Leandesk has been awarded a Design Guild Mark for Furniture in 2026 — one of the most considered honours in British design, and recognition we’re proud to receive.
The award was confirmed during Clerkenwell Design Week, where we’re exhibiting through 21st May. A fitting place to receive it, and a good excuse to raise a glass with the designers, makers and studios we share the week with.
About the Design Guild Mark
The Design Guild Mark is awarded by The Furniture Makers’ Company, the City of London livery company and charity for the furnishing industry. Now in its eighteenth year, the Mark recognises the highest standards in British industrial design — celebrating the finest designers working in Britain, or British designers working abroad.
This year, 23 designs across Furniture, Interior Design Elements and Lighting — spanning both domestic and contract markets — have been awarded the Mark. It’s a strong cohort, and one we’re glad to be part of.
What the judges recognised
Leandesk reimagines the sit–stand desk through a uniquely lightweight, portable and sustainable design approach. Developed in response to the growing need for ergonomic flexibility within compact homes, coworking spaces and agile workplaces, Leandesk offers a new solution: full sit–stand functionality without motors, complex mechanisms or the spatial demands of traditional desks. Its innovative folding geometry and precision-engineered bamboo structure allow it to assemble and stow in seconds, giving users ergonomic freedom wherever they choose to work. Manufactured from sustainably sourced bamboo, with recyclable components, Leandesk demonstrates a commitment to responsible materials, efficient production and long-term durability.
The Furniture Makers’ Company — 2026 Design Guild Mark citation
A note from Henry Swanzy, designer
“The Design Guild Mark is an award I’ve long held in high regard, and receiving one for Leandesk is a real honour. The project set out to question some of the assumptions that have settled around the sit–stand desk — that ergonomic flexibility requires motors, mass and a permanent footprint. Working in bamboo, with a folding geometry and a simple cord-and-cleat mechanism, Leandesk arrives at the same functional outcome through quieter means. To have that approach recognised by the Furniture Makers’ Company, and by a panel of designers whose work I deeply respect, is a meaningful endorsement of the direction. My thanks to the judges, to the Company, and to the team and partners who’ve helped bring Leandesk to this point.”
Henry Swanzy, Designer, Leandesk
See Leandesk at Clerkenwell
Leandesk is on show at Clerkenwell Design Week through 21st May. Visitors are welcome to handle the desk, try the adjustment mechanism, and discuss the design with the team. For those unable to attend, Leandesk is available at leandesk.com, with a Clerkenwell Design Week offer running through May.
Our thanks to The Furniture Makers’ Company for the recognition, and to the customers, collaborators and trade partners who have supported Leandesk so far.
