From Marble to Wire: How Knoll Transforms Raw Materials into Timeless Design Icons.

Grasshopper table by Piero Lissoni.

Grasshopper marble meeting table by Piero Lissoni.

Knoll’s Chicago Showroom.

Knoll’s exacting marble standards mean the company accepts less than 10% of available stones.

When Florence Knoll invented the modern fabric swatch—mounted on identification cards packed with essential technical data— she was doing more than streamlining interior design workflows. She was establishing a material-first philosophy that continues to define one of the world’s most influential furniture companies. Today, designers can experience this same thoughtful approach to materiality that has guided Knoll’s innovations since 1938.

The brand’s pioneering relationship with materials extends well beyond textiles. Consider Knoll’s approach to marble: like a couturier selecting only the finest silk, the company accepts fewer than 10% of available stones for their collections. Each piece of Rosso Rubino or Verde Alpi marble undergoes analysis by master stonecutters, who study the veining patterns to determine the optimal cuts. Skilled artisans then hand-finish every edge before applying Knoll’s signature maintenance-free finish—a process unchanged since 1958.

“Each material has specific characteristics, which we must understand if we want to use it,” Ludwig Mies van der Rohe observed. This understanding manifests throughout Knoll’s collections, from the rare stones in Piero Lissoni’s Grasshopper Tables to the bent wire sculptures that became Harry Bertoia’s chairs.

Florence Knoll went on to give Bertoia a studio space and creative freedom, demonstrating the faith in experimentation that defines the brand to this day. After spending nearly two years developing his technical proficiency, Bertoia reflected: “When it came to rod or wire, whether bent or straight, I seemed to find myself at home.” His innovative design approach required inventing entirely new production methods. Working with Richard Schultz and Don Petitt, Bertoia developed a process of hand-bending rods, hand-weaving them into frames, and individually welding each one in place. Seven decades later, these chairs are still made using the same meticulous techniques.

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Knoll: A Design Love Story That Changed How We Experience Space Forever.

Rooted in Bauhaus principles and Cranbrook creativity, the company's commitment to creating harmonious environments continues to shape how we experience modern spaces.

Bertoia’s iconic Diamond Chair.

Knoll craftsmen hand-bending the wire chair.

Bertoia’s Diamond chair.

Knoll craftsmen working with wood.

Knoll’s Risom timber lounge chair.

“Wire forms have a great range of expressions. Their constructions pertain to space rather than ground, and their configurations can be light, airy, almost floating,” Bertoia explained. This sculptural approach to furniture exemplifies how Knoll unifies art, production, and craft to create pieces that meet contemporary needs while transcending their time.

A similar mastery is evident in Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s collaborations with Knoll. When Florence suggested refining his tubular steel Brno Chair frame with rolled metal for a more polished appearance—similar to his Barcelona Chair—she created an option that remains available today.

Wood brings yet another dimension to Knoll’s material story. Since introducing Jens Risom’s Scandinavian-influenced collections and the industry’s first all-wood office system in 1973, Knoll has balanced the natural warmth of wood with clean, modernist lines. Research confirms what designers instinctively know: wood uniquely benefits interior spaces through positive psychological and physiological responses. Understanding this, Knoll has led environmental action since 1978, implementing clean technology initiatives that earned EPA recognition. Today, every manufacturing facility holds ISO 14001 certification, while Forest Stewardship Council standards ensure that products bearing the FSC mark come from forests protecting environmental, social, and economic values.

This comprehensive approach to materials supports Florence Knoll’s vision of ‘total design’. “I designed the architectural [elements] that were needed to make the room work,” she explained. This philosophy—where furniture, materials, colours, and art are planned concurrently—continues to guide how Knoll shapes spatial experiences.

Settee by Piero Lissoni from the KN Collection.

Saarinen executive chair.

Mies Van Der Rohe’s Brno Chair.

Perhaps most significantly, Knoll designs refuse confinement to their original categories. The Saarinen Executive Chair, introduced in 1950 to transform executive seating into something “sculptural, refined and elegant,” now graces cafés, residences, and restaurants worldwide.

At a time when office furniture came in beige or grey, Knoll offered it in any coveted textile—a revolutionary choice that helped the chair transcend workplace boundaries. Lissoni’s KN Collection similarly bridges environments, bringing hospitality-inspired warmth to corporate spaces while maintaining workplace functionality. The collection’s ability to swivel, recline, and accommodate everyday movements without sacrificing aesthetics embodies Florence Knoll’s belief that furniture design creates relationships between people and architecture.

The Grasshopper Tables exemplify this versatility through elegant forms and luxurious materials, creating consistent aesthetics from waiting areas to private offices. Their slim tabletops, crafted from rare stones, add a sense of artwork to utilitarian forms—another expression of Florence’s approach to incorporating one-of-a-kind pieces into every interior.

Through systematic excellence in material selection, time-honoured craftsmanship techniques, and designs that transcend their original contexts, Knoll demonstrates how furniture becomes art when intelligence guides every decision. From the precise cuts of Italian marble to the hand-bent curves of steel wire, from sustainably sourced wood to revolutionary textiles, each material choice reflects deep understanding and respect.

This approach transforms spaces from functional to memorable. When the highest quality materials are applied, the result is unforgettable, proving that when you dress a room impeccably, people remember the experience, not just the furniture.

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[Images courtesy of Knoll.]