For Eero Saarinen, design is not content merely to follow conventions. It reinvents them, with a preference for sculptural forms, organic curves and bold silhouettes. Born in 1910 in Finland, Eero Saarinen grew up in a creative environment alongside his father, the architect Eliel Saarinen. After his family moved to the United States, he continued his training in sculpture in Paris, then in architecture at Yale University. He subsequently joined the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan, where he met, amongst others, Charles Eames and Florence Knoll.
As an architect and designer, Saarinen developed an approach in which every creation must form a harmonious whole, without any superfluous elements. His collaboration with the American furniture manufacturer Knoll gave rise to several icons of modern furniture. These include the Womb chair, designed in 1948, and the famous Pedestal collection, launched in 1958.
His boldness extended far beyond furniture. He is also responsible for major architectural achievements, such as the TWA Terminal at JFK Airport in New York and the Gateway Arch in St Louis. At Maison Vachon, his creations continue to lend character to event spaces, with lines that are as modern today as they were when first created.
With Eero Saarinen, design doesn’t beat about the bush. It revolves around a single leg.
With the Tulip Chair, designed for Knoll and launched in 1958, Eero Saarinen revolutionised the traditional silhouette of furniture. His idea? To put an end to the tangle of legs under tables and chairs, which he regarded as a real visual clutter. He therefore devised a seat resting on a single central leg, whose flared shape evokes the stem of a flower.
Its fluidly contoured shell, combined with a seat cushion, strikes a balance between sculptural aesthetics and comfort. At Maison Vachon, the Tulip Chair fits naturally into dining areas, reception spaces, showrooms and trade fairs. Paired with a Saarinen table, it creates a harmonious ensemble with a resolutely contemporary aesthetic.
A chair that proves that sometimes a single leg is all it takes to make all the difference.
With
the Saarinen Table, Eero Saarinen continues his quest for furniture
with clean lines and a simplified structure. Part of the Pedestal collection, produced by Knoll, it stands out for its flared central base and its well-proportioned top. This iconic silhouette visually opens up the space beneath the table and offers greater freedom to those seated around it.
At Maison Vachon, the Saarinen Table is available with a marble top, for an elegant and timeless finish. It fits naturally into a meeting room, a showroom, a VIP lounge or a high-end reception area. Paired with Tulip chairs, it creates a cohesive ensemble, where curves and proportions interact elegantly.
A table that stands on its own. But with just one leg – and that’s quite enough.
Conceived in 1948 at the request of Florence Knoll, the Womb Armchair explores another facet of Eero Saarinen’s work: that of absolute comfort. Its name, which means ‘maternal womb’ in English, immediately evokes its enveloping and reassuring shape. With its fibreglass shell, generous cushions and organic lines, it breaks away from the rigidity of traditional armchairs.
The designer’s ambition was to create a seat in which anyone could settle comfortably, in a variety of positions, to enjoy a truly relaxing moment. Produced by Knoll, the Womb Armchair is available to hire from Maison Vachon, complete with its matching footrest. In a VIP area, a lounge or a reception area, it becomes a striking centrepiece, as comfortable as it is sculptural.
An armchair that truly lives up to its name: it’s hard not to want to curl up in it.
Eero Saarinen’s furniture stands out for its ability to combine sculptural forms with a genuine focus on comfort and functionality. The Tulip Chair and the Saarinen Table can be used to create reception or meeting spaces with clean, minimalist lines. The Tulip Armchair offers a more enveloping feel, whilst the Womb Armchair creates an intimate and comfortable atmosphere. These designs are equally at home in a wide variety of settings: corporate events, showrooms, trade fairs, VIP areas or high-end receptions.
Their iconic silhouettes lend a strong identity to any interior scheme without the need for excessive decorative elements. Renting Eero Saarinen furniture thus offers the opportunity to incorporate icons of modern design into contemporary spaces, where each piece becomes a key element of the overall design.
Because well-designed furniture can transform the entire perception of a space.
At Maison Vachon, we love designs that have left their mark on the history of design and continue to inspire today’s interiors. With the Tulip Chair, the Saarinen Table, the Tulip Armchair and the Womb Armchair, Eero Saarinen offers four complementary interpretations of modern furniture.
Produced by Knoll and available for hire from Maison Vachon, these pieces allow you to create reception areas, lounges, showrooms or professional events where the furniture truly comes into its own.
These are designs that have stood the test of time without losing their modernity.
With Eero Saarinen, design took a new direction. And it continues to turn heads.
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