New Collection Features Functional, Beautiful Designs for a more Accessible Home

Pottery Barn, a portfolio brand of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE: WSM), the world’s largest digital-first, design-led and sustainable home retailer, announced today the launch of an accessible home furnishings collection developed in collaboration with Michael Graves Design. Renowned as industry leading experts in accessible design, Michael Graves Design collaborated with Pottery Barn to research, test, design and develop a collection of bedroom furnishings and upholstery designs intended to make life at home safer and more accessible.

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The Michael Graves Design x Pottery Barn Collection (Photo: Pottery Barn)

The functional design elements of the ‘Michael Graves Design for Pottery Barn’ collection leverage ethnographic research conducted by Michael Graves Design across several communities including adults aging in place and individuals with disabilities.

With the primary research driving the development of the initial furniture designs, the Michael Graves Design team developed prototypes that were used to engage a diverse pool of potential users for “Consumer Preference Testing” which allows participants to touch, feel and interact with the designs. The valuable research and insights collected from the consumer testing influenced accessible updates to some of Pottery Barn’s best-selling collections, as well as the development of new designs.

“Bringing together Pottery Barn’s design leadership for beautiful, quality home furnishings, with Michael Graves Design’s award-winning accessible design knowledge has enabled us to create a collection that harmoniously blends aesthetic appeal and functionality,” said Pottery Barn President, Monica Bhargava. “Collaborating with Michael Graves Design has deepened our commitment to accessible designs with the goal of enhancing the lives of consumers living with disabilities, injuries or aging in place at home without sacrificing quality or style.”

Donald Strum, President of Michael Graves Design who has been with the company since 1983, states, "Design has the power to enrich all of our lives. This pioneering collaboration with Pottery Barn allows us to make beautiful and purposeful furniture available to everyone.” Rob Van Varick, Chief Design Officer of Michael Graves Design who has been with the company since 2003, adds “Together with Pottery Barn, we are setting new consumer expectations with products that seamlessly blend safety with style, proving to the world that accessible design makes great business sense by broadening the total addressable market."

The Michael Graves Design for Pottery Barn collaboration is designed to serve a variety of communities, from those aging in place, to individuals with permanent, situational, or temporary disabilities, to those who are planning for the future without compromise, and those who want their homes to be welcoming to everybody, all without sacrificing beautiful design. The Michael Graves Design for Pottery Barn collection features upholstered armchairs as well as furnishings from Pottery Barn’s best-selling bedroom collections; Sausalito, Cayman and Farmhouse.

Each product features unique, functional enhancements. Items from the new collection include:

Bed Frames by Michael Graves Design

• Integrated armrests and pull & roll side grips support sitting, standing and repositioning in bed
• A built-in bench provides a stable spot for dressing as well as extra storage to keep things clutter free

Nightstands by Michael Graves Design

• Raised edges prevent items from rolling off
• Integrated power strip inside drawer eliminates the need for bending over to reach outlets
• Built-in wire management and tube access provides easier, clutter free access to charge electronics or use a CPAP machine
• Large drawer storage accommodates items such as a CPAP machine for enhanced discretion
• Easy to use larger pulls for one handed drawer opening

Dressers by Michael Graves Design

• Front, side, and back grab rails keep items from rolling off, minimizing bending over, which reduces risk of falling
• Front and side grab rails also provide safety grip and support to facilitate “furniture surfing”
• Per the ADA, 9” ground clearance allows wheelchair users better clearance for their feet. Clearance also provides space for bin storage
• Easy to use larger pulls for one handed drawer opening

Dresser Seats by Michael Graves Design

• Coordinated bench for dresser provides convenient seating for dressing
• Integrated storage enhances functional appeal
• Also great on its own in entryways for safely and comfortably putting on and taking off shoes

Yardley & Bradford Armchair by Michael Graves Design

• Optimized foam density, seat height, seat depth, armrest height and extension touchpoints enable a more supported position to get in and out of chair
• Attachable foot risers to choose the height that is right for you (*Bradford chair only)
• Rear grab rail provides a safe grip for balance (*Bradford chair only)

The Michael Graves Design for Pottery Barn inaugural collection is now available for purchase on PotteryBarn.com/MichaelGravesDesign and in select stores in the coming weeks.

ABOUT POTTERY BARN

Pottery Barn, a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE: WSM) portfolio of brands, is a premier specialty retailer for casual, comfortable and stylish home furnishings. The brand is dedicated to beautiful ideas for real life, quality products that are crafted to last, sustainability and service. Key product categories include furniture, bedding, bath, rugs, window treatments, tabletop, lighting and decorative accessories. Nearly all Pottery Barn products are designed in-house and are exclusive to its catalogs, stores and website. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

ABOUT MICHAEL GRAVES DESIGN

Michael Graves Design, known as the Most Accessible Design Brand, creates moments of joy with products that are visually appealing, full of character and purpose, and that enhance people’s lives. Michael Graves Design transformed retailing by establishing the Design for All strategy, credited with raising America’s expectation for good design. Today, Michael Graves Design is focused on enhancing all people’s lives, regardless of age or physical ability, by designing products that are visually beautiful and physically accessible. We call it Delight for All. Employing the power of design, Fast Company has named Michael Graves Design one of “The world’s top 10 most innovative companies.” For more information, visit MichaelGravesDesign.com.

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