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It seems simple—the idea that a contemporary speaker is one you’d prefer not to hide in the corner. Vintage styles were designed to be a part of the furniture scheme, after all, and didn’t always sport huge logos splashed across the front. Knit, a new sound company, is out to change the conversation, combining suave design moves with the sound quality we expect today in its first speaker, the Form Soundbar.
Knit Form Soundbar
“Whether you want your speaker to blend seamlessly into a room or stand out as a design element, we wanted to give people that freedom,” says founder Joel Sietsema, a 20-year vet of the audio industry.
Form is packed with features like Dolby Atmos, built-in subwoofers, and Bluetooth that are fully wrapped up in a sculptural, bolster pillow–like silhouette. Minimal controls, discreet lighting, and five versatile colors, from neutral Sandstone to statement Ember, are considered details that won’t go out of style. Inclusive touches for aging like voice command and Auracast that allows listening via hearing aids, weren’t forgotten either. And the logo? You only see it on the end caps.
The performance fabric exterior was one of the most challenging details to perfect, but Sietsema says it was essential to the final product.
“We knew we wanted to move away from the hard, industrial materials traditionally associated with speakers and introduce something softer and more tactile,” he says. “But the fabric couldn’t just look beautiful; it also needed to perform acoustically, it had to hold deep, rich color, and it had to be durable.” The brand tapped a fourth-generation European textile mill to create exactly what they wanted.
Designer Nate Berkus, an advisor to Knit, saw from the start how the new company would add to interiors projects. “I’ve spent years finding creative ways to hide speakers or work around them, which has always seemed like a missed opportunity to me,” he says. “What immediately drew me to Knit was the idea that technology could be something you actually want to look at.”
Where does Berkus envision the Knit Form in someone’s home? “I love the idea of it sitting on a vintage credenza under your television, surrounded by books, a favorite photograph, or objects you’ve collected over the years.” Put in the corner no more.
