SAM MALOOF

SAM MALOOF

 
 
 

 
 

This month’s designer hails from our very own state of California. Meet the man behind some of the most defining wood craftsmanship of the mid-century.

Sam Maloof (1916-2009)
United States
Designer, Craftsman

 
Black and white portrait of Sam Maloof wearing thick framed eyeglasses, He is gazing off-camera with his hand placed on his opposite shoulder.
 
 

Sam Maloof was born in Chino, California with a natural talent for woodworking.

Following his service in the army during World War II, Maloof earned a position at a local college art department, where he began designing and crafting furniture. When his creations appeared in Better Homes & Gardens magazine and the LA Times, the custom orders came flooding in and never stopped.

Of the designs he created during this time, Maloof was best known for his rocking chairs, some of which even appeared in the White House for use by Presidents Reagan and Carter.

 
 
 
Maloof's walnut rocking chair against a white background.

Walnut rocking chair, 1977 (source)

 
 

Though his work continued to develop throughout the Crafts movement, you can see an undeniable modern influence on his style — the simplicity of form, the focus on function, and the way he brought out the beauty of natural materials.

 
Maloof's rosewood rocking chair against a white background.

Rosewood Rocking Chair, 1963 (source)

 
 

In 1953, Maloof began building and furnishing his own home with his wife, Alfreda. In 2000, a freeway extension project (the 210) required he move their Alta Loma home, which was later recognized as a historic property.

 
Maloof's wooden music stand and chair against a gray backdrop

Music Stand and Chair from the Maloof House, 1969 and 1972 (source)

 
 

He relocated to the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, where anyone can tour the 22-room estate today, complete with his own handcrafted spiral staircase.

MORE MODERN DESIGNS BY SAM MALOOF

 
Maloof's loveseat in maple facing a white wall

Loveseat in Maple, 1992 (source)

 
 
Maloof's dark leather lounge chair and ottoman in front of a white wall with artwork hung

Leather Lounge Chair and Ottoman, 1960s (source)

 
Pair of Maloof's "hornback" chairs in walnut with a deep green seat cushion

Hornback Chairs in Walnut, 1960s (source)

 
 
Maloof's ash coffee table with a black teapot with bamboo handle and two black teacups on saucers on top of the table.

Coffee table in Ash, 1954 (source)

 
 
Maloof's "free standing crade" in walnut against a white backdrop with a slight drop shadow

Free Standing Cradle in Walnut, 1977 (source)

 
 
 
Previous
Previous

TEXTILE PRODUCTION

Next
Next

SUSTAINABILITY SERIES / INTRODUCTION