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.
1970s Italian Assymetrical Grid Coffee Table in Walnut and Glass
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Coffee table, walnut, lacquered wood, glass, Italy, 1970s This 1970s Italian coffee table is a geometric and highly organized composition, built from walnut, glass, and grey lacque...
Glass, Walnut
Rare Ado Chale Round Coffee Table with Mosaic Top in Malachite
By Ado Chale
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ado Chale coffee table, malachite, resin, black lacquered steel, Belgium, 1980 This monumental table by Ado Chale is a powerful testament to the artist’s ability to transform rare a...
Malachite, Steel
De Sede DS47 Tan Leather and Smoked Mirror Glass Coffee Table
By De Sede
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The De Sede DS47 coffee table pairs a smoked mirror glass top with a fully leather-wrapped base. Tan leather covers the entire visible structure, including the rectangular apron fram...
Leather, Smoked Glass
Rare Ado Chale Round Coffee Table with Mosaic Top in Malachite
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ado Chale coffee table, malachite, resin, black lacquered steel, Belgium, 1980 This monumental table by Ado Chale is a powerful testament to the artist’s ability to transform rare a...
Malachite, Steel
Giuseppe Rivadossi Hand-Carved Coffee Table in Oak
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi, coffee table, oak, Italy, 1970s A beautifully crafted coffee table in solid oak by Giuseppe Rivadossi. Defined by its bold architectural f...
Oak
Pia Manu Coffee Table in Enameled Concrete and Brazilian Quartzite
By Pia Manu
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Pia Manu, coffee table, enameled concrete, Brazilian quartzite, Belgium, 1970s This very rare hand-crafted coffee table was made in the 1970s by the Belgian atelier Pia Manu, known ...
Concrete
Patinated Iron Coffee Table with Beveled Glass Top, Late 20th Century
Located in Trenton, NJ
This elegant late twentieth-century coffee table exemplifies the enduring appeal of sculptural iron furniture executed with restraint and architectural clarity. A patinated iron bas...
Metal
1970s Mid-Century Travertine Marble Cocktail Table Set 3, Variable Levels
Located in Hyattsville, MD
1970s-1980s Mid-Century Travertine Marble Cocktail Table Set 3, in variable height for endless interior combinations. W 23.75 x D 23.75 x H 10.25 in W 23.75 x D 23.75 x H 13.25 in W ...
Travertine
Nerone & Patuzzi for Gruppo NP2 'C10T' Coffee Table in Wood and Crystal Glass
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Nerone & Patuzzi for Gruppo NP2, coffee table, wood, glass, iron, Italy, 1970s Designed by the Italian duo Nerone and Patuzzi, this sculptural coffee table is a true statement p...
Iron
Architectural Two-Tier Coffee Table in Oxblood Lacquer with Polished Brass Frame
By JLC
Located in New York, NY
Architectural two-tier coffee table in glossy burgundy lacquer with a brushed brass metal frame. The design is defined by two rounded rectangular surfaces: an upper tabletop and a ma...
Metal
Gabriella Crespi Limited Edition ‘Cubo Magico’ Coffee Table in Brass
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Gabriella Crespi, limited edition 'Cubo Magico' coffee table from the 'Plurimi' series, brass, aluminum, Italy, 1970 The Cubo Magico was designed by Gabriella Crespi as part of her ...
Aluminum, Brass
1970s Parsons Style Chrome & Solid Travertine Coffee Table
By Willy Rizzo, Heinz Lilienthal, Karl Springer
Located in Bensalem, PA
Amazing designer coffee table in solid travertine over a thick chrome base the top is 1” thick and can be lifted out please look at pictures for overall detail feel free to reach out...
Travertine, Chrome
Willy Rizzo 'TRG' Circular Yellow Coffee Table
By Willy Rizzo
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Willy Rizzo, TRG (Tavolo Rotondo Girevole) coffee table, lacquered wood, stainless steel, design 1969 The TRG (Tavolo Rotondo Girevole), designed by Willy Rizzo in 1969, is a master...
Stainless Steel
Willy Daro Illuminated Coffee Table in Brass and Agate
By Willy Daro
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Willy Daro, illuminated coffee table, etched brass, agate, lacquered laminated wood, Belgium, 1970s Mesmerizing coffee table by the Belgian artist Willy Daro from the 1970s. The re...
Agate, Brass
Coffee Table with Marble Top and Chrome Base
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Coffee table, marble, chrome, Europe, 1980s. Exuding simplicity, this unassuming side table exudes an aura of pure elegance. Its design showcases a square, delicately marble tablet...
Marble, Chrome
Jean Claude Dresse Coffee Table in Steel and Brass
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Jean Claude Dresse, coffee table, brass, brushed steel, Belgium, circa 1970 This remarkable rectangular coffee table, designed by the esteemed Jean Claude Dresse in the 1970s, exemp...
Brass, Steel
Early and Rare Gianfranco Frattini for Pierluigi Ghianda 'Kyoto' Coffee Tables
By Gianfranco Frattini, Pierluigi Ghianda
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Gianfranco Frattini for Pierluigi Ghianda, pair of 'Kyoto' coffee tables, beech, walnut, Italy, 1974 Designed by Gianfranco Frattini and produced by the master cabinetmaker Pierlui...
Beech, Walnut
Jean Claude Dresse Coffee Table with Geometric Sculptural Base in Brass
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Jean Claude Dresse, coffee table, brass, glass, Belgium, 1970s This captivating coffee table by Jean Claude Dresse is deeply reflective of the design trends that emerged in the 1970...
Brass
$1,032Sale Price|20% Off
1970's Glass & Travertine Coffee Table
Located in Bern, CH
1970’s glass topped travertine lounge table. Round glass tabletop set on a two part solid natural stone base. The heavy travertine base can be set as required to enable an individual...
Travertine
$650 / item
Italian Coffee Tables in Granite and Brass
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Coffee tables, granite, brass, black lacquered steel, Italy, 1980s These Italian side tables showcase a rectangular brown granite tabletop with a striking, vivid surface. The granit...
Granite, Brass, Steel
$1,560Sale Price|35% Off
Pair of 1970's Italian Travertine Coffee/Side Tables
Located in Bern, CH
Pair of identical 1970’s Travertine Coffee / Side Tables. Marked beneath tabletop: 'Made in Italy'. Solid travertine tabletop and base. Perfect use as side tables, bedside tables or...
Travertine
Faceted Postmodern Style Coffee Table in Hand-Lacquered Custom RAL Colors
Located in New York, NY
Coffee table lithic collection explores the tension between primitive, rock-like formations and refined, architectural silhouettes. This set features a low-profile coffee table and a...
Wood, Lacquer
Christopher Guy Lacquered and Gilt Coffee "Harper" Table
Located in Peabody, MA
A coffee table in highly polished lacquer with gilt wood accents from the "Harper" line, by the celebrated British designer Christopher Guy (1960-2020). Displays a fusion of modern m...
Wood, Giltwood, Lacquer
Mid century Post modern square red coffee table on casters made in Italy
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Post modern square red coffee table on casters made in Italy. Good design good vintage condition. Ready for use. Located in Brooklyn nyc. Made circa 1970. Only (1) table available ...
Wood, Lacquer
Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi Architectural Square Oak Coffee Table
By Officina Rivadossi, Giuseppe Rivadossi
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi coffee table, oak, Italy, 1980s A beautifully crafted coffee table by Giuseppe Rivadossi for Officina Rivadossi, Italy, 1980s. Executed in ...
Oak
Jean Claude Dresse Coffee Table in Brass Inlayed with Agate
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Jean Claude Dresse, coffee table, brass, lacquered steel and wood, agate, Belgium, 1970s A luxurious square cocktail table, crafted with high attention for detail which is character...
Agate, Brass, Steel
Chi Wing Lo ‘Tiche’ Coffee Table for Giorgetti, Italy, 1990s
By Giorgetti S.p.A., Chi Wing Lo
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Elegant and sculptural “Tiche” coffee table designed by Chi Wing Lo for Giorgetti, Italy, circa 1990s. This sophisticated piece exemplifies Giorgetti’s masterful blend of craftsmansh...
Glass, Stained Glass, Fruitwood
$2,000Sale Price|20% Off
Mid century Postmodern glass waterfall coffee table
By FIAM
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Post modern coffee table with a waterfall top. Glass is very clean no chips or major scratches. May have light normal use wear to surface. Rounded polished edges. Annealed glass has ...
Glass
Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti Concrete Cantilever Coffee Table
Located in Jensen Beach, FL
Rare coffee table designed in the late 1970s by Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti Italia.
Concrete, Metal
1980s Postmodern Pink Marble Coffee Table
Located in Miami, FL
Vintage Postmodern Pink Marble Coffee Table. Circa 1980s Features a square-shaped top with concave edges and a soft pink color with gorgeous ...
Marble
Postmodern Design XL Wengé Coffee Table
Located in Oud-Turnhout, VAN
Vintage Postmodern Modernist Design XL Wengé Coffee Table in the manner of Axel Vervoordt or Linteloo Designs. Made in Belgium, 1980's / 1990's period. Beautifully constructed low co...
Oak, Wenge
Maurizio Salvato Rotating Burlwood Coffee Table for Saporiti Italia, 1980s
Located in Miami, FL
Postmodern rotating coffee table with burl wood lacquered tops and powder-coated burgundy colored steel legs by Maurizio Salvato for Saporiti Italia, 1980s. Taller Table Height: 14....
Metal
Vintage Post Modern Waterfall Glass Coffee Table or Side Table
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Condition: Original Vintage Condition Materials: Curved Glass, Metal Base This sculptural Post Modern glass table from the 1980s features a striking waterfall design crafted from a...
Metal
$1,400Sale Price|35% Off
1980s Laminated waterfall Scroll table by Jeffrey Craig
Located in Toronto, CA
A large vintage laminated waterfall scroll coffee table from the 1980s. It was created in Canada by renowned expert Jeffrey Craig, known for crafting high-quality laminated furniture...
Laminate
1980s, Post Modern Black Lacquer Coffee Table in the Roger Rougier Style
Located in Miami, FL
Vintage, large scale post modern sculptural Black Lacquer Coffee Table with a Triangular Glass top in the of Roger Rougier's Style. Circa 1980s. Features a glossy lacquered six inch...
Glass, Lacquer
Lucite Coffee Table in Cobalt Blue by Cain Modern, USA 2023
By Cain Modern
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Introducing the stunning Lucite Coffee Table in Cobalt Blue by Cain Modern, USA 2023. This exquisite piece of furniture will add a touch of elegance and sophistication to your living...
Lucite
Chrome and Ebonized Wood Coffee Table with Swivel Glass Top, 1990's
Located in Nantucket, MA
This table came from a decommissioned European cruise ship from the 1990's. It has an ebonized base and aesthetic ebonized supports over staggered and angled chrome legs, additional ...
Chrome
Postmodern Profilsystem Coffee Table by Elmar Flötotto for Flötotto, 1970s
Located in Hamburg, DE
Simple coffee table from the Profilsystem collection from Flötotto. A very simple and functional design that is broken up by the gray table surface. The table comes from the profile...
Metal
Monumental three-tier Post-Modern wooden coffee table, Italy, 1980s
Located in Argelato, BO
This coffee table embodies the bold aesthetic of 1980s Italian postmodern design through a functional nest-like structure. The piece unfolds across three staggered, concealed levels,...
Metal
Sculptural Italian Coffee Table, Grey Green Marble, Eye Shaped Design, 1980s
Located in London, London
A sculptural Italian marble coffee table from the 1980s, formed in a striking biomorphic silhouette with softly curved edges and a deeply architectural presence. Executed in richly v...
Marble
$2,500 / item
Clover Flower Onyx Coffee Table
Located in New York, US
Introducing the Latte Coffee Table, an uncomplicated piece of solid onyx stone featuring soft elegant veining. Available in two striking variations — a round top or a captivating fou...
Onyx
Contemporary Handmade Glossy Yellow Ceramic Raft-Inspired Coffee Table
By Streicher Goods, Ethan Streicher
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Raft Coffee Table is a playful sculptural ceramic piece inspired by the soft geometry and pillowy, rounded edge of a raft. The top is composed of large slab-built ceramic tiles w...
Ceramic, Plywood
$2,600 / item
Solid Onyx Coffee Table
Located in New York, US
Introducing the Latte Coffee Table, an uncomplicated piece of solid onyx stone featuring soft elegant veining. Available in two striking variations — a round top or a captivating fou...
Onyx
Tord Bjorklund Post-modern Side or Coffee Table, Memphis Style, Sweden, 1980s
By Tord Bjorklund, IKEA
Located in Vienna, AT
A round folding Memphis style coffee / side / occasional flip-top table in yolk-yellow. Designed in 1986 by Tord Björklund for Ikea. This collapsible table is made of metal, has love...
Metal
Design Institute of America Post Modern Cantilevered Coffee Table
Located in Miami, FL
Black beveled glass with black lacquered wood base cantilevered coffee or cocktail table by Design Institute of America. Signed on the inside of base.
Smoked Glass, Wood
A Lacquered JAPANESE Style COFFEE TABLE by ROCHE & BOBOIS ALDO TURA France 1970
By Roche Bobois
Located in PARIS, FR
An elegant and luxurious coffee table, of a Japanese inspiration, Post-Modern, Memphis, Constructivist, geometric structure of two, terrace-like overlapping trays in lacquered wood: ...
Wood, Lacquer
Shipping Box Coffee Table in Stainless Steel by Metalmorphosis Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Shipping Box Coffee Table in Stainless Steel by Metalmorphosis Studio Dimensions: D 35 x W 35 x H 35 cm. Materials: Stainless steel. A volume conceived for transport, now fixed in s...
Stainless Steel
Rosalie 70 Coffee Table in MDF Board, Pine Wood and Fabric by POPUS EDITIONS
Located in Geneve, CH
Rosalie 70 Coffee Table in MDF Board, Pine Wood and Fabric by POPUS EDITIONS. Dimensions: ⌀ 70 x H 35 cm. Materials: Solid beech frame combined with MDF, fir panels, and tailored fab...
Wood, Hardwood, Beech, Pine
Postmodern Mactan, Glass and Pastor Stone Coffee Table.
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Postmodern Mactan, glass and pastor stone coffee table This coffee table measures: 48 wide x 29 deep x 16 inches high We take our photos in a controlled lighting studio to show as ...
Stone
Marlo Coffee Table in Fiberglass, Wood and Lacquer by POPUS EDITIONS
Located in Geneve, CH
Marlo Coffee Table in Fiberglass, Wood and Lacquer by POPUS EDITIONS. Dimensions: W 160 x D 65 x H 35 cm. Materials: Medium density fiberboard top and solid turned rubberwood legs wi...
Fiberglass, Wood, Lacquer
Java Coffee Table in Tinted Rattan & Imitation Grained Leather by POPUS EDITIONS
Located in Geneve, CH
Java Dining Table in Tinted Rattan & Imitation Grained Leather by POPUS EDITIONS. Dimensions: W 120 x D 73 x H 34 cm. Materials: Tinted rattan and grained imitation leather finished ...
Faux Leather, Rattan
Gordon Guillamier Teka 009 Coffee Table For Roda, 2015s
Located in Skokie, IL
Gordon Guillamier model Teka 009 coffee table for RODA, Italy 2015. The table was developed around a particular prism-shaped geometric construction of great impact which, at the sam...
Slate
Lorenzo Burchiellaro Large Coffee Table in Copper 230cm/90.5 in
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Lorenzo Burchiellaro, coffee table, copper, stained beech, Italy, 1960s This substantial coffee table, crafted in the 1960s by Italian designer and sculptor Lorenzo Burchiellaro (19...
Copper
Set of Mid Century Postmodern Side Tables or Cocktail Table after Enrique Garcel
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Set of two faux painted tables in the manner of Enrique Garcel. These would be great as a coffee table.
Wood
Ecorce Coffee Table in Ceramic, Copper and Resin by POPUS EDITIONS
Located in Geneve, CH
Ecorce Coffee Table in Ceramic, Copper and Resin by POPUS EDITIONS. Dimensions: Ø 110 x H 50 cm. Materials: Handmade ceramic with a copper finish and a high-density resin base covere...
Copper
Astra Low Table in Natural Oak Veneer, Straw Marquetry and Lacquer by Pendhapa
Located in Geneve, CH
Astra Low Table in Natural Oak Veneer, Straw Marquetry and Lacquer by Pendhapa. Dimensions: W 194 x D 134 x H 40 cm. Materials: Natural Oak Veneer, Straw Marquetry and Lacquer. You ...
Oak, Lacquer, Straw Marquetry
Italian Postmodern 1980s Eye Shaped Breccio Marble Coffee Table Black-Green-Gold
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This rare Italian marble table is, unlike many others, made of breccio marble. Sitting on two very heavy V-shaped blocks, it stands very stable. Th...
Breccia Marble
Ettore Sottsass Tony Table Post-Modern Italy, circa 1970
By Ettore Sottsass, Anthologie Quartett 1
Located in Vienna, AT
A fine example of the work of Ettore Sottsass, the Tony 3 table was imagined by the famous designer in 1979. This piece was published by Anthology Quartett around 1984. It is charact...
Plastic, Wood
Playful Italian Coffee Table in Pine
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Coffee table, pine, Italy, 1970s This playful Italian coffee table shows minimalism in a fun and unique way. The design features four wooden spheres adorned with black stripes, whic...
Pine
Design Institute of America Black & Brass Revolving Two Tier Coffee Table
Located in Saint Louis, MO
Modern and sleek black and brass two tier revolving coffee table made by Design Institute of America and designed by Richard Berry in the late 1970s. Chic and luxurious. High design look. With a gentle slight of hand, the top tier swivels smoothly to double the table's surface size making it a perfect choice for entertaining. Glass tops mean no need for coasters - easily wipes clean. Highly functional with lots of space for decor. Throw a sexy cocktail party and dress it up with a champagne bucket, Veuve Clicquot and a charcuterie board. Brass double rings with inset black glass rest atop a black drum base. Top tier swivels out into multiple configurations so you can select the look that's right for you - the table's width can go from 36" to 55". Want to see more beautiful things? Scroll down below and click "View All From Seller" or favorite our shop to get your 1stDibs on our new inventory. Photographed with and also currently available in our shop - Pair of Milo Baughman Style Sheepskin & Chrome Slipper Chairs c. 1970s Vladimir Kagan Nautilus Sofa...
Brass