Tulip Tables: an Extraordinary Collection That Made History

When the Mid-Century Modern style began to gain more popularity and became an authentically avant-garde trend, it represented the starting point for the birth of hundreds of innovative pieces of furniture.

Many creations, destined to mark a milestone in history and be a reference within the world of interior design, made the public and critics understood that functionality was beginning to gain unprecedented relevance. Aesthetics were unfailingly becoming a simple language in furniture that, through a few defined lines and figures, expressed an unprecedented aesthetic without extravagances.

So, when Eero Saarinen’s Tulip tables entered the market, it was clear that these types of pieces had also taken a similar direction. The Tulip tables were more than what could be expected from a coffee table or accent table.

It was a collection of stylized pieces with biomorphic features, elegant colors, and a silhouette that was a statement of practicality and friendly use. The first Tulip tables appeared in 1957, achieved what other designs within their category couldn't offer to the same extent: combining art and furniture in the same piece.

Certainly, a Tulip table is something very similar to a sculpture. Its conical base, which opens upwards until it ends at the top of marble or wood, makes it look like an open flower, an image from which its name derives.

More than a table, it's conceived as a pedestal with high aesthetic value. At the same time, it introduces functional advantages for the user since, by not including in its structure the typical four legs of ordinary tables, the person can sit at it without the feeling of having their legs trapped under the top.

Many More Options Than You Think

The Tulip table collection includes different sizes, depending on the area in which you're going to use it and the functions it will have (24”, 40”, 54”, 36”, etc.), and can be found on the market with the top of different shapes and sizes (square, rectangular, round, oval, etc). It's perfect for modern decorating styles both indoors and outdoors. It's a very outstanding piece that can elevate and enhance the aesthetic properties of any environment.

To mention an example, if you choose a round-top Tulip 24" Fiberglass Side Table, the first thing you need to know is that these types of tables will look good from any angle you look at. If you accompany it with a pair of chairs, it becomes the perfect chit-chat station to share drinks and snacks with your guests, such as coffee or tea and cookies. It's a model that doesn't take up too much space and will allow you to take advantage of the corner or the spot in which you place it.

The collection gained so much popularity and became such an iconic product that alternatives such as the Tulip table replica by Manhattan Home Design appeared over the years. In the catalog of our store, you'll find several of the designs and versions of this table, which reproduce the creations of the Finn, respecting all the details and materials of the original designs.

A Tulip Table reproduction represents a much smaller investment than what you would have to make in an authentic piece; something very significant, taking into account the implications of having such an iconic, spectacular, and striking design in your living room, your hallway, or even outdoors as your balcony, terrace, or patio. After all, it's an impossible-to-ignore piece that can easily become the new focal point of your spaces.