Designer

Richard Schultz

Best known for his sophisticated 1966 furniture collection, Richard Schultz is one of the leading names in outdoor furniture design. The brains behind iconic designs such as the Petal Outdoor Dining Table, the Topiary Bench and the Wing Chair, Schultz is also renowned as a skilled sculptor.

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Having graduated from Iowa State University and the Illinois Institute of Technology, Richard Schultz joined Knoll in 1951 and worked alongside Harry Betoia. A key figure behind the development of the iconic Bertoia Wire Collection, the collection marked the beginning of Schultz’s long-term collaboration with Knoll, a partnership that continues today. Schultz left Knoll in 1971 and set up Richard Schultz Designs with his son Peter in 1992, where he continued to produce his own designs. His partnership with Knoll came in full circle when Knoll bought Richard Schultz Designs in 2012.

Inspired by the delicate Queen Anne’s Lace flower, Richard Schultz designed the white Petal Outdoor Dining Table in 1960 to accompany the iconic Bertoia Chairs Harry Bertoia designed for Knoll.

Showcasing a harmonic shape reminiscent of nature thanks to its flower-like top sprouting from the elegant pedestal base, the table features eight white ‘petals’. Each crafted from polyurethane, the petals expand and contract according to the weather to ensure stability in all climates.

The statement table top is held in place by beautifully crafted powder-coated cast aluminium supports and supported by a stainless steel stem in the same crisp white hue.