Room by Room – the Florence Knoll Settee

This week, Room by Room with FormFire Glassworks looks at another piece that is equally at home in the living room, the office or a hotel setting, the Florence Knoll Lounge series.

Designed in 1954 by Florence Knoll for Knoll, these sofas, chairs, settees and benches were considered basics – the little black dress of the furniture world. They were created to complement the striking designs of those like Saarinen and Bertoia, keeping in the same modern, simple language but taking a back seat with their unobtrusive styling. With a frame available in a polished or satin chrome finish, and a wide variety of leather and fabric upholstery, this straighforward piece is sure to round out any seating arrangement.

There is a simple elegance to this design that inspired my accessory choices for today. The psuedo-chandelier hanging lamp created from plastic balls gives off points of light around the room. A hand-screen-printed votive and a metal and glass vase sit atop a concrete side table that is a solid-looking foil for the lightness of the settees metal frame. Bringing in a pop of color is a set of circular paintings arranged on the wall above.

Next week I will choose a new iconic piece and give you my picks for accessorizing your modern home.