Charles Eames and Ray Eames were the embodiment of the inventiveness, energy and optimism at the heart of mid-century modern American design, and have been recognized as the most influential designers of the 20th century. As furniture designers, filmmakers, artists, textile and graphic designers and even toy and puzzle makers, the Eameses were a visionary and effective force for the notion that design should be an agent of positive change. They are the happy, ever-curious, ever-adventurous faces of modernism. Charles studied architecture and industrial design. Ray (née Beatrice Alexandra Kaiser) was an artist, who studied under the abstract expressionist Hans Hofmann. They met in 1940 at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in suburban Detroit (where Charles also met his frequent collaborator Eero Saarinen and the artist and designer Harry Bertoia) and married the next year. His technical skills and her artistic flair were wonderfully complementary. They moved to Los Angeles in 1941, where Charles worked on set design for MGM.
In the evenings at their apartment, they experimented with molded plywood using a handmade heat-and-pressurization device they called the “Kazam!” machine. The next year, they won a contract from the U.S. Navy for lightweight plywood leg splints for wounded servicemen — they are coveted collectibles today; more so those that Ray used to make sculptures. The Navy contract allowed Charles to open a professional studio, and the attention-grabbing plywood furniture the firm produced prompted George Nelson, the director of design of the furniture-maker Herman Miller Inc., to enlist Charles and (by association, if not by contract) Ray in 1946. Some of the first Eames items to emerge from Herman Miller are now classics: the “LCW,” or Lounge Chair Wood, and the “DCM,” or Dining Chair Metal, supported by tubular steel. The Eameses eagerly embraced new technology and materials, and one of their peculiar talents was to imbue their supremely modern design with references to folk traditions.
Their “Wire Chair” group of the 1950s, for example, was inspired by basket weaving techniques. The populist notion of “good design for all” drove their “Molded Fiberglass” chair series that same decade, and also produced the organic-form, ever-delightful “La Chaise.” In 1956 the “Lounge Chair” and ottoman appeared — the supremely comfortable plywood-base-and-leather-upholstery creation that will likely live in homes as long as there are people with good taste and sense. Charles Eames once said, “The role of the designer is that of a very good, thoughtful host anticipating the needs of his guests.” For very good collectors and thoughtful interior designers, a piece of design by the Eameses, the closer produced to original conception the better, is almost de rigueur — for its beauty and comfort, and not least as a tribute to the creative legacy and enduring influence of Charles and Ray Eames.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) Own a True Icon of Modern Design Luxurious Comfort and Support The Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman have their origin in Charles and Ray’s investigations into moulding plywood and a desire to improve upon a familiar fixture in many living rooms: the lounge chair. Citing the English club chair as inspiration, Charles said he sought to design a modern version of that chair, one that had “the warm receptive look of a well-used first baseman’s mitt”. 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 recognised 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 today. 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 recognisable and enduringly fresh. Like all classics, the Eames Lounge 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 recognisable 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, these pieces 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 offers a striking blend of softness, durability and colour-fastness. MCL Leather is a premium, semi-aniline, dyed leather with 100 per cent natural full grain. Colour 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 Eames Lounge 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 on the white ash chair are finished in white to highlight the polished aluminium accents on the base. Luxurious Comfort and SupportThe comfort and support built into the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman help explain their enduring popularity. These qualities are created through a dynamic blend of hand-craftsmanship and mass production techniques. 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 has its own natural characteristics, and each will age to reveal its own unique personality.