The timeless furniture design of Gilbert Rohde dates back to 1930 when he first stepped into Herman Miller’s shop with Bauhaus-inspired visions of human-centred furniture. Today, the everlasting designs of the Rohde Easy Chair and Paladao Table remind us that simplicity in function is a value that never dies.

As the company’s first design director in 1932, Rohde drew inspiration from European trends he witnessed on his travels in France and Germany. Tired of the reproductions of historical furniture pieces that were flooding the American market at the time, Rohde — ever the advocate for new design practices — wanted to design furniture that coupled modernity with flexibility and could be enjoyed by all, not just the wealthy.

“The most interesting part of the home is the people who live there,” Rohde told then owner of the Michigan Star Furniture Company (which would later become Henry Miller), DJ De Pree. “I’m designing for them.”

Rohde’s designs placed a lens on functionality, serving the purpose of solving problems that no furniture manufacturer had ever considered at the time, focusing not only on product design but also on manufacturing processes.

Rohde Easy Chair

One example of Rohde’s use of form, materials and design acumen was the Rohde Easy Chair which was first introduced in the late 1930s as an alternative to rectilinear chair designs of the time. With an expertly upholstered curved shape covered with tufts running across the entire seat and back in a diamond pattern, the easy chair challenged the straight lines, right angles and square shapes that pervaded the industry. 

Rohde’s ‘thinking outside the square’ stemmed from his ability to perceive societal changes and propose designs that would anticipate future needs through visionary design, creative materials and uncommon forms. 

As the company’s design director, Rohde said, “We’re not just making furniture anymore. We’re making a way of living — a lifestyle.”

Now, for the first time in more than 80 years, the Rohde Easy Chair is being reintroduced with the addition of leather and a selection of plush textiles that capture the original spirit of Rohde’s vision.

Paldao table

Spreading his modernist vision across the entire Heman Miller showroom, Rohde — influenced by the organic shapes of the abstract art movement — shapeshifted the traditional side and coffee tables of the era into freeform curved shapes that were revolutionary for the time.

The Paldao table’s serpentine, natural form elevated Herman Miller’s design ethos by prioritising superb craftsmanship and the rich beauty of burlwood, instilling simplicity and honesty into functionality. Rooted in human-centric principles, Rohde’s designs remain as pertinent today as they were 80 years ago and have set a new standard for human-centred design that is evident in modern furniture today.

Read about more inspiring furniture designs on the ADR website.