Tested at dollhouse scale: the method behind the Saarinen table

Knoll

Before full-size prototypes existed, the furniture stood in a room the size of a dollhouse. Knoll's texts describe the method: quarter-scale models were arranged in a scaled model room, because the compelling idea was to design pieces that looked good in a room — not on a pedestal in a gallery. That is why the Saarinen table settles so naturally into real interiors: the single stem was judged against walls, chairs and daylight from the very first sketch. Round tops run from 91 to 152 cm, ovals up to 244 × 137 cm for eight in the conference room, with nine marbles, granite, five veneers or laminate to choose from. La Mercanti plans it into Indian offices and residences the same way it was designed — in context: dining rooms, hospitality lounges with side and coffee heights and, in the finishes the producer declares, verandas.

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 available uncoated

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, h 72 cm — 3-4 to 6-8 seats

Oval tables: 183×107, 198×121, 213×119, 244×137 cm, h 72 cm — 6 to 8 seats

Lounge, side and coffee: lounge Ø 91/107 cm h 66; side Ø 41/51 cm and oval 57×38 cm, h 51 or 35; coffee Ø 91 cm and oval 107×70 cm, h 39

Uses: meeting and boardroom, executive office, residential dining, hospitality and lounge; selected finishes and sizes appropriate for outdoor use, 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.

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Supply, quotations, specifications and project support across India and worldwide.

FAQ

Is there a granite option among the stone tops?

Yes — Black Andes, the only granite on the list and the deepest of the stones. Base, dimensions and assembly are shared with the marble versions.

Which laminates are declared?

White and matte black. The laminate tops are the lightest to install — two people and three screws — and suit high-rotation workspaces.

Can other Saarinen or Knoll pieces be quoted together?

Yes: the table belongs to the wider Knoll catalogue that La Mercanti distributes. Any companion piece is verified on the producer's documentation and quoted within the same project.

Round or oval — which geometry works when?

Round keeps distances equal up to six people; the ovals between 183 and 244 cm suit longer layouts and carry six to eight declared seats. Both stand on the same single stem.

What is the difference between satin and polished marble?

Both finishes are declared for all nine marbles: satin softens reflections under wide glazing, polished deepens colour and veining. Sizes and assembly do not change.

How to size a Saarinen table for an Indian office

From declared seat counts to the service corridor: five steps to lock the right format before ordering.

Start from the headcount

Knoll declares seats per size: 3-4 at the Ø 91 cm round, eight at the 244 cm oval. Size the Saarinen on the recurring meeting, not the exceptional one.

Map the circulation

Keep space to pull chairs back and to serve tea behind seated guests; the free floor under the top shortens every path.

Choose the geometry

Round levels the hierarchy up to six; the long ovals give the layout a direction and reach eight. Sketch both on the floor plan.

Fix the top with the size

Marble, granite, veneer or laminate: the material decides the crew and the delivery route, so settle it in the same step.

Verify with La Mercanti

Share the plan and headcount: we check format and top against Knoll documentation before your order is confirmed.