Marshmallow Sofa
Decorative Arts and Design

Marshmallow Sofa
Artwork Details
Artist/Maker
George Nelson (American, 1908-1986), designer
Herman Miller, Inc. (American, established 1923), manufacturer
Herman Miller, Inc. (American, established 1923), manufacturer
Date
1956
Medium
Chrome frame and fabric
Accession #
1990.54
Dimensions
31 x 51 1/2 x 31 inches
Location
On View - Wieland Pavilion, Skyway, Gallery 419
Description
This sofa is one of manufacturer Herman Miller’s most famous pieces. Iconic designer George Nelson and Irving Harper, a young designer working in Nelson’s firm, were approached by an inventor with a durable and inexpensively produced plastic disc cushion. The designers arranged eighteen discs on a steel frame, and the Marshmallow sofa was born. The inventor’s cushions turned out to be impractical, but Nelson and Harper were intrigued by the design and Herman Miller decided to manufacture the sofa in 1956, describing it in the catalogue: “Despite its astonishing appearance, this piece is very comfortable.” Only a few hundred were made before it was discontinued in 1965.