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.
Opal Lamella Red Grape Pendant by Warm Nordic
Located in Geneve, CH
Opal Lamella Red Grape Pendant by Warm Nordic Dimensions: D25.5 x H25 cm Material: Lacquered steel, Sand blasted opal glass Weight: 3.2 kg Also avail...
Steel
$435 / item
Opal Lamella Sky Grey Pendant by Warm Nordic
Located in Geneve, CH
Opal Lamella sky grey pendant by Warm Nordic Dimensions: D 25.5 x H 25 cm Material: Lacquered steel, Sand blasted opal glass Weight: 3.2 kg Also available in different colours. ...
Steel
Opal Lamella Rusty Red Pendant by Warm Nordic
Located in Geneve, CH
Opal Lamella rusty red pendant by Warm Nordic Dimensions: D 25.5 x H 25 cm Material: Lacquered steel, Sand blasted opal glass Weight: 3.2 kg Also available in different colours. ...
Steel
$435 / item
Opal Arch Sky Grey Pendant by Warm Nordic
Located in Geneve, CH
Opal Arch Sky Grey Pendant by Warm Nordic Dimensions: D23 x H18 cm Material: Lacquered steel, Sand blasted opal glass Weight: 2 kg Also available in d...
Steel
Opal Lamella Black Noir Pendant by Warm Nordic
Located in Geneve, CH
Opal Lamella Black Noir Pendant by Warm Nordic Dimensions: D25.5 x H25 cm Material: Lacquered steel, Sand blasted opal glass Weight: 3.2 kg Also avail...
Steel
Opal Lamella Illuminating Yellow Pendant by Warm Nordic
Located in Geneve, CH
Opal Lamella Illuminating yellow pendant by Warm Nordic Dimensions: D25.5 x H25 cm Material: Lacquered steel, Sand blasted opal glass Weight: 3.2 kg Also available in different c...
Steel
Opal Shade Illuminating Yellow Pendant by Warm Nordic
Located in Geneve, CH
Opal shade Illuminating yellow pendant by Warm Nordic Dimensions: D 43 x H 17 cm Material: Lacquered steel, Sand blasted opal glass Weight: 2 kg Also available in different colou...
Steel
$623 / item
Opal Shade Black Noir Pendant by Warm Nordic
Located in Geneve, CH
Opal shade black Noir pendant by Warm Nordic Dimensions: D 43 x H 17 cm Material: Lacquered steel, Sand blasted opal glass Weight: 2 kg Also available...
Steel
$446 / item
Trombone Aluminium Pendant by Warm Nordic
Located in Geneve, CH
Trombone Aluminium Pendant by Warm Nordic Dimensions: D10 x H25 cm Material: Brushed aluminium Weight: 1 kg Also available in different finishes. Pl...
Aluminum
$470 / item
Bloom Black Noir Pendant by Warm Nordic
Located in Geneve, CH
Bloom Black Noir Pendant by Warm Nordic Dimensions: D30 x W30 x H24 cm Material: Lacquered steel, Solid brass Weight: 2 kg Also available in different...
Brass, Steel
$388 / item
Cone Black Noir Pendant by Warm Nordic
Located in Geneve, CH
Cone Black Noir Pendant by Warm Nordic Dimensions: D16x W16 x H23 cm Material: Lacquered steel, Solid brass Weight: 1 kg Also available in different c...
Brass, Steel
$388 / item
Cone Warm White Pendant by Warm Nordic
Located in Geneve, CH
Cone Warm White Pendant by Warm Nordic Dimensions: D16x W16 x H23 cm Material: Lacquered steel, Solid brass Weight: 1 kg Also available in different ...
Brass, Steel
Bloom Black Noir Warm White Stripes Pendant by Warm Nordic
Located in Geneve, CH
Bloom black noir warm white stripes pendant by Warm Nordic Dimensions: D 30 x W 30 x H 24 cm Material: Lacquered steel, solid brass Weight: 2 kg Also available in different colou...
Brass, Steel
$2,846 / item
Pendant Ball Cable 18 by Contain
Located in Geneve, CH
Pendant Ball Cable 18 by Contain Dimensions: Ø 18 x H 100 cm (custom length). Materials: Brass cable, 3D printed PLA structure and blown glass from local production. Available i...
Brass, Other
$2,646 / item
Planette Cable 16.5 Pendant by Contain
Located in Geneve, CH
Planette Cable 16.5 Pendant by Contain Dimensions: Ø 16.5 x H 100 cm (custom lenght). Materials: Alabaster, brass, optical lens. Also available in different finishes and dimensi...
Alabaster, Brass
$3,010 / item
Planette Cable 18 Pendant by Contain
Located in Geneve, CH
Planette Cable 18 Pendant by Contain Dimensions: Ø 18 x H 100 cm (custom lenght). Materials: Alabaster, brass, optical lens. Also available in different finishes and dimensions ...
Alabaster, Brass
$2,751 / item
Planette Tube 16.5 Pendant by Contain
Located in Geneve, CH
Planette tube 16.5 pendant by Contain Dimensions: Ø 16.5 x H 100 cm (custom lenght). Materials: Alabaster, brass. Also available in different finishes and dimensions (Ø10 cm / Ø...
Alabaster, Brass
$3,081 / item
Planette Tube 18 Pendant by Contain
Located in Geneve, CH
Planette tube 18 pendant by Contain Dimensions: Ø 18 x H 100 cm (custom lenght). Materials: Alabaster, brass. Also available in different finishes and dimensions (Ø10 cm / Ø16,5...
Alabaster, Brass
$4,174 / item
Planette Tube 22 Pendant by Contain
Located in Geneve, CH
Planette tube 22 pendant by Contain Dimensions: Ø 22 x H 100 cm (custom lenght). Materials: Alabaster, brass. Also available in different finishes and ...
Alabaster, Brass
$2,363 / item
Planette Cable 12 Pendant by Contain
Located in Geneve, CH
Planette Cable 12 Pendant by Contain Dimensions: Ø 12 x H 100 cm (custom lenght). Materials: Alabaster, brass, optical lens. Also available in different finishes and dimensions ...
Alabaster, Brass
$258 / item
Papp Pendant Lamp by Storängen Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Papp pendant lamp by Storängen Design Dimensions: D 20 x W 13.5 x H 75 cm Materials: birch plywood, watercolor paper, metal. A simple yet elegant...
Metal
$1,740 / item
Green Space II Ceiling Lamp by Dovain Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Green Space II ceiling lamp by Dovain Studio Dimensions: H 55 x W 30 x D 30 cm Materials: Lacquered Metal, Brass detail Dovain Studio Creative direction by Sergio Prieto, a Spa...
Metal, Brass
$3,586 / item
Green Space Ceiling Lamp by Dovain Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Green Space ceiling lamp by Dovain Studio. Dimensions: H 100 x W 105 x D 50 cm. Materials: Lacquered Metal, Brass detail Dovain Studio Creativ...
Metal, Brass
$16,135 / item
Glass Chandelier by Aver
Located in Geneve, CH
Glass Chandelier by Aver Dimensions: D 78 x H 65 cm Materials: Glass, metal. Finishes: Gold Leaf, Silver Leaf, Warm Gold Leaf, Warm Silver Leaf, Warm Copper Leaf, Dark Gold Leaf, Dark Silver Leaf, Bronze Leaf, Antique Bronze, Antique Golden. Collection of Aver lamps made with handmade twisted glass tubes. In this version we have the classic layered pendant. Aver Design...
Metal
$2,763 / item
Nero Marquina Poem Suspended Light by Lexavala
Located in Geneve, CH
Nero Marquina Poem suspended Light by Lexavala Dimensions: W 150 x D 4 (aprox) x H 4.5 cm Materials: Marble Also available in different dimensions: 90 cm and 120 cm. A pure, m...
Marble
$1,787 / item
Brass Oblivion Suspended Light by Lexavala
Located in Geneve, CH
Brass Oblivion suspended light by Lexavala Dimensions: W 18 x D 6 x H 3 cm Materials: Brass Ultimate final touch in every lighting design. The brightest little detail to your h...
Brass
$623 / item
Twain Ex Pure White Wall Light by Lexavala
Located in Geneve, CH
Twain Ex pure white wall light by Lexavala Dimensions: W 16 x D 16 x H 13 cm Materials: brass or stainless steel ring touching the glass. There are two lenghts of socket covers...
Brass
Medium Misalliance Ral Lavender Suspended Light by Lexavala
Located in Geneve, CH
Medium misalliance ral lavender suspended light by lexavala. Dimensions: D 16 x W 100 x H 8 cm Materials: powder coated aluminium. There are two lenghts of socket covers, extend...
Aluminum
Extra Large Misalliance Ral Lavender Suspended Light by Lexavala
Located in Geneve, CH
Extra Large Misalliance Ral lavender suspended light by Lexavala Dimensions: D 16 x W 160 x H 8 cm Materials: powder coated aluminium. There are two lenghts of socket covers, ex...
Aluminum
Twain Ex Pure White Suspended Light by Lexavala
Located in Geneve, CH
Twain Ex pure white suspended light by Lexavala Dimensions: W 16 x D 16 x H 13 cm Materials: brass or stainless steel ring touching the glass. There are two lenghts of socket c...
Brass
Twain Ex Jet Black Suspended Light by Lexavala
Located in Geneve, CH
Twain Ex jet black suspended light by Lexavala Dimensions: W 16 x D 16 x H 13 cm Materials: brass or stainless steel ring touching the glass. There are two lenghts of socket co...
Brass
Twain Ex Antique Pink Suspended Light by Lexavala
Located in Geneve, CH
Twain Ex antique pink suspended light by Lexavala Dimensions: W 16 x D 16 x H 13 cm Materials: brass or stainless steel ring touching the glass. There are two lenghts of socket...
Brass, Stainless Steel
Twain Solid Brass Suspended Light by Lexavala
Located in Geneve, CH
Twain solid brass suspended light by Lexavala Dimensions: W 16 x D 16 x H 13 cm Materials: Brass, glass. There are two lenghts of socket covers, extending over the LED. Two sho...
Brass
Medium Misalliance Ral Bottle Green Suspended Light by Lexavala
Located in Geneve, CH
Medium Misalliance Ral bottle green suspended light by Lexavala Dimensions: D 16 x W 100 x H 8 cm Materials: powder coated aluminium. There are two lenghts of socket covers, ext...
Aluminum
Medium Misalliance Ral Jet Black Suspended Light by Lexavala
Located in Geneve, CH
Medium Misalliance Ral Jet Black Suspended Light by Lexavala Dimensions: D 16 x W 100 x H 8 cm Materials: powder coated aluminium. There are two lenghts of socket covers, extend...
Aluminum
Small Misalliance Ral Jet Black Suspended Light by Lexavala
Located in Geneve, CH
Small Misalliance Ral Jet Black Suspended Light by Lexavala Dimensions: D 16 x W 70 x H 8 cm Materials: powder coated aluminium. There are two lenghts of socket covers, extendin...
Aluminum
Extra Large Misalliance Ral Jet Black Suspended Light by Lexavala
Located in Geneve, CH
Extra Large Misalliance Ral jet black suspended light by Lexavala Dimensions: D 16 x W 160 x H 8 cm Materials: powder coated aluminium. There are two lenghts of socket covers, e...
Aluminum
Medium Misalliance Ex Lavender Suspended Light by Lexavala
Located in Geneve, CH
Medium Misalliance Ex Lavender suspended light by Lexavala Dimensions: D 16 x W 100 x H 8 cm Materials: powder coated shade with details made of brass or stainless steel. There ...
Aluminum, Brass, Stainless Steel
Medium Misalliance Ex Antique Pink Suspended Light by Lexavala
Located in Geneve, CH
Medium Misalliance ex antique pink suspended light by Lexavala. Dimensions: D 16 x W 100 x H 8 cm. Materials: powder coated shade with details made of brass or stainless steel. ...
Aluminum, Brass, Stainless Steel
$1,058 / item
Small Misalliance Inox Suspended Light by Lexavala
Located in Geneve, CH
Small Misalliance inox suspended light by Lexavala Dimensions: D 16 x W 70 x H 8 cm Materials: Stainless steel. There are two lenghts of socket covers, extending over the LED. T...
Stainless Steel
$1,199 / item
Medium Misalliance Inox Suspended Light by Lexavala
Located in Geneve, CH
Medium Misalliance Inox suspended light by Lexavala Dimensions: D 16 x W 100 x H 8 cm Materials: Stainless steel. There are two lenghts of socket covers, extending over the LED....
Stainless Steel
$6,797 / item
Quartz Pendant Light III by Aver
Located in Geneve, CH
Quartz pendant light III by Aver Dimensions: W 106 x D 56 x H 6 cm Materials: Natural rocks, high-quality cut crystals, jewelry chains, hand blown...
Stone, Crystal
$7,409 / item
Quartz and Bronze Pendant Light I by Aver
Located in Geneve, CH
Quartz and Bronze Pendant Light I by Aver Dimensions: D 82 x H 42 cm Materials: Natural rocks, high-quality cut crystals, jewelry chains, hand-blown glass, other. Also Available: Mat...
Stone, Crystal, Other
$4,786 / set
Tango II, Sculpted Pendant by Paul Matter
By Paul Matter
Located in Geneve, CH
Tango II, sculpted pendant by Paul Matter Blackened brass with aged brass details. Shade in blackened brass (also available in aged brass) Exterior and aged interiors. Dimensions...
Brass
Colorful Crystal Pendant Lamp, Hand-Sculpted Contemporary Crystal
Located in Geneve, CH
Colorful crystal pendant lamp, hand-sculpted contemporary crystal Hand-sculpted in crystal Measures: Height 35 cm Width 5.8 cm Weight 1.3 kg ...
Crystal
Colorful Crystal Pendant Lamp, Hand-Sculpted Contemporary Crystal
Located in Geneve, CH
Colorful crystal pendant lamp, hand-sculpted contemporary crystal Hand-sculpted in crystal Measures: Height 35 cm Width5.8 cm Weight 1.3 kg M...
Crystal
$3,586 / item
Ceiling Lamp Bookshelf by Serge Mouille
Located in Geneve, CH
Ceiling lamp bookshelf by Serge Mouille Dimensions: D38 x H100 cm Materials: Brass, steel, aluminium One of a King. Numbered. Also available in different colour. All our lamps can be wired according to each country. If sold to the USA it will be wired for the USA for instance. Composed of a black steel rod available to Measure and an aluminum reflector with a shiny white interior, this Serge Mouille Library ceiling light...
Aluminum, Brass, Steel
$10,772 / item
Ceiling Lamp Snail 85 by Serge Mouille
Located in Geneve, CH
Ceiling lamp snail 60 by Serge Mouille Dimensions: D 85 x H 50 cm Materials: Brass, steel, aluminium One of a King. Numbered. Also available in different colour. All our lamps...
Aluminum, Brass, Steel
$8,961 / item
Ceiling Lamp Spider 5 Broken Arms by Serge Mouille
Located in Geneve, CH
Ceiling lamp Spider 5 broken arms by Serge Mouille Dimensions: D150 x H135 cm Materials: Brass, steel, aluminium One of a King. Numbered. Also available in different colour. A...
Aluminum, Brass, Steel
Stellar Big Transparent Acetato Transparent Pendant by Pulpo
Located in Geneve, CH
Stellar big transparent Acetato transparent pendant by Pulpo Dimensions: D39 x H320 cm Materials: handblown glass coloured, stainless steel wire,...
Stainless Steel
Stellar Small Transparent Acetato Transparent Pendant by Pulpo
Located in Geneve, CH
Stellar small transparent acetato transparent pendant by Pulpo Dimensions: D23 x H320 cm Materials: handblown glass coloured, stainless steel wir...
Stainless Steel
Stellar Grape Pendant Small Transparent Acetato Black by Pulpo
Located in Geneve, CH
Stellar grape pendant small transparent acetato black by Pulpo. Dimensions: D61 x H86 cm. Materials: handblown glass coloured ,powder coated steel. Also available in different f...
Steel
Stellar Big Smoky Grey Acetato Smoky Grey Pendant by Pulpo
Located in Geneve, CH
Stellar big smoky grey acetato smoky grey pendant by Pulpo. Dimensions: D39 x H320 cm. Materials: handblown glass coloured, stainless steel wire, textile cable. Also available i...
Stainless Steel
$1,011 / item
Stellar Mini Transparent Acetato Pendant by Pulpo
Located in Geneve, CH
Stellar mini transparent acetato pendant by Pulpo. Dimensions: D18 x H320 cm. Materials: handblown glass coloured, stainless steel wire, textile cable. Also available in differe...
Stainless Steel
Blue Lampe Gras N° 312 Ceiling Lamp by Bernard-Albin Gras
Located in Geneve, CH
Blue Lampe Gras N° 312 ceiling lamp by Bernard-Albin Gras Dimensions: D 36 x W 14 x H 100 cm Materials: Steel Also Available: Different colors and other shade available. All ou...
Steel
Blue Lampe Gras N° 302 Ceiling Lamp by Bernard-Albin Gras
Located in Geneve, CH
Blue lampe Gras N° 302 ceiling lamp by Bernard-Albin Gras Dimensions: D 14 x W 14 x H 92 cm Materials: Steel Also available: different colors and other shade available. All our...
Steel
Yellow Lampe Gras N° 312 Ceiling Lamp by Bernard-Albin Gras
Located in Geneve, CH
Yellow lampe Gras N° 312 ceiling lamp by Bernard-Albin Gras Dimensions: D 36 x W 14 x H 100 cm Materials: Steel Also available: Different colors and other shade available. All ...
Steel
Black and Copper Lampe Gras N° 312 Ceiling Lamp by Bernard-Albin Gras
Located in Geneve, CH
Black and copper Lampe Gras N° 312 Ceiling Lamp by Bernard-Albin Gras Dimensions: D 36 x W 14 x H 100 cm Materials: steel Also available: different colors and other shade availabl...
Steel
Polycarbonate Lampe Gras N° 312 Ceiling Lamp by Bernard-Albin Gras
Located in Geneve, CH
Polycarbonate Lampe Gras N° 312 ceiling lamp by Bernard-Albin Gras Dimensions: D 36 x W 14 x H 100 cm Materials: Steel, polycarbonate Also available: Different colors and other sh...
Steel
Black Lampe Gras N° 312 Ceiling Lamp by Bernard-Albin Gras
Located in Geneve, CH
Black Lampe Gras N° 312 ceiling lamp by Bernard-Albin Gras Dimensions: D 36 x W 14 x H 100 cm Materials: Steel Also available: different colors and other shade available. All o...
Steel