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Elle Decoration Hails Florence Knoll as a Design Hero

"The First Lady of America's Mid-Century Modern Movement" Praised

June 15, 2012

Elle Decoration calls Florence Knoll a "design hero" and hails her as the "first lady of America's mid-century modern movement" in the July 2012 issue.

Elle Decoration writer, Amy Bradford, notes, "Florence Knoll has always stood apart from the crowd. A trained architect, she followed the concept of 'total design,' in which architecture, interiors, furniture and textiles were seen as a whole."

The piece also highlights the sofa, armchair, desk and credenza, designed by Florence Knoll, which she "modestly" referred to as "'fill-in pieces' — functional items next to which more glamorous things by her 'star' designers could stand out."

Bradford continues, "Overseeing corporate interiors projects, she revolutionized the way offices were designed, starting a trend for streamlined cabinets and simple, rectilinear "table desks." that doubled as work surfaces and meeting points."

Hans and Florence Knoll "ran Knoll as a team, transforming America's attitude on modern furniture."

By the time Florence retired from Knoll in 1965 she "had several of the world's most coveted designs in its stable," writes Bradford. "Among them Saarinen's 'Tulip' tables and Mies van der Rohe's 'Barcelona' chair."