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The PaperClip Table
High, Low, & DIY

Inexpensive imitiations of the Knoll PaperClip table design have been popping up on our radar of late. The table is so lovely and timeless that we're not surprised to see big companies trying to make a more accessible (and, of course, lower quality) side table version...

 
 

The PaperClip Table, designed by Massimo and Lella Vignelli in 1994, of course takes as its own model the classic mid-century table with hairpin legs. But by joining a whole set of hairpin legs in the center as a kind of pedestal, the Vignelli design adds a fun, modern twist.

For those who can't afford the Knoll table's $1,000-plus price tag, CB2 and Urban Outfitters both carry their own similar, smaller version, a side table with hairpin legs bunched at the center. And what about a DIY option? Well, hairpin legs are readily available online... find a tabletop, get to work on your own PaperClip-inspired design, and you're good to go!

The options, from high to low to DIY, pictured above...

1 The small PaperClip Cafe Table from Knoll runs at $1,045 from Allmodern.
2 The PaperClip's precursor (of sorts): a 1950's-era table with hairpin legs and a crazy marble top. $295 on 1st Dibs.
3 CB2's cute Paperclip Side Table, with its walnut veneer top, is available for $199.
4 The De La Tour side table at Urban Outfitters has sleek chrome hairpin legs. $150.
5 Ian Maclean, an Ohio-based cabinetmaker and metal fabricator, sells handmade hairpin legs, ranging from $14 to $34 apiece, on his site.

Tags

tables - dining & occasional, Knoll, mid-century modern, paperclip, hairpin legs

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Comments (6)

You do realize that the Paperclip table is a pedestal cafe table?

So why are you comparing it with little side tables and offering separate legs as an option?

posted by bepsf on October 7th 2009 at 9:17pm
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I intended to imply that the side tables listed mimic the basic design of the PaperClip table. Apologies if this is unclear.

- Susie

posted by susiekn on October 7th 2009 at 10:13pm
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We've been looking at all of these side tables.. thank you for this post! We still can't decide which style we want.. we've looked at the CB2 one in person about 5 times. Wish we could find the Urban one to compare.

posted by neuf on October 7th 2009 at 11:08pm
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A white version of the Urban Outfitters table is available at overstock.com. Do a search for "Rae" and it will come up.

posted by hejiranyc on October 8th 2009 at 8:43am
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yup i've been eyeing that rae line of furniture at overstock, were getting the counter stools, but i cant decide on the coffee table.

posted by erinpearce on October 8th 2009 at 9:11am
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Not sure how I feel about the paperclip table (saw a super cheap one at Target the other day in their college section though...)

Erin
SYL: Slipcover Your Life Blog

posted by slipcoveryourlife on October 8th 2009 at 1:47pm
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