Eero Saarinen's Tulip dining table is truly one of the most recognizable pieces of modern design. First released in the late 1950s, its round marble top and slender, singular central leg have taken on a life of its own, consistently and regularly featured in the dining rooms we feature in Livingetc.
Why is this example of iconic furniture so enduring? Because it manages to make rooms feel airier, lighter, and more spacious. At the time of its design, doing away with the classic four-leg shape of a regular dining table was revolutionary, and the pillar in the middle of the table, which connects it to its base, still feels timeless today, allowing for an uncluttered sightline that reads as unfussy.
The only issue with the table's ubiquity is that choosing it can come across as a little... expected. We've moved away from the mid-noughties decorative approach of pairing an Eames lounger with a Panton seat and Tulip dining table (available here from Heal's), with the latest dining table trends generally favoring more curated schemes that show the homeowner's individuality and personality. That said, it will forever remain an icon — one you certainly can't go wrong with.
But, honestly, if you love the Tulip dining table — you can't go wrong.
So, what are some lesser-known (but equally cool) tables the design-literate are leaning towards instead? While all the dining tables below take inspiration from the elegant Tulip silhouette, they're also reinterpretations rather than replicas — playing with proportion, material, and detailing to bring something fresher to the format.
Think of them as Tulip dining table alternatives with a touch more character: designs that deliver the same sense of visual lightness, but, perhaps, with a little more surprise built in. Here are the designs worth considering.
1. The Augusto Dining Table by Porada
Longtime Porada collaborator David Dolcini designed the Augusto table, which was unveiled at Salone del Mobile last year — a standout of the entire show. Like the Tulip dining table, it has a central pillar underneath a large, round marble top. But unlike the Tulip, its support features a geometric weave of Canaletto walnut pieces, each one with cutaways that allow for a wonderful sense of airiness and light to flow through.
"The central pillar of the Augusto table is made through the repetition of a single module, whose number and arrangement vary according to the dimensions and shape of the tabletop," explains David. "This generates a three-dimensional, dynamic texture composed of solid wood geometries alternating with voids. This rhythm transforms the table’s presence in the room, constantly altering its perception depending on the observer’s position, and by the light that hits the table; while the openings give the overall structure a sense of architectural lightness."
2. The Talos Dining Table by Bontempi Casa
The design world goes back and forth as to what it thinks the perfect dining table should be. And right now, when we’re in a time of smartness — of people wanting to feel good and look good and be the best versions of themselves, the ideal dining table needs to be a little slicker. Smooth. Gleaming.
No one does those things better than the Italians, most of all Bontempi Casa. It's cleverly engineered, photogenic, and, yes, smooth Talos dining table (available via Lime Modern Living) was a highlight of the brand’s portfolio when it launched at Salone del Mobile last year, a mainstay of its visually soothing stand.
"The Talos was born from the meeting of an almost sculptural gesture and a design vision that blends elegance, balance, and presence," says Claudio Dondoli, one of the co-founders of the studio Archirivolto, who designed the table for Bontempi Casa.
"Talos does not simply occupy space — it envelops it," says Marco Pocci, Archirivolto’s other co-founder. In fact, it becomes the gravitational center of a modern dining space, that perfect balance of presence and ease that only a handful of designs — Saarinen’s Tulip tables, certain early Mangiarotti pieces, etc. — have ever truly mastered. And the Talos dining table sits comfortably among them; a contemporary piece with the unmistakable character of an instant classic.
3. The Totem Table by Heal's
With a slightly chunkier central pillar than the Tulip dining table, there is space on the Heal's Totem dining table for a little extra embellishment. And the subtle gleam of the brass inlaid strip that runs vertically down the pillar is so enriching, so unexpected, so energizing, giving a little extra charge to the pieces you pair with it.
"The combination of quality materials on the Totem table makes it a true luxury statement piece," says Hannah Armstrong, senior furniture buyer at Heal's. "What really makes this table stand out is the attention to detail, from the refined brass strip running up the base to the durable finish on the natural black marble top. It is loved for being both highly functional and beautifully crafted."
4. The Via Bernina Table by Man of Parts at Tollgard
The focus of design cohort, Man of Parts, is to create pieces that tell a story, have a narrative, and where the craftsmanship and thought that have gone into each piece is unparalleled. This ethos has resulted in some pretty stellar furniture — notably the Via Bernini round table with its seeming jigsaw of pieces making up its central pillar.
"The Via Bernina Table, designed by Sebastian Herkner for Man of Parts, draws us in with its clarity and precision, a quiet celebration of thoughtful design," says Staffan Tollgard, founder of Tollgard, which stocks Man of Parts. "Inspired by the alpine viaducts of the Bernina Express, its sculptural base is where form meets engineering. Functional and refined, it’s a table for everyday moments - for gathering, sharing meals, sparking conversation, and bringing people together, much like the iron passage it’s named for."
5. The Raindrop Dining Table by Fred Rigby Studio
British furniture maker Fred Rigby is a regular in the pages of Livingetc, while his Pebble dining chair has appeared in pride of place on our cover. His designs are minimal yet organic, sculptural yet curved, as deceptively simple as the Tulip dining table, but in smooth and sensual wood.
His Raindrop dining table (available at MOHD) is a classic piece of Fred artistry, updating the familiar round shape with a chunkier central leg. He explains it's the nostalgic sensibility of this shape that is particularly appealing.
"Many of us would have grown up doing homework at round tables, as they seemed to be the fashion in the 1980s," he says. "Because of that, a round table is very homely, whereas a rectangular one will always be more formal somehow." Perhaps also a neat explanation for why the Tulip — and the many Tulip table alternatives featured here — feel so right for today's relaxed yet refined aesthetic.
So while the love for the classic Tulip table clearly endures, there are plenty of other more unexpected yet still just as iconic designs that reinterpret its elegant, pedestal-led silhouette.
These Tulip table alternatives deliver the same sense of lightness and space, while also helping to create — and curate — spaces that feel more individual, contemporary, and thoughtfully considered (in other words: hit all the latest dining room trends).