The Design Legacy Of The Herman Miller Company

The Michigan-based Herman Miller Company has been a mainstay in furniture design since its founding in 1905 as Star Furniture. This company focused on bedroom furniture in the rival style that was popular at that time. A one-time clerk at the company, Dirk Jan De Pree who was president purchased a controlling interest in the firm with his father-in-law in 1923. The father-in-law's name: Herman Miller. And it was then that the Herman Miller Furniture Company was created. It was renamed Herman Miller in 1960.

The company's association with some of the most iconic furniture designers in history had its roots in the hiring of George Nelson as Design Director in 1945. Nelson had no formal training or practical experience in furniture design, but the foresight of De Pree to understand the importance of design and innovation in furniture creation lead to Herman Miller release some of the greatest modernist designs ever. These include:

The Noguchi table (Isamu Noguchi: 1947)

This modernist table featured a heavy glass top and slim wooden base of identical but oppositely positioned curved wooden supports. The design was stark in comparison with the heavy wood structures of the past.

Eames chair (Charles & Ray Eames: 1956)

The Eames Lounge Chair is considered by most as the most influential furniture designs of the 20th century and its impact is still with us today. The husband and wife team of Ray & Charles Eames sought to take advantage of the molded plywood technique they had developed to design and manufacture a club chair. Charles Eames himself likened the design to a well-used baseball mitt – a fitting metaphor as the chair is both comfortable and functional. The Eames chair is part of the NY Museum of Modern Art's permanent collection.

Marshmallow Sofa (Irving Harper& George Nelson: 1956)

A precursor to the later pop-art style of the 1960's the Marshmallow Sofa combined a state of the art manufacturing process (injection molded plastic discs) and design inspiration (combining 18 of the 12-inch discs to create a love seat). This sofa is highly modern yet its practicality is apparent: the disc cushions are detachable so they can be cleaned easily and placed in different locations so one cushion is not worn out at a faster rate than others.
Aeron Chair (Don Chadwick: 1994)

Herman Miller's Aeron chair first became synonymous with Internet success and then later with the dot-com crash of the late-90's. The office chair is prized for its ergonomic design and the adjustable features that made it a prized possession of those in Silicon Valley who worked round the clock. The innovation extended to the seat and back which eschewed the traditional upholstery design in favor of a mesh material (Pellicle). The name Aeron derives from the word 'aeration' as the mesh is highly breathable.

Herman Miller, Inc. is also known as the creator of the office cubicle, released in 1968 as the Action Office II. The company today continues its commitment to innovative yet practical furniture and industrial design.