usually it’s the fashion world that offers up the crème de la crème of designer sample sales at this time of the year but for one day only, on saturday 19 november, knoll uk will hold its annual sample sale of iconic licensed original designs at their clerkenwell showroom, with reductions of up to 70% off retail prices – wow! the knoll sample sale will offer iconic designs by some of the most highly regarded furniture designers, including harry bertoia, ludwig mies van der rohe, warren platner and barber osgerby, all at significantly reduced prices. the saarinen pedestal collection, designed by eero saarinen, has long been a favourite of mine and you’ll find the dining table with arabescato marble
top in the sale, reduced from £3,683 to £1,999, and the white laminate side table (which have in my own living room) down from £647 to £279 – what a steal! the 1956 pedestal collection was conceived by saarinen in his desire to eliminate the “ugly, confusing, unrestful world” he observed underneath chairs and tables – the so-called “slum of legs.” taking 5 years to develop, he worked first with hundreds of drawings, followed by ¼ scale models, to establish a compelling design that was complemented the architecture of a room, without competing with it.
drawing on his early training as a sculptor, saarinen then refined his design through full-scale models, endlessly modifying the shape with clay. “what interests me is when and where to use these structural plastic shapes,” he explained. “probing even more deeply into different possibilities one finds many different shapes are equally logical—some ugly, some exciting, some earthbound, some soaring. the choices really become a sculptor’s choice.” born to world famous architect eliel saarinen and textile artist loja saarinen, eero saarinen was surrounded by design his whole life. after studying sculpture in paris and architecture at yale, saarinen began to design for knoll in the 1940s and went on to design many of the brand’s most recognisable pieces, including the tulip chairs and tables, the womb chair, and the 70 series of seating. i love the simple yet sweepingly elegant silhouette of the pedestal collection and am absolutely delighted to get my hands on such an iconic design piece, thanks to knoll.
a true design classic is an investment piece that will stand the test of time and look inherently good wherever it is placed, so i know it will have a have a happy place in my home for many years to come. there are many other wonderful design pieces you can pick up for a steal at the sample sale this weekend. which design classic are you hankering after for your home? barber osgerby compact armchair, £6,283 £999 gaucho red leather barcelona chair, £5,755 £1,999 white bertoia plastic chair, £251 £59 cesca handwoven chair, £1,056 £299 bronze platner side chair, £3,005 £899 nickel platner side table, £766 £349 arabescato marble saarinen dining table £3,683 £1,999 white laminate saarinen side table, £647 £279 arabescato marble saarinen side table, £1,003 £349 tulip side chair (with red seat pad), £1,307 £549 canvas wassily chair, £1,333 £399 knoll uk annual sample sale, 10am – 4pm, saturday 19th november, 91 goswell road, london ec1v 7ex
this post is in collaboration with knoll but all thoughts, photography and love of design classics are, as always, my own. TAGS design classic, eero saarinen, knoll, pedestal collection, tulip collectionCasiers Standard: the first avant-garde furniture for... Dining Table + 4 Miller Chairs Elounda Kingsize Ottoman Storage Bed Extra Large Desk Style Floor Lamp Santana 3 Seater Sofa Minsterley Tub Chair Roslin Citrus/Light Leg Angelo 3 Seater Sofa Richmond King Size Divan Set Fabric Dog Doorstop (Dark Grey) Cambridge Extending Square Dining Table Westminster 2 Seater Sofa Claverley King Size Bed Nimes Wide Fitted Wardrobe Extra Large Desk Style Floor Lamp (Blue) Arial Lamp Table (Walnut) Jade Mirrors With Leather Hanging Straps Lincoln 2 Drawer Console Table Diablo King Size Ottoman Bed Radius Swivel Recliner Chair + Stool Black Faux Leather Weston Dining Console Table Alberta 3 Seater Sofa
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Earn and spend with ease Cadell Aged Oak Living - view all Corndell Annecy Double Wardrobe with 2 Drawers Alstons Carnaby 3 Seater Sofa Rauch Meola Gliding Door Wardrobe Our showroom in Great Baddow is often described by customers as an ‘Aladdin’s Cave’ offering an unrivalled selection of Pine, Oak and Painted furniture, lighting and home accessories. There are over twenty individual room displays illustrating inspirational ideas of how to make a home look beautiful with a few carefully chosen pieces of furniture and perhaps a new lamp or two. The displays feature oak, painted, pine, upholstered and other furniture from national UK manufacturers such as Alstons, Rauch and Corndell along with many smaller manufacturers and importers. We also sell hundreds of pictures, dozens of lights and lamps, wall mirrors, accessories and gifts, many of which are not found on the high street and are perfect if you fancy something a little different. Our ranges are always chosen to offer our customers well designed furniture that suits modern living, are exceptional value for money, and have quality and style which will grace any dining room, sitting room, living room, home office or bedroom.