Design Icon: George Nakashima
A skilled and spiritual craftsman, George Nakashima crafted wood furniture that elevated and showcased natural forms.
Working with a reverence for his material that bordered on spiritual, woodworker and designer George Nakashima (1915-1990) created one of the more influential legacies in furniture in the 20th century. Cutting wood was like cutting diamonds, he once said, a philosophy reflected in his body of work, filled with intricate pieces that preserved and magnified the beauty of every knot and grain. He would often keep boards around his workshop in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, for years before they would reveal themselves to him.
George Nakashima in his workshop.
Nakashima studied architecture at École Américaine des Beaux Arts and M.I.T. and began working in the ‘30s, at one point journeying to India to design an ashram. His work earned him the fitting Sanskrit name, Sundarananda ("one who delights in beauty"). He returned from overseas to set up shop in Seattle in the early ‘40s before, like other Japanese-Americans during WWII, he was interned by the government. While at Camp Minidoka in Idaho, Nakashima met a fellow internee who was a master Japanese craftsman, who taught him traditional practices and philosophies that informed his future work. His career blossomed after the war, when he began creating pieces for companies like Knoll and Widdicomb-Mueller, as well as his own custom work, such as a 200-piece collection for Nelson Rockefeller’s mansion. His reverence for nature and inner beauty was reflected in one of his last projects, a massive peace altar installed in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City. His designs are still being made by his daughter and the staff at George Nakashima Woodworker.
Splay-Leg Table
Impressed by the simple elegance and understated forms of his work, Hans and Florence Knoll added Nakashima’s work to their roster. This table was designed in 1946 with a low-sheen finish and live grain patterns.
Photo Courtesy of George Nakashima Woodworker, S.A.
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Straight Chair
Another original Knoll design from 1946, the Straight Chair is Nakashima’s spin on the standard Windsor, incorporating traditional techniques, Nakashima sometimes called himself a "Japanese Shaker," in reference to his fusion of classic, Modernist, and Shaker styles.
Photo Courtesy of George Nakashima Woodworker, S.A.
Conoid Bench
An intricate example of Nakashima placing minimal adornments on the wood, merely capturing it, preserving it and giving it a second life.
Photo Courtesy of George Nakashima Woodworker, S.A.
Mira Chair
These three-legged chairs were designed in 1950 for George’s daughter, Mira, who now runs George Nakashima Woodworker, the company that carries on the Nakashima legacy.
Photo Courtesy of George Nakashima Woodworker, S.A.
Conoid Table
Pieces from this series, named after Nakashima’s Conoid workshop, which he opened in 1957, focus on free-edge forms, respecting and conforming to the natural shape of the wood, and often employ cantilever technology.
Photo Courtesy of George Nakashima Woodworker, S.A.
George Nakashima with his daughter Mira in his workshop.
Slab Coffee Table
An example of one of Nakashima’s most iconic designs, this large piece was crafted from walnut.
Photo Courtesy of George Nakashima Woodworker, S.A.
Asa-No-Ha Lamp
These intricately patterned lamps were created to illuminate his work at a show overseas. Some of these reside in the Rockefeller’s mansion.
Photo Courtesy of George Nakashima Woodworker, S.A.
Chigaidana Shelf
Initially built for Widdicomb-Mueller in the ‘60s, these Mondrian-like forms draw inspiration from Japanese architecture.
Photo Courtesy of George Nakashima Woodworker, S.A.
Shop George Nakashima's Designs
Knoll Nakashima Tray
George Nakashima is best known for his unique pieces of furniture, which are prized for their respect for the natural forms of the tree and the inherent grain of the wood. The Tray was designed in 2008 under the guidance of George Nakashima’s daughter, Mira. It is standard constructed of solid Douglas Fir that is quarter-cut and finished in a clear low-sheen finish. The edge details are available in solid Brazilian Santos or solid Wenge. Feature the designer's signature and KnollStudio logo on the underside. Photo Courtesy of Knoll
ShopKnoll Nakashima Straight-Back Chair
Geroge Nakashima was an MIT-trained architect who described himself as a “Japanese Shaker” – an expression of his interest in creating unadorned, functional objects. He also believed in pursuing a revival of lost crafts and practices, like traditional Japanese joinery and the use of natural materials. Nakashima was able to maintain the sculptural lines and fine craftsmanship of his Straight-Backed Chair (1946) even at the mass production level. Manufactured by Knoll. Made in U.S.A.
ShopKnoll Splay-Leg Table
George Nakashima regarded cabinetry and woodwork as a noble art form – a view evidenced in the pieces he designed for Knoll. His Splay-Leg Coffee Table (1946) exhibits his gifted sense of grain, texture and balance. The veneered walnut or hickory top has a reverse slip-matched cathedral grain, which allows the table to be placed facing either way. Mortise and tenon joints and brass hardware secure the top to the angled solid walnut legs, creating a simple, heirloom-quality modern classic. Nakashima referred to himself as a “Japanese shaker,” expressing the belief that his designs should be treated as everyday functional objects, not precious possessions. The Shaker influence can be noted in his extraordinary skill at crafting wood, a material he approached with great reverence, saying, “A tree is our most intimate contact with nature.” A signature plate on the underside of the table attests to its authenticity. Manufactured by Knoll. Photo Courtesy of Knoll
ShopRelated Reading: A Serene Nakashima Bathroom Survives
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