design icon | the furniture of eero saarinen

Finnish architect and furniture designer, Eero Saarinen, is one of the greatest contributers to the furniture industry. Designing through the middle part of the 20th century for the Knoll Furniture group, his use of fluid lines and curves became the basis of his many pieces that are today considered icons of mid-century modern and scandanavian design. A little bit of trivia, he named his only son Eames, after Charles Eames, one of his contributors and his Tulip Chair was the basis for the seating in Star Trek.

The Grasshopper Chair and Ottoman, 1946. Upholstered foam over molded plywood base.

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The Womb Chair and Ottoman, 1948. Upholstered foam over a molded fibreglass shell with metal legs in a variety of colours and finishes.

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And undoubtedly the most popular of his designs, the Pedestal or Tulip Group.

The Saarinen Pedestal, 1956. It's pedestal base is constructed of molded cast aluminum and comes in white, black and chrome. It's top, oval or round, comes in wood, laminate or various marbles and comes as a dining room table, coffee and side tables.

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The Tulip Chair, 1956. It has the same aluminium base as the Pedestal table and comes in both an armed and armless molded fibreglass version. The inside of the seat is either fully upholstered or has a single seat cushion which comes in a variety of finishes.

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The Saarinen Executive Chair, 1957. Upholstered back shell is a molded reinforced polyurethane shell with a contoured plywood seat supported by metal legs. Armless chair has a black or white plastic back option with metal legs. Legs available in seamless tubular steel with polished chrome finish.

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I'll take them all.