Put on a Pedestal: The Blurred Lines of Contemporary Pedestal Design
The pedestal occupies a peculiar position in the design world, neither fully furniture nor purely sculpture, neither background nor foreground. It exists in the spaces between categories, hard to entirely define. Like bookends that double as sculptural objects, vases that function as standalone art pieces, or room dividers that blur the line between architecture and furniture, the pedestal resists easy classification. At its most successful, a pedestal performs a kind of visual magic: elevating an object both literally and metaphorically while negotiating the balance between supporting and competing, between disappearing and announcing itself.
Today’s designers are working in territory that defies easy definition. Some pieces recede into sophisticated minimalism, others announce themselves as sculptural statements, and some refuse to pick sides entirely.
What is a pedestal?
At its most basic, a pedestal is a support structure designed to elevate and display objects, but this simple definition barely scratches the surface of what contemporary pedestals have become. Traditionally, pedestals served classical sculptures and architectural elements, maintaining strict hierarchies between the support and the supported. Today’s pedestals operate in a more fluid landscape, ranging from coffee table height to human scale, created from everything from industrial materials to mycelium and resin .
The modern pedestal exists somewhere between display furniture, sculptural object, and architectural element. Unlike a shelf or table, which clearly announces its functional intent, or a sculpture, which declares its artistic purpose, the pedestal maintains deliberate ambiguity. Some may be a side table when needed, a sculpture when admired, and a display platform when serving its primary function. This categorical flexibility is both its greatest asset and its defining challenge.
Ame Ii – Lacquer Pedestal by Zoé Wolker Studio
Marking Zoé Wolker Studio’s debut in collectible design, the Ame II Steel Pedestal embodies what the studio calls “sculptural utility.” Handcrafted in Portugal, its brushed steel surface and precise geometry create a dialogue between light and shadow. The piece functions as “a neck to a head,” framing whatever it supports while maintaining its own quiet presence. Rather than hiding behind the displayed object, it stands confidently beside it.
The Apple Box by ilan
The Apple Box by Ilan elevates the humble film-set utility box, rendered in Baltic birch plywood with rich color on all sides. The design evokes both Donald Judd’s industrial minimalism and Luis Barragán’s bold palette. Its versatility is its strength, equally at home as seat, step, table, or of course – a pedestal. The instruction to “use it wherever it comes in handy” captures its democratic spirit.
Hybrid Objects – Side Table / Pedestal by Estudio Material
Estudio Material’s approach centers on the intersection of nature and human intervention. The series pairs leftover boulder ends from paving processes with delicate hand-finished aluminum pedestals, showcasing the stones in their nearly unaltered form. Each rough, jewel-like object is unique in shape, color, and texture. The contrast between industrial waste and refined display challenges assumptions about value and beauty.
Testa Dei Marmi – Marble Sculptures by BERENICE CURT ARCHITECTURE
Inspired by traditional Sicilian Testa di Moro ceramics, this collection by BERENICE CURT ARCHITECTURE reinterprets the centuries-old balcony icon in marble. The pedestals themselves become part of the sculptural conversation, crafted from polished stainless steel in three sizes that reference human proportions. Their reflective surfaces create distorted reflections that blur spatial boundaries.
A Piece Of One Day_pray 04 – Acrylic Pedestal by Saerom Yoon
Inspired by stone-stacking rituals, Saerom Yoon’s dyed acrylic pedestal functions as both art and table. The translucent layers create what the artist describes as “delicate interplay of light and emotion.” Each piece represents stacked memories and emotions, offered as comfort to viewers experiencing difficult times. The vibrant colors and transparency ensure the pedestal actively participates in its environment rather than simply supporting it.
Hourglass Pedestal Alpi Verde Marble by Studio TOOJ
Studio TOOJ’s “Hourglass” pedestal reveals different captivating shapes depending on viewing angle, turning display into choreographed experience. Crafted from luxurious marble with a soft honed finish by Italian artisans, each piece showcases the stone’s natural beauty. The timeless form balances elegance with intrigue, while the availability in various dimensions and stone types allows for customization. The pedestal’s unique silhouette ensures it remains compelling from every perspective.
BLEO pedestal by Daniel Couttolenc
Part of a collection by Daniel Couttolenc exploring spheres and half-spheres, the BLEO Pedestal bases its proportions on the golden ratio for inherent harmony. Crafted from solid oak with a cream tint wash, it demonstrates how mathematical precision can coexist with material warmth. The piece embodies what Couttolenc calls “timeless elegance” through its sophisticated yet approachable form. An alternative in Tzalam wood shows how the same geometry can speak different material languages.
“Four Elements” Pedestal by Kajsa Melchior
Sculpted from sand using Acrystal – a water-based acrylic resin – this pedestal by Kajsa Melchior marries elemental forces with human craft. The material choice echoes nature’s processes while maintaining contemporary sophistication. The piece captures what Melchior describes as “nature’s intricate dance” in solid form. A charcoal variant offers a darker aesthetic for different spatial requirements, showing sensitivity to varied design contexts.
Roma & Antigua Stone Totems by Studio Ayres
Drawing inspiration from traditional Mexican candies like Tornillo and Faros, these totem sculpture captures glimpses of Mexico’s daily life through form and color. The combination of marble and onyx creates pieces that feel both ancient and immediate. Natural stone variations in color and veining are celebrated as inherent characteristics rather than flaws. The organic bases translate the rich textures and colors of traditional sweets into permanent sculptural form.
The Pedestal Paradox
What this survey reveals is not a single answer to the function-versus-art question, but rather a recognition that the best pedestals make the question irrelevant. They succeed precisely because they refuse to choose sides, creating objects that are simultaneously useful and meaningful, background and foreground, humble and assertive.
The contemporary pedestal doesn’t solve the tension between function and art, but it embodies it. In the end, perhaps the pedestal’s greatest achievement is making us reconsider what we mean by both “function” and “art.” By existing simultaneously as both and neither, it suggests that the most interesting design happens not when we resolve such tensions, but when we learn to live productively within them.
