Brand Spotlight: Miller Knoll
Today’s spotlight will be on the brand — Miller Knoll.
You may not know them by that name but I bet you’ve heard about Herman Miller. Miller Knoll Inc happens to be an American company that’s in the line of producing equipment, home furnishing and office furniture.
The company was founded in 1905 and was initially called The Star Furniture Co. They were known for producing furniture, especially bedroom suites in historical styles. It was renamed the Michigan Start Furniture Co in 1919 under then-president, Dirk Jan De Pree.
In 1993, Dirk Jan De Pree and his father-in-law, Herman Miller purchases 51% of the company stock and renamed it the Herman Miller Furniture Company.
Miller Knoll is a collection of dynamic brands that come together to design the world we live in. They are guided by curiosity as they’ve never been afraid to do things differently. The company is also united by a belief that design can change the world for the better and they always anticipate and shape what’s to come in ways large and small.
The Miller Knoll collection includes the following distinctive brands:
1. Herman Miller
Herman Miller makes problem-solving designs that are as beautiful as they are helpful. In as much as Herman Miller has added classic pieces and new designs for the home, the brand is a recognised innovator in contemporary furnishings, healthcare solutions, work chairs, technologies and services.
Herman Miller has set the bar for original design, craft and innovative materials.
2. Edelman Leather
For a long time, Edelman has championed a hands-on approach to natural materials and in doing so, celebrating the spirit of leather. This has been the company’s mission since Arthur and Teddy Edelman launched their leather careers in the 1950s — first in fashion and then diversifying into interiors.
The company also selects carefully-sourced hides and partners with generations-old European tanneries that combine craft traditions with modern technology. Some of Edelman's leather products include rug collections, leather tiles, floors and walls.
3. Datesweiser
It was started by James Dates and Allen Weister in 1982. The prototypes were made in the garage with a shared ambition to create the finest custom furniture.
They are guided by collaboration and innovation as every of their product/piece is impeccably crafted and at the same time, they incorporate technology in discreet, clever ways that never distract from the elegance or power of the design.
4. Muuto
This brand is rooted in the Scandinavian design tradition which is characterised by enduring aesthetics, functionality, craftsmanship and honest expression.
The brand name comes from muutos which means new perspective in Finnish. Muuto expands its mission/heritage by making use of forward-thinking materials, techniques and bold thinking to deliver new perspectives on Scandinavian design.
5. Colebrook Bosson Saunders
Founded by Martyn Colebrook, Peter Bosson and Brenda Saunders; the brand is a blend of architecture, product design and furniture design that has created unique solutions that facilitate interactions between tech and furniture in the workplace.
6. FilzFelt
The brand was founded in 2018 by Traci Roloff and Kelly Smith — two designers. Kelly discovered German felt and began making laptop bags for coworkers and design-savvy friends and at the same time working as an intern architect.
FilzFelt is the combination of the German word for felt — Filz, with the English word. All product line includes German-milled 100% wool design felt in over 90 colours and 4 thicknesses. FilzFelt majorly deals with wool which is a natural fibre that’s harvested from sheep. The brand’s felt is manufactured from Merino wool which is sourced primarily from South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
7. Spinneybeck
This company began as a small Canadian company founded by Charlie Manchee in 1962. Spinneybeck has introduced more than 1000 colourways in over 30 families of leather upholstery as well as architectural products and this has made the company become an industry hallmark.
Spinneybeck is gotten from the name Spinney which represents the ingredients for ancient leather making. Spinney is also a Middle English word for thicket or wood and it represents tannin; the ancient ingredient derived from wood bark which is still used in leather making.
Beck, on the other hand, is a word for swift-moving stream or brook that represents the water component of leather making. Spinneybeck is also recognised as a leading provider of high-quality leather to architects and interior designers.
Over decades, Spinneybeck has evolved from a supplier of full grain, aniline-dyed Italian leather for upholstery and aircraft interiors to a manufacturer of pioneering, leather architectural products. As a result, Spinneybeck’s work with industry design leaders in interior design, sculpture, textiles and architecture has generated sculpted wall systems, inventive leathers, patterned wall tiles, colourwork and drawer pulls.
They have also been consistent with holding the same high standards for quality, customer service, originative products and environmental practices.
8. Geiger
This furniture brand was established in 1964 by the founder and master cabinet maker, John Geiger. Craft being rooted in commitments to integrity, quality and reliability is the company’s focus. Geiger was formerly known as Interiors International Ltd and was originally based in Toronto, Ontario.
Geiger (and Dates Weiser) have a simple but powerful formula: Give people meaningful work, empower them with the tools they need to excel and watch them achieve more than they ever thought was possible.
9. Maars Living Walls
Founded in 1946, Maars is the world market leader in the field of partition walls. The company was founded in a quaint canal-side house in Amsterdam, soon after the Second World War.
It began as a fluorescent lighting company by Mr L. Maars in 1946 and then expanded (in the 1960s) with style line partition walls and climate control systems, ceilings and walls. They later moved to spacious premises on the Deventerweg in Harderwijk and manufactured the first revolutionary styeline partition wall system.
10. Holly Hunt
Founded by Holly Hunt, the eponymous brand is a combination of architecture and furnishing in composed rooms and spaces. The company has been the defining voice in modern luxury interiors; they offer exquisite furnishings, an unparalleled showroom experience and an unwavering service to the professional residential and commercial design community.
They’ve been faithful to the founder’s vision and intent — to never stop seeking inspiration, exploring new directions and pushing the very boundaries of design.
11. Maharam
Founded by Louis Maharam in 1902 and throughout the generations, Maharam has evolved from a source of theatrical textiles for costume and set design in 1940 to a pioneer of performance-driven textiles for commercial interiors in the 60s.
The brand embraces a range of disciplines from product, art, architecture and digital design. With a balance of appreciation of history with innovative interdisciplinary exploration, the studio focuses on 4 main themes — utility, luxury, technology and tradition.
12. NaughtOne
This British furniture company design and manufacture furniture for modern spaces. Founded in 2005, their business ethos — to design beautifully simple pieces, designed to withstand time, wear and trends — was and remains the same.
They have showrooms in Chicago and London and they’ve been part of the Miller Knoll collection of brands since 2019.
13. HAY
All of their projects, products and works are drawn from 3 sources of inspiration — fashion, architecture and art. Founded by Rolf and Mette Hay, they also act as the company’s creative directors and are committed to working with their generation’s best designers worldwide.
HAY’s products always offer a fresh take on the ordinary objects that are part of our everyday.
