau Coffee Table in Raw Aluminum & Aurisina Marble by D´ARK Atelier Unique Piece Dimensions: D 30 x W 90 x H 90 cm. Materials: Aluminum and marble. Aurisina marble becomes the core ...
Marble, Aluminum
Postmodern Marble and Brass Console Table in the Artedi Style. Circa 1980s
By Artedi
Located in Miami, FL
Postmodern Marble and Brass Console / Entry Table in the Artedi Style. Circa 1980s. Features a minimalist design with a marble base with beautiful stone veins, polished brass glass s...
Marble, Brass
$280Sale Price / item|20% Off
Postmodern Design Glass and Wood Tray by Thor, 1996
Located in Miami, FL
Postmodern design glass and wood serving tray with handles by Thor, 1996. One side is gold leaf and the other is purple.
Glass, Wood
Dama in Venice, Solid Wood, Dinner Table by Sebastiano Zilio
Located in Geneve, CH
Dama in Venice, Solid Wood, Dinner Table by Sebastiano Zilio Dimensions: W 298.8 x D 106.8 x H 77.3 cm. Materials: Solid Sungkai wood, About: Sebastiano Zilio Italy, 1969 Italian ...
Wood
Brass and glass coffee side table, 1970s
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Elegant 4 legged solid brass side table with two tier clear glass tops. Beautiful piece, timeless and will combine in lots of interiors. 1970s - Italy Height: 45cm Width: 60cm De...
Brass
Marble Skinny Coffee Table by Prospero Rasulo for Zanotta
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A sleek and sophisticated coffee table designed by Prospero Rasulo for Zanotta and made in Italy. Cleverly named the Skinny table it has a slim nickel-pla...
Marble, Metal
Stool & Side Table, Concave, Black Lacquered Wood, Post-Modern, Panorammma
By Panorammma
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Two hand-turned wooden pieces with an elegant piano polish lacquer play together as sculptural stools or side table sets.
Resin, Wood
Desk model 804 with writing desk, Frattini for Bernini, 1960s
Located in Vicenza, VI
Desk with pull-out desk, model 804, made by Gianfranco Frattini for Bernini in the 1960s. The cabinet features a wooden frame with pull-out desk top covered in black leather and in...
Glass, Wood
$14,216 / item
Large Tribeca Dining Table by Giacomo Tomazzi Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Large Tribeca Dining Table by Giacomo Tomazzi Studio Dimensions: W 350 x D 110 x H 75 cm Materials: Wood. ABOUT Giácomo Tomazzi graduated in architecture and urban planning from th...
Wood
$943Sale Price|66% Off
1980's Post Modern White Console Table
Located in Redding, CT
1980's Post Modern white laminate console table. Mint condition. Clean, minimalist lines. Perfect for an entry way, dressing room / closet or use as a so...
Laminate, Wood
Pair of Midcentury Post-Modern Italian Black and White Marble End Tables
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A sleek and modern matching pair of modern end tables from Italy, circa 1980s. These feature heavy marble construction with gorgeous veining. Price includes the pair as shown.
Marble
$15,898 / item
Ozark Round Table by Somaschini
Located in Geneve, CH
Ozark Round Table by Somaschini Dimensions: D 180 x H 75 cm Materials: Base in curved plywood with Black Ash veneer in matt finish and iron legs with Pure Metal finish in Copper-Burn...
Plywood
$7,241 / item
Hiku Tea Table by Kana Objects
Located in Geneve, CH
Hiku tea table by Kana Objects Dimensions: D 80 x H 21 cm Materials: Smoked oak. Available in other sizes. Also available in natural oak. Hiku finds its inspiration in the Japanese tea ritual. The low circular table...
Oak
Stool & Side Table, Convex, Black Lacquered Wood, Post-Modern, Panorammma
By Panorammma
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Two hand-turned wooden pieces with an elegant piano polish inform an imaginative play as sculptural stools or side table sets. Directly referencing chess pieces, these stools luidica...
Resin, Wood
Rectangular Vintage Unfilled Travertine Coffee Table
By Giovanni Offredi, Angelo Mangiarotti
Located in Las Vegas, NV
Make a huge statement with this monumental, unfilled travertine coffee table. Table is very modern, with thick proportions. This table is the perfect piece if you need durability, si...
Travertine
Cristallo Dining Table by Egidio Di Rosa & Pier Alessandro Giusti, Ultima Edizi
Located in VILLEURBANNE, FR
Cristallo dining table, designed by Egidio Di Rosa and Pier Alessandro Giusti, circa 1987. Its sculptural, adjustable base is crafted from a single block of Carrara marble, split i...
Carrara Marble
$1,810 / item
White Coffee Table by Doimo Brasil
Located in Geneve, CH
White Coffee Table by Doimo Brasil Dimensions: W 140 x D 95 x H 34 cm Materials: Base: Aged steel, Seat: Fabric, Top: Veneer. With the intention of providing good taste and perso...
Steel
Tabula Large Table in Mixed Veneer and Carbon Fiber by Madheke
Located in Geneve, CH
Tabula Large Table in Mixed Veneer and Carbon Fiber by Madheke. Dimensions: W 151 x D 91 x H 35.5 cm. Materials: Mixed veneer and carbon fiber table...
Stainless Steel
Sunburst Rattan Square Coffee Table, Vivai Del Sud, Italy, 1970s
Located in Winston-Salem, NC
This vintage coffee table is a study in movement — an extraordinary concentric sunburst top of individually applied reedwork radiates from a textured leather center medallion studded...
Brass
$1,206Sale Price|20% Off
Hollywood Regency Flaminia Two Tier Coffee Table in the style of Willy Rizzo
By Willy Rizzo
Located in Oud-Turnhout, VAN
Vintage Hollywood Regency Postmodern Design 'Flaminia' Two Tier Coffee Table in the style of Willy Rizzo, made in France 1970's period. Brass & metal construction with grey brown smo...
Metal, Brass
$28,606 / item
MG210 Dining Table by Malte Gormsen
Located in Geneve, CH
MG210 Dining Table by Malte Gormsen Dimensions: D 110 x W 300 x H 72 cm. Materials: Dark Nature oak. Available in Nature, Raw Nature, Light Nature, Grey Nature, and Dark Nature fini...
Oak
1980s Laminated Wood Hexagonal End Tables, Set of 2
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
On offer on this occasion is one of the most stunning, table set you could hope to find. Outstanding design is exhibited throughout. Just look at the gorgeous details on this beauty!...
Laminate, Wood
$1,671Sale Price|20% Off
Postmodern Design Reverse Pyramid Coffee Table
Located in Oud-Turnhout, VAN
Postmodern Design 'Reverse Pyramid' Square Coffee Table. Made in the 1980's. Wood reverse pyramid shape with steps on the inside. Black glass on the bottom and clear glass on top. A ...
Glass, Wood
5'x5' Postmodern Attr. Jeffrey Bigelow 1990s Beveled Glass Lucite Dining Table
Located in Las Vegas, NV
The base is composed of clear lucite / acrylic panels arranged in a geometric, sculptural form, giving the table a gallery-like quality. The thick beveled glass top adds impressive w...
Glass, Lucite
Post modern coffee table with cork and glass, 1980s
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Rare coffee table with chromed legs, a wooden and glass top with inserted corks. Cool postmodern design. Very good condition 1970s - Belgium Dimensions: Height: 35cm Width x dep...
Glass, Plastic, Cork
Organic Modern Dinner Table Catus in Travertine Marble and Wood
Located in Lisbon, PT
Catus dinner table is unique in its conception with Organic Modern inspiration. Natural Stone is unrepeatable in its individuality, this way each Catus table is unique featuring the ...
Travertine, Marble, Metal
$6,450 / set
Pair of Vintage Faux Malachite Tables
By Angus Bruce 1
Located in Houston, TX
Pair of vintage Faux Malachite tables. This stylish pair of modernist style side tables, drink tables, gueridons or cigarette tables are realistic...
Mirror, Wood
Martin Visser Modernist Table TE20 Spectrum, 1987
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Rare modernist table designed by Martin Visser and Joke van der Heyden, manufactured by ’t Spectrum Bergeyk 1988. This table is model number TE20 which ...
Mid Century Modern Art Deco Style Cherry and Slate Cocktail Table, Custom Made
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A custom-made studio cocktail slate top coffee table circa 1980s. It features natural cherry base with black slate top.
Slate
Lorin Marsh Ltd. Postmodern Mercury Leg Glass Coffee Table
By Lorin Marsh
Located in West Chester, PA
Rare "Mercury Leg Table" designed by George Constant for Lorin Marsh LTD. We found an advertisement in Architectural Digest for this item but could not find any further information. ...
Glass, Acrylic
$4,212 / item
PLINTH Base Coffee Table by Donatas Zukauskas
Located in Geneve, CH
PLINTH Base Coffee Table by Donatas Zukauskas. Dimensions: W 65 x L 106 x H 42 cm. Materials: Handcrafted mineral composite, varnished with a high-quality matte varnish. PLINTH is a...
Composition, Other
MORA Coffee Table in Tzalam, Oak, Maple & Walnut by Daniel Couttolenc
Located in Geneve, CH
MORA Coffee Table in Tzalam, Oak, Maple & Walnut by Daniel Couttolenc. Dimensions: D 120 x W 75 x H 35 cm. Materials: Tzalam, Oak, Maple & Walnut. MORA Coffee Table by Danie...
Hardwood
Postmodern Lacquered Side/End Tables with Faux Black Marble Spheres
Located in Dallas, TX
Postmodern styling stunning from every angle these side or end tables designed and created in the 1980s. Freshly black lacquered bases with four faux black marble spheres that suppor...
Glass, Lacquer
Reed Library Table in Classic Walnut & Black Oxidized Steel by Veermakers
Located in Geneve, CH
Reed Library Table in Classic Walnut & Black Oxidized Steel by Veermakers Unique Piece. Dimensions: D 69,5 x W 160 x H 75 cm. Materials: Walnut Classic and black oxidized steel....
Steel
$3,319 / item
TOKI Sculptural Console Table by Donatas Zukauskas
Located in Geneve, CH
TOKI Sculptural Console Table by Donatas Zukauskas. Dimensions: W 32 x L 110 x H 85 cm. Materials: Handcrafted mineral composite, finished with a waterproof matte paint. Sculptural ...
Composition, Other
Cabaret 01 Console Table in Licorice Glossy Varnished Aluminum by CASPAL
Located in Geneve, CH
Cabaret 01 Console Table in Licorice Glossy Varnished Aluminum by CASPAL Dimensions: Ø 50 x H 114 cm. Materials: Varnished aluminum. Available in different color options. Prices ma...
Aluminum
Low Three Rocks Marquetry Coffee Table by InsidherLand
Located in Geneve, CH
Low Three Rocks Marquetry Coffee Table by InsidherLand Dimensions: D 75 x W 112 x H 37 cm. Materials: Wood structure with marquetry work in smoky brown bird’s eye, rosewood, ebony an...
Wood
$700Sale Price|50% Off
Post-Modern Formica Laminate Pink Circle Table Set, 4 Pcs
Located in Plainview, NY
Introducing a truly versatile addition to your living space, a post-modern four-piece Formica laminate drum table set, elegantly finished in a soot...
Laminate
Brik Orange Console Table in Stone Textured Lacquered MDF by Hermhaus
Located in Geneve, CH
Brik Orange Console Table in Stone Textured Lacquered MDF by Hermhaus Dimensions: D 50 x W 180 x H 90 cm Materials: MDF with stone texture and spe...
Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF)
Vintage Boho Arched Rattan Side Table
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Define your living space with the architectural charm of this pair of vintage tortoise rattan side tables. Each table features a rectilinear frame constructed from sturdy bamboo-style rattan, enriched with a "burnt" or tortoise glaze that exudes organic warmth. The design is distinguished by a series of graceful bentwood arches along the lower gallery, evoking a subtle Gothic Revival or cathedral aesthetic within a relaxed Boho context. Topped with original smoked glass, these tables perfectly balance airy island vibes with the moody sophistication of 1970s modernism. Versatile and visually light, these tables are ideal for flanking a deep velvet sofa...
Rattan, Glass
Gilles Derain Black Metal and Glass Trolley for Lumen circa 1980, France .
Located in Brussels, BE
Rare trolley designed by Gilles Derain for Lumen Center, circa 1980, Italy. Black lacquered steel frame and clear glass. Dimensions: 125 cm W, 50 cm D, 69 cm H. Good original conditi...
Metal