Knoll International

Knoll International – A pioneer of modern furniture design

American furniture manufacturer Knoll International has stood for timeless, contemporary furniture design of the highest quality since 1938. Designs from the Bauhaus era and American mid-century design form the focus of Knoll International's portfolio, including iconic designs classics such as the Barcelona collection by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, the Saarinen Tulip chair by Eero Saarinen, the Wassily club chair by Marcel Breuer or the famous Diamond lounge chair by Harry Bertoia.

Furniture from Knoll International characterises modern interior and workplace design with a clear design language, innovative materials and perfect craftsmanship. Especially for private living areas, but also for offices and public spaces, Knoll International offers durable, stylish and functional furniture design that combines the heritage of classical modernism with a contemporary lifestyle.

► 5 iconic design classics from Knoll International
► The Knoll International furniture portfolio
► A shared history: Knoll International and the Bauhaus classics
► Knoll International Designers: Pioneers of modern furniture design
► The history of Knoll International
► Sustainability at Knoll International

5 iconic design classics from Knoll International

Knoll International stands for design icons that have set standards for decades, with the following quintet counting as the company's most important design classics:

The Knoll International furniture portfolio

The portfolio of Knoll International includes a wide range of indoor and outdoor furniture types that have been developed for both private and commercial use, be that upholstered furniture such as armchairs, sofas and loungers or accompanying chairs, stools and ottomans. In addition to legendary design classics such as the Barcelona chair or the Tulip chair, contemporary seating furniture by renowned designers and architects such as Piero Lissoni or Frank Gehry is also manufactured by Knoll International.

The Knoll range is complemented by elegant tables, including dining tables, conference tables, side tables and coffee tables, including popular design classics such as the Platner coffee table, the Saarinen side table or the Laccio coffee table by Marcel Breuer.

In addition to designer furniture for the home, Knoll International produces a wide range of functional office furniture; a Knoll International office portfolio that offers innovative desks and conference tables, flexible shelving systems and ergonomic office swivel chairs.

A shared history: Knoll International and the Bauhaus classics

Knoll International is one of the leading suppliers of Bauhaus classics in Europe, works characterised by functionality and timeless aesthetics. Bauhaus philosophy states that furniture should not detract from the architectural space, but rather complement it. Knoll International Bauhaus furniture therefore fits equally into contemporary and historical spaces, as well as different contexts, with presence and restraint. The connection between Knoll International and Bauhaus can be traced back to the 1920s when Walter Knoll, father of the company founder Hans Knoll, realised the furnishings for Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's apartments in the Weissenhofsiedlung in Stuttgart. When Hans Knoll founded his company he was one of the contemporary witnesses of the Bauhaus movement and had personally met many of the most important representatives such as Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Marcel Breuer and Walter Gropius. Today, Knoll International is the licensed manufacturer of many Bauhaus furniture designs by Marcel Breuer and Mies van der Rohe.

Knoll International Designers: Pioneers of modern furniture design

Influential designers of the 20th century, such as Harry Bertoia, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich, Marcel Breuer, Eero Saarinen, Warren Platner and Florence Knoll herself, have shaped the Knoll International company with their designs. Too many to mention all, here by example, a trio of the most important and their furniture design:

The history of Knoll International

Knoll – then Hans G. Knoll Furniture Company – was founded in New York in 1938 by Hans Knoll. As the son of the German furniture manufacturer Walter Knoll Hans grew up with a strong connection to the furniture industry, and strongly influence by the ideals of the Bauhaus, which he had learned about in his father's circle during his time in Europe.

Driven by the idea that modern architects needed modern furniture Hans hired the interior designer Florence Schust, who had an impressive resume with a degree from the Cranbrook Academy in Michigan, a degree in architecture from the Architectural Association in London and work in the architectural offices of Gropius and Breuer in Boston. After their marriage in 1946 Florence Knoll and Hans Knoll founded Knoll Associates and retained the Bauhaus approach, but steered the company in an international direction through collaborations with Eero Saarinen, Harry Bertoia, Jens Risom and Isamu Noguchi.

Knoll International is founded for the European market

As there was a great demand for furniture and furnishings in post-war Europe, Knoll International eventually emerged in 1951 from subsidiaries in France and Germany. Small factories were commissioned to manufacture Knoll products, and Florence Knoll designed the first European showroom in Paris.

To this day Knoll in the USA and Knoll International in Europe are among the most renowned manufacturers in the designer furniture industry. Knoll and Knoll International present their portfolio in numerous monobrand showrooms and exhibition spaces around the world. In addition to the headquarters in the United States, there are also several production sites in the USA and Canada and two more in Italy. All production sites focus on modern technologies, qualified specialists, safety and environmental friendliness. Knoll has received numerous awards, such as the National Design Award for Corporate and Institutional Achievement from the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York. Knoll has been part of the MillerKnoll brand network since 2021.

Sustainability at Knoll International

Knoll International has been setting standards in sustainable design and responsible production for almost 40 years. The company takes social, economic and ecological aspects into account to develop processes and products that protect people and the environment. By using sustainable, recycled and recyclable materials, Knoll minimizes environmental impact. Long-lasting, high-quality products are key as they can ideally be used for generations. Knoll was also a pioneer in independent third-party certification, including ISO 14001 certification for production facilities in the USA and Europe, which confirms the highest environmental standards. Today, Knoll International furniture has a variety of independent US and international certificates, such as Greenguard or FSC, which guarantee the environmental compatibility and sustainability of materials and manufacturing processes.

A further focus is the MillerKnoll RePurpose program, which sustainably manages surplus company resources such as furniture and equipment. This program reduces waste, saves costs and lowers the carbon footprint while supporting the environment and community. Knoll International has received numerous awards for its sustainability initiatives and is also committed to protecting threatened modern architecture around the world through partnerships such as the World Monuments Fund's Modernism at Risk program.

Knoll International in the smow stores

Discover Knoll International furniture for yourself in one of our smow stores. Our experienced experts are on hand to advise on all aspects of Knoll International furniture and furnishing homes and offices with Knoll International. Knoll International furniture on site in Germany at the these locations.