Modern Furniture

Florence Knoll Bassett and Eero Saarinen.

A prolific designer with a style that sought harmony between shapes and materials, Eero Saarinen has had a profound influence on modern design. Born in Finland in 1910, Saarinen was always conscious of the importance of design: his father, Eliel, was a renowned architect and director of the prestigious Cranbrook Academy of Art, while his mother, Loja, was a sculptor and textile artist. After studying fine arts in Paris and architecture at Yale, Saarinen went on to practice architecture with his father and establish himself in his own right in furniture design. His friendships with fellow designers Charles and Ray Eames and Florence Knoll helped him realize his full creative potential and become a true innovator in the design world.

Saarinen is known for his creations in both architecture and furniture. He has designed such famous structures as the Dulles Airport in Washington, D.C., The Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri and the TWA Terminal at Kennedy International Airport in New York. His long-term collaboration with Knoll has produced a number of famous pieces, many of which are still in production today. The distinctive Saarinen Executive Chair features an appealing shape that earned a Museum of Modern Art Award in 1969. The Womb Chair and Ottoman are a study in pure comfort, designed in response to Florence Knoll’s challenge to create a chair she could curl up in. His landmark achievement, however, is considered by many to be his Tulip Chair and Saarinen Table Collection, which includes a series of pedestal tables and chairs designed, as he put it, “to clear up the slum of the legs.” The enduring appeal of this collection, having just reached its 50th anniversary, lies in the purity of its forms and timeless elegance.

View All Eero Saarinen Designs