Saarinen oval conference table by Knoll with white marble top in a boardroom

“The slum of legs”: what the Saarinen table swept away

Knoll

Eero Saarinen

Conference table only
Saarinen An icon of Italian design Conference table only
£ 12,127

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Trade terms for professionals and design studios

Knoll’s own product sheet still prints the sentence: the underside of typical chairs and tables makes “a confusing, unrestful world”, and Eero Saarinen wanted to clear up “the slum of legs”. At a conference table the phrase turns practical. On the Saarinen pedestal there is nothing under the top but one stem: no frame member in front of anyone’s knees, no corner seat that nobody wants, and the chairs slide back in without hitting a leg. The oval reaches 244 cm (96") and seats eight with the same freedom as the small round. Tops come in nine marbles, granite, five wood veneers or laminate. La Mercanti specifies it for boardrooms where the seating plan changes more often than the furniture. The same pedestal also serves the dining room at home, hospitality lounges — with coffee and side heights — and, in selected finishes and sizes, the terrace.

Technical information based on data declared by the manufacturer.

Collection: Saarinen Pedestal Collection — dining/meeting, lounge, side and coffee tables

Designer: Eero Saarinen

Producer: Knoll — premium production in Foligno, Umbria (Italy)

Marble tops (satin or polished): Arabescato, Calacatta*, Carrara*, Grey, Grigio Marquina, Espresso, Verdi Alpi, Portoro, Nero Marquina — *also in uncoated finish

Other tops: Black Andes granite; light oak, light walnut, Reff dark cherry, ebonised walnut or rosewood veneer; white or matte black laminate

Base: white, black or grey; Rilsan-coated finish (white/black)

Round tables: Ø 91, 107, 120, 137, 152 cm (35.8, 42.1, 47.2, 53.9, 59.8 in) (35.75–60"), h 72 cm (28.3 in) (28.25") — 3-4 to 6-8 seats

Oval tables: 183×107, 198×121, 213×119, 244×137 cm (72×42.1, 78×47.6, 83.9×46.9, 96.1×53.9 in) (72–96"), h 72 cm (28.3 in) — 6 to 8 seats

Lounge, side and coffee: lounge Ø 91/107 cm (35.8/42.1 in) h 66 cm (26 in); side Ø 41/51 cm (16.1/20.1 in) and oval 57×38 cm (22.4×15 in), h 51 or 35 cm (20.1 or 13.8 in); coffee Ø 91 cm (35.8 in) and oval 107×70 cm (42.1×27.6 in), h 39 cm (15.4 in)

Uses: meeting and boardroom, executive office, home dining, hospitality and lounge areas; selected finishes and sizes suitable outdoors, confirmed project by project on Knoll documentation

Assembly: 2 installers (laminate/veneer, 3 screws) or 4 installers (marble); assembled in its final position

La Mercanti Srl — trusted supplier for design and contract projects since 1997.
San Benedetto del Tronto (AP), Italy · +39 0735 753833 · info@lamercanti.com
Supply, quotations, specifications and project support across the UK and worldwide.

FAQ

How many people does each Saarinen table size seat?
Knoll declares 3-4 seats at the Ø 91 cm (35.75") round up to 6-8 at Ø 152 cm (60"), and 6 to 8 across the ovals from 183 cm to 244 cm (72–96"). The pedestal leaves every place usable, so the declared counts hold in practice.
What does the uncoated marble option mean?
Calacatta and Carrara can be ordered in an uncoated finish: the stone is left without the protective coating, as declared on the Knoll finish list. It is the choice of purists who want the marble surface as quarried and accept its natural behaviour.
Can the Saarinen table be matched with the Tulip chair?
Yes — the table was created to sit alongside the Tulip chair, as the Knoll texts recall. One stem under the top, one stem under each seat: the room reads as a single family. La Mercanti quotes table and chairs together on request.
Which versions can be used outdoors?
Knoll declares that selected finishes and sizes are appropriate for outdoor use, without listing them on the general sheet. For a terrace or courtyard project we confirm the eligible combinations on the producer’s documentation, project by project.
What side table sizes exist besides the big rounds?
Three small rounds — Ø 41 cm and Ø 51 cm at 51 cm height, plus a lower Ø 51 cm at 35 cm — and an oval 57×38 cm. They carry the same pedestal language next to a sofa or between two armchairs.

How to receive and assemble a Saarinen marble table

The marble Saarinen arrives in two packages and is assembled where it will live. The steps below follow the Knoll installation sheet.

Book four pairs of hands
Knoll requires a minimum of four installers for the marble Saarinen tops. Plan the delivery day so all four are on site together — the top must not wait unpacked.
Keep the crate vertical
The marble top travels and is stored upright in its wooden crate, and stays in the crate until it reaches the room. Never lay the crate flat in a corridor to save space.
Assemble in the final position
Choose the exact spot before opening anything: Knoll instructs that the Saarinen table is assembled where it will be used, because a mounted table should not travel.
Use a screwdriver, not a drill
The four M8 screws and washers are tightened from beneath the subtop until contact, then a quarter turn more. A power drill can overtighten and damage the marble.
Move it only by the stem
If the position needs a small adjustment, grasp the stem and slide the table a few centimetres. Anything further, the top comes off first — never lift a Saarinen by the top.

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