Richard Schultz 1966 Outdoor Coffee Table

Founded in 1938, Knoll uses modern design to connect people to their work, their lives, their world. Throughout its history, by embracing the creative genius at the Bauhaus School and the Cranbrook Academy of Art, Knoll has been recognized for creating residential and workplace furnishings that inspire, evolve, and endure. Today, Knoll’s commitment to modern design and dedication to sustainability have yielded a unique portfolio of products that continue to respond and adapt to changing needs.

Knoll has always remained true to the Bauhaus design philosophy that modern furniture should complement architectural space, not compete with it. At Knoll, modern design has been the guiding principle, and a passion shared by customers and design professionals worldwide. 

Richard Schultz has long been an integral part of the Knoll story,  beginning in 1951. His first assignment was to assist Harry Bertoia on the development and production of the Bertoia Wire Collection. This led to an 18-month assignment in Europe, establishing and supervising production of the Bertoia designs for Knoll subsidiaries and licensees. After returning to the U.S., he joined the Design Development Group at the Knoll factory in East Greenville, PA.

Schultz is best known for his outdoor furniture designs. His graceful Petal Table, introduced in 1960, received the design award from Industrial Design magazine. The steel wire-formed 715 Chaise Lounge, which was introduced the following year to complement the Bertoia collection, was selected in 1963 by the Museum of Modern Art for its permanent collection of contemporary furniture.

After Florence Knoll moved to a seaside home in Florida, she started sending the Knoll design team rusty pieces of furniture, asking them to develop something that could perform in the salty climate. Schultz responded with the aluminum Leisure Collection in 1966.

After leaving Knoll, Schultz continued to have a successful career designing outdoor collections for his own studio. Knoll acquired Richard Schultz Design in 2012, enabling the re-release many of Schultz’s 1966 collection and other classic Knoll designs.