Architect Eero Saarinen (1910–1961) is known for his sculptural forms, the most recognizable being the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, a symbol of the United States’ westward expansion. Other well-known designs include the TWA Terminal at New York’s JFK Airport (now the TWA Hotel) and his Pedestal Group furniture line for Knoll. In 1956, Saarinen was commissioned by Knoll (now MillerKnoll, a licensed manufacturer of furniture designed by architects and designers) to design the Pedestal chair, and later that year, he completed the Pedestal table. It wasn’t long before the Pedestal collection was replaced by the name Tulip because of its likeness to the flower.

Eero immigrated to the United States as a teenager. His father was Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen, and his mother was textile designer Loja (Gesellius) Saarinen. Eliel was hired to design the campus of the prestigious Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. While a student (and later a teacher) at Cranbrook, Eero solidified friendships with renowned designers like Florence (Schust) Knoll, Charles and Ray Eames, and Henry Bertoia. Florence hired Eero to work for her and her husband’s furniture company, Knoll, in the late 1940s. 

Saarinen’s strong dislike for the underside of tables and chairs led him to design his Pedestal collection. He told Time magazine he designed the collection to “clear up the slum of legs in the U.S. home.” Curator Shelly Selim of the Indianapolis Museum and Miller House and Garden said it best when she exclaimed, “Anyone who has been stuck sitting at one of the legs of a circular table can appreciate the functionality of the pedestal base.” Saarinen conducted a five-year design investigation before he was satisfied with his streamlined base. When the table’s patent was filed in 1957, Saarinen wrote, “These designs have a very restful and pleasing effect on an observer, particularly when used in conjunction with chairs of corresponding design.” 

How do you know if your Tulip table is authentic? Originals will be stamped with the Knoll logo on the underside of the base, along with Saarinen’s signature. Saarinen’s Pedestal collection includes dining, coffee, and side tables. The base of true Tulip tables and chairs are made from one piece of cast aluminum (there should be no seams) protected with Rilsan and usually finished in white or black. A genuine Saarinen table will never have a base made of plastic, wood, or any other material. The tabletop can be made from either white laminate, wood, marble, or granite, and its edges should be tapered, not flat.