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    Petal® Coffee Table

    Richard Schultz 1960

    Richard Schultz cites Queen Anne’s Lace as his inspiration for this delicate outdoor table with its flower-like top sprouting from the elegant pedestal base. Each “petal” expands and contracts independently, ensuring stability in changing weather.

    Finishes

    • color White
    • color Light Bronze
    • color Weatherable Silver
    • color Onyx
    • color Warm Wood
    • color Chestnut
    • color Dark Bronze
    • color Green
    • color Blue
    • color Teak
    • color White HDPE

    Dimensions

    Additional Info

    Construction and Details
    • Tabletop is available in vertical grain natural teak and white HPDE (High Density Polyurethane)
    • Teak will weather and acquire a silvery tone if left outside in the elements
    • Each petal is held in place with 3 screws
    • Base and top support are powder coated cast aluminum
    • Stem is powder coated stainless steel
    • Base and stem available in a variety of colors
    • Molded nylon glides included
    • Optional fitted outdoor cover available

    Configure Petal® Coffee Table

    The configurator below is for reference purposes only. All options, finishes and sizes may not be represented.
    For the complete scope, please refer to the KnollStudio price list.


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    Richard Schultz:

    “I designed the Petal Table to accompany the Bertoia Chairs. The tops on the tables are made of eight petals, which are mounted on a beautifully crafted cast aluminum spider.

    "I was inspired by Queen Anne’s lace, a weed that grows near our house in Pennsylvania. Each cluster of flowers is supported on its own stem. By making a table in this manner there is no need for a ring support, and each petal is independent, which allows the table to expand and contract with the weather.

    "The tables were introduced by Knoll in Los Angeles in 1960 and were immediately made part of the MoMA design collection.”
     

    Richard Schultz has long been an integral part of the Knoll story. After studying mechanical engineering and design at Iowa State University and the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, Schultz joined Knoll in 1951. His first assignment was to assist Harry Bertoia on the development and production of the Bertoia Wire Collection. This led to an 18-month assignment in Europe, establishing and supervising production of the Bertoia designs for Knoll subsidiaries and licensees. After returning to the U.S., he joined the Design Development Group at the Knoll factory in East Greenville, PA.

    Schultz is best known for his outdoor furniture designs. His graceful Petal Table, introduced in 1960, received the design award from Industrial Design magazine. The steel wire-formed 715 Chaise Lounge, which was introduced the following year to complement the Bertoia collection, was selected in 1963 by the Museum of Modern Art for its permanent collection of contemporary furniture. After Florence Knoll moved to a seaside home in Florida, she started sending the design team rusty pieces of furniture, asking them to develop something that could perform in the salty climate. Schultz responded with the aluminum Leisure Collection in 1966.

    After leaving Knoll, Schultz continued to have a successful career designing outdoor collections for his own studio. Knoll acquired Richard Schultz Design in 2012, enabling the re-release of many of Schultz’s classic Knoll designs.