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Um... the Ikea chair is almost one third the price of the Miller Chair! I suppose if you are just buying one chair, that's one thing, but if you are buying 4 or 6 of these as a set (which is going to be most often the case), the difference is in the thousands.

For me it ultimately depends on the comfort. If they are equally comfortable, I would probably go with the Ikea chair, assuming that there aren't any glaring quality issues. However, I must admit that the Miller chair looks much more comfortable.

This is blasphemy, but I actually like the way the Ikea chair looks more. The Nelson has nicer legs and it's probably about a bajillion times better-made but I'm drawn far more to the unbroken seat of the Ikea version.

$379 is almost 3 times as much as $139, so I'd say there's a sizable difference in price. I'd buy the Ikea chairs and happily arrange them around my (craigslist) Herman Miller dining table.

also, I'm not a huge fan of the open back in the George Nelson chairs--although I do like the armchair look a bit more than Ikea's armless style.

The Nelson chair is sexy....the Ikea chair is chunky....if I had the bucks it would be the Nelson chair. If I didn't have the money, I would keep searching.

Since this is play money, I'll get the George Nelson - I would only want one in my LR anyway. I actually need something like this. I would think the quality would be much better too. Do they swivel?

I became much more interested in the Nelson chair after sitting in it. It has a lot of flex, and is very comfortable--much more comfortable than, for example, the Eames plastic arm chair.

Since I've usually seen the Nelson chair paired with the Swag desk, I figured it was meant to be in a home office. I prefer my desk chairs with arms, so I'd go with the Nelson over the Ikea.

One Swag leg for me....in my bedroom, actually...with white powder coated legs instead of unpolished metal.

My heart cries out for Nelson. My budget demands IKEA. IKEA looks good enough to keep my heart from breaking, so I'll get over the difference.

I think the Ikea chair in many ways looks more like the Cox chair at DWR than the Swag chair.

I can't find a link at the moment, though.

FYI, there is no "stretchy fabric is wrapped around the JAKOB's frame". There is a removable pad, but that's it for the fabric content.

anh-minh wrote: "I prefer my desk chairs with arms, so I'd go with the Nelson over the Ikea."

i concur. i sat in the Nelson just recently and i pleasantly surprised at how supple it was and the arm rests are just the right width.

The legs on the IKEA chair looks like they would scratch up a wood floor quickly.

Nelson for me, please.
The IKEA lacks the grace and attention to detail. It's a poor rip-off, if you ask me. And that little cushion or pad is just silly.
I find you typically get what you pay for when it comes to furniture!

Eww.. easy answer: Nelson. ikea is UNCOMFORTABLE - price aside. And wobbly on the pivot. I'm getting more and more disappointed with how Ikea is bringing the prices of their stuff up - while keeping the crappy quality the same. I dont mind a cheap chair thats going to fall apart - as long as its cheap to buy!

I would definately save up and get the Nelson chair. Of course, if I were buying more than one, I might be saving for a while.

the nielson chair is my background at work. i love that chair to pieces. and while i could probably afford the ikea chair if i REALLY liked it, it really doesn't seem like its close enough.

its a decent try on ikea's part... most people don't know about the background of that chair.

The legs between the two are no comparison! Why would I pay more than 100 for a bad rip off?

Aesthetics aside, the word is neither 'swag' nor 'swagging,' but rather 'to swage' or 'swaging.'

Makes a big difference!

I wonder if the Nelson chair would be good in a living room?

Pixie-

The answer to that is yes! My SA at DWR suggested that I use the Nelson not only as my desk chair, but to flip it around and use it as side chair in my living room when I need extra seating. I can totally imagine that set-up and I think it would look really good because the chair has arm rests which makes it look more like furniture and less like just a flimsy chair. Go for it!

My first thought was "which one is the knock-off"? Then, as I read the comments and scrolled back up to check them out again and again I realized there is no comparison.

The curve of the legs right before the floor, the curve of the front edge of the chair, the overall proportions: Nelson, Nelson, Nelson.

I got the Nelson chair a couple of weeks ago for use as a desk chair. I love it - it's both beautiful & comfortable. And it's also somewhat satisfying to get the 'certificate of authenticity' that arrives with it. I just know it is a chair that I will love for many years to come.

I don't particularly like those chairs. But I guess people who buy those must really like the design. Why compromise? Buy Nelson or nothing.

Same technology, but boy, what a different chair!

The curve of the Nelson legs has a grace that IKEA didn't manage to copy, and of course, the seat is more than half the fun of the Nelson.

My taste is too traditional for either... and I can certainly see liking the IKEA chair on its own merits... but it's not comparable to the Nelson.

SD913 - thanks for the comment. That's exactly how I would use it - either as a desk chair or as a chair in the bedroom, with use as a side chair in the LR.

Did you actually get this chair--(anyone) is it comfortable for long spells at the desk?

Someone might have asked my question - I sent that without going back over the comments again. Oops.

I happened to be in the neighborhood of DWR here in DC and went in to look at this chair. Really disappointed. It doesn't swivel and I wasn't overly thrilled with the comfort level, at least not for this price. So, this chair neither swivels nor rolls and it seems to me a chair like this should do one or both.

Oddly, DWR had a chair much like the IKEA chair pictured, chair pad and all. Call me a philistine, but I wasn't taken with that chair either.

pixie,

i haven't bought it yet, but i'm strongly leaning towards this chair over anything else i was considering. i sat in it for about 30 mins. while i was chatting up the SA and it was really comfy (it's ergonomic for whatever that's worth, i think it's hogwash but anyway i digress).

i like this chair best as a desk chair, but i do like the idea that it's also attractive enough to go along side my LR furniture without looking like office furniture. .

I found the Nelson chair to be quite comfy, plus there's a lot more lyricism to the design of the seat. However, I already have my swag of choice: the Gubi chair with swag legs, in bright yellow wool. Can't resist a good color!

http://designcanteen.com/gubi.jpg