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Florence Knoll

American, 1917-2019

Architect, furniture designer, interior designer, entrepreneur — Florence Knoll had a subtle but profound influence on the course of mid-century American modernism. Dedicated to functionality and organization, and never flamboyant, Knoll shaped the ethos of the postwar business world with her skillfully realized office plans and polished, efficient designs for sofas, credenzas, desks and other furnishings.

Knoll had perhaps the most thorough design education of any of her peers. Florence Schust was orphaned at age 12, and her guardian sent her to Kingswood, a girl’s boarding school that is part of the Cranbrook Educational Community in suburban Detroit. Her interest in design brought her to the attention of Eliel Saarinen, the Finnish architect and head of the Cranbrook Academy of Art. Saarinen and his wife took the talented child under their wing, and she became close to their son, the future architect Eero Saarinen. While a student at the academy, Florence befriended artist-designer Harry Bertoia and Charles and Ray Eames. Later, she studied under three of the Bauhaus masters who emigrated to the United States. She worked as an apprentice in the Boston architectural offices of Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer; Ludwig Mies van der Rohe taught her at the Illinois Institute of Technology.

In 1941, she met Hans Knoll, whose eponymous furniture company was just getting off the ground. They married in 1946, and her design sense and his business skills soon made Knoll Inc. a leading firm in its field. Florence signed up the younger Saarinen as a designer, and would develop pieces by Bertoia, Mies and the artist Isamu Noguchi.

Florence Knoll's main work came as head of the Knoll Planning Group, designing custom office interiors for clients such as IBM and CBS. The furniture she created for these spaces reflects her Bauhaus training: the pieces are pure functional design, exactingly built; their only ornament from the materials, such as wood and marble. Her innovations — the oval conference table, for example, conceived as a way to ensure clear sightlines among all seated at a meeting — were always in the service of practicality.

Since her retirement in 1965, Knoll received the National Medal of Arts, among other awards; in 2004 the Philadelphia Museum of Art mounted the exhibition “Florence Knoll: Defining Modern” — well deserved accolades for a strong, successful design and business pioneer. As demonstrated on these pages, the simplicity of Knoll’s furniture is her work’s great virtue: they fit into any interior design scheme.

Find vintage Florence Knoll sofas, benches, armchairs and other furniture on 1stDibs.

Average Sold Price
$4,747
Styles
Materials
Related Creators
Iconic Designs from Florence Knoll
Explore timeless pieces that have earned their place in history.
Florence Knoll Lounge Chair
Florence Knoll Lounge Chair
Florence Knoll Sofa
Florence Knoll Sofa
Florence Knoll Bench
Florence Knoll Bench
Florence Knoll Settee
Florence Knoll Settee
Florence Knoll Black Coffee Table
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in Dronten, NL
Rare early Florence Knoll for Knoll International coffee table in black enameled steel and black laminate. Signed with decal manufacturer's label to underside. Literature: Knoll ...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Florence Knoll

Materials

Steel

  • Florence Knoll Black Coffee Table
  • Florence Knoll Black Coffee Table
  • Florence Knoll Black Coffee Table
  • Florence Knoll Black Coffee Table
H 16.34 in. W 44.89 in. D 22.45 in.
Florence Knoll 1961 Oval Table/Desk in Rosewood
By Florence Knoll
Located in Seattle, WA
A 96 inch oval Florence Knoll desk/dining table for Knoll International, 1970s, with rosewood veneer top, in overall great condition. The legs have been r...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Florence Knoll

Materials

Steel

Florence Knoll Oval Green Marble Dining Table, 1960s
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in Antwerp, BE
Florence Knoll; oval; green; marble; dining table; 1960; 1960s Design; Dining Area; Dining Room; United States; Knoll Design; An exceptional oval green marble dining table, designed by Florence Knoll and manufactured in the United States by Knoll in the 1960s. The tabletop is made of solid green marble and is supported by a steel base with four splayed legs. The marble features beautiful veins. The combination of various rich green tones creates a harmonious colour palette. This iconic minimalistic design item will highlight the elegance of your dining area. It’s a highly sought-after centrepiece, in great original condition. Would be a remarkable addition to a mid-century modern home. Florence Knoll (1917 - 2019) was an American architect, interior designer, furniture designer, and entrepreneur. The American designer is known for her open office designs, filled with modernist furniture and organized rationally for the needs of office workers. Her work features modernist aesthetic, characterised by clean lines, clear geometries, which were humanized with textures, organic shapes, and colour. We also have a burgundy marble table...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Florence Knoll

Materials

Marble, Steel

  • Florence Knoll Oval Green Marble Dining Table, 1960s
  • Florence Knoll Oval Green Marble Dining Table, 1960s
  • Florence Knoll Oval Green Marble Dining Table, 1960s
  • Florence Knoll Oval Green Marble Dining Table, 1960s
H 27.96 in. W 96.07 in. D 54.34 in.
Classic Oval Dining Table with Marble Top by Florence Knoll
By Florence Knoll
Located in Wilton, CT
Florence Knoll's Classic Mid-Century Modern oval dining table with marble top was designed and produced in the 1960s. This luxurious marble table top features a beautiful cool gray v...
Category

1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Florence Knoll

Materials

Marble, Chrome

Florence Knoll Molded Plywood Architectural Letter Tray, 1960s
By Florence Knoll, Knoll
Located in Costa Mesa, CA
Florence Knoll molded plywood architectural letter tray, 1960s. This piece retains its original label to the bottom letter tray.
Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Florence Knoll

Materials

Walnut

Florence Knoll Molded Plywood Architectural Letter Tray, 1960s
By Florence Knoll, Knoll
Located in Costa Mesa, CA
Florence Knoll molded plywood architectural letter tray, 1960s. This piece retains its original label to the bottom letter tray.
Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Florence Knoll

Materials

Walnut

Florence Knoll Mid-Century Modern Rosewood Marble Top Credenza Sideboard Cabinet
By Florence Knoll
Located in Dayton, OH
"An iconic Florence Knoll credenza in rosewood, drawer fronts are book matched with beautiful Marquina marble top over a chrome plated steel base, circa 1960s. Features five drawers along the right half and a cabinet with four shelves for addition file storage to the left. The lock along the top can be used to lock the cabinet portion. Florence Marguerite Knoll Bassett (May 24, 1917 – January 25...
Category

1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Florence Knoll

Materials

Marble, Chrome

Florence Knoll Armchair for Knoll Studio
By Florence Knoll
Located in Solihull, GB
Florence Knoll Armchair for Knoll Studio originally designed in 1954. The chair features dark brown leather upholstery on a polished chrome base. The chair is in very good cond...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Florence Knoll

Materials

Leather

  • Florence Knoll Armchair for Knoll Studio
  • Florence Knoll Armchair for Knoll Studio
  • Florence Knoll Armchair for Knoll Studio
  • Florence Knoll Armchair for Knoll Studio
H 31.5 in. W 31.89 in. D 31.89 in.
Browse all Furniture from Florence Knoll
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Creators Similar to Florence Knoll

More Florence Knoll Designs
Florence Knoll Lounge Chair
Florence Knoll Lounge Chair
Average Price
$4,094
Number Available
18
Florence Knoll Lounge Chair
By Florence Knoll
Materials
Fabric, Metal, Upholstery, Steel
Styles
Mid Century Modern
It doesn’t get more timeless or starkly modern than the boxy chrome-footed Florence Knoll lounge chair.Designed in 1954 by Florence Knoll Bassett (1917–2019) for the legendary furniture manufacturer Knoll Inc. that she helped establish with her husband Hans Knoll, the chair is representative of all her signature gestures, from the sturdy construction to the button tufting, and like the rest of her work, it embodies the very essence of modernism.In many ways, Knoll was destined to become a hou...
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Florence Knoll Sofa
Florence Knoll Sofa
Average Price
$7,487
Number Available
14
Florence Knoll Sofa
By Florence Knoll
Materials
Fabric, Metal
Styles
Mid Century Modern
Although Michigan native Florence Knoll (1917–2019) modestly described her furniture as “meat and potatoes” designs that were largely “fill-in pieces” for the Knoll Associates catalog, works like the Florence Knoll sofa demonstrate her artful expression of modern proportions. Introduced in 1954, the sofa was made during the American designer and entrepreneur’s direction of the Knoll Planning Unit, the company’s pioneering “design consultant service” that would define the look of the postwar w...
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Florence Knoll Bench
Florence Knoll Bench
Average Price
$7,706
Number Available
12
Florence Knoll Bench
By Florence Knoll
Materials
Metal, Steel, Wood
Styles
Mid Century Modern
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Florence Knoll Settee
Florence Knoll Settee
Average Price
$7,695
Number Available
4
Florence Knoll Settee
By Florence Knoll
Materials
Metal, Fabric, Steel, Chrome
Styles
Mid Century Modern
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Florence Knoll furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Florence Knoll furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Florence Knoll furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original furniture by Florence Knoll were created in the mid-century modern style in north america during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Craft Associates, Adrian Pearsall, and Harvey Probber. Prices for Florence Knoll furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at £403 and can go as high as £24,016, while a piece like these, on average, fetch £3,951.
Questions About Florence Knoll
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Florence Knoll was an architect and furniture designer who greatly influenced mid-century design. She established the furniture company Knoll, Inc., which continues to manufacture pieces inspired by her designs. Knoll died on January 25, 2019, at the age of 101. Find a collection of Florence Knoll furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    To pronounce Florence Knoll, say "FLO-rens Noll." The "K" in the designer's last name is silent. Florence Knoll's maiden name was Florence Marguerite Schust, pronounced "shusht." She changed her name after marrying Hans Knoll in 1946. Find a range of Florence Knoll furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Florence Knoll lived in the U.S. throughout her life. She was born in Saginaw, Michigan, on May 24, 1917, and she died in Coral Gables, Florida, on January 25, 2019. From 1940 to 1941, she attended the Chicago Armour Institute in Chicago, Illinois. After that, she lived and worked in New York City for many years. On 1stDibs, find a range of Florence Knoll furniture.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Florence Knoll made a number of well-known furniture designs and founded the company Knoll, Inc. Some of her most acclaimed pieces include the Florence Knoll lounge chair, the Florence Knoll sofa, the Florence Knoll bench and the Florence Knoll settee. Shop a variety of Florence Knoll furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    No, Florence Knoll didn't usually put a number on her pieces. To identify Florence Knoll furniture, look for a tag or mark that bears the name "Knoll" or "Knoll, Inc." On chairs, the labels are usually on the bottom cushion. On 1stDibs, find a collection of expertly vetted Florence Knoll furniture.

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