Rohde™ Easy Chair and Rohde™ Paldao Table are
being reintroduced for the first time in over 80 years
ZEELAND,
Mich., July 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Herman
Miller's legacy of modern design can be traced back nearly a
century to when Gilbert Rohde (1894–1944) became the company's
first design director in 1932. Rohde's pioneering modernist
approach was pivotal to the company's transformation away from
traditional reproductions to original designs that better served
the needs of changing architecture and ways of living. Through his
pioneering work—from his first modern design for the brand—Rohde
helped set the standard for human-centered design. Rohde once said
to Herman Miller's founder, D.J. De Pree, "You're not just making
furniture anymore. You're making a way of living—a lifestyle."
In the 1940s, Rohde advanced the brand's
expression of modern design taking inspiration from the abstract
art movement, specifically the language of biomorphism. What would
become his signature curvy freeform shape found a place in
everything from Herman Miller's first showroom design to an
installation for the Contemporary American Industrial Art
exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) to two of his designs
now available for the first time in over 80 years, Rohde™ Easy
Chair and Rohde™ Paldao Table.
Rohde Easy Chair, with its rounded back and
enveloping seat, was unlike any other at the time. Its exceptional
craftsmanship includes tufts running across the entire seat and
back in a diamond pattern and expertly upholstered materials, with
a variety of new plush fabric and premium leather options,
including materials by leading interiors textile creator Maharam, a
brand within the MillerKnoll collective. Solid wood legs can be
specified in walnut or oak.
Rohde Paldao Table is distinguished by its iconic
freeform, organic shape and elevated wood finishes—including the
use of a handsome burl wood cut in walnut and oak––in addition to a
flat wood cut in ebonized ash. The table is available as a coffee
table and in two side table height options.
"Rohde set Herman Miller on its path as a pioneer
of modern design and, in doing so, effectively introduced modern
furniture design to the United
States. His uniquely American perspective brought warmth,
new materials, and bold forms to the discipline—elements which
remain central to Herman Miller design today. We're pleased to
reintroduce Rohde's 1941 Easy chair, and Paldao occasional tables.
We believe both designs feel as relevant today as they did 83 years
ago," says Noah Schwarz, Vice
President of Product Design for Herman Miller.
Rohde Easy Chair and Rohde Paldao Table can be
purchased in stores and online at Herman Miller and
through Herman Miller and MillerKnoll dealers for contract
customers. Visit the Herman Miller website for your region for
availability.
About Herman Miller
Over the last
century, Herman Miller has been guided by a commitment to
problem-solving designs that inspire the best in people. Along the
way, Herman Miller has forged critical relationships with the most
visionary designers of the day, from mid-century greats like
George Nelson, the Eames Office, and
Isamu Noguchi, to research-oriented
visionaries like Robert Propst and
Bill Stumpf—and with today's groundbreaking studios like Industrial
Facility and Studio 7.5. From the birth of ergonomic furniture to
manufacturing some of the twentieth century's most iconic pieces,
Herman Miller has pioneered original, timeless design that makes an
enduring impact, while building a lasting legacy of design,
innovation, and social good. Herman Miller is a part of
MillerKnoll, a collective of dynamic brands that comes together to
design the world we live in. For more information, visit
hermanmiller.com/about.
Resources
Images courtesy of Herman
Miller
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SOURCE Herman Miller