Nelson Platform Bench
George Nelson's slatted bench of 1947, a seat, a low table or a base for the Basic Cabinet Series.
1829 × 356 × 470 mm
Source: product page text — 72 in wide, wood base — published as W 72 × D 18.5 × H 14 in
1947
USD 2,715, 72 in wide, natural maple slats, wood base, store.hermanmiller.com, 2026-10-14
Description
Overview
The Nelson Platform Bench is a slatted solid-wood bench by George Nelson, launched by Herman Miller in 1947 and reintroduced in 1994. It serves as a bench, a low table or a foundation for the Basic Cabinet Series.
Construction
Solid-wood slats in lap joints, assembled by hand and sealed with a clear-coat finish, on an ebonized wood or trivalent chrome metal base.
Specifications
The 72-inch bench is 72 in wide, 18.5 in deep and 14 in high; 48 and 60 inch widths are also offered.
Story
From a Fortune office to the Herman Miller catalog
Herman Miller's history article tells the story that Nelson designed a lean bench for his Fortune office, and notes that whether this origin story is strictly true, the bench holds a prime position in the history of Herman Miller. Nelson's first official collection for the company premiered in 1948.
A base for cases
The 1948 catalog described the bench as primarily a high base for cases, and Nelson used it as a platform for the Basic Cabinet Series, which the article traces to his Storage Wall.
More by George Nelson
Coconut Chair
Nelson's 1955 lounge chair: a white shell cut like an eighth of a coconut, on a chrome base
Home Desk
Nelson's 1958 writing desk with a walnut-veneer surround, white top and multicoloured compartments
Nelson Bench
Nelson's 1946 slatted ash bench, from his Fortune magazine office, in two lengths and two colours
Nelson Cube Sofa
A 1968 George Nelson sofa balancing a strict wood frame with tailored cushions.