Inside 'Les Tables de Pierre Paulin' with Paulin, Paulin, Paulin®

For many, the name Pierre Paulin instantly conjures images of the iconic Dune Sofa, a sprawling piece beloved by celebrities and shared widely on social media. Viral photos feature stars like Frank Ocean and Travis Scott—friends of Benjamin Paulin—lounging on its undulating forms, solidifying the sofa’s cult status. But Pierre Paulin’s creative world extends far beyond this Instagram-famous piece. “People know him for his soft, enveloping seats,” Benjamin shared as he led us through the exhibition Les Tables de Pierre Paulin at Paulin, Paulin, Paulin® in Paris. “But few are familiar with his exploration of harder forms—tables, especially.”

(Image credit: Adrien Dirand)

Founded by Paulin’s family in 2008, Paulin, Paulin, Paulin® honors and expands his legacy, revealing unseen designs and adaptations that deepen our understanding of his work. In this exhibition, Benjamin takes us behind the scenes to explore his father’s relationship with the table—an object Pierre Paulin approached with an architectural eye and cultural reverence. “For my father, even something as solid as a table could carry the fluidity and grace he valued in his softer designs,” Benjamin explained.

Our journey began with Paulin’s early tables, designed in the late 1950s for Thonet France. “He was a functionalist at heart,” Benjamin told us, pausing beside one of the early works. “Back then, he was focused on solving practical problems—finding ways to make small spaces feel generous.” Influenced by Alvar Aalto’s ‘Fan Leg’ design, which uses thin layers of wood in a fanned, organic shape, Paulin experimented with wood, glass, and simplicity to create tables that reflected a Nordic elegance and practicality. “In those days, he saw the table as a companion to work, a place of focus and utility,” Benjamin added. These early designs reveal a Paulin who embraced simplicity but yearned to push materials further, hinting at what was to come.

(Image credit: Adrien Dirand)

(Image credit: Johannes Stumpf)

As the exhibition continued, we came upon the ‘Elysées’ series from 1972—a bold departure from Paulin’s earlier functional forms. This collection, created for the Élysée Palace during Georges Pompidou’s presidency, includes a table, desk, and chair cast in aluminum, painted with NASA-grade coatings, and sporting a futuristic feel. “He wanted to merge the organic flow of Aalto’s ‘Fan Leg’ with the modern stability of Saarinen’s ‘Tulip’ pedestal,” Benjamin explained. “He loved the idea of blending natural shapes with cutting-edge materials, always seeking to bring the past and future together.” Here, Paulin’s sculptural approach to the table truly emerges, as each piece in the Elysées series stands alone as a work of art, challenging traditional concepts of form and structure.

(Image credit: Adrien Dirand)

(Image credit: Paulin, Paulin, Paulin)

One corner of the exhibition reveals Paulin’s fascination with geometry and shadow, as seen in the lacquered aluminum ‘Cathedral,’ ‘Rosace,’ and ‘Spider’ tables. These intricate designs cast dramatic patterns on the floor, resembling delicate, folded origami. “He treated tables as if they were pieces of architecture,” Benjamin noted, pointing out the way the glass tabletops lean against the walls, leaving their metal frames exposed. “For him, the structure was just as important as the surface—sometimes even more so. He was playing with light and shadow, making the base part of the experience.”

(Image credit: Johannes Stumpf)

(Image credit: Paulin, Paulin, Paulin)

The exhibition moves seamlessly from room to room, culminating in the courtyard with a striking series called ‘Miami,’ developed for Herman Miller in the late 1960s. This outdoor set includes a table and chairs crafted from fiberglass, with a gel coat finish that mirrors the hull of a boat. “He was inspired by the East in these pieces,” Benjamin shared. “Their form is simple, resilient, and they’re made to endure. This was his way of making a table feel at home outdoors, exposed to the elements.” The ‘Miami’ collection exemplifies Paulin’s daring use of materials, turning fiberglass—then a relatively new material—into something beautiful and surprisingly organic.

(Image credit: Johannes Stumpf)

(Image credit: Paulin, Paulin, Paulin)

The personal connection to Pierre Paulin’s work is felt strongly here, and nowhere is this more evident than in the exhibition’s accompanying book, Les Tables de Maïa et Pierre Paulin. Written by Maïa Paulin, Pierre’s wife, the book captures their shared history around the table—both literally and figuratively. “For my mother, the table was the heart of the home,” Benjamin said with a quiet smile. “She would create these beautiful meals, and it was where everyone gathered, where conversations happened. My father’s designs weren’t complete until they became a place of connection.” Filled with Maïa’s recipes and personal photographs, the book shows the table not just as an object but as a place of warmth, memory, and gathering—a reflection of both Pierre’s vision and Maïa’s hospitality.

As our tour came to a close, we left with a new understanding of Paulin’s work. Les Tables de Pierre Paulin challenges us to see the table not just as a piece of furniture, but as a place of architecture, culture, and connection. Pierre Paulin saw beauty in every line, every angle, and every material, turning the humble table into something extraordinary—a platform for life itself.

(Image credit: Adrien Dirand)

(Image credit: Adrien Dirand)