Pedestal Desk

The “Single Pedestal” was one of the many executive desks designed by Florence Knoll that were available in a range of configurations. 

A Florence Knoll designed desk was not just a table with drawers. A Knoll advertisement from the November 1962 issue of Architectural Forum beings with the question: “What is a Knoll desk?” It goes on to say:

A Knoll desk may not be a desk at all, but a beautiful rosewood oval table that converts any office into a conference room. It may be an L-shaped design of teak with generous storage space. It may be rectangular or round, boat-shaped or oval. The Knoll collection offers an impressive choice of fine woods and functional features, developed to satisfy individual tastes and needs.

This same statement was presented on the first page of a catalogue produced by Knoll Associates, Inc., in 1954. The desk was more than a functional, flat surface; it was a vehicle for communicating professional purpose. The customization of the desks to meet clients’ needs went so far as to re-conceptualize what a desk was.