This month we're looking at classics of design and the Eames Lounge Chair definitely belongs. We see this modern classic, whether authentic or one of the many replicas, in a lot of our house tours. To help you get in on the action, we've rounded up a number of resources for this iconic chair — new, used and even the reproductions. NEW• Hive Chair and Ottoman starting at $4,499• Design Within Reach Chair and Ottoman starting at $4,499• Smart Furniture Chair and Ottoman starting at $4,499 (noticing a trend here?)• MoMa Your one chance to get this classic chair at a discounted price. Members can pick up the chair and ottoman for $3,599.20. USED• Etsy Etsy has become a great marketplace for vintage furniture. We found a chair and ottoman in Washington State for $2,975.• Craigslist A quick search turned up an authentic chair in Los Angeles for $1,900 and a vintage reproduction in Minneapolis for $750.• Apartment Therapy Classifieds One man's classic is another man's been-there-done-that.
We found a chair near DC for $2,250 and one in Chicago for $800. REPRODUCTION• Amazon Kardiel Eames Style Plywood Lounge Chair & Ottoman $1,199• Coolchairz Classic Mid-Century Modern Black Leather Lounge Chair and Ottoman $899• Rove Concepts Eames Inspired Lounge Chair & Ottoman $1,195 MORE EAMES ON APARTMENT THERAPY• Modern Classics: Eames Lounge & Ottoman• 7 Homes with Eames Chairs• Before & After: An Eames Lounge Knockoff, Transformed• A "Don't Miss" Video: Ice Cube on the Eames in LA (Image: Guy & Jennifer's Contemporary California Modern Home)The best vintage furniture stores in Toronto are a portal to the past, hand-picking iconic finds from last century for the modern home (specifically, yours). Toronto's appetite for '60s Scandinavian design remains particularly strong - but if you don't dig Danish teak, no problem. The perfect piece for your cheery '50s kitchen or lounge-lizard living room is out there - provided you're ready to do a little digging.
Here are the best vintage furniture stores in Toronto. The Best Furniture Stores in Toronto The Best Salvage and Reclaimed Furniture Stores in Toronto The Best Antique Stores in Toronto Queen West Antique Centre On Queen, just east of Roncy, you'll find a treasure trove of carefully-picked, immaculately-kept vintage furniture and curiosities (like sets of antlers and wacky old educational charts). You'll pay a little more - but with that much quality in one spot, ponying up is pretty much irresistible. A Leslieville favourite for years, GUFF is gearing up to move to a new spot down the street with four times the space - ready to fill with Danish midcentury modern finds at shockingly reasonable prices. (Stuff tends to fly out the door here pretty quickly.) What The Vintage is the personal furniture stockpile of friendly vintage aficionado John Baltazar, who carefully refinishes Danish teak credenzas and sofas before sending them out the door of his Scarborough shop.
(He'll also deliver anywhere in the GTA.) This Queen West favourite starts as a dizzying whirlwind of new design accessories and reproduction furniture (Panton, Ghost or Navy chairs - pick your knockoff poison). Head to the back of the shop for scads of Scandinavian classics, including tables, chairs, desks and knick-knacks. Where Morba specializes in remade versions of design classics, Leslieville's Machine Age Modern will sell you the real thing - recent offerings include Alvar Aaalto tables and gorgeously-reupholstered Parker Knoll chairs. Their tastes run toward the sleek and clean-lined; as a bonus, you can bank on great customer service. Leslieville's Zig Zag focuses on the creme de la creme of vintage furniture, including pieces by Charles Eames and Hans Wegner (and others that, as they put it, "match the fine lines" of the aforementioned). They also specialize in Jetsons-inspired electronics (sphere-shaped radios abound), as well as other plastic and lucite pieces.
Almost immediately, the design became an icon of American design. Today, these pieces not only live in museums, but continue to offer comfort and style to interiors everywhere. A universally recognized form, the set is available in a variety of veneers, multiple leather options, and two sizes. Whatever selection you make, you can be assured of the quality and authenticity of this design. Own a True Icon of Modern DesignWhen the set was introduced in 1956, there was nothing like it, and there is still nothing to equal it. The Eameses’ modern take on a 19th century club chair has not only endured for more than 50 years, it has become one of the most significant furniture designs of the 20th century—instantly recognizable and enduringly fresh. Like all classics, the chair and ottoman get better with age, in part because of how they are made. From the innovative hardware that fastens the cushions to the shells without marring the appearance of the wood to the fact that each piece continues to be assembled by hand, the combination of craft and manufacturing consistency results in pieces that are genuinely authentic.
Expansive OptionsThe Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman has become so recognizable that its configuration is a registered trademark. That form and the materials used to create it are an integral part of the experience the set delivers. Today, the chair and ottoman are available in a variety of veneers, multiple leather options, and two sizes. The same high level of quality and workmanship is guaranteed, regardless of the selection you make. Choose contract-grade or our MCL Leather, which possesses a striking balance among softness, durability, and color-fastness. MCL Leather is a premium, semi-aniline, dyed leather with 100 percent natural full grain. Color variations and surface marks are an inherent characteristic of this material, which will acquire wrinkles and creases and develop a rich patina over time. An oiled finish is available for walnut and santos palisander veneers. It closely matches the look and feel of the finish used on the original rosewood chair, and will need to be maintained with periodic hand oiling.
You can also choose the standard, high-performance lacquered plywood shell in all four wood veneers. The lacquered finish requires nothing more than dusting. To provide additional choices for complementing a range of interiors, the chair and ottoman are offered in all-black and all-white versions. The all-black version features an ebony veneer shell and black MCL Leather. For the all-white version, a white ash shell complements pearl MCL Leather. The metal components of the white ash chair are finished in white to highlight the polished aluminum accents on the base. Luxurious Comfort and SupportThe comfort and support built into the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman help explain their enduring popularity. A dynamic blend of hand-craftsmanship and mass production techniques makes this possible. The cushions will not flatten or clump over time. As Charles Eames described them, "The leather cushions do have built-in wrinkles to start with, but that is a clue that spells comfort to come, like the warm, receptive look of a well-used first baseman's mitt."
Each hide used for the cushions possesses variations that are a natural occurrence in leather, and each will age to reveal its own unique personality. The seat is permanently tilted to take the weight off your lower spine and distribute it properly to the back of the chair. The lower cushion piece supports your lower back, so you feel relaxed. The angle supports your chest so that you can be comfortable as you read, watch a movie, or have a conversation. The ottoman also provides a health benefit. Most of us sit or stand all day, so blood collects in the lower extremities. Resting your feet on the ottoman helps restore normal blood circulation. Like all classics, the chair and ottoman get better with age. Both are hand-assembled with great attention paid to the details. Shells are 7-ply veneers. Cushions are individually upholstered and replaceable. The back braces and bases—of both the chair and ottoman—are die-cast aluminum. The chair base has a built-in swivel mechanism.