Pair of Florence Knoll Model 31 armchairs, Kvadrat fabric

Pair of modernist armchairs “Model 31”, designed in 1954 by Florence Knoll for Knoll International.

• Fully restored in our workshop, with new upholstery in Kvadrat Sisu fabric.
• H 73 × W 63 × D 66 cm.
• Seat height: 43 cm.

Florence Knoll, Model 31, American modernist design

Pair of “Model 31” slipper chairs designed in 1954 by Florence Knoll for Knoll International. This early edition, manufactured in Belgium under Knoll license towards the end of the 1950s, fully belongs to the modernist furniture developed by the American house during the post-war period.

The vintage armchair Model 31 is recognizable by its low seat, its clean upholstered volumes, and its almost entirely concealed tubular steel structure. Despite a generous seat, the armchair maintains a small visual footprint: it appears light, almost airy, and recaptures that sense of freedom and carefree spirit often associated with 1950s furniture.

The frames have been lightly sanded and repainted. The seats and backs received new foam inserts before being entirely re-upholstered in our workshop with a Kvadrat Sisu fabric. This textured solid with a subtle weave dares a sunny color here, nuanced enough to provide presence without becoming overwhelming or risking becoming tiresome.

In the Footsteps of Don Draper

Light and easy to handle, these armchairs can remain permanently in a living room or quickly become extra seating for last-minute guests. Their compact format allows them to be moved effortlessly and used independently as needed.

Photographs © vintage-addict.com

In an office, their international modernist lines from the 1950s immediately establish a more Mad Men atmosphere, in the footsteps of Don Draper: a silent but explicit calling card, a subtle and effective way to let the furniture suggest seriousness and taste, without having to display them. But their use obviously doesn’t stop at the living room or office: in a lobby, a guest room, or a boutique, they offer comfortable seating for visitors or clients to wait without visually occupying the entire space.

Florence Knoll and 1950s American Furniture

Florence Knoll played a central role in the evolution of American furniture in the 1950s and 1960s. Trained at the Cranbrook Academy of Art and under Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, she developed a global concept of interior design at Knoll, bringing together furniture, textiles, and space organization.

The Model 31 particularly illustrates this approach: no heaviness, few effects, but carefully studied proportions, real comfort, and an immediately identifiable silhouette. More than seventy years after its creation, it remains easy to integrate into a contemporary interior precisely because it does not seek to impose a complete decor around it.