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.
$5,203 / item
Quadra Scacco Sideboard by Dale Italia
Located in Geneve, CH
Quadra Scacco Sideboard by Dale Italia Dimensions: D 50 x W 132 x H 83 cm. Materials: Walnut. Walnut blockboard frame. Available in 2 or 3-door versions. Available in many different...
Walnut
Post Modern Chinoiserie Dry Bar Cabinet C. 1990s
Located in Saint Louis, MO
A really fun Post Modern bar cabinet with a Chinoiserie nod that adds an uplifting air whether in or out of use into any space. Go from sexy sc...
Wood
$4,935 / item
Botero Sideboard, Three Doors, by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Botero Sideboard, Three Doors, by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 52 x W 190 x H 76 cm Materials: Wood. The Botero series is a loving tribute to the voluptuousness of the Colombian artis...
Wood
Unique, Black Walnut, Venus Wood Sideboard by Ultramobili
Located in Geneve, CH
Venus Wood, Black Walnut Sideboard by Ultramobili Dimensions: W 225 x D 53 x H 83 cm Materials: Black Walnut, Marble feet. 4 sculptural doors sideboard in Black Walnut / Noce Cana...
Marble
$20,662 / item
ST 01 Sideboard by Laurameroni
Located in Geneve, CH
ST 01 Sideboard by Laurameroni Dimensions: W 118 x D 50 x H 123 cm Materials: Burnished brass + int. walnut Colore. Tall sideboard with 2 hinged doors, equipped with 3 internal dra...
Brass
Bespoke Italian Colored Glass and Brass Sideboard
Located in London, London
Bespoke sideboard Colored glass panels Brass inlay Brass legs Contemporary, Italy.
Brass
$4,165 / item
Totem Wooden Cabinet by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Totem Wooden Cabinet by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 38.5 x W 120 x H 160 cm Materials: Wood. Geometry in motion, constantly changing perspective and depth. Pure lines at right angles...
Wood
Venus, 4 Rounded Doors Sideboard on Two Cylinder Legs in Lacquer by Ultramobili
Located in Geneve, CH
Venus, 4 Rounded Doors Sideboard on Two Cylinder Legs in Lacquer by Ultramobili Dimensions: W 225 x D 53 x H 83 cm Materials: Lacquered structure in mat or gloss finish. Cabinet int...
Metal
Drape Sideboard by Three One Four Studio, Carbon Fiber & Bronze
Located in Geneve, CH
Drape Sideboard by Three One Four Studio Unique Piece. Dimensions: D 50 x W 150 x H 80 cm. Materials: Carbon fiber, cast bronze, acrylic, and lacquer. THREE ONE FOUR studio was born...
Bronze
Vintage Sideboard, Five Doors and Six Drawers, by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Vintage Sideboard, Five Doors and Six Drawers, by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 45 x W 200 x H 76 cm Materials: Wood. There is so much to say about the Vintage series, so many referenc...
Wood
$10,430 / item
Amore TV Cabinet by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Amore TV Cabinet by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 35 x W 345 x H 170 cm Materials: Wood. We are Félix and Désirée Ramos, brothers and product designers of our brand, Lola Glamour. We ...
Wood
$16,916 / item
Guaraci Sideboard in Pequi Wood by Hugo França
Located in Geneve, CH
Guaraci Sideboard in Pequi Wood by Hugo França Dimensions: D 51,1 x W 27,9 x H 90,9 cm. Materials: Pequi wood. Atelier Hugo França's principle is to transform trunks, roots, and pa...
Wood
Santos Rosewood Wishbone Container Sideboard by A. Jacob Marks
Located in Geneve, CH
Santos Rosewood Wishbone Container Sideboard by A. Jacob Marks Dimensions: W 213 x D 51 x H 91 cm. Materials: Santos Rosewood. W47 Also available in different materials. The wishb...
Rosewood
Italian wooden sideboard with sliding doors, 1990s
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Gorgeous italian wooden sideboard with very nice sliding doors. The large wooden top gives the sideboard more volume and appeal. The handy sliding doors reveal a lot of storage spa...
Wood
$37,450 / item
Talento Lounge Unlimited Sideboard by Laurameroni
Located in Geneve, CH
Talento Lounge Unlimited TAL B04 MM Sideboard by Laurameroni Dimensions: W 245 x D 52 x H 63 cm Materials: Structure: "Patina Bronzata Antica" Doors: "Unlimited"carved with Bronze "L...
Bronze
$14,175 / item
Moustique 5042 Sideboard by Redeco
Located in Geneve, CH
Moustique 5042 Sideboard by Redeco Dimensions: W 240 x D 55 x H 65 cm Materials: Lightened mdf and mdf structure. Two outer curved doors with magnetic closing, two central doors with...
Metal, Bronze
$5,051 / item
Lamassu Sideboard I by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Lamassu Sideboard I by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 45 x W 170 x H 94 cm Materials: Wood. We are Félix and Désirée Ramos, brothers and product designers of our brand, Lola Glamour. We...
Wood
$6,440 / item
Khalo Sideboard by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Khalo Sideboard by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 45 x W 200 x H 60 cm Materials: Wood. This television unit or low sideboard is a true explosion of creativity and style that will trans...
Wood
Seasons Mobile Sideboard in Laminated Wood, Metal & Leather by Oscar Maschera
Located in Geneve, CH
Seasons Mobile Sideboard in Laminated Wood, Metal & Leather by Oscar Maschera Dimensions: D 40 x W 140 x H 65 cm. Materials: Metal, laminated wood, and vegetable leather. Our work i...
Metal
$5,821 / item
Puraforma Sideboard by Dale Italia
Located in Geneve, CH
Puraforma Sideboard by Dale Italia Dimensions: D 53 x W 200 x H 90 cm. Materials: Walnut and glass. Frame in walnut veneer blockboard with solid edging. Doors in solid walnut with r...
Walnut
Totem Wood Sideboard, Three Doors and Three Drawers, by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Totem Wood Sideboard by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 46 x W 195 x H 84 cm Materials: Wood. Geometry and mathematics behind the scenes of art. The design embraces and integrates the ex...
Wood
$13,790 / item
Curl Series Sideboard 2x4 by hm-LI Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Curl Series Sideboard 2x4 by hm-LI Studio Dimensions: W 178.2 x D 50 x H 94.2 cm Materials: Walnut Wood, Black Lacquered Wood, Blackened Steel Legs, Marble Top Surface. Available Fi...
Marble, Steel
$5,016 / item
Black Oak Array Sideboard 120 by Says Who
Located in Geneve, CH
Black oak array sideboard 120 by Says Who. Materials: oak, metal Dimensions: D 44 x W 120 x H 97 cm Also available in different colours and materials. T...
Metal
$3,045 / item
Ron Large Sideboard by Pastform
Located in Geneve, CH
Ron Large Sideboard by Pastform Dimensions: D 40 x W 190 x H 65 cm. Materials: Stained and varnished wood. Available in different wood color finishes: Whiskey, Rum, BPA, Nobel, Bran...
Wood
$5,075 / item
Seller Wooden Cabinet by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Seller Wooden Cabinet by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 45 x W 97 x H 160 cm Materials: Wood. Under a nineteenth-century appearance of forgotten filing cabinets, with Seller, we wanted ...
Wood
$3,535 / item
Spectator Twins by Freia Achenbach
Located in Geneve, CH
Spectator twins by Freia Achenbach Limited Edition of 25 Dimensions: D 105 x W 33 cm x H 68 cm Materials: resin, sand, foam The amorphly shaped shelf is not only offering storage or...
Resin, Foam
$2,695 / item
Green Oak Utility Shelf by Rachael Heritage
Located in Geneve, CH
Green Oak Utility shelf by Rachael Heritage. Materials: Oak. Dimensions: D 63.5 x W 84.5 x H 82.5 cm. Also available in different colours and material...
Oak
$3,593 / item
Luna Medium Sideboard by Pastform
Located in Geneve, CH
Luna Medium Sideboard by Pastform Dimensions: D 40 x W 170 x H 90 cm. Materials: Stained and varnished wood. Available in different wood color finishes: Whiskey, Rum, BPA, Nobel, Br...
Wood
$22,563 / item
Sculpt Sideboard by De Castelli
Located in Geneve, CH
Sculpt Sideboard by De Castelli Dimensions: W 165 x D 42 x H 66 cm Materials: DeSatén Brass, Wood. Copper version is available. Two, Three, Five and Six doors versions are also avail...
Brass
$25,095 / item
Wood and Leather Theo Sideboard by Amura Lab
Located in Geneve, CH
Wood and Leather Theo Sideboard by Amura Lab Dimensions: W 270 x D 50 x H 75 cm Materials: STRUCTURE/SHELVES: Poplar blockboard, coupled with sliced oak. DOORS: upholstered poplar bl...
Wood, Leather
Reina One Sideboard, Five Doors and One Drawer, by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Reina One Sideboard, Five Doors and One Drawer, by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 45 x W 250 x H 78 cm Materials: Wood. In this very special piece, we fuse the best of our acclaimed Rei...
Wood
Yeong-gam Sideboard, Four Doors and One Drawer, by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Yeong-gam Sideboard, Four Doors and One Drawer, by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 45 x W 215 x H 75 cm Materials: Wood. Inspired by traditional Korean buildings and their peculiar roofs...
Wood
$5,693 / item
Minimal Wood Sideboard, Four Doors, by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Minimal Sideboard by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 45 x W 200 x H 72 cm Materials: Wood. We are Félix and Désirée Ramos, brothers and product designers of our brand, Lola Glamour. We ...
Wood
$2,986 / item
Small Sideboard by Tomasz Omachel
Located in Geneve, CH
Small Sideboard by Tomasz Omachel Dimensions: D 40 x W 60 x H 80 cm. Materials: Ash, Brass. Tomasz Omachel (1984) is a self-taught maker. His story began in furniture renovation, w...
Brass
Wave Suspended Sideboard, Four Doors, by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Wave Sideboard by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 45 x W 200 x H 57/80 cm Materials: Wood. Suspended sideboard that can be crossed by a series of parallel wooden slats. We tried to captu...
Wood
$3,850 / item
Phoenix Walnut Wood Cabinet by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Phoenix Walnut Wood Cabinet by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 46 x W 120 x H 151 cm Materials: Wood. What makes “Phoenix” truly special are the geometric wooden details that adorn its f...
Wood
$2,835 / item
Rido Medium Sideboard by Pastform
Located in Geneve, CH
Rido Medium Sideboard by Pastform Dimensions: D 40 x W 170 x H 85 cm Materials: Stained and varnished wood. Available in different wood color finishes: Whiskey, Rum, BPA, Nobel, Bra...
Wood
$10,616 / item
Tetris Composition TV Cabinet by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Tetris Composition TV Cabinet by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 45 x W 260 x H 180 cm Materials: Wood. We are Félix and Désirée Ramos, brothers and product designers of our brand, Lola...
Wood
$6,918 / item
Eleva Sideboard by Dale Italia
Located in Geneve, CH
Eleva Sideboard by Dale Italia Dimensions: D 50 x W 140 x H 160 cm. Materials: Walnut. Frame in walnut veneer blockboard with solid edging. Available in natural or grey walnut finis...
Walnut
White Oak Virka High Sideboard by Ropke Design and Moaak
Located in Geneve, CH
White oak virka high sideboard by Ropke Design and Moaak Materials: oak, metal. Dimensions: D 40 x W 120 x H 82 cm Also available in different colours and materials. The found...
Metal
$19,378 / item
Black ST 12 Sideboard by Laurameroni
Located in Geneve, CH
Black ST 12 Sideboard by Laurameroni Dimensions: W 198 x D 53 x H 75 cm Materials: Black Iron Cenere and Stone Oak Carbone. ST 12 LG NC: Low sideboard with 4 hinged doors and metal ...
Iron
$5,996 / item
Punk Sideboard 250 by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Punk Sideboard 250 by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 45 x W 250 x H 65 cm Materials: Wood. Punk exudes glamor, and Lola Glamor breathes punk. It is part of our essence to be irreverent,...
Wood
$9,905 / item
Tetris Composition Sideboard by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Tetris Composition Sideboard by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 45 x W 250 x H 160 cm Materials: Wood. With this particular combination of twelve independent modules on a base with lion'...
Wood
Otto Sideboard, Three Doors and Two Drawers, by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Otto Sideboard, Three Doors and Two Drawers, by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 45 x W 235 x H 65 cm Materials: Wood. We are Félix and Désirée Ramos, brothers and product designers of o...
Wood
One Sideboard, Four Doors and One Drawer, by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
One Sideboard, Four Doors and One Drawer, by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 45 x W 250 x H 78 cm Materials: Wood. Discover the new composition of the One series! With renewed textures, ...
Wood
$4,456 / item
Uka Sideboard by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Uka Sideboard by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 47 x W 202 x H 82 cm Materials: Wood. We are Félix and Désirée Ramos, brothers and product designers of our brand, Lola Glamour. We are ...
Wood
$4,515 / item
Uka Suspended Sideboard by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Uka Suspended Sideboard by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 45 x W 227 x H 45 cm Materials: Wood. We are Félix and Désirée Ramos, brothers and product designers of our brand, Lola Glamou...
Wood
White Oak Low Sideboard by Says Who, Danish Design, Post-Modern Style
Located in Geneve, CH
White oak array low sideboard 150 by Says Who Materials: oak, metal Dimensions: D 37 x W 150 x H 25 cm Also available in different colours and materia...
Metal
$23,088 / item
Frame Living CL Credenza by Estro Collezioni
Located in Geneve, CH
Frame Living CL Credenza by Estro Collezioni Dimensions: W 180 x D 54 x H 85 cm Materials: Wood, Metal. Cat. 1. Top in Wood. Frame is an element that Estro has created to glorify...
Metal
$14,875 / item
Walnut Sideboard by Ginger & Jagger
Located in Geneve, CH
Walnut Sideboard by Ginger & Jagger Dimensions: D 56 x W 220 x H 79 cm. Materials: American Walnut and brass. Finish: Body in American Walnut veneer in matt; drawers and shelves in S...
Brass
$3,301 / item
Jupia Medium Sideboard by Pastform
Located in Geneve, CH
Jupia Medium Sideboard by Pastform Dimensions: D 40 x W 170 x H 62 cm. Materials: Stained and varnished wood. Available in different wood color finishes: Whiskey, Rum, BPA, Nobel, B...
Wood
$20,930 / item
Small Tango Sideboard by Laurameroni
Located in Geneve, CH
Small Tango Sideboard by Laurameroni Dimensions: W 50 x D 50 x H 130 cm Materials: Glossy shadow effect; int. matt lacquered. Totem with hinged door and structure in ash wood with ...
Lacquer
Denver Walnut and Iron Sideboard, Four Doors and Two Drawers, by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Denver Sideboard by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 45 x W 250 x H 68 cm Materials: Walnut, iron. Made of walnut wood, it is a smooth box that houses a slatted and irregular front that c...
Iron
$6,778 / item
Botero Sideboard, Five Doors, by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Botero Sideboard, Five Doors, by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 52 x W 280 x H 76 cm Materials: Wood. The Botero series is a loving tribute to the voluptuousness of the Colombian artist...
Wood
$17,885 / item
MDF and Melamin Black Marino Sideboard by Pulpo
Located in Geneve, CH
MDF and Melamin Black Marino Sideboard by Pulpo Dimensions: W 35 x D 210.7 x H 57.5 cm Materials: MDF + melamin finish. The Marino sideboard by Studio speziell® is characterized wit...
Other
$36,528 / item
XV Décima Quinta Credenza by Joel Escalona
Located in Geneve, CH
XV Décima Quinta credenza by Joel Escalona Dimensions: D 180 x W 75 x H 50 cm Materials: oak wood, marble. Credenza made of white oak with marble details. Joel Escalona He w...
Marble
$5,121 / item
Matilda Sideboard, Three Doors, by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Matilda Sideboard by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 50 x W 155 x H 90 cm Materials: Wood. As a novelty, in the Matilda series, we have incorporated a fixing system based on free-standin...
Wood
Guepardo Oval Walnut and Cherry Sideboard, Four Doors, by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Guepardo Sideboard by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 45 x W 240 x H 81 cm Materials: Walnut wood, cherry wood. The new Guepardo series is built in an oval shape and can stand in the cen...
Wood
Phoenix Sideboard, Two Doors and Three Drawers, by Lola Glamour
Located in Geneve, CH
Phoenix Sideboard, Two Doors and Three Drawers, by Lola Glamour Dimensions: D 45 x W 200 x H 75 cm Materials: Wood. The latest addition to the Phoenix family stands out for its comb...
Wood
$3,651 / item
Classy Brown Extra Large Sideboard by Pastform
Located in Geneve, CH
Classy Brown Extra Large Sideboard by Pastform Dimensions: D 40 x W 190 x H 75 cm. Materials: Stained and varnished wood. Available in different wood color finishes: Whiskey, Rum, BPA, Nobel, Brandy, Schwarz, and Natura. Available in four different widths: 150/160/170/190 cm. Please contact us. Classy Brown Chest of Drawers...
Wood