George Nelson™ Marshmallow Sofa

Design George Nelson™ & Irving Harper, 1956
Metal frame, upholstery
Made by Herman Miller

“The single common element in all man-made things is that they are designed.”
-George Nelson

When the Marshmallow sofa was introduced in 1956, the Herman Miller catalog described it as “The first of a series of pieces embodying a new concept in soft seating. We feel that it has possible use not only in the home, but in contract use for lobbies in public buildings where the very fact that it is unusual will be a plus.”

The catalog also said, “Despite its astonishing appearance, this piece is very comfortable.”

Herman Miller founder D.J. DePree saw an article in a 1945 Life magazine featuring George Nelson’s Storagewall unit, which was causing a sensation in the furniture industry. He was so impressed that he paid a visit to Nelson in New York and convinced him to be his director of design, which spurred Nelson to found his design firm, George Nelson & Associates. The warm personal and professional relationship between Nelson and DePree yielded a stunning range of products, from the playful Marshmallow Sofa to the first L-shaped desk, a precursor of today’s workstation.

The playful Marshmallow sofa is a landmark of modern design that’s still turning heads and making people smile. The 18, round cushions can be all the same color or in multiple colors for the right look in a private office, lobby, lounge, living room, or den.

52″ w | 26″ d | 31″ h | seat: 16″ h