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Marshmallow Sofa, 1956

Designed by George Nelson.

Product Story

This is a sofa to brighten a room, to be happy and relax on. When you see its 18 “marshmallow” cushions (each 254-mm across), you just can’t help but smile. It’s been that way since it began turning heads in 1956, when it was described in our catalogue: “Despite its astonishing appearance, this piece is very comfortable.”

Drama and Utility

The Nelson Marshmallow Sofa can make a playful or dramatic statement in a hallway, lounge or living room. Its whimsical design includes 18 round, comfortable cushions that seem to float on the brushed tubular steel frame.

Choose from a wide variety of fabrics and leathers to create the look that you want. Dramatic black leather. Playful orange or bright red fabric. The cushions detach for easy cleaning or, as the original catalogue says, “interchange to equalise wear”. You can also change the cushions to create a new look.

The brushed, tubular, steel frame with satin black legs provides a strong, durable base, making the sofa suitable for high-traffic areas.

 

Design Story

George Nelson and Irving Harper, a young designer working in Nelson’s design firm, were approached by an inventor who had created an injection plastic disc that he insisted could be produced inexpensively and would be durable. The designers took a look and arranged 18 of them on a steel frame – the origin of the Nelson Marshmallow Sofa.

The inventor’s cushions turned out to be impractical, but Nelson and Harper were intrigued by the design they had created so casually, and Herman Miller decided to manufacture the sofa.

By joining separate elements and making them appear to float on air, Nelson and Harper achieved this sofa’s unique appearance and eye-catching appeal, which led the way into the pop art style of the 1960s.

And by the way, that young designer, Irving Harper, also designed the famous Herman Miller company logo.

https://www.hermanmiller.com/global/en_apc/products/seating/lounge-seating/nelson-marshmallow-sofa.html

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