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.
1982 Kathy Merten Hand-Woven Wool Wall Tapestry Abstract Modern Art Textile
Located in San Juan Capistrano, CA
Artist: Kathy Merten (American, San Diego Fiber Artist) Title: Untitled Year: 1982 Medium: Hand-woven wool tapestry on linen warp Dimensions: 60” H × 44” W Origin: United States, Ca...
Wool
Alessandro Mendini Quilted Wall Hanging Tapestry Interflex, Italy, 1993
By Interflex, Alessandro Mendini
Located in Vienna, AT
Alessandro Mendini Quilted Wall Hanging Tapestry Interflex, Italy, 1993 Dimensions 104" x 62" x1" This large wall hanging tapestry designed by Al...
Cotton
1993 Ettore Sottsass Interflex Italian Design Wall Hanging Fabric Tapestry
Located in Brescia, IT
"La Buona Stella" Tapestry designer Ettore Sottsass prod. Interflex 1993 Screen-printing on quilted Fabric Tapestry Label manufacture sewing on the back Perfect Condiction Limited ...
Fabric
Postmodern Moroccan Berber Pattern Black and Silver Beige Abstract Rug No Fringe
Located in New York, NY
The Rapture Collection is a high-end rug collection that includes 29 rug design options, in 155 design and rug color combinations, totaling 620 various design-color-size combinations...
Cotton, Polyester
Ramses Wissa Wassef wall/ table wool tapestry , signed and label .
By Ramses Wissa Wassef Workshop
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This is great sample of the Ramses Wissa Wassef workshop . This tapestry is shows the weaver Lotfora Mohamed , under the direction of Sophie Habib Gorgi , according Label .
Wool
Ramses Wissa Wassef wall wool tapestry , signed Label
By Ramses Wissa Wassef Workshop
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Very nice and colorful hand woven tapestry. This beautiful sample of Egyptian weaving bears what we read artist Karina Ali and done under direction of Sophie Habib Gorgi , according...
Wool
Enzo Mari Wall Hanging Quilted Tapestry Arazzo Canova Adone e Venere, Italy
1993 Alessandro Mendini Interflex Postmodern Design Wall Hanging Tapestry
By Interflex, Alessandro Mendini
Located in Brescia, IT
"Victorian" Tapestry designer Alessandro Mendini prod. Interflex 1993 Screen-printing on quilted Fabric Tapestry Label manufacture sewing on the back Perfect Condiction Limited edi...
Fabric
Giorgio Saporiti Geometric Suede Tapestry
Located in Astoria, NY
Giorgio Saporiti (Italian, XX-XXI) Geometric Suede Patchwork Tapestry, 1997, with square relief element, signed and dated lower right, mounted on ebonized wood panel. Image: 47" H x...
Suede, Wood
$2,917 / item
Gold/Orange Handwoven Tapestry by Calyah
Located in Geneve, CH
Gold/Orange handwoven tapestry by Calyah Unique piece Materials: Tibetan wool and silk. Dimensions: 170 x 65 x 1 cm Colour: gold/orange. Also available in red/yellow, white/blue...
Wool, Silk
Ramses Wissa Wassef wool woven tapestry, shows Fatma Awad artist, Label
By Ramses Wissa Wassef Workshop
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Great hand woven tapestry in wool and according label made for one of the most important weavers in the studio,Fatma Awad , under direction of Sophie Habib Gorgi.
Wool
$2,950
Tapete Glifo
Located in Mérida, MX
Handmade on a pedal loom by Zapotec weavers working from their community in Oaxaca. The traditional patterns in the Zapotec wool rugs are glyphs, fretwork animals and idols taken from the archeological remains in the town's church and Mitla as well as the Mixtec codices. Chuch's zapotec rug...
Wool
$8,348 / item
Underneath #3 Wall Sculpture by Delphine Cobbaert
Located in Geneve, CH
Underneath #3 Wall Sculpture by Delphine Cobbaert Dimensions: W 100 x D 3 x H 105 cm Materials: Wool, Linen, Jute, Horsehair. Delphine Cobbaert is a Belgian textile artist, designe...
Wool, Linen
Multicolor Quilted Paper and Thread Wall Tapestry by Kelly Kozma
By Kelly Kozma
Located in Philadelphia, PA
"Magma & Reef" is a one-of-a-kind wall-hanging statement piece as part of Kelly Kozma's newest collection "Watch Me Backflip". This large crafted piece is hand-sewn by the artist in ...
Textile, Paper, Thread, Tapestry
$19,408 / item
Almadra Wall Tapestry by Antilla Di Lauro
Located in Geneve, CH
Almadra Wall Tapestry by Antilla Di Lauro Dimensions: D 240 H 240 cm. Materials: Semi-worsted wool, New Zealand wool, and twisted viscose. Antilla Di Lauro (b. 1989, Milan, Italy) d...
Other
$5,963 / item
Element #1 Wall Sculpture by Delphine Cobbaert
Located in Geneve, CH
Element #1 Wall Sculpture by Delphine Cobbaert Dimensions: W 47 x D 3 x H 102 cm / W 37 x D 3 x H 102 cm Materials: Wool, Linen, Mohair, Jute. Delphine Cobbaert is a Belgian textil...
Wool, Linen
$7,293 / item
Converse #2 Wall Sculpture by Delphine Cobbaert
Located in Geneve, CH
Converse #2 Wall Sculpture by Delphine Cobbaert Dimensions: W 49.3 x D 3 x H 47.3 cm Materials: Wool, Linen, Mohair, Silk, Painted wood. Delphine Cobbaert is a Belgian textile arti...
Wool, Linen, Mohair, Wood
Mid-Century tapestry “Moyen-Âge”signed by Jean-Claude Bissery
Located in Beirut, LB
Mid- 20th Century Tapestry “Moyen-Age”signed by Jean-Claude Bissery. Entitled "Moyen Age" depicting a medieval scene with foresters at work. Jean Claude Bissery is a French Postwar &...
Wool
Tapestry by Nathalie du Pasquier, Limited Edition, No. 2/36, Signed 2005
By Nathalie du Pasquier, Post Design
Located in Kansas City, MO
Tapestry by Nathalie du Pasquier for Post Design, Italy, 2005. This example is number 2 of 36. This thick handwoven wool wall hanging is in excellent condition.
Wool
$180 / item
Iceland Sheepskin Wall Panel by Cuero Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Iceland Sheepskin Wall Panel by Cuero Design Dimensions: W 30 x L 30 cm. Materials: Black sheepskin. Available in different sheepskin color options. Prices may vary. Please contact ...
Sheepskin
Contemporary Black and White Bradfield Eagle Tapestry
Located in Queens, NY
Contemporary wool black and white hand woven tapestry of an eagle (THE BIG FIVE: EAGLE, 2011, designed by GEOFFREY BRADFIELD) (Related item: BRA018, BRA01...
Wool
$228 / item
Iceland Sheepskin Wall Panel by Cuero Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Iceland Sheepskin Wall Panel by Cuero Design Dimensions: W 30 x L 30 cm. Materials: Brown sheepskin. Available in different sheepskin color options. Prices may vary. Please contact ...
Sheepskin
$8,619 / item
Opus XXXIX Handmade Wool Tapestry by Mira Sohlen
Located in Geneve, CH
Opus XXXIX handmade wool tapestry by Mira Sohlen Dimensions: D 40 x H 625 cm Materials: wool Weight: 12 kg Opus XXXIX Each tapestry is ca...
Wool
$8,353 / item
Underneath #2 Wall Sculpture by Delphine Cobbaert
Located in Geneve, CH
Underneath #2 Wall Sculpture by Delphine Cobbaert Dimensions: W 106 x D 3 x H 105 cm Materials: Wool, Linen, Jute, Horsehair. Delphine Cobbaert is a Belgian textile artist, designe...
Wool, Linen
$9,016 / item
Underneath #1 Wall Sculpture by Delphine Cobbaert
Located in Geneve, CH
Underneath #1 Wall Sculpture by Delphine Cobbaert Dimensions: W 129 x D 3 x H 107 cm Materials: Wool, Linen, Jute, Mohair. Delphine Cobbaert is a Belgian textile artist, designer a...
Wool, Linen, Mohair
Set Of 8 Iceland Sheepskin Wall Panels by Cuero Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Set Of 8 Iceland Sheepskin Wall Panels by Cuero Design Dimensions: W 30 x L 30 cm. Materials: Black sheepskin. Available in different sheepskin color options. Prices may vary. Pleas...
Sheepskin
$4,818 / item
Tapestry No.01 by Cappelen Dimyr
Located in Geneve, CH
Tapestry no.01 by Cappelen Dimyr Dimensions: D120 x H140 cm Materials: 85% wool 15% cotton Tapestry no.01 is made from chunky natural white shaded ...
Wool, Cotton
Monumental Landscape Espace XXXIV Handmade Wool Tapestry by Mira Sohlen
Located in Geneve, CH
Monumental landscape espace XXXIV handmade wool tapestry by Mira Sohlen Dimensions: D 200 x H 200 cm Materials: Wool Weight: 18 kg Monumenta...
Wool
$3,953 / item
Tapestry no.04 by Cappelen Dimyr
Located in Geneve, CH
Tapestry no.04 by Cappelen Dimyr Dimensions: D85 x H95 cm Materials: 85% wool 15% cotton Tapestry no.04 is an expressive wall piece, perfectly balancing soft and bold. Its long ...
Wool, Cotton
Roy Lichtenstein "Composition Tapestry" Modern Wool Tapestry
Located in New York, NY
-From an edition of 100 -Edited by Société Sedcome Éditions, Paris -One of the lesser-known yet fascinating aspects of Lichtenstein’s career was his venture into textile art. Beginni...
Wool
$6,095 / item
Ishoku Perspective 01 by Mae Engelgeer
Located in Geneve, CH
Ishoku Perspective 01 by Mae Engelgeer Limited edition of 5. Dimensions: D 0,5 x W 85 x H 180 cm. Materials: Igusa straw. Ishoku Perspective wall panels. Graphic compositions ...
Other
$10,697 / item
Mesanpar Rose Wall Tapestry by Antilla Di Lauro
Located in Geneve, CH
Mesanpar Rose Wall Tapestry by Antilla Di Lauro Dimensions: L 120 x H 310 cm. Materials: Recycled plastic. Antilla Di Lauro (b. 1989, Milan, Italy) designs and creates one-of-a-kind...
Plastic
$180 / item
Iceland Sheepskin Wall Panel by Cuero Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Iceland Sheepskin Wall Panel by Cuero Design Dimensions: W 30 x L 30 cm. Materials: Natural white sheepskin. Available in different sheepskin color options. Prices may vary. Please ...
Sheepskin
$2,386 / item
Opus XLIII Handmade Wool Tapestry by Mira Sohlen
Located in Geneve, CH
Opus XLIII handmade wool tapestry by Mira Sohlen Dimensions: D70 x H130 cm Materials: Wool Weight: 4 kg Opus XLIII Each tapestry is calle...
Wool
$6,497 / item
Ishoku Perspective 03 by Mae Engelgeer
Located in Geneve, CH
Ishoku Perspective 03 by Mae Engelgeer Limited edition of 5. Dimensions: D 0,5 x W 90 x H 190 cm. Materials: Igusa straw. Ishoku perspective wall panels. Graphic compositions ...
Other
$6,630 / item
Opus XLV Handmade Wool Tapestry by Mira Sohlen
Located in Geneve, CH
Opus XLV handmade wool tapestry by Mira Sohlen Dimensions: D 400 x H 62 cm Materials: Wool Weight: 12 kg Opus XLV Each tapestry is called...
Wool
$5,035 / item
Opus XLIV Handmade Wool Tapestry by Mira Sohlen
Located in Geneve, CH
Opus XLIV handmade wool tapestry by Mira Sohlen Dimensions: D 80 x H 174 cm Materials: wool Weight: 8 kg Opus XLIV Each tapestry is calle...
Wool
$6,099 / item
Ishoku Perspective 02 by Mae Engelgeer
Located in Geneve, CH
ISHOKU Perspective 02 by Mae Engelgeer Limited edition of 5. Dimensions: D 0,5 x W 85 x H 180 cm. Materials: Igusa straw. ISHOKU PERSPECTIVE wall panels. Graphic compositions ...
Other
A POST-MODERN AUBUSSON Tapestry by RICHARD RAPAICH, France 1990
Located in PARIS, FR
An exceptional Aubusson tapestry, Post-Modern, Forme-Libre, Lyrical Abstraction, hand-woven in wool, signed at the front with the monogram MH and signature Rapaich; a card on the bac...
Tapestry, Wool
$3,120Sale Price|20% Off
Modern Moroccan Berber Style Black and Silver Abstract Rug in Stock
Located in New York, NY
The Rapture Collection is a high-end rug collection that includes 29 rug design options, in 155 design and rug color combinations, totaling 620 various design-color-size combinations. The rugs perform well in residential interior, hospitality interior, and offset commercial interior settings. Woven Concepts specializes in the creation of high end, contemporary, high quality and high performance rugs. Size Tolerance: due to the hand-made nature of this product, the rug size is approximate, and the width and length may vary plus or minus a few inches from the listing rug size indicated. - (Merit) beige - Black silver rug...
Chenille
French Cubist Art Tapestry Title " Musique Tropicale" by St Epin Paris France
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
French Cubist Art Tapestry Needlepoint, Title " Musique Tropicale" Tropical Music by St Epin Paris Tapestries. Inspired by the work of kandinski, Picasso, Braque, Fernand Leger, and more French cubist and fauvisme artist. Handcrafted in a kaleidoscopic array of bright colors, tangerine, emerald green, yellow, purple, deep sky blue and black. This Cubist vintage needlework...
Textile
$2,915 / item
White/Blue Handwoven Tapestry by Calyah
Located in Geneve, CH
White/Blue handwoven tapestry by Calyah Unique piece Materials: Tibetan wool and silk. Dimensions: 170 x 65 x 1 cm Colour: white/blue Also available in red/yellow, gold/orange, ...
Wool, Silk
$3,520Sale Price|20% Off
Modern Light Blue Silver Abstract Chenille Rug Without Fringe Ready to Ship
Located in New York, NY
The Rapture Collection is a high-end rug collection that includes 29 rug design options, in 155 design and rug color combinations, totaling 620 various design-color-size combinations...
Chenille
Contemporary Black and White Bradfield Rhino Tapestry
Located in Queens, NY
Contemporary wool black and white hand woven tapestry of a rhino Contemporary wool black and white hand woven tapestry of an elephant ("THE BIG FIVE: RHINO", 2011, designed by GEOFFR...
Wool
$7,823 / item
Curve #1 Wall Sculpture by Delphine Cobbaert
Located in Geneve, CH
Curve #1 Wall Sculpture by Delphine Cobbaert Dimensions: W 54 x D 3 x H 44 cm Materials: Wool, Paperyarn, Linen, Hout. Delphine Cobbaert is a Belgian textile artist, designer and c...
Wool, Linen
Contemporary Black and White Bradfield Lion Tapestry
Located in Queens, NY
Contemporary wool black and white hand woven tapestry of a lion ("THE BIG FIVE: LION", 2011, designed by GEOFFREY BRADFIELD) (Related item: BRA018, BRA019, BRA020, BRA022. BRA024)
Wool
$4,821Sale Price / set|20% Off
Italy 1990 Post-Modern Set Two Black and Brown Upholstered Screens
Located in Brescia, IT
This stunning set of two black and brown screens are totally hand made in Italy, they were made in 1990 in Milano. They are an example of great craftsmans...
Fabric
$3,120Sale Price|20% Off
Modernist Abstract Dark Dark Taupe Gray Beige Gray Chenille Rug in Stock
Located in New York, NY
The Rapture Collection is a high-end rug collection that includes 29 rug design options, in 155 design and rug color combinations, totaling 620 various design-color-size combinations...
Chenille
$1,445 / item
No. 278 Hand-Knotted Textile Poster by Lyk Carpet
Located in Geneve, CH
No. 278 hand-knotted textile poster by Lyk Carpet. Dimensions: W 120 x L 180 cm. Materials: 100% Tibetan highland-wool, new pure hand-combed and hand-spun wool, natural vegetable-d...
Wool
Monika Franco - Handmade tapestry with cotton thread. Unique piece. Mexico.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Monika Franco Handmade tapestry with cotton thread. Unique piece. Mexico. W. 107 cm, D. 14 cm, H. 160 cm
Cotton
Contemporary Berber Olive and Charcoal Luxury Area 7 Foot Round Rug
Located in New York, NY
The Rapture Collection is a high-end rug collection that includes 29 rug design options, in 155 design and rug color combinations, totaling 620 various design-color-size combinations. The rugs perform well in residential interior, hospitality interior, and offset commercial interior settings. Woven Concepts specializes in the creation of high end, contemporary, high quality and high performance rugs. - (Blaze) Olive/Charcoal rug with contemporary Berber rug...
Cotton, Polyester
$1,344Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary Gray and Beige Gallery Runner Area Rug in Stock
Located in New York, NY
The Rapture Collection is a high-end rug collection that includes 29 rug design options, in 155 design and rug color combinations, totaling 620 various design-color-size combinations...
Cotton, Polyester
$6,625 / item
Equipoise #2 Wall Sculpture by Delphine Cobbaert
Located in Geneve, CH
Equipoise #2 Wall Sculpture by Delphine Cobbaert Dimensions: W 94 x D 3 x H 180 cm Materials: Wool, Linen, Mohair, Jute. Delphine Cobbaert is a Belgian textile artist, designer and...
Wool, Mohair, Linen
$5,168 / item
He & She #3 Wall Sculpture by Delphine Cobbaert
Located in Geneve, CH
He & She #3 Wall Sculpture by Delphine Cobbaert Dimensions: W 45 x D 3 x H 47 cm Materials: Wool, Linen, Horsehair. Delphine Cobbaert is a Belgian textile artist, designer and craf...
Wool, Linen
$5,171 / item
In Between #1 Wall Sculpture by Delphine Cobbaert
Located in Geneve, CH
In Between #1 Wall Sculpture by Delphine Cobbaert Dimensions: W 57 x D 3 x H 102 cm Materials: Wool, Linen, Jute, Painted wood, Horsehair. Delphine Cobbaert is a Belgian textile ar...
Wool, Wood, Linen
$3,120Sale Price|20% Off
Modern Chevron Dark Brown and Charcoal Chenille Area Rug Ready to Ship
Located in New York, NY
The Rapture Collection is a high-end rug collection that includes 29 rug design options, in 155 design and rug color combinations, totaling 620 various design-color-size combinations...
Chenille
$3,520Sale Price|20% Off
Modern Light Blue Grayish Cream Abstract Chenille Rug Without Fringe in Stock
Located in New York, NY
The Rapture Collection is a high-end rug collection that includes 29 rug design options, in 155 design and rug color combinations, totaling 620 various design-color-size combinations. The rugs...
Cotton, Polyester
$7,757 / item
Gold/Orange Handwoven Tapestry 240 by Calyah
Located in Geneve, CH
Gold/Orange handwoven tapestry 240 by Calyah Unique piece Materials: Tibetan wool and silk. Dimensions: 240 x 160 x 1 cm Colour: gold/orange. Also available in red/yellow, white...
Wool, Silk
$7,553 / item
In Between #2 Wall Sculpture by Delphine Cobbaert
Located in Geneve, CH
In Between #2 Wall Sculpture by Delphine Cobbaert Dimensions: W 100 x H 207 cm Materials: Wool, Linen, Jute, Painted wood, Horsehair. Delphine Cobbaert is a Belgian textile artist,...
Wool, Linen, Wood
$1,280Sale Price|20% Off
Modernist Silver Gray Beige 5x6'6" Area Rug in Stock
Located in New York, NY
The Rapture Collection is a high-end rug collection that includes 29 rug design options, in 155 design and rug color combinations, totaling 620 various design-color-size combinations...
Chenille