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.
Alessandro Mendini Quilted Wall Hanging Tapestry Interflex, Italy, 1993
By Alessandro Mendini, Interflex
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
Set Of 2 Dos à Dos Wall Tapestries in Linen, Acrylic & Wool by Tina Tictone
Located in Geneve, CH
Set Of 2 Dos à Dos Wall Tapestries in Linen, Acrylic & Wool by Tina Tictone Dimensions: D 20 x W 190 x H 137 cm. Materials: Wool and metal. Dimensions may vary. Please contact us. ...
Other
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
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
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
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
$5,709 / item
Frills Leather Tapestry by Lenny Stopp
Located in Geneve, CH
Frills Leather Tapestry by Lenny Stopp Dimensions: D 100 x W 100 x H 2 cm Materials: Leather offcuts Frills is a tapestry born from an unconventional approach to leather craftsmansh...
Other
Enzo Mari Wall Hanging Quilted Tapestry Arazzo Canova Adone e Venere, Italy
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
Giorgio Saporiti Geometric Suede Tapestry, 1997
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
1993 Alessandro Mendini Interflex Postmodern Design Wall Hanging Tapestry
By Alessandro Mendini, Interflex
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
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
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
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, Tapestry, Thread, Paper
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
$2,902 / 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
$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
Contemporary Black and White Bradfield Buffalo Tapestry
Located in Queens, NY
Contemporary wool black and white hand woven tapestry of a buffalo (THE BIG FIVE: BUFFALO, 2011, designed by GEOFFREY BRADFIELD) (Related item: BRA018, BRA019, BRA020, BRA021. BRA022)
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
$227 / 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
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
$8,312 / 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
$5,013 / 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
$5,937 / 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
$2,375 / 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
$179 / 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
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
$7,257 / 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
$19,312 / 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
$8,972 / 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
Giorgio Saporiti Leather Patchwork Tapestry, 1991
Located in Astoria, NY
Giorgio Saporiti (Italian, XX-XXI) Geometric Patchwork Leather Tapestry, 1991, with four square relief panels, signed and dated lower right, mounted on an ebonized wood panel. Image...
Leather, Wood
$8,312 / 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
$179 / 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
$6,597 / 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
$6,069 / 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
$10,651 / 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
$8,576 / 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
$23,126 / item
Huesos Tapestry by Lilia Corona
Located in Geneve, CH
Huesos tapestry by Lilia Corona One of a kind. Dimensions: W 100 x D 1 x H 700 cm. Materials: virgin wool, cotton fabric. The handmade rug in 100% virgin wool, is made in double-height shaved fabric with sections sculptured and percitho-type terry cloth. With a weight of 2,700 Kgs/m2 of wool, woven on fabric cotton base. Designed by Lilia Corona, 2016 CDMX for Platalea Studio...
Wool, Fabric, Cotton
$2,902 / item
Red/Yellow Handwoven Tapestry by Calyah
Located in Geneve, CH
Red/Yellow Handwoven Tapestry by Calyah Unique piece Materials: Tibetan wool and silk. Dimensions: 170 x 65 x 1 cm Colour: red/yellow Also available in gold/orange, white/blue, ...
Wool, Silk
$4,798 / 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
$6,465 / 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
Anne de Blander "Timanfaya" - French Wool Tapestry - Contemporary Design
By Anne de Blander
Located in New York, NY
-Contemporary tapestry; "Timanfaya" by Anne de Blander -1981 -Material: Wool -Dimensions: 130 x 280 cm, 51 x 110 in -Manufactured by Atelier Arachné
Wool
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: Brown sheepskin. Available in different sheepskin color options. Prices may vary. Pleas...
Sheepskin
Saporiti Cubic Leather Patchwork Tapestry, 1997
Located in Astoria, NY
Giorgio Saporiti (Italian, XX-XXI) Cubic Geometric Design Leather Patchwork Tapestry, 1997, signed and dated lower left, mounted on ebonized wood panel. Image: 37" H x 43.5" W; over...
Leather, Wood
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
Giorgio Saporiti Geometric Suede Tapestry, 1997
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
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
$4,798Sale 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
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 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
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
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
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
$7,784 / 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
$1,439 / 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
$6,465 / item
Aligned #1 Wall Sculpture by Delphine Cobbaert
Located in Geneve, CH
Aligned #1 Wall Sculpture by Delphine Cobbaert Dimensions: W 40.3 x D 3 x H 53.3 cm Materials: Wool, Linen, Mohair, Silk, Painted wood. Delphine Cobbaert is a Belgian textile artis...
Wool, Mohair, Linen, Wood
$4,354 / item
Tapestry no.03 by Cappelen Dimyr
Located in Geneve, CH
Tapestry no.03 by Cappelen Dimyr Dimensions: D120 x H120 cm Materials: 85% wool 15% cotton The irregular shaped Tapestry no.03 explores different yarns and techniques that creat...
Wool, Cotton
$24,093 / item
Gold/Orange Handwoven Tapestry 400 by Calyah
Located in Geneve, CH
Gold/Orange Handwoven Tapestry 400 by Calyah. Unique piece. Materials: Tibetan wool and silk. Dimensions: 400 x 300 x 1 cm Colour: gold/orange. Also available in red/yellow, white/blue, black/green. A signature presence for the home or public spaces, the Versus Edition of bicolour wall tapestries features rich and evocative hues derived from the presiding colour palette in Kathmandu. Designed by award-winning artist and 2019 Danish Designer of the Year, Margrethe Odgaard, each piece is individually hand-woven from wool and silk by expert artisans in Nepal. Through colour, materiality, and a unique Tibetan weaving method, the Versus tapestries bring a warm emotional presence into space. With beautiful coloured combinations, the interplay between Tibetan wool and Chinese silk...
Wool, Silk
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
$3,934 / 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