Ahead of its time

The classic Nelson Swag Leg Group has the look, scale and function just right for today, 50 years after George Nelson designed them. The size of the desk is perfect for a laptop and mobile device dock and makes efficient use of space in your home or office. The tables work well in offices and meeting spaces and in your dining area at home.

A rectangular Nelson Swag Leg Table in a medium wood finish, showing a single walnut stretcher between tubular steel legs.

What is a “Swag Leg”?

We named this furniture group for the process that created the distinctive legs because designer George Nelson started with this idea: “Wouldn’t it be beautiful to have some kind of sculptured leg on a piece of furniture?” How could that be done without wood and hand-carving tools?

Using pressure to taper and curve a metal tube — the “swaging” process — proved to be the best way to produce the legs. Inserting a screw in the legs and rotating them in opposite directions makes quick work of assembly — and makes a strong joint too. You can assemble the pieces yourself and save money on shipping.

Choices for office or home

You can have a swag leg desk, a work table, a round dining table, a rectangular dining table. All have chrome bases with walnut stretchers. All have adjustable glides.

Although it was introduced in 1958, the desk seems to have been designed to fit today’s compact electronics. A grommet for cable management has been added to the back of the desk. Colourful cubbyholes at the back keep materials organised and at hand, and one fits a laptop computer. Two moulded plastic drawers store smaller items.

The work table provides plenty of room to spread out papers, while the dining tables double as meeting tables. Tops can be white laminate, or walnut veneer with a walnut veneer edge band that coordinates with the solid walnut stretcher.

Close-up of the corner detail on a Nelson Swag Leg Table with a white laminate top and walnut veneer edge band.