What Is an Eames Chair?

History

• Charles Eames and Ray Kaiser met in 1940 while attending college at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan. They married a short time later. The couple lived and worked together, designing furniture, for 40 years. Their first project was a molded plywood chair. The design required quite a bit of experimentation since plywood splinters easily when molded. Five years later, they were successful and came out with a child's chair and stool in birch.

Molded Plywood Lounge Chair

• On March 14, 1956, the Eameses introduced a lounge chair and ottoman on NBC's "Home" show. The chair and ottoman were produced and distributed by the Herman Miller Furniture Co. Known as model numbers 670 and 671, they have been in continuous production since then by Herman Miller Co. The chair is made of molded plywood and has tufted leather cushioning. With metal legs and three separate sections cleverly joined by metal bars, the chair looks comfortable yet sleek. In a 2006 article, "The New York Times" describes the chair as looking like "a beetle flipped on its back." The lounge chair is probably the best-known example of the Eameses molded plywood chairs.

Molded Plastic Chairs

• The Eameses were pioneers in seating, designing the first chairs manufactured from plastic. An example of this type, "La Chaise," was designed in 1948 of plastic and fiberglass. The asymmetrical chair seat has a vaguely seashell-like look. They also created a bent welded wire base to use with the plastic chair. The design is simple yet comfortable, as all Eames creations were. Herman Miller still produces these chairs in a variety of colors.

Cast Aluminum Group Chairs

• Originally designed in 1958 for use outdoors, the aluminum group chairs still look ultra sleek. Herman Miller produces the design as comfortable desk chairs. The couple devised a way to stretch one piece of fabric over aluminum side ribs for an ergonomic but attractive chair. With a leather seat or mesh, the chairs are adjustable, with arms, and very much resemble the office chairs of today.

Bent and Welded Wire Mesh

• In 1951, the Eameses came out with a chair made of bent wire. Lightweight and affordable, they still intrigue today. The design is part of the permanent collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The chairs come in wire only, with a gridlike structure. In addition, one-pad and two-pad versions are available.