the tale of one table Almost every time I see a Saarinen pedestal table I cringe.You know the one.It’s that iconic table first introduced in the late 1950’s (pictured) as part of an entire pedestal collection.The furniture, masterminded by Finnish designer Eero Saarinen, were some of the pinnacle pieces of mid-century modern design.Manufactured by the Knoll furniture company, the pedestal collection is still being made; pieces run from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars.
So why do I cringe? It’s not that I don’t like the tables. Actually, I used to own one. I admire the simplistic, elegant design, but I haven’t always felt that way. You see, as much as I hate to admit it, I haven’t always been design savvy, and I certainly didn’t understand the value of my Saarinen table until long after it was gone.In order for you to understand this tragic decorating tale, I’ll have to go back some 15 years...
When my husband and I got married in September of 1992, like many young newlyweds, we had very little furniture and not a lot of money.So, my parents offered us one their seldom-used coffee tables.After all, it was still in great condition.At first, I was hesitant.That old table?The white, round one in the basement?The one my sister and I used to sit-and-spin on when we were little?While acquiring an old table from my parent’s basement wasn’t exactly my idea of 'newlywed chic,' we really needed furniture...so it was ours.
A very chic retro-modern family room (not mine). Photo from elledecor.com.
There it sat.In the center of our small family room in our tiny one-bedroom apartment, and this table was driving me crazy.It seemed awkward and out of place; and let me just be honest:I saw this table as a dated piece of funny-looking furniture from my childhood that had followed me into adulthood and was now –- much to my chagrin -- sitting in the middle of my new apartment.And while I really just wanted to leave this quirky table in the past, it had now crashed in on my marriage -- all because I couldn’t afford a new one.
Finally, after a few months, I could stand it no longer.I suggested to my husband that we splurge and buy a new table that would be more suitable.Although he saw nothing wrong with the table we had, he OK’d the purchase. The evening we brought home our brand new black-lacquer-glass-top-table, I was determined that the other one had to leave the premises immediately.Because the base of the pedestal table is made from weighty cast aluminum, it was heavy. So after my husband wrestled it down to the parking lot, he rolled it over to the trash bin. There.That table was finally out of my life.But what surprised me was that the very next morning, I looked over to where my husband left the table, and it was gone.It seems my trash was someone else’s treasure.
Eero Saarinen's pedestal dining table and tulip chairs. Photo from knoll.com
Although I’ve always loved to decorate, it wasn’t until a few years later when I began studying the history of furniture that I realized that ‘quirky round table’ was the product of a renowned architect and designer.Today, these Eero Saarinen pedestal tables are hot items that represent high style in retro-modern design.They are consistently splashed across the pages of home design magazines. I now know that this table didn’t fit my life 15 years ago because I didn’t have an appreciation for it.That’s why I cringe.
However, that incident (and other life lessons along the way) has inspired me to always keep learning and to pursue knowledge, not just in design, but in every aspect of my life.We can all learn something new everyday, and we can also benefit from training our eye to seek out that ‘diamond in the rough’ no matter how simple or quirky.
I recently asked my mother about that table.As it turned out, she bought it from a thrift store in the late 60’s.I’ve determined it was probably among the first pedestal pieces to be manufactured because it was gray when she bought it, and that was one of the original colors. At that time, she didn’t know who Eero Saarinen was either, but then again, my mother has always had an eye for style (and a great bargain)!
Come back soon to read the latest entry in the designer's diary!
