Designed by Eero Saarinen
The Saarinen Pedestal Table demonstrates Eero Saarinen's purist approach to architecture and design. Seeking a solution to resolve the "confusing, unrestful world underneath tables and chairs, he designed a sculptural base that brings visual and physical freedom to the surrounding environment.
Shaping the experience of space
While studying at Cranbrook Academy of Art in the 1930s, Florence Knoll and Eero Saarinen forged a lasting friendship. The connection between these avid students of design evolved into a partnership that produced some of the most revered furniture pieces of the 20th century.
Eero Saarinen insisted that, in any design, "confusion comes from trying to amalgamate several conflicting ideas. To avoid that confusion, in his furniture, as in his architecture, Saarinen sought the essential idea and represented it formally with clarity and strength, always striving for "consistency and relatedness of all parts.
In the early 1950s, he turned his attention to the "ugly, confusing, unrestful world he believed resulted from "the slum of legs underneath typical tables and chairs. In 1957, he realized his ideal of formal unity with the Pedestal Table and Tulip Chair collections for Knoll. These majestically effortless, one-legged tables and chairs have since become symbols of modern design and mainstays of the Knoll design legacy.
Eero Saarinen
Born to world famous architect and Cranbrook Academy of Art Director Eliel Saarinen and textile artist Loja Saarinen, Eero Saarinen was surrounded by design his whole life. After meeting Florence Knoll at Cranbrook, Saarinen went on to design many of Knoll's most recognizable pieces, including the Tulip collection, the Womb chair, and the 70 Series of seating. In addition to these achievements, Saarinen became a leader of the second-generation modernists.
Specifications
Construction and Details
- Tabletop features beveled edge
- Top attaches to base with threaded rod
- Tabletops available in a wide range of laminates, woods, marbles and granites
- Base is heavy molded cast aluminum available with white, black or grey paint
Sustainable Design and Environmental Certification
- Learn more about Saarinen Coffee Table product certifications and materials at Ecomedes.
Last Updated 3 months
