East Greenville-based Knoll transformed American homes with mid-century modern furniture, known for clean lines, unadorned forms, and focus on functionality, writes Bedatri D. Choudhury for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Hans Knoll, son of a German furniture maker, relocated to New York City in 1938 with plans to start a furniture company importing European-designed furniture. However, World War II made importing from Europe difficult, prompting Knoll to change his approach. This pivot led to the birth of the mid-century modern 1, putting East Greenville at the center of the movement.
“That pivot is foundational to the Knoll story,” said Amy Auscherman, MillerKnoll’s director of archives and brand heritage.
Knoll began commissioning American designers and producing furniture domestically. In 1941, he took over a former dance hall in East Greenville and founded the then Hans Knoll Furniture Company.
“He was drawn by the area’s skilled Pennsylvania Dutch craftspeople, whose language and woodworking traditions reminded him of his German roots,” said Auscherman.
In 1943, Florence Schust joined the company and pioneered its interior design division. She married Knoll, and they ran the business, now Knoll Associates, together. Their combined vision and ingenuity defined Knoll’s signature modern style and reshaped how Americans furnished their homes.
Read more about Knoll in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
