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Nelson Daybed
Iconic Designs

Nelson DaybedBy George Nelson

About the Design

Like many modernists, George Nelson (1908–86) relished design that solved a problem. And there’s probably no more common design problem than not having enough space. A daybed, the Connecticut-born writer, architect and furniture maker reasoned, is “ideal for the bedroom that has to double as a sitting room.” Nelson’s versatile design — particularly with its slim profile and unassuming legs — fits neatly into a compact space, both in its small square footage and its quiet presence.

Nelson conceived an early version of the daybed for use in his own home in 1941. By 1948, he had perfected the design and presented it to Herman Miller, where Nelson had been director of design since 1947. The furniture maker has called his work as a designer “to do much more with much less,” and the final design for his daybed is the culmination of one of Nelson’s trademark efforts to simplify to the greatest degree.

A single, honed wood platform is supported by four graceful legs, either in wood or a more industrial-looking brushed-steel hairpin. Atop this basic frame rests a boxy foam cushion; side bolsters, which are removable for the quick transition from sofa to bed, are optional.

Nelson famously referred to his moments of creative inspiration as “zaps” — though the term appears to imply immediate, fully formed ideas, the daybed proves that sometimes a moment of genius is really the distillation of a long period of perfecting that idea.

The Nelson daybed is still manufactured by Herman Miller today.

George Nelson Nelson Daybed

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Mid Century Modern George Nelson Herman Miller Hairpin Leg Daybed Sofa
Mid Century Modern George Nelson Herman Miller Hairpin Leg Daybed Sofa

Mid Century Modern George Nelson Herman Miller Hairpin Leg Daybed Sofa

$3,500Sale Price|30% Off

Mid Century Modern George Nelson Herman Miller Hairpin Leg Daybed Sofa

By Herman Miller, George Nelson

Located in Dayton, OH

Mid century modern George Nelson for Herman Miller Case Study daybed / sofa / couch / chaise lounge featuring iron hairpin legs with pine back suppor...

Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Metal

George Nelson Modular Sofa Table System Herman Miller
George Nelson Modular Sofa Table System Herman Miller

George Nelson Modular Sofa Table System Herman Miller

$5,693

George Nelson Modular Sofa Table System Herman Miller

By George Nelson, Herman Miller

Located in Berlin, BE

This original George Nelson Modular Sofa Table System for Herman Miller is a versatile and well-preserved example of Mid-Century Modern design. The system combines two upholstered se...

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Steel

Mid Century Modern Sofa with Side Tables George Nelson for Herman Miller
Mid Century Modern Sofa with Side Tables George Nelson for Herman Miller

Mid Century Modern Sofa with Side Tables George Nelson for Herman Miller

$7,262

Mid Century Modern Sofa with Side Tables George Nelson for Herman Miller

By George Nelson, Herman Miller

Located in Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Mid-Century Modern George Nelson Sofa with Integrated Side Tables for Herman Miller – This exquisite vintage piece, dating back to the 1950s-1960s, epitomizes the functional elegance...

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Steel

George Nelson, Modular Sofa and Table Seating System, 1966 for Herman Miller
George Nelson, Modular Sofa and Table Seating System, 1966 for Herman Miller

George Nelson, Modular Sofa and Table Seating System, 1966 for Herman Miller

$9,876

George Nelson, Modular Sofa and Table Seating System, 1966 for Herman Miller

By George Nelson, Herman Miller

Located in Munster, NRW

George Nelson for Herman Miller, 1960s, United States. Very fine Modular §seater sofa by George Nelson (1908-1986) for Herman Miller. This sofa has a metal frame with square chro...

Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas

Materials

Steel, Chrome

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