Slim Down and Shape Up With Hairpin Furniture Legs

Most midcentury aficionados love the look of a hairpin leg, but not everyone knows about its history. Originally designed in the early 1940s, hairpin legs gained popularity due to the small amount of steel they required — a true wartime invention. Today's midcentury resurgence and love of clean, pared-down forms has brought them back in the limelight.

You can scoop up an authentic vintage set online to add to an outdated coffee table or find new furniture with hairpin legs from your favorite retailer. Curious if this retro leg will work in your home? Check out some of my favorite examples below.

This vintage dining table, found on eBay, has a simple wooden top with cast iron hairpin legs. The clean lines of the Wegner Wishbone dining chairs complement the curves of the legs.


Most authentic vintage hairpin legs are made of raw steel. But today's furniture tends to have more options — many pieces have hairpin legs with brushed stainless steel, colorful powder-coated or chrome-plated finishes.


Hairpin legs come in a variety of heights, usually about 4 to 28 inches, making them appropriate for everything from a daybed to a drink table.


Three-rod hairpin legs tend to be sturdier than the standard two-rod hairpin leg, making them better suited for pieces like desks and dining tables.


Set of 4 Vintage Hairpin Legs » Sets of vintage hairpin legs like these make it easy to design DIY furniture. You can find vintage and new hairpin legs on sites like Etsy or eBay, or from suppliers like Modern Legs or Table Legs.

A good slab of wood and four legs can easily become ...


... an end-of-bed bench, a coffee table or a dining table.


If you're feeling especially hands-on, consider using hairpin legs for a DIY bathroom vanity, like in this image. This pair of vessel sinks looks especially smashing on the hairpin-legged console.

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