Knoll's New NYC Space

Some may say Florence Knoll grew up to be a pioneer in design against all odds. Born and raised in Saginaw, Michigan during the midst of World War I and orphaned at age 12, the late designer’s interest in architecture started in early adolescence. Now, her legacy lives on with her namesake company which she established with her husband, Hans Knoll. This month, the iconic design brand opens a new flagship boutique on Park Avenue South in New York with an aesthetic that exemplifies its sleek, colorful, and functional, mid-century modern style and brings the design house into a new chapter. 

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Inspired by Knoll’s 1954 San Francisco showroom, the space was designed by Jonathan Olivares (Knoll’s SVP of Design) in collaboration with London-based architect Pernilla Ohrstedt and material and color expert Salem van der Swaagh. The latter referenced the original space’s palette in which cream rooms held boldly colored dividers in place of walls and a rainbow of upholstered chairs in bright orange, yellow, and blue. 

Today, a yellow Womb Chair harkens back to the Knoll founders’ interests in futuristic office spaces and Bauhaus design. Elsewhere, blue Saarinen Executive Office Armchairs—designed by Florence’s life-long friend and brother-figure Eero Saarinen—gather around a white conference table, and green hydrangeas sit atop low coffee tables. Floor-to-ceiling arched windows and rooms sectioned off by metal curtains (a nod to Knoll’s prior use of glass dividers) create an ultramodern look throughout the space.

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The updated Morrison Hannah Chairs utilize a higher quality foam and a wider range of tilt than their prototype, and are now available in new colors and recycled fabrics. Updated colorways are also available for the Bauhaus-era collections, such as the mid-century modern style MR tables and chairs—some of the first pieces of steel furniture designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Then there’s the Knoll Cove Collection, inspired by the peaceful coastal inlets, with customizable tables, chairs, and lighting. Located on the second and third floors of the retail space for MillerKnoll, the showroom debuts the brand’s refreshed aesthetic and previews upcoming new locations in London, Dallas, and Chicago. 

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Knoll is now open at 251 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010.

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