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.
Sideboard by Florence Knoll Bassett for Knoll, 1960s
By Florence Knoll, Knoll
Located in bruxelles, BE
Black wooden sideboard with metal legs and 4 door with brushed steel containing 2 height-adjustable shelves. Stamped Knoll. Wear due to time and age. FOR SHIPPING, REQUEST US FOR REC...
Metal
Sideboard by Florence Knoll Bassett for Knoll International, 1950s
By Florence Knoll, Knoll
Located in bruxelles, BE
Sideboard with two sliding doors upholstered with canvas with leather handles and metal feet by Florence Knoll. It contains 3 height-adjustable shelf on one side and 2 shelf and a d...
Metal
Credenza Sideboard by Florence Knoll Bassett for Knoll Inc, 1960s
By Florence Knoll, Knoll
Located in bruxelles, BE
Black wooden sideboard with metal legs and marble top, featuring 4 doors and 8 height-adjustable shelves. Wear due to time and age. FOR SHIPPING, REQUEST US FOR RECEIVE THE BEST PRICE
Marble, Metal
Sideboard Model 116 by Florence Knoll Bassett for Knoll International, 1950s
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in bruxelles, BE
Sideboard with two sliding doors upholstered in canvas with leather handles. Adjustable intermediate boards. Wear due to time and age of the sideboard. FOR SHIPPING, REQUEST US FOR R...
Metal
Florence Knoll Two-Door Cabinet in Teak-Wood
By Florence Knoll, Knoll
Located in Chicago, IL
Florence Knoll two-door cabinet in Teakwood, Finished on back. Features Notch pulls with chrome details, Four file drawers and Four pencil drawers, and chrome-plated adjustable feet....
Chrome
$13,450
H 31.11 in W 18.12 in D 72.05 in
Florence Knoll Sideboard Model 116 with Seagrass Sliding Doors
By Florence Knoll, Knoll
Located in Barcelona, ES
Sideboard model 116 designed by Florence Knoll in 1948 for Knoll International, USA. Early edition in teak wood with original seagrass covered sliding doors ...
Metal
$3,775 / set
H 33 in W 36 in D 19.25 in
Florence Knoll for Knoll Associates Compact Three Drawer Teak Dressers, A Pair
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in New Windsor, NY
A pair of Florence Knoll three drawer teak cabinets on brushed steel bases. Both dressers retain the Knoll Associates Inc., 320 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022 paper labels. Circa 19...
Steel, Nickel
Teak Credenza by Florence Knoll for Knoll International
By Florence Knoll
Located in Dallas, TX
Credenza designed by Florence Knoll for Knoll International 1961. This example is in very good condition, constructed with teak featuring ten drawers and chromed steel base.
Teak
$3,950
H 29.75 in W 36 in D 19.5 in
1960s Florence Knoll for Knoll Walnut Four-Drawer Dresser with Marble Top
By Florence Knoll, Knoll
Located in Delray Beach, FL
Elegant 1960s chest of drawers by Florence Knoll for Knoll Associates. A refined example of American mid-century modern design, featuring a beautifully grained walnut case topped wit...
Marble, Chrome
1950s Mid Century Walnut Credenza by Florence Knoll
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Mid-century walnut credenza designed by Florence Knoll and manufactured by Knoll Associates Inc. circa 1950s. This exceptional piece showcases a gorgeous walnut frame supported by fo...
Chrome
unique florence knoll wall cabinet
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in Munich, DE
unique florence knoll 121/3 hanging cabinet. usual as 2 door cabinet 121 with flap and 123 with sliding doors. this is a made on special order 3 door cabinet. only a handful have bee...
Leather, Seagrass, Teak
Danish Mid-Century Teak Credenza Sideboard
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This stunning vintage teak sideboard makes a stylish storage piece in a variety of settings. Quality Teak veneer, unique carved pulls, interior rosewood drawers and plenty of cabinet...
Teak
Sleek Belgium Modernist Two-Door Sideboard or Cabinet
By De Coene Frères
Located in Westport, CT
A super Art Deco two-door cabinet finishing on a pedestal base shown with nickel plated hardware in beautiful rich stained rosewood veneer. Sleek two door cabinet/sideboard/bar on a ...
Rosewood
$3,800
H 37.75 in W 102.5 in D 19.75 in
Fine French 1950s Sycamore and Rosewood Sideboard with Original Painted Doors
Located in Long Island City, NY
A Fine French Mid-Century rosewood and sycamore sideboard with original four painted doors and brass details.
Brass
$11,474
H 65.36 in W 47.25 in D 17.52 in
1960s Lysberg, Hansen & Terp Cabinet with two doors and two drawers
By Lysberg, Hansen & Therp
Located in London, GB
1960s N. V. Nielsen cabinet with two drawers and two doors. Made by Lysberg, Hansen & Terp. H. 166 cm. W. 120 cm. D. 44.5 cm. Restoration and re-finishing included in price, alth...
Hardwood
$32,771
H 26.38 in W 187.41 in D 18.12 in
Florence Knoll Credenza Marble Knoll International Mid Century
By Florence Knoll, Knoll
Located in Berlin, BE
This exceptional pair of Florence Knoll credenzas represents an extraordinarily rare opportunity to acquire two perfectly matching examples that can be displayed either together or i...
Marble
$7,795
H 31 in W 72 in D 18 in
Florence Knoll for Knoll Model 116 Walnut and Cane Sliding Door Credenza
By Florence Knoll, Knoll
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Florence Knoll for Knoll Model 116 Mid Century Walnut and Cane Sliding Door Credenza This credenza measures: 72 wide x 18 deep x 31 inches high Good Vintage Condition - Credenza ha...
Walnut, Cane
$7,450
H 25.91 in W 75.12 in D 18.71 in
Florence Knoll for Knoll International Sideboard with Marble Top
By Florence Knoll, Knoll
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Florence Knoll for Knoll International, sideboard, lacquered oak, metal, Carrara marble, United States, 1960s. Credenza with chromed base designed by Florence Knoll for Knoll Inter...
Marble, Metal
$13,500
H 29 in W 75 in D 18 in
Restored Florence Knoll Walnut & Maple Cabinet Model No.541 New York, 1960s
By Florence Knoll, Knoll
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This iconic cabinet was designed in the 1960s by Florence Knoll and manufactured by Knoll International for sale in the heart of New York City on Park Avenue. Built of a finely grain...
Metal
Florence Knoll Designed Credenza
By Florence Knoll, Knoll
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mid-century modern office sideboard by Florence Knoll. Walnut grain throughout with strong metal legs. Pull out tray and file cabinet. Please confirm location NY or NJ
Metal
Sold
H 18.12 in W 72.05 in D 16.15 in
Sideboard by Florence Knoll Bassett for Knoll International, 1950s
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in bruxelles, BE
Wall-mounted sideboard with two sliding doors lined with fabric and leather handles by Florence Knoll. It contains four height-adjustable shelves. Stamped Knoll on the underside. Wea...
Leather, Wood
Sold
H 31.11 in W 72.05 in D 18.12 in
Sideboard by Florence Knoll Bassett for Knoll International, 1950s
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in bruxelles, BE
Sideboard with two sliding doors upholstered with canvas with leather handles and metal feet by Florence Knoll. It contains 1 height-adjustable shelf on one side and 1 shelf and a d...
Metal
Sold
H 25.2 in W 66.15 in D 18.12 in
Mid-Century Modern Florence Knoll Sideboard, Marble and Wood, 1960s
By Florence Knoll
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Florence Knoll Sideboard, Marble and Wood, 1960s
Marble
Sideboard by Florence Knoll for Knoll International, 1960s
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in bruxelles, BE
Wooden sideboard with metal legs, with 4 doors and 2 shelves inside, designed by Florence Knoll. Wear due to time and age of the sideboard For shipping, request us for receive the ...
Metal
Sold
H 31.11 in W 72.05 in D 18.12 in
Sideboard by Florence Knoll Bassett for Knoll International, 1950s
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in bruxelles, BE
Sideboard with two sliding doors upholstered with canvas with leather handles and metal feet by Florence Knoll. It contains 2 height-adjustable shelves on one side and 2 shelves and...
Metal
Sideboard by Florence Knoll Bassett for Knoll Inc, 1960s
By Florence Knoll, Knoll
Located in bruxelles, BE
Sideboard made of wood, fabric, glass and metal legs. The handles of the doors are in leather. It has 2 sliding doors with one containing a drawer. There are 3 hinged doors, one cont...
Metal
Credenza Sideboard by Florence Knoll Bassett for Knoll, 1960s
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in bruxelles, BE
Wooden sideboard with metal legs and marble top with 4 doors that can be locked with a key. Wear due to time and age For shipping, request us for receive the best price.
Marble, Metal
Sold
H 28.75 in W 35.44 in D 18.51 in
Sideboard by Florence Knoll Bassett for Knoll International, 1960s, set of 2
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in bruxelles, BE
Set of 2 wooden sideboards with metal legs and 4 drawers. Wear due to time and age.
Metal
Sold
H 31.11 in W 72.45 in D 18.12 in
Sideboard Model 116 by Florence Knoll Bassett for Knoll International, 1950s
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in bruxelles, BE
Sideboard with two sliding doors upholstered in elm wood cord with leather handles and metal leg. It contains 2 adjustable height boards and a drawer. Wear a...
Metal
Sideboard by Florence Knoll Bassett for Knoll Inc, 1970s
By Knoll, Florence Knoll
Located in bruxelles, BE
Wooden sideboard with 5 drawers and metal legs. Wear due to time and age.
Metal
Credenza Sideboard by Florence Knoll Bassett for Knoll Inc, 1970s
By Florence Knoll, Knoll
Located in bruxelles, BE
The sideboard has 4 doors and 2 shelves inside. Wear and tear due to time and age of the cabinet.
Metal
Sold
H 25.6 in W 74.81 in D 17.72 in
Credenza Sideboard by Florence Knoll Bassett for Knoll Inc, 1970s
By Florence Knoll, Knoll
Located in bruxelles, BE
The sideboard has 4 doors and glass shelves and 2 drawers inside. Wear and tear due to time and age of the cabinet.
Marble, Metal
Sold
H 25.6 in W 74.81 in D 18.12 in
Credenza Sideboard by Florence Knoll Bassett for Knoll Inc, 1970s
By Florence Knoll, Knoll
Located in bruxelles, BE
The sideboard has 4 doors, a key and a glass shelf in between. Wear due to time and age of the sideboard.
Marble, Metal
Sold
H 29 in W 75 in D 18 in
Florence Knoll for Knoll Model 541 Walnut Credenza with White Lacquer Doors
By Florence Knoll, Knoll
Located in Ferndale, MI
Florence Knoll design for Knoll. Walnut cabinet with four across lacquered doors on square dove tailed legs. Fitted interior of blonde maple includes four adjustable shelves and two ...
Walnut
Sold
H 25.2 in W 74.81 in D 17.72 in
Florence Knoll Credenza in Rosewood, with Calacatta Marble Top, 1964
By Florence Knoll, Knoll
Located in Paris, FR
Large credenza in rosewood with chromed base and handles, designed by Florence Knoll for Knoll International. Original top in Calacatta marble. Two doors. Five drawers and another in...
Marble, Chrome