Knoll: A Leading Company in Interior Design

Knoll is a design company with a long and complex history, characterized by craftsmanship and innovative ideas. Founded in New York in 1938, it underwent many changes and expansions over the years, while always remaining true to modern design and the Bauhaus school.

The founders, Hans Knoll and Florence Schust, created one of the longest-standing enterprises dedicated to interior design and textiles on an international level, collaborating with highly esteemed artists and designers and making possible the production of unique, timeless pieces.

The History of the Knoll Brand

The brand’s origins can be traced back to the very period of the birth of the Bauhaus, the art and design school founded by Walter Gropius in 1919 in Germany.

Hans Knoll, the second son of Walter Gropius, was born in Stuttgart during those years and followed in his father’s footsteps. Walter, a furniture producer, decided to take over the family business and modernize it, aligning more closely with Gropius’s movement.

However, the story does not end—or rather, does not begin—only in Germany, because overseas in the United States, Florence Schust emerged.

While the Bauhaus was threatened by the rise of fascism and the specter of war, in Michigan—where Florence lived—the Cranbrook Academy of Art was founded, embracing the same ideas and principles as the German school—a free, open place where artisans and artists could work in peace.

Hans moved to New York just before the outbreak of war and, in 1938, opened “Factory No. 1,” founding his Furniture Company in a small one-room studio. His intention was to import European furniture to the United States. Unable to have shipments during the war, he decided to seek out designers to add new works to his collections.

The meeting with Florence marked a turning point: employed by Hans to handle projects for his company, she shared the vision that led shortly thereafter to the founding of Knoll Associates. Over the years, the company involved renowned artists and designers such as Eero Saarinen, Harry Bertoia, and Marcel Breuer.

Over time, beyond interior design for homes and offices, the textile division was added to the catalog, which remains a cornerstone of the company today.

Distinctive Characteristics of Knoll Products

Today, this brand produces furnishings for home and office: chairs, tables, desks, and many accessories. It remains faithful to its iconic heritage and the visions of the Bauhaus. Some items from its collections are exhibited in international museums such as the MOMA – Museum of Modern Art.

With an almost century-long history, Knoll has consistently elevated space and architecture through the visionary ideas of top artists and designers of every era, both of the 20th century and today.

Knoll’s approach unites pure, simple design—with refined, creative lines—and the comfort and technological features that every furnishing, whether for home or office, must provide.

From the Saarinen table—often paired with the Tulip chair—to the Wassily chair, from the Bertoia polypropylene chair to the Mr Bauhaus chaise longue: every idea developed by Knoll is at once original and elegant, timeless in nature.