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.
Pair of Chic 'Caisson' Solid Brass and Black Lacquer End Tables by Design Frères
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of chic 'Caisson' brass and black lacquer end tables by Design Frères. Solid (not plated) brass frames pared with durable lacquer tops (coasters still recommended). Great as end...
Brass
Auguste Piece 04 Onyx Limited Edition Coffee Table by Tristan Montabord-Marc
Located in Geneve, CH
Auguste Piece 04 Onyx Limited Edition Coffee Table by Tristan Montabord-Marc Limited Edition Of 12 Pieces Dimensions: D 87 x W 170 x H 26,5 cm. Materials: Onyx. Also available in Z...
Onyx
Rectangular Engraved Crystal and White Metal Coffee Table with a Lower Shelf
Located in Bresso, Lombardy
Made in Italy, 1990s. This beautiful table features a white anodized metal frame and a clear cut and engraved crystal top and lower shelf. It is a vintage item, therefore it might s...
Crystal, Metal
Monumental Post Modern Steel Coffee Table by Leon Rosen for Pace
By Leon Rosen, Pace Furniture Company, Brueton, Milo Baughman
Located in Chicago, IL
A monumental post modern architectural coffee table by Leon Rosen for Pace. A heavy weight piece with solid bar construction. Requires a new piece of glass to be cut for it. Ple...
Chrome
Epicure V Quartzite And Brass Limited Edition Coffee Table by Grzegorz Majka
Located in Geneve, CH
Epicure V Quartzite And Brass Limited Edition Coffee Table by Grzegorz Majka Limited Edition Of 8 Pieces. Dimensions: D 101,6 x W 147 x H 33 cm. Materials: Venom quartzite, Patagoni...
Other, Brass
$1,430Sale Price|30% Off
Postmodern Design Carrara Marble Low Coffee Table, Italy 1970's
Located in Oud-Turnhout, VAN
Vintage Postmodern Italian Design Low Coffee Table in Carrara Marble, made in Italy 1970's. Chrome metal base with carrara marble top. Sleek Minimalist in design. In very good origin...
Carrara Marble, Metal
$24,408 / item
Lonely Table Travertino Noce by Madina Tsarikaeva
Located in Geneve, CH
Lonely Table Travertino Noce by Madina Tsarikaeva Dimensions: W 200 x D 80 x H 32 cm. Materials: Travertine. Madina Tsarikaeva (1994) From early childhood, Madina began to show i...
Travertine
$2,240Sale Price|20% Off
Modernist Formica and Aluminum Coffee Table after Mayen
By Paul Mayen
Located in New York, NY
Chic architectural coffee table having a rectangular faux marble formica top, on rectangular brushed aluminum base. The table is in very good original condition, the formica has a co...
Aluminum
Vintage coffee table by Roche Bobois, 1980s
By Roche Bobois
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Vintage wooden and black glass coffee table by Roche Bobois with storage space and bottle holders. Cool coffee table from the 1980s. 1980s - France Good overall condition with nor...
Glass, Wood
Magnussen Ponte Mactan Stone or Fossil Stone Coffee Table, 1980s
Located in Oud Beijerland, NL
Rare and very nice coffee table by Magnussen Ponte, 1980s. This stunning table is made of Mactan stone also named Fossil Stone. Mactan stone is found only on the island of Mact...
Travertine
$1,798 / item
Object 059 Mdf Red 80 Coffee Table by NG Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Object 059 MDF red 80 coffee table by NG Design Dimensions: D 80 x H 36 cm. Materials: powder coated steel, MDF Also available: All of objects available in different materials a...
Steel, Other
1970s Italian Travertine Triangular Two-Piece Coffee Table
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Spectacular Italian two-piece travertine coffee table dating from the 1970s, featuring a striking geometric triangular design. Crafted from solid travertine stone, the table showcase...
Travertine
Large Italian Coffee Table Style of Memphis Milano, 1990s
Located in Paris, IDF
The delicious, rule-breaking elements of postmodern design are evident in this large Italian coffee table in the style of Peter Shire and Me...
Metal
Jagged Edge Kidney Table in Mirror-Polished Stainless Steel by Julian Mayor
Located in Geneve, CH
Jagged Edge Kidney Table in Mirror-Polished Stainless Steel by Julian Mayor Limited Edition of 5 + 2AP. Dimensions: D 96 x W 154 x H 40 cm. Materials: Mirror-polished stainless stee...
Stainless Steel
$18,802 / item
Kupoli Coffee Table 15 by Cameron Design House
Located in Geneve, CH
Kupoli Coffee Table 15 by Cameron Design House Dimensions: D 112.8 x H 40 cm. Materials: Steel, glass. Available in other dimensions. Available in paint or pigmented chrome finishes...
Steel
Oracle Coffee Table in Mirror Polished Stainless Steel & Glass by Julien Vidame
Located in Geneve, CH
Oracle Coffee Table in Mirror Polished Stainless Steel & Glass by Julien Vidame. Limited edition of 12 signed copies. Dimensions: D 120 x H 30 cm. Materials: Mirror polished stainless steel and printed extraclear glass Julien Vidame presents the Oracle coffee table, a monumental work made in specialized French boiler-making and glass workshops. Inspired by the thunderstorms of his native Brittany, Oracle is a dive into a dreamlike and shifting landscape. It is a contemplative prophecy. Emanating from the heart of a shimmering space, its chiaroscuro design invites you to explore the depths of its reflections and to let yourself be absorbed by the tumult of a mysterious sky. Each eye will find a unique ethereal vision in this pure and enigmatic monolithic form. The coffee table becomes a medium of escape, a source of oracle’s visions. Julien Vidame's career as a designer began with a childhood passion for sketching that evolved into a professional vocation. After gaining experience in London’s design scene, he returned to Brittany to establish Vidame Édition and develop his signature prototypes. His early success was defined by the "Vague" range, which showcased his technical ingenuity through the creation of a custom folding machine and secured the Prix Découverte at Maison & Objet in 2009. The designer achieved ultimate international acclaim in 2022 through high-profile collaborations and awards. His "Coquillage" shelf received the prestigious FD100 prize at the Elysée Palace, honoring it as one of the top projects promoting French creation globally. This period of success was further highlighted by his work for Gucci’s Milan Fashion Week show, where he provided 260 of his patented distorting mirrors...
Stainless Steel
$700Sale Price|20% Off
1970s Solid Wood Base on Italian Carrara Marble Cocktail Low Table by Lafer
Located in San Diego, CA
Beautiful 1970s low cocktail, coffee, end table by Percival Laufer, circa 1970s, nice clean condition hard to find. Solid rose wood base with solid Italian Carrara marble. Nice condi...
Carrara Marble
1970s Karl Springer Style Faux Marble Wood Oval Table
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
On offer on this occasion is one of the most stunning, coffee table you could hope to find. This is an ultra-rare opportunity to acquire what is, unequivocally, the best of the best,...
Glass, Wood
Square Stone Coffee Table with Ball Sphere Base in Cream Portuguese Travertine
Located in Amsterdam, Holland
Square stone coffee table with ball sphere base in cream Portuguese Travertine A sculptural four-sphered base coffee table with a double-laye...
Stone, Limestone, Travertine, Marble
Feline VI White Onyx And Solid Brass Unique Coffee Table by Grzegorz Majka
Located in Geneve, CH
Feline VI White Onyx And Solid Brass Unique Coffee Table by Grzegorz Majka Unique Piece. Dimensions: D 100 x W 186 x H 35,5/43,5 cm. Materials: White onyx and solid brass. Introduci...
Onyx, Brass
Honduran Mahogany "Ocean" Coffee Table by Dakota Jackson
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Dakota Jackson "ocean" coffee table with hand-carved legs in solid Honduran mahogany support Honduran mahogany top with stepped edge detail. Measurements: Height:18.5 " X Width: 34"...
Mahogany
Large vintage postmodern glass coffee table with lightning bolt base
Located in Hastings, GB
A stunning large postmodern curved glass coffee table, on a black iron base which has lightning bolt shaping. In good overall vintage condition - as shown in the photos, there is som...
Iron
Armand Jonckers Unique Coffee Table in Green Resin and Copper
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Armand Jonckers, unique coffee table, resin, copper, lacquered steel and wood, brass, Belgium, 1984 A visual pleasure for the eyes, this unique coffee table by the multi-disciplinar...
Brass, Copper, Steel
Soleil II Brass Coffee Table by Verena Brausch, Post-Modern Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Soleil II Brass Coffee Table by Verena Brausch Dimensions: D 80 x W 112 x H 40 cm. Materials: Brass. Verena Brausch brings new energy and singularity of purpose. Her primary motivat...
Brass
$2,996Sale Price|25% Off
Travertine Coffee Table Italian Live Edge 1970s by Stone International
Located in Lake Worth, FL
For FULL item description click on More Details below. Shipping Quote Information The shipping quote stated in the listing was from 1st Dibs and they normally set all the costs and handle all the shipping details. However, if you let us know what 1st Dibs is quoting you and give us your zip code, we can sometimes ship it for less and get it to you faster. For a shipping quote, click on "ASK THE SELLER" under the purchase button and provide your zip code. Offering One Of Our Recent Palm Beach Estate Fine Furniture Acquisitions Of A 1970s Italian Live Edge Travertine Polished Coffee Cocktail Table by STONE INTERNATIONAL Both the top and base are highly polished. This incredibly stylish live-edge travertine coffee table...
Travertine
$4,951 / item
Black Offset Coffee Table by Resident
Located in Geneve, CH
Black Offset Coffee Table by Resident Dimensions: D 90 x H 35 cm Materials: Solid Oak. Weight: 40 Kg. About: Founded by Simon James & Scott Bridgens in 2011, Resident is the home ...
Oak
$2,078 / item
Egg Laguna Oak Coffee Table by Morica Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Egg Laguna Oak Coffee Table by Morica Design Dimensions: D 100 x W 100 x H 38 cm. Materials: Laguna oak, glass. Available in Canaletto Walnut, Laguna Oak, or natural oak wood. Pleas...
Wood, Glass
Disallineata Coffee Table by Studio Superego, Neon Plexiglass, Italy
Located in Astoria, NY
Studio Superego "Disallineata" Coffee Table, made in Italy, comprised of stacked overlapping neon Plexiglas rectangles, marked. 20.25" H x 22.25" W x 16.5" D. Provenance: From a On...
Plexiglass
$15,415 / item
Fisherman White Onyx Table by Panorammma
Located in Geneve, CH
Fisherman White Onyx Table by Panorammma Dimensions: ⌀ 108 x H 32.5 cm Materials: White Onyx, Recycled nickel, chrome, copper & steel The Fisherman Table is an object created by a h...
Onyx, Other, Copper, Steel, Chrome, Nickel
$25,692 / set
Wall 08 Set of 8 Coffee Tables by Sing Chan
Located in Geneve, CH
The wall 08 set of 8 coffee tables by Sing Chan Dimensions: W 130 x D 130 x H 20 cm Materials: Stainless steel, electroplating. Additional information: 8pcs, 4 x The wall 01 + 4 x Th...
Stainless Steel
$2,779 / item
Milky White Chubby Coffee Table by Marcel Wanders
Located in Geneve, CH
Milky White Chubby Coffee Table by Marcel Wanders Dimensions: Ø 100 x H 35 cm. Materials: Polyethylene and tempered satin glass. Weight: 22 kg. Available in a standard version and ...
Other
Philippe Starck "Joe Ship" Coffee Table, France 1982
By Les 3 Suisses, Philippe Starck
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Philippe Starck for Les 3 Suisse and XO Design France. Joe Ship Coffee Table, 1982, with rare circular opaque glass top and black enameled metal legs... Early Philippe Starck and ...
Metal, Enamel
Sweet Fuchsia Duke Of Love Coffee Table by Moro, Pigatti
Located in Geneve, CH
Sweet Fuchsia Duke Of Love Coffee Table by Moro, Pigatti Dimensions: D 72 x W 72 x H 31,5 cm. Materials: Polyethylene. Available in different col...
Other
Pleto Biocomposite Tether Sculptural Coffee Table by Pleto Studio
Located in Geneve, CH
Pleto Biocomposite Tether Sculptural Coffee Table by Pleto Studio. Dimensions: W 78 x D 43 x H 43 cm. Materials: Pleto Biocomposite (clay, hemp fibers, cellulose, wood shavings, eco-...
Other, Stainless Steel
Postmodern Walnut & Calacatta Turquoise Marble Coffee Table, Custom Space Age
Located in Greenwich, CT
Radial geometry meets natural luxury in this striking low-profile coffee table. Handcrafted with a solid walnut frame, the design features custom-cut inlays of honed Calacatta Turquo...
Marble
'Vignelli' Metafora coffee table in white marble for Casigliani, Italy 1970s
Located in London, England
Massimo & Lella Vignelli, 'Metafora' coffee table, Casigliani, Italy, 1970s The four forms of the geometry, the cube, the cylinder, the sphere and the pyramid, made of white marble, ...
Marble
Vintage Postmodern Marble Stone and Glass Coffee Table 1980s
By Lella & Massimo Vignelli for Casigliani, Angelo Mangiarotti, Gae Aulenti, Mario Bellini, Massimo and Lella Vignelli
Located in Palm Desert, CA
A vintage 1980s Postmodern marble coffee table with a sculptural form, consisting of two marble base pieces and a new glass top. The marble features a light grey base with strawberr...
Marble
$19,701 / item
Delano 5034 Coffee Table by Redeco
Located in Geneve, CH
Delano 5034 Coffee Table by Redeco Dimensions: W 140 x D 140 x H 36 cm Materials: Lightened mdf base and mdf top. ReDéco is a truly solid company, capable of building and creating f...
Wood
$3,083 / item
Cosmos Coffee Table by Studio Monsoleil
Located in Geneve, CH
Cosmos Coffee Table by Studio Monsoleil Dimensions: Ø 90 x H 45 cm. Materials: Laminated glass. The Cosmos table series is created by combining glasses with gradient color transitio...
Glass
Studio Superego Horizonte Coffee Table in Agate & Plexiglass, Italy
Located in Astoria, NY
Studio Superego "Horizonte" Coffee Table, made in Italy, with circular agate encased in colorless Plexiglass with brass accents, marked. 14.5" H x 23.75" W x 14.75" D. Provenance: ...
Agate, Brass
Post Modern Two Part Onyx Marble and Chrome Coffee Table
Located in Saint Louis, MO
Two part Onyx Marble post modern coffee table set atop chrome cylindrical legs. While marble typically produces a sense of heaviness and weight, this Post Modern marble coffee table seems to float with a sense of lightness. The grain is a symphony of beautiful hues of ivory, taupe, gray and pink. The illusion of ripples. Of Movement. Playful in its design, position the two parts in any way that best compliments your space. Versatile in use, reposition the two parts for a new and fresh look anytime. Lots of ways to show off this onyx marble coffee table and make it work for you. Section measurements below. Ready to ship. 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 along with and also currently available in our shop: Vladimir Kagan Post Modern Marilyn Sofa...
Onyx, Marble, Chrome
Karl Springer “Heavy Parsons” Lizard Skin Coffee Table w/Gunmetal Inlay, 1986
Located in Chicago, IL
Karl Springer “Heavy Parsons” Bullnose Detail covered in American Lizard Embossed Leather and Lacquered with Gunmetal inlay Coffee Table, 1986. Measures 60” long 40” deep 16” tall Co...
Metal
$5,372 / item
Hand-Sculpted Detroit Contemporary Crystal Table
Located in Geneve, CH
Hand-sculpted Setroit contemporary crystal table Crystal table Handcrafted decor made from crystal Measures: W 75 x H 44 x D 75 cm Hand-sculpted in crystal and glass The handcrafted Detroit table...
Crystal
Enrique Garcel Lacquered Goatskin Triangular Coffee Table, 1991
Located in Chicago, IL
Enrique Garcel Lacquered Goatskin Triangular Coffee Table, 1991. Matching Side/End tables are in separate listing. Measures 17.75” tall 91.5” long 42” deep
Goatskin, Glass
$17,833 / item
Bevel Coffee Table by HADGE
By Hadge
Located in Geneve, CH
Bevel Coffee Table by Hadge Limited Edition of 10 Dimensions: D 39 x W 150 x H 26 cm. Materials: Steel polished chrome bronze brass Weathered by hand (unique pieces). HADGE - an ...
Steel
$17,985 / item
Mistral Coffee Table by Studio Bazazo
Located in Geneve, CH
Mistral Coffee Table by Studio Bazazo Dimensions: D 70 x W 160 x H 35 cm. Materials: Travertino Rosso and stainless steel. Light as a breeze with the force to shape landscapes, the...
Travertine, Stainless Steel
2x USM Haller Couchtisch Fritz Haller coffee table Beistelltisch
Located in Berlin, DE
Wir bieten einen von insgesamt zwei wunderschönen Couch-/ Beistelltischen vom Schweizer Traditionshersteller USM Haller zum Verkauf an. Die Tische verfügen über eine untere Ablageflä...
Steel, Chrome
$19,071 / item
Salvante C1 Coffee Table by Piotr Dąbrowa
Located in Geneve, CH
Salvante C1 coffee table by Piotr Dabrowa Unique Piece Dimensions: D 120 x H 34 cm Materials: Calacatta Viola marble, Walnut Burl. Also Available: Rosa Peralba marble, Calacatta ...
Marble
Walnut SSU Coffee Table L by Veermakers, Post-Modern Design, Sweden
Located in Geneve, CH
Walnut SSU Coffee Table L by Veermakers Dimensions: W 172 x D 110 x H 30 cm. Materials: Walnut Premium with a satin clear hard wax oil. About: After years of successful collaborati...
Walnut
Pair of Hexagonal Marble Coffee Tables – 70s Post-Modern Design
Located in LYON, FR
Pair of Hexagonal Marble Coffee Tables – 70s Post-Modern Design Description: Mineral architecture for your living room. This superb duo o...
Marble
$500Sale Price|60% Off
postmodern vintage BDSM industrial metal table with glass top
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Postmodern industrial BDSM style table.
Metal
Port Saint Laurent Refined Contemporary Marble Low Table 160/36
Located in Geneve, CH
Port Saint Laurent Refined Contemporary Marble low table 160/36 Dimensions: diameter 160 x height 36 cm Materials: Por...
Marble
Set of 3 1970’s Italian Calacatta Coffee Tables
Located in Chicago, IL
Set of 3 Italian Calacatta marble tables. Made in 1970’s. Top 20.5” x 20.5” Height 14.5”, 11.75”, 9”
Marble
$25,541 / item
Jean Bronze Round Coffee Table by Fred and Juul
Located in Geneve, CH
Jean Bronze Round Coffee Table by Fred and Juul Dimensions: Ø 120 x H 40 cm. Materials: Bronze. Also available in a black-patinated or white finish. Custom sizes, materials or finis...
Bronze
Pair of Chic 'Caisson' Solid Brass and Black Lacquer End Tables by Design Frères
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of chic 'Caisson' brass and black lacquer end tables by Design Frères. Solid (not plated) brass frames pared with durable lacquer tops (coasters still recommended). Great as end...
Brass
$2,250Sale Price|50% Off
Gwathmey Siegel DeMenil Coffee Table
Located in Hanover, MA
***SUMMER SALE 50% OFF*** DeMenil Cocktail Table by Gwathmey Siegel & Assoc. for ICF. Meticulously detailed geometries of contrastin...
Maple, Walnut
Post Modern Steel Coffee Table by Leon Rosen for Pace
By Leon Rosen, Brueton, Pace Furniture Company, Milo Baughman
Located in Chicago, IL
A post modern architectural coffee table by Leon Rosen for Pace. A heavy weight piece with solid bar construction. Requires a new piece of glass to be cut for it. Please request...
Chrome
$70,000
Gaetano Pesce Tavolone Table
Located in Naples, FL
Exceptionally rare. Exceptional colors. 1in thick resin top, poured over a steel grid. Through the manipulation of resin the shape of a face is achieved. A monumental museum worthy...
Steel
$3,491 / item
Temper Cube by Max Lipsey
Located in Geneve, CH
Temper Cube by Max Lipsey Dimensions: D 40 x W 40 x H 40 cm. Materials: Steel. Collaboration with Sabine Marcelis. Atelier Max Lipsey is the workshop of Max Lipsey, an American de...
Steel
$5,080 / item
Rattan Anodised Cocktail Table by Tino Seubert
Located in Geneve, CH
Rattan Anodised cocktail table by Tino Seubert Dimensions: Ø 56 x H 58 cm. Materials: Torched rattan, salmon anodised aluminum. Tino Seubert When he first made his now signatu...
Aluminum