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.
$2,220 / item
Hav Maroon Rug by Volver Studios
Located in Geneve, CH
Hav Maroon Rug by Volver Studios Dimensions: W 200 x L 300 cm. Materials: Wool. Available in four size options: 90 x 240 cm, 140 x 200 cm, 170 x 240 cm, an...
Wool
$2,551 / item
Texas Stone Dark Grey Rug in Wool by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Texas Stone Dark Grey Rug in Wool by Cocono Dimensions: W 280 x L 380 cm. Materials: 100% Wool. Available in other sizes, as well as circular and freeform shapes. Please contact us....
Wool
$1,195 / item
Milou Orange Circular Rug in Wool & Sisal by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Milou Orange Circular Rug in Wool & Sisal by Cocono Dimensions: Ø 200 cm. Materials: 76% Wool, 24% Sisal. Available in other sizes. Please contact us. In the old traditions of ...
Other
$3,462 / item
Aurel Circular Ginger Rug in Sisal by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Aurel Circular Ginger Rug in Sisal by Cocono Dimensions: Ø 390 cm. Materials: 100% Sisal. Available in other sizes. Please contact us. The Aurel rug is a timeless beige sisal rug c...
Other
$3,462 / item
Aurel Circular Green Rug in Sisal by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Aurel Circular Green Rug in Sisal by Cocono Dimensions: Ø 390 cm. Materials: 100% Sisal. Available in other sizes. Please contact us. The Aurel rug is a timeless beige sisal rug cr...
Other
$2,551 / item
Aurel Ginger Rug in Sisal by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Aurel Ginger Rug in Sisal by Cocono Dimensions: W 280 x L 380 cm. Materials: 100% Sisal. Available in other sizes, as well as circular and freeform shapes. Please contact us. The A...
Other
$2,551 / item
Aurel Green Rug in Sisal by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Aurel Green Rug in Sisal by Cocono Dimensions: W 280 x L 380 cm. Materials: 100% Sisal. Available in other sizes, as well as circular and freeform shapes. Please contact us. The Au...
Other
$2,551 / item
Aurel Beige Rug in Sisal by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Aurel Beige Rug in Sisal by Cocono Dimensions: W 280 x L 380 cm. Materials: 100% Sisal. Available in other sizes, as well as circular and freeform shapes. Please contact us. The Au...
Other
$4,669 / item
Sea Green Earth Carpet by Massimo Copenhagen
Located in Geneve, CH
Sea Green Earth Carpet by Massimo Copenhagen. Handwoven Materials: 100% New Zealand Wool. Dimensions: W 300 x H 400 cm. Available colors: Verte Grey, M...
Wool
Coral Reef Purple Circular Rug in Wool, Bamboo, Silk & Viscose by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Coral Reef Purple Circular Rug in Wool, Bamboo, Silk & Viscose by Cocono Dimensions: Ø 400 cm. Materials: 18% Wool/Silk, 60% Wool, 17% Bamboo, 5% Viscose. Available in other sizes. ...
Wool, Silk, Bamboo
$3,462 / item
Aurel Circular Beige Rug in Sisal by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Aurel Circular Beige Rug in Sisal by Cocono Dimensions: Ø 390 cm. Materials: 100% Sisal. Available in other sizes. Please contact us. The Aurel rug is a timeless beige sisal rug cr...
Other
Seaworld Multico Circular Rug in Wool, Linen, Cotton, Bamboo & Silk by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Seaworld Multico Circular Rug in Wool, Linen, Cotton, Bamboo & Silk by Cocono Dimensions: Ø 250 cm. Materials: 72% Wool, 2% Wool Mohair, 8% Linen, 7% Cotton, 7% Bamboo, 3% Silk, 1% A...
Wool, Cotton, Linen, Silk, Bamboo
Obsidian Veil Circular Blue Rug in Polypropylene by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Obsidian Veil Circular Blue Rug in Polypropylene by Cocono Dimensions: Ø 350 cm. Materials: 100% Polypropylene. Available in other sizes. Please contact us. Rugs were once created ...
Other
$1,195 / item
Milou Yellow Circular Rug in Wool & Sisal by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Milou Yellow Circular Rug in Wool & Sisal by Cocono Dimensions: Ø 200 cm. Materials: 76% Wool, 24% Sisal. Available in other sizes. Please contact us. In the old traditions of the ...
Other
$1,195 / item
Milou Beige Circular Rug in Wool & Sisal by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Milou Beige Circular Rug in Wool & Sisal by Cocono Dimensions: Ø 200 cm. Materials: 76% Wool, 24% Sisal. Available in other sizes. Please contact us. In the old traditions of the A...
Other
$1,195 / item
Milou Green Circular Rug in Wool & Sisal by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Milou Green Circular Rug in Wool & Sisal by Cocono Dimensions: Ø 200 cm. Materials: 76% Wool, 24% Sisal. Available in other sizes. Please contact us. In the old traditions of the A...
Other
$2,778 / item
Wild Spirit Irregular Beige Rug in Wool by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Wild Spirit Irregular Beige Rug in Wool by Cocono Dimensions: W 140 x L 200 cm. Materials: 100% Wool. Available in other sizes. Please contact us. Tapis à la forme organique et au ...
Wool
$4,441 / item
Wild Spirit Rectangular Beige Rug in Wool by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Wild Spirit Rectangular Beige Rug in Wool by Cocono Dimensions: W 200 x L 300 cm. Materials: 100% Wool. Available in other sizes. Please contact us. The Wild Spirit Rug is a rectan...
Wool
$2,266 / item
Funky Punk Taupe Red Rug in Silk & Wool by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Funky Punk Taupe Red Rug in Silk & Wool by Cocono Dimensions: W 200 x L 300 cm. Materials: Silk and wool. Available in other sizes. Please contact us. Rugs were once created as las...
Wool, Silk
Rubik Red Rug in Wool, Silk, Mohair & Cotton by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Rubik Red Rug in Wool, Silk, Mohair & Cotton by Cocono Dimensions: W 200 x L 300 cm. Materials: 4% Wool/Silk, 85% Wool, 4% Wool Mohair, 4% Cotton, 3% Silk . Available in other sizes...
Wool, Cotton, Silk, Mohair
$7,254 / item
Rubik Green Rug in Wool, Silk & Cotton by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Rubik Green Rug in Wool, Silk & Cotton by Cocono Dimensions: W 200 x L 300 cm. Materials: 25% Wool/Silk, 42% Wool, 21% Cotton, 12% Silk. Available in other sizes. Please contact us....
Wool, Silk, Cotton
$9,862 / item
Flow White Rug in Wool & Silk by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Flow White Rug in Wool & Silk by Cocono Dimensions: W 300 x L 585 cm. Materials: 50% Wool, 50% Silk. Available in other sizes. Please contact us. Flow rug - timeless belgian rug in...
Wool, Silk
Savannah Salmon Rug in Wool, Linen, Cotton, Bamboo, Silk & Mohair by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Savannah Salmon Rug in Wool, Linen, Cotton, Bamboo, Silk & Mohair by Cocono Dimensions: W 290 x L 390 cm. Materials: 72% Wool, 2% Wool Mohair, 8% Linen, 7% Cotton, 7% Bamboo, 3% Silk...
Wool, Cotton, Linen, Alpaca, Mohair, Silk, Bamboo
Mirage White Rug in Wool, Linen, Cotton, Polyamide, Viscose & Acrylic by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Mirage White Rug in Wool, Linen, Cotton, Polyamide, Viscose & Acrylic by Cocono Dimensions: W 300 x L 400 cm. Materials: 73% Wool, 18% Linen, 3% Cotton, 3% Polyamide, 2% Viscose, 1% ...
Wool, Cotton, Linen, Polyamide, Viscose, Acrylic
Mirage Dark Grey Rug in Wool, Linen, Cotton, Polyamide & Viscose by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Mirage Dark Grey Rug in Wool, Linen, Cotton, Polyamide & Viscose by Cocono Dimensions: W 300 x L 400 cm. Materials: 73% Wool, 18% Linen, 3% Cotton, 3% Polyamide, 2% Viscose, 1% Polya...
Wool, Cotton, Linen, Polyamide, Viscose
$3,769 / item
Singular Light Grey Rug in Sisal by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Singular Light Grey Rug in Sisal by Cocono Dimensions: W 350 x L 450 cm. Materials: 100% Sisal. Available in other sizes, as well as circular and freeform shapes. Please contact us....
Other
Luminous Sands Beige Rug in Wool, Linen, Polyester, Viscose & Cotton by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Luminous Sands Beige Rug in Wool, Linen, Polyester, Viscose & Cotton by Cocono Dimensions: W 350 x L 450 cm. Materials: 36% Wool, 36% Linen, 13% Polyester, 9% Viscose, 6% Cotton. Av...
Wool, Cotton, Linen, Polyester, Viscose
Woven Strata Light Grey Rug in Wool, Linen, Polyester & Cotton by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Woven Strata Light Grey Rug in Wool, Linen, Polyester & Cotton by Cocono Dimensions: W 350 x L 450 cm. Materials: 40% Wool, 24% Linen, 11% Polyester, 10% Cotton, 5% Viscose. Availab...
Wool, Linen, Cotton, Polyester
$2,699 / item
Terra Atlas Brown Rug in Wool & Linen by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Terra Atlas Brown Rug in Wool & Linen by Cocono Dimensions: W 350 x L 450 cm. Materials: 72% Wool, 28% Mix of cotton, linen, polypropylene, polyester. Available in other sizes, as w...
Wool, Linen
Nordic Tide Blue Rug in Wool, Linen, Polyester, Cotton & Acrylic by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Nordic Tide Blue Rug in Wool, Linen, Polyester, Cotton & Acrylic by Cocono Dimensions: W 350 x L 450 cm. Materials: 45% Wool, 34% Linen, 10% Polyester, 9% Cotton, 2% Acrylic. Availa...
Wool, Cotton, Linen, Acrylic, Polyester
Nomad Beige Rug in Wool, Linen, Polyester, Cotton & Acrylic by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Nomad Beige Rug in Wool, Linen, Polyester, Cotton & Acrylic by Cocono Dimensions: W 350 x L 450 cm. Materials: 45% Wool, 34% Linen, 10% Polyester, 9% Cotton, 2% Acrylic. Available i...
Wool, Cotton, Linen, Acrylic, Polyester
$2,243 / item
Obsidian Veil Blue Rug in Polypropylene by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Obsidian Veil Blue Rug in Polypropylene by Cocono Dimensions: W 280 x L 380 cm. Materials: 100% Polypropylene. Available in other sizes, as well as circular and freeform shapes. Ple...
Other
$2,551 / item
Velin Light Grey Rug in Polyamide & Tencel by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Velin Light Grey Rug in Polyamide & Tencel by Cocono Dimensions: W 280 x L 380 cm. Materials: 70% Polyamide, 30% Tencel. Wilton woven. Available in other sizes, as well as circular ...
Other
$2,551 / item
Velin Beige Rug in Polyamide & Tencel by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Velin Beige Rug in Polyamide & Tencel by Cocono Dimensions: W 280 x L 380 cm. Materials: 70% Polyamide, 30% Tencel. Wilton woven. Available in other sizes, as well as circular and f...
Other
$2,551 / item
Soft Quarry Brown Rug in Tencel by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Soft Quarry Brown Rug in Tencel by Cocono Dimensions: W 280 x L 380 cm. Materials: 100% Tencel. Available in other sizes, as well as circular and freeform shapes. Please contact us....
Other
$2,551 / item
Soft Quarry Beige Rug in Tencel by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Soft Quarry Beige Rug in Tencel by Cocono Dimensions: W 280 x L 380 cm. Materials: 100% Tencel. Available in other sizes, as well as circular and freeform shapes. Please contact us....
Other
$2,551 / item
Soft Quarry Dark Grey Rug in Tencel by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Soft Quarry Dark Grey Rug in Tencel by Cocono Dimensions: W 280 x L 380 cm. Materials: 100% Tencel. Available in other sizes, as well as circular and freeform shapes. Please contact...
Other
$2,551 / item
Silver Dune Silver Rug in Viscose by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Silver Dune Silver Rug in Viscose by Cocono Dimensions: W 280 x L 380 cm. Materials: 100% Viscose. Available in other sizes, as well as circular and freeform shapes. Please contact ...
Viscose
$2,551 / item
Sable Rhythm Light Grey Rug in Wool & Silk by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Sable Rhythm Light Grey Rug in Wool & Silk by Cocono Dimensions: W 280 x L 380 cm. Materials: 50% Wool, 50% Silk. Available in other sizes, as well as circular and freeform shapes. ...
Wool, Silk
$2,551 / item
Sable Rhythm Beige Rug in Wool & Silk by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Sable Rhythm Beige Rug in Wool & Silk by Cocono Dimensions: W 280 x L 380 cm. Materials: 50% Wool, 50% Silk. Available in other sizes, as well as circular and freeform shapes. Pleas...
Silk, Wool
$2,551 / item
Optical Red Rug in Silk by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Optical Red Rug in Silk by Cocono Dimensions: W 280 x L 380 cm. Materials: 100% Silk. Wilton woven. Available in other sizes, as well as circular and freeform shapes. Please contact...
Silk
$2,551 / item
Merano Dark Grey Rug in Polyamide & Tencel by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Merano Dark Grey Rug in Polyamide & Tencel by Cocono Dimensions: W 280 x L 380 cm. Materials: 70% Polyamide, 30% Tencel. Wilton woven. Available in other sizes. Please contact us. ...
Other
$2,551 / item
Light Gloss White Rug in Silk by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Light Gloss White Rug in Silk by Cocono Dimensions: W 280 x L 380 cm. Materials: 100% Silk. Available in other sizes, as well as circular and freeform shapes. Please contact us. Li...
Silk
$2,551 / item
Light Gloss Pink Rug in Silk by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Light Gloss Pink Rug in Silk by Cocono Dimensions: W 280 x L 380 cm. Materials: 100% Silk. Available in other sizes, as well as circular and freeform shapes. Please contact us. Lig...
Silk
$2,551 / item
Light Gloss Beige Rug in Silk by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Light Gloss Beige Rug in Silk by Cocono Dimensions: W 280 x L 380 cm. Materials: 100% Silk. Available in other sizes, as well as circular and freeform shapes. Please contact us. Li...
Silk
$2,551 / item
Light Gloss Gold Rug in Silk by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Light Gloss Gold Rug in Silk by Cocono Dimensions: W 280 x L 380 cm. Materials: 100% Silk. Available in other sizes, as well as circular and freeform shapes. Please contact us. Lig...
Silk
$2,551 / item
Ivory Cloud White Rug in Wool by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Ivory Cloud White Rug in Wool by Cocono Dimensions: W 280 x L 380 cm. Materials: 100% Wool. Available in other sizes, as well as circular and freeform shapes. Please contact us. Th...
Wool
$2,551 / item
Inception White Rug in Wool & Polyester by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Inception White Rug in Wool & Polyester by Cocono Dimensions: W 280 x L 380 cm. Materials: 62% Wool, 38% Polyester. Available in other sizes, as well as circular and freeform shapes...
Wool, Polyester
$2,551 / item
Ecru Linea White Rug in Wool & Polyester by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Ecru Linea White Rug in Wool & Polyester by Cocono Dimensions: W 280 x L 380 cm. Materials: 50% Wool, 50% Polyester. Available in other sizes, as well as circular and freeform shape...
Wool, Polyester
$2,551 / item
Dark Gloss Brown Rug in Silk by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Dark Gloss Brown Rug in Silk by Cocono Dimensions: W 280 x L 380 cm. Materials: 100% Silk. Available in other sizes, as well as circular and freeform shapes. Please contact us. Dar...
Silk
$2,551 / item
Dark Gloss Dark Grey Rug in Silk by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Dark Gloss Dark Grey Rug in Silk by Cocono Dimensions: W 280 x L 380 cm. Materials: 100% Silk. Available in other sizes, as well as circular and freeform shapes. Please contact us. ...
Silk
$1,116 / item
Inca Green Rug in Wool & Silk by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Inca Green Rug in Wool & Silk by Cocono Dimensions: W 98 x L 132 cm. Materials: 68% Wool/Silk, 32% Wool. High in the mountains, patterns once told stories of the sun, of rain, of pe...
Wool, Silk
$1,116 / item
Inca Brown Rug in Wool by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Inca Brown Rug in Wool by Cocono Dimensions: W 98 x L 132 cm. Materials: 100% Wool. High in the mountains, patterns once told stories of the sun, of rain, of people who lived in rhy...
Wool
$1,116 / item
Inca Blue Rug in Wool & Silk by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Inca Blue Rug in Wool & Silk by Cocono Dimensions: W 98 x L 132 cm. Materials: 19% Wool/Silk, 81% Wool. High in the mountains, patterns once told stories of the sun, of rain, of peo...
Wool, Silk
Bibendum Beige Rug in Wool, Bamboo, Silk & Viscose by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Bibendum Beige Rug in Wool, Bamboo, Silk & Viscose by Cocono Dimensions: W 98 x L 132 cm. Materials: 20% Wool/Silk, 54% Wool, 8% Viscose, 18% Bamboo. As children, we saw stories eve...
Wool, Bamboo, Viscose
Aztec Red Rug in Wool, Silk, Linen & Bamboo by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Aztec Red Rug in Wool, Silk, Linen & Bamboo by Cocono Dimensions: W 98 x L 132 cm. Materials: 24% Wool/Silk, 62% Wool, 10% Linen, 4% Bamboo. Defined by a structured geometry and a l...
Wool, Linen, Silk, Bamboo
$1,116 / item
Aztec Pink Rug in Wool & Polyamide by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Aztec Pink Rug in Wool & Polyamide by Cocono Dimensions: W 98 x L 132 cm. Materials: 88% Wool, 12% Polyamide. Defined by a structured geometry and a layered, textured surface, the A...
Wool, Polyamide
$4,361 / item
Ashen Loom Beige Rug in Tencel by Cocono
Located in Geneve, CH
Ashen Loom Beige Rug in Tencel by Cocono Dimensions: W 400 x L 500 cm. Materials: 100% Tencel. Available in other sizes, as well as circular and freeform shapes. Please contact us. ...
Other
$40,328 / item
Floris Camelia 400 Rug by Illulian
Located in Geneve, CH
FLORIS CAMELIA 400 rug by Illulian Dimensions: D400 x H300 cm Materials: Wool 50%, Silk 50% Variations available and prices may vary according to materials and sizes. Illulian...
Silk, Wood
$3,724 / item
Peach Giro Rug by Gandia Blasco
Located in Geneve, CH
Peach Giro Rug by Gandia Blasco Design by MUT Design Dimensions: W 132 x H 324 cm. Materials: 100% wool. Weight: 18,5 kg Passion for life outdoors, a dream come true on the edge of...
Wool