Sweet Stuff — The George Nelson Marshmallow Sofa just makes you smile. Its 18 atom-like cushions seemingly float above its tubular steel frame in the act of whimsy and Pop Art. Yet the piece is comfortable, durable, and - yes - practical: The cushions detach, making them easy to clean and interchange for equal wear.

The Nelson Marshmallow Sofa (1956) was inspired by inventor Irving Harper, who approached George Nelson with a proposed machine that could produce low-cost cushions. Since each cushion would have a maximum diameter of 12 inches, Nelson and Harper perched 18 of them atop a steel frame and back to see how they'd look. The machine didn't pan out, but the sofa's design was so compelling that Herman Miller produced it anyway. Available in many fabrics and leathers, this is the original Marshmallow Sofa.

• Each sofa consists of 18 round, comfortable cushions atop a steel frame.

• Designed with both residential and commercial applications in mind.

• An icon of modern design.